We are arriving on a Wednesday at 8:50am from Philadelphia on American. How much does will it take to get to the train station? Should I book my reservation now? There is a 10:15 am train and then a 12:15 pm train. Any suggestions?
Posted by
Green Bay
22420 posts
What is your destination and date of travel? No reason to buy a reservation. Just buy a ticket when you get to the station. Nobody in Switzerland buys seat reservations. It would be like buying a reservation on a SEPTA train.
I have done it riding in the front of the plane with my bag the first one on the carousel in 20 minutes.
Posted by
OP
Dallas
21 posts
We will be traveling September 24 and our destination is Innsbruck. The ticket price is currently 60 euros for the earlier train and 45 euros for the 12:15 pm train. Also should be sit first class since it is a 3 hour journey?
Posted by
Green Bay
22420 posts
Since the RJX trains actually depart from Zurich HB at 10:40 and 12:40, I would book the 12:40 just to be safe if your inbound flight is delayed. When you arrive and get your luggage, you can take the next train to Zurich HB, store your bags in a locker, and look around Zurich if you have an hour or 2. I might suggest the Swiss National Museum across the street form the station as an interesting way to spend an hour. If you book a ticket for 12:15, you can take any train to Zurich HB after you arrive.
BTW, I have ridden the RJX as far as St Anton, an hour short of Innsbruck and 2nd class was perfectly comfortable.
Posted by
OP
Dallas
21 posts
Great information!! Thank you
Posted by
San Diego, California
6584 posts
Note- Switzerland does not use euros, but the chf. I'm confused.
The SBB train station is actually in the Zurich airport.
Have a great trip.
Posted by
OP
Dallas
21 posts
Yes- I meant chf, not euros.
It sounds like it is best to just wait until we clear customs and immigration to see how long it takes, then buy our ticket for Zurich HB and then Innsbruck HBF. It just looks a lot cheaper to buy it now.
Posted by
Green Bay
22420 posts
Yes, there is an SBB station at the airport and trains to Zurich HB are like every 10 minutes, either mainline trains or S-Bahns.
You could pay in EUR by buying in advance from OEBB, the Austrian Federal Railway that operates the RJX trains (yes, they have a Swiss crew to the border at Buchs SG). https://www.oebb.at/en
Posted by
Wengen
3296 posts
What you also can do is just buy a normal ticket (costs79,70) which would be good for any train on the route for two days. That way you just hop on the next train going your direction after landing. You could also just buy your ticket at the airport when you arrive.
By default tickets are for a route, not a train, and even if you buy a discounted train-bound ticket you still would have to make your reservations separately.