SBB - Train ticket for Golden Pass - Lausanne to Interlaken

To make seat reservations on the panoramic Golden Pass train use this site:

http://tickets.goldenpass.ch

Choose the segment from Montreux to Zweisimmen. Which is the only segment that most of the panoramic trains travel on. Once you arrive in Switzerland you can purchase tickets train tickets for the entire journey (Lausanne to Interlake OST) at any train station. If you have a Swiss Pass the train journey is covered by the pass.

You need to make the seat reservations ASAP. WHen I put Sep 8 into the site it says that some of the departures are already sold-out on that day.

One difficulty is that there is construction on the line between Zweisimmen and Boltigen until Sept 10. They do show replacement buses operating around it.

Thanks Michael - I have the seat reservations!!!
(Didn't think I needed them in advance based on all my readings and research.) Glad you recommended it.

I am still a bit confused.... now that I have seat reservations - is it ok to buy my tickets in Geneva on arrival date of Sept 4 (will buy the Swiss half fare card) - will tickets for my reserved seats be available or is there a possibility they can sell out of the train ticket (?) and I will have a seat but no train ticket? Seems like a bit backwards but I'm not familiar with the system. Are the agents in the Geneva train station friendly and helpful ? Hope it won't be too intimidating. We've been putting off this trip (traveling independently but finally decided to make it happen on our own. )

Also is there a super saver if I buy a Swiss half fare card for me and my husband (I read that the second or companion ticket is 10% off). Do I need to buy a Gimmelwald to Schilthorm RT ticket in advance or can I buy when we arrive in Gimmelwald Sept 10/11?

We plan to travel from Geneva to Lausanne to Interlaken to Gimmelwald to Bern to Zurich - would any of these legs require advance otherwise I'm assuming that I can get the tickets on Sept 4 for our trip that starts Sept 4 to Sept 15.

What a learning experience --- thank you sooooo much!!!

Sam - thanks for your note, I saw the extra leg when reviewing the trip details on SBB

Doreen

You are very welcome. You don't need to purchase any train tickets in advance for most Swiss trains. Make arrangements when you arrive in country. Apart from the golden pass trains, seat are first come first serve, but there are always empty seats available. The folks that man the ticket booths are very friendly and used to dealing with tourists. The locals use the automatic ticket machines, so they mostly deal with tourists.

As long as you have a reservation you can always buy tickets later. You could have purchased the reservations along with the actual tickets at a later date also, but securing your reservations in advance guarantees you a seat in case the train is sold out.