I have the SBB Mobile act. And i thought we had to change trains in bellinzona (sp?) To use the treno gottardo) to lugano (not using the panoramic train) but when i put in luzern to lugano via bellinzona, it comes up with a train that says treno gottardo but it says in the direction of locarno ( which all sounds right) but it only has us changing once and that is in arth-goldau. Is that the right train? Its 2.5 hrs.
If not the right train, what exactly do we put in the boxes?
What is your travel date? By default the SBB app will offer you the fastest route, and that is via the base tunnel, not the mountain route. And as the repairs are almost done more and more trains are run through the base tunnel.
If you want to force the route via the mountain route you need to add "Gösschenen" as a via. You will indeed again take the Treno Gottardo direction Locarno, but the route plan will have you stay on it till Bellinzona.
The named Treno Gottardo is IR26 and departs Luzern at 9:18, 11:18, 13:18, etc. To reach Lugano you just stay on that train until Bellinzona and change there.
We have since been to the train station in luzern and they tell us that all trains are going the route of over the mountains-that there was a wreck in the long tunnel about a year ago and they are still working on the tunnel. They assure us that there is no need to change in bellinzona amd we can go nonstop at 10:18 tomorrow (monday) morning luzern-lugano and that we will be going the old route up and over the mountains. That’s what we are taking so i hope so. Thanks.
That is what the schedule says, Gotthard-Panoramastrecke, the panoramic route. Good to check as more and more trains are being sent through the base tunnel, as it gradually comes back into service.
We arrived on monday.! We got to lugano from luzern by taking the 10:18 am, IC21 train. Stops were Arth-Goldau - Altdorf UR - Bellinzona - Lugano. We did not need to change trains in Bellinzona. We asked different workers several times at the train station cause i was so unsure of myself and everyone we asked said all the trains were going up over the mountain and not thru the long base tunnel. Maybe they are sending cargo thru the long tunnel??? Not people?? Projection was to open it in September sometime. Anyway we were blown away by lugano. We are already in Pontressina.
Just so this clear to others watching this—-right now they are mainly using the tunnel for freight, but the Eurocity and Intercity passenger trains use the tunnel on weekends, one direction on Saturdays and the other on Sundays (I forget which is which).
But when II was checking schedules on SBB for early September, I saw that some of those trains were going through the tunnel on weekdays as well.
So, as always, check the schedule for your exact day of travel and see.
