I'm hoping that someone out there can answer my query. For his 70th birthday my children bought my husband a Glacier Express voucher worth CHF 325. ( I have a Swiss Travel pass that covers me for the G Express). When I came to book our trip I discovered we could not book a ticket but could make seat reservations. I booked 1st class seats and a 3 course meal each but because the booking page asked for the 'discount' code rather than the 'voucher' code I missed putting in the voucher number so had to use my debit card to pay.( it would be helpful if the website stuck to using the same terminology on all areas of the site). I now find that the cost of the ticket when I come to pay is less than the voucher value. ie Ticket cost CHF269.Voucher value CHF325 balance CHF56. I want to know if I can use this balance on either a) souvenirs or b) drinks on board the train. Does the voucher work like a store card ie keeps a running total of the balance after every use. I have searched everywhere on the Glacier Express website but can find no information to help me.
Also I see that you can buy souvenirs online but are there souvenirs shops specifically for the Glacier Express at the stations in particular at St Moritz.
Sorry for the rather lengthy post but I would be most grateful if anyone can advice me.
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
So, what you bought on the debit card was two seat reservations and two meals? Maybe you can cancel that purchase and start over. Try emailing info@glacierexpress.ch or any contact info that came with the first invoice. Unfortunately, your bank won't usually give you back the same exchange rate that it took out.
And then you started over on the dedicated page to buy one ticket? 269 chf looks like the reserved ticket price for one traveler in 1st class if your route is all the way between Zermatt and St. Moritz. So your husband would have a second seat reservation.
If you were starting out again to book one reserved ticket and one pass holder reservation, the system does allow that. On the page where you fill in names, choose no reduction for your husband but then choose "Swiss Travel Pass" as the reduction type for yourself.
Today is the first time I've looked at this voucher page, so I don't know any more about how it works.
Posted by
Basel, Switzerland
8889 posts
Am I correct in saying you have a Swiss Pass, but your husband does not and is paying with the voucher?
If you have a Swiss Pass, this covers all Swiss trains, including the Glacier Express. You should only pay for the reservations.
According to the website ( https://www.glacierexpress.ch/en/travel-planning/prices/ ) a reservation between CHF 23 and CHF 43 per person depending on date. A 3-course lunch costs CHF 43. I am guessing your CHF 269 is 1 ticket + 2 x reservations + 2 x food.
I do not know what you can now use this voucher for.
Since both you and your husband need to get to and from the Glacier Express, and he hasn't got a Swiss Pass, perhaps he can use the voucher to buy his tickets.
Posted by
OP
2 posts
Thank you Laura & Chris F for your replies. Laura I did discuss the problem with a G.Ex representative but she advised a rather complicated way to rectify the problem ie Make another reservation for seats & dinner using the voucher, then ring & cancel original reservation & get my money back. There are 2 problems with this option 1) the seats I have already booked were the ones we particularly want & we didn't want to book other seats & 2) the girl I spoke with could not confirm that I could use the voucher for a second time to use up the remaining balance. I think that I will have to ring Glacier Express again & hopefully get someone who is really knowledgeable about the use of the vouchers.
Thanks Chris. Yes I have a travel pass but my husband doesn't so I can use the voucher to pay for his trip but there will be an outstanding balance which I would like to confirm I can use up.
If I do get answer from Glacier Express I will post on this site.