Hi, we will be taking the ICE from Germany to Interlaken, Switzerland.
Upon selecting first class tickets, we were given the option to select seats for the German part of the railway (to Basel), but we do not have the option to select the seats from Basel to Interlaken. Does that mean our connecting train (in Switzerland) is not first class?
No, it's just that seating in Switzerland is typically unassigned. You can stay in the same seats, as long as it is the same train!
In Switzerland, you have to buy seat reservations, even in 1st class. Cost is 5 CHF, but almost nobody does it. Trains are so frequent that there are seldom problems finding seats.
There are 3 ICE trains every day that start in Berlin, going through Frankfurt to Interlaken Ost. If you are on one of these, you will not have to change trains, but remain seated where you are all the way to Interlaken.
Are you on a direct ICE? Or are you changing trains in Basel? Can you share your schedule.
Reservations are not compulsory in Germany nor are they in Switzerland. But in Germany getting a seat is a good idea. If you are on a through train to Interlaken your reservation will be valid till there. If you are changing trains in Basel you would need a separate reservation for that leg, if you wanted one, and DB is apparently not automatically offering that. But you do not need a reservation on that part anyway.
