Swiss Travel Pass? Flexi? 1st Class, 2nd Class? Help!

Most trains in Switzerland don’t take seat reservations, so you probably won’t need to reserve many (if any) other than the Glacier Express.

I’ve only traveled in 2nd class, and that was perfectly fine. We stayed in the BO area in the summer and always found a seat on the train. If you’ll be using the STP for lots of gondola rides, they don’t offer first class options. So there’s no benefit in paying more for the pass on those trips.

If you have 1st class reservations on the Glacier Express (or anywhere else) and only have a 2nd class pass or ticket you need to but a 1st class upgrade. Ticket not legal otherwise.

In a perfect world where trains are never crowded, 2nd class would be perfectly fine. But that is not the reality. The trains are often very crowded. I learned my lesson the hard way. My first trip to Switzerland in 2021, I had the 2nd class Swiss Travel Pass. I was traveling with my sister and her husband and we often could not find seats together. One time, a train was so crowded that we got off and waited for the next train.

For my trips in 2022 and 2024, I had the 1st class Swiss Travel Pass and it was a very different experience. I often had the 1st class train cars to myself. I will only travel in 1st class in Switzerland from now on. There’s just more room for me and my luggage.

For the “regular” trains, you do not need seat reservations. That’s one of the many things I love about Switzerland. The ease of travel.

If you click on my name, you can click on the links to my Switzerland trip reports if you’d like to read.

Have a great trip!!

I should also add that I buy me Pass about a week before I'm scheduled to leave. I like to allow time in case there's any problems. I purchase when I'm at home because i like to have a couple of printed copied of my Pass, in addition to the QR code you will get. I find it easier to just keep the paper copy on the table in the trains so I'm not fiddling with my phone trying to find the QR code when the conductor comes by checking for tickets.

You may also be asked for your ID/passport. So, make sure that is readily available. I used to be able to show a copy of my passport, but on my last trip one conductor did not like that, and i needed to show my actual passport, which i had in my money belt. After that experience, i kept my passport out until i showed it with my Pass.

Carrie, during which month did you find the 2nd class coaches overcrowded?

Most trains in Switzerland don’t take seat reservations,

You can reserve a seat if you'd like. When purchasing your ticket, look under “Additional Offer,” where you’ll find a seat reservation option for 5.00 CHF. This fee can even be applied as a credit to your food bill if you choose to reserve a seat in the dining car. However, seat reservations are generally unnecessary unless you're traveling on certain panorama trains.

Here is how to reserve a seat in the dining car:

https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/services-on-train/sbb-restaurant-bistro/seat-reservations.html

I was traveling with my sister and her husband and we often could not
find seats together. One time, a train was so crowded that we got off
and waited for the next train.

There are several things that you can do that are superior to waiting for the next train (something that should never be necessary in Switzerland)
- You can get a 1st class upgrade on the train, or using the SBB app.
- You can just get on, and stand till the next station. Seat turnover is high, so usually something will free up, and if you are already on board you have a head start compared to those just boarding.
- Go to the ends of the train. The middle can be crowded. Swiss trains are often very long.

Not finding seats is rare on Swiss trains SBB has the habit of keeping its train in motion, not parking them to artificially raise the occupancy levels like eg. SNCF does.

Answering the pass question: you will need a First Class pass to cover your Glacier Express Day. So at a minimum, if you do not want to travel in First on any other day, you could but a Saver Day Pass in First to cover that ride. You can buy that now for the best price. A First Class Saver Day Pass bought now for March will be 88 CHF with no Half Fare Card or 59 CHF with a Half Fare Card. Full price for the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St. Moritz is 272 CHF in First, so this is a significant reduction.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/tickets/day-passes/saver-day-pass.html

https://glacierexpress.ch/en/price

For the rest of your travel, consider a Half Fare Card. You have at a minimum, travel from the Zurich Airport to Zermatt (regular price 134 CHF in 2d class, much more in First) and St. Moritz back to Zurich Airport (84 CHF in 2d class). The Half Fare Card costs 120 CHF and is good for price reductions in both First and 2d class. It will also give you 50% off other train and lift rides, such as the Gornergrat Bahn in Zermatt.

You do not need to have the HFC card in hand when you buy your Saver Day Pass or other tickets, but you must have it to show when you ride the train.

I would not bother with seat reservations on the other trains in March. Nor would we choose First for the other trains; they should not be nearly as crowded in March as they are in the summer high season when seats in 2d class can be scarce on popular routes.

Carrie, during which month did you find the 2nd class coaches
overcrowded?

Sept. 2021. June 2022. June 2024. I have also traveled in Switzerland as part of my Austria (Sept. 2022) and Italy (March 2023) trips.

Not finding seats is rare on Swiss trains.

This has not been my experience. If others have had a different experience, that’s great. I am passing along my experience from my recent trips. Based on that experience, I will only travel in 1st class in Switzerland. Whether others chose to travel in 1st or 2nd class makes no difference to me. :-) But I do think it’s important for future travelers to know that even in Switzerland, the trains can be crowded. Just like passport control in Zurich. Twice now I have had to wait over an hour in the passport control line—March 2023 and June 2024. Other times I have only had to wait minutes.

In my post above, I agreed with the position that second class cars are very crowded on some trains and some routes. We have encountered this on the IC train between Bern and Spiez, for example. But another way to deal with this, other than buy First Class, is to make seat reservations in Second Class for IC trains on popular routes. It is easy to do and inexpensive.

But be prepared to ask someone to leave your reserved seat, if it is occupied when you board. Make sure you have the right train and carriage. The reservation should be confirmed by a card in a holder above the window.