I am looking to purchase seat reservations for a Panoramic Express train from Luzern to Interlaken Ost on September 5. We have a 1st class Swiss Travel Pass. Have tried multiple attempts to purchase seat reservations on the SBB mobile app, but have not had success. The site is looking to book a ticket, which we do not need. Have also searched the internet for guidance with no success.
Any insight on how to purchase these seat reservations would be much appreciated.
Thanks for your help.
Roy
Posted by
Wengen
4174 posts
You do not really need a reservation for that train. it is a normal service train, used by people to go about their daily business...
But if you want to reserve you need to go to the site of the company running it:
https://www.zentralbahn.ch/en/experience/leisure/luzern-interlaken-express
Posted by
San Diego, California
7272 posts
On the panoramic train cars, the seats may be sold out for September. However, the regional trains run on the same tracks, so you experience the same incredible views. And on the regional train cars, the windows open, and the trains are much less crowded, so you can change seats as the scenery changes.
Have a great trip!
Posted by
Green Bay
23730 posts
The Luzern-Interlaken Express is an hourly regional train that happens to be outfitted with all carriages having panoramic style windows. They are really diagonal windows above the main cabin windows so you can get a better view of the surrounding mountains. People use it for their normal business, and it can't "sell-out", even if all the seats are taken.
If you want seat reservations, you must go to the operator, as WengenK has instructed.
Posted by
Switzerland
541 posts
@Pat, the information that you are sharing is not accurate for this route, it is not the same as the Bernina Express.
As Sam said all of the trains that run Luzern - Interlaken are exactly the same. Every single carriage is the same - half of the carriage will be with the panorama windows in the roof, the other half not…you can see this from the outside, or when you are on the train just keep on walking through if you happen to be in the section without. All windows in the entire train are very large though, and will provide amazing views. It is not possible to open them.
Posted by
Wengen
4174 posts
Only a few cars on the Luzern - Interlaken Express are actually reservable. The train has in total 10 carriages, and you cannot reserve seats in most of them. So when you reserve seats you can even end up in the busiest part of the train...
There are a handful of extra trains (marked IR in the schedule) on Luzern - Interlaken that are not panoramic. But these are, just like the panoramic trains, just normal regional trains. In the past all trains were labeled IR, and I think it would have been better if they kept it like that.
Posted by
Switzerland
541 posts
There are a handful of extra trains (marked IR in the schedule) on Luzern - Interlaken that are not panoramic.
This is good to know! I haven't come across them before. Looks like there are a couple of them a day leaving Luzern at :24 with PE trains leaving at :06.
Posted by
OP
Gig Harbor, WA
41 posts
Many Thanks to everyone who provided assistance in getting seat reservations booked. Excited for our first visit to Switzerland.