Hi, all!
I just attempted to buy Swiss rail passes from this site but am getting this message: "The server encountered an internal error or misconfiguration and was unable to complete your request."
Tried several times, laboriously typing and retyping names and passport #'s. I am trying to buy passes for June. Am I too early or something or is there really some issue with the server? Frustrating. Anyone else having this issue today?
Thanks for any insight.
It could be this website, or Rail Europe’s. Wait a few days and try again. Or wait and buy the passes when you arrive in Switzerland.
You can just buy them when you get to Switzerland. Why pay now for something you will not use for 5 months. The price will not change in CHF, only by the currency fluctuation, which could make them a little cheaper or a little more expensive depending which way the trade goes.
Either buy them when you get there, you can buy them at any border or airport station.
Or buy direct from the SBB website here: https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/international-guests/swiss-travel-pass.html
Same price either way. Why involve a middle-man?
Thanks, all. I'll try again another day. I was hoping to make one first class reservation for one of the scenic legs of a train trip and, (during peak summer travel) if I understand correctly, one needs to already have a rail pass to make a seat reservation, right? Also, my (adult) daughters will be arriving separately and meeting up with us. I'd like them each to have a rail pass in hand when they arrive (jetlagged) in Geneva so they can easily get to us in Montreux. I also read that if I get the rail passes ahead of time, I can get the "Family Pass" add-on so my two 14 year old sons can travel with us for free (rather than paying the small fee you pay if you get the passes there in Switzerland.) Of course one can buy all that stuff once on the ground, but I'm trying to limit the hassle for people. Make sense now?
I purchased our Swiss Rail Passes last year from the site Chris F. mentioned. The passes came in an email and we printed them at home. We saved the email and could have reprinted them if we lost the original. You could the email the passes to your daughters. We folded the printed pass and put it in a zip lock sandwich bag, and just showed it when traveling. No one ever asked us for our passport. Pay in Swiss Francs for the best price.
The free Swiss Family Card is available wherever and whenever you buy your Swiss Travel Pass. (The fee to buy a similar Junior Card there is only necessary if you're not buying a visitor pass or visitor Half-Fare Card.) Passes can be purchased up to 6 months before the travel start day you've chosen, so you're within that window for June travel, but there should be no rush to do it.
If you're looking at reserving VIP seats departing Montreux on the Golden Pass line, then that's probably what's causing the block. These are not currently for sale while the railway works on changes to that line. Check later at http://www.mob.ch/en/reservation-procedure. You don't need a pass in hand to make a seat reservation; you just have to have both pieces when you get on the train.
Also be aware that the Swiss Railways can be finicky about what credit cards they take. There are many previous discussions about that on this board. For me, what finally worked well was to use a debit card.
