I managed to book a reservation for a seat on a upcoming trip in September, but I understand that is just a seat reservation and not a train ticket.
Is it just me or is booking a European train ticket confusing?
Thanks,
Steve
Posted by
Green Bay
19964 posts
What did you pay?
Posted by
OP
Houston, Texas
63 posts
CHF 15.00
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32683 posts
That doesn't sound like a fare from Luzern to Montreux to me.
Or are you doing only a very short segment?
Posted by
Rick Steves' Europe
16893 posts
Nigel, it's a seat reservation, as he said, for a VIP seat on the Golden Pass departing Montreux toward Interlaken.
Steve, As discussed in your private messages, you can use either a Swiss Travel Pass or a single ticket to cover this train ride. If you choose to buy tickets instead of a pass for all of your Swiss travel, then you will save money by also buying a one-month Half Fare Card. You can buy both at the Geneva airport train station, so that staff can help you buy your ticket for the desired train route.
Posted by
Green Bay
19964 posts
Looks like you got a VIP 1st class seat. The 1st class ticket Montreux to Zweisimminen is 56 chf. Your 15 chf reservation gives you seats in the front coach with the panoramic window in front of you. These seats are only on the trains between Montreux and Zweisimminen.
Many "tourist" trains in Switzerland have mandatory reservation fees, which are actually just supplements for special trains with panoramic viewing cars, and guaranteed seats therein. They also have upgraded restaurant cars. Other trains would be the Glacier Express and the Bernina Express.
European train ticket booking is only confusing because it is pretty much nonexistent in the US.