Which Swiss panoramic trains need a seat reservation
Three trains won't let you board without a booked seat, and the GoldenPass only in Prestige Class. Here's where each one lands.
Compulsory
Reservation requiredZermatt to St Moritz · 8 hoursGlacier ExpressThe fare is covered in full, so the reservation is the entire bill: CHF 54 in either class, any distance, all year. Excellence Class is CHF 540 and needs a first class pass.Reservation CHF 54See Glacier Express →
Reservation requiredChur to Tirano · 4 hoursBernina Express122km over 196 bridges and through 55 tunnels, topping out at 2,253m, UNESCO listed since 2008. Reservations sell out weeks ahead from May to October.Reservation CHF 44See Bernina Express →
Reservation requiredLucerne to Lugano · 5h 30minsGotthard Panorama ExpressA Lake Lucerne boat joined to the historic Gotthard rail route. The boat needs no reservation, but the train is entirely first class, so a second class pass pays a class upgrade on top.Reservation CHF 24See the Gotthard →Recommended but not compulsory
Nothing to book at all
FreeLocarno to Domodossola · 3h 30mins through to MontreuxCentovalli RailwayFifty bridges and viaducts, and half the line runs through Italy with the pass still covering it. No reservation, no supplement.See the Centovalli →
FreeSt Gallen to Lucerne · 2h 20minsVoralpen-ExpressAcross the pre-Alps with no supplement and no booking. The scenic train nobody counts as one, which is exactly why it is quiet.See Voralpen-Express →
FreeBern to Brig, and on to DomodossolaLötschberg mountain lineCovered outright, reservation free, and it runs through to Italy. Ask for the mountain line rather than the base tunnel, or you will see the inside of a tunnel.See the Lötschberg →The Chocolate Train sits slightly outside all of this, you buy it in advance and the ticket is the reservation, so there's no second fee to worry about.
Swiss panoramic train reservation fees compared
Fees run from CHF 10 to CHF 540. This is the whole picture in one place.
| Train | Reservation fee | Compulsory? |
|---|---|---|
| Glacier Express, 1st or 2nd class | CHF 54 | Yes |
| Glacier Express, Excellence Class | CHF 540 | Yes |
| Bernina Express, Chur–Tirano (high season) | CHF 44 | Yes |
| Bernina Express, Chur–Tirano (low season) | CHF 40 | Yes |
| Bernina Express, St Moritz–Tirano | CHF 32 year round | Yes |
| Bernina Express bus leg | CHF 16 high / CHF 14 low | Yes |
| Bernina Express, both legs in high season | CHF 60 | Yes |
| Gotthard Panorama Express | CHF 24 | Yes (train only) |
| GoldenPass Express, 1st or 2nd class | CHF 20 | No |
| GoldenPass Express, Prestige Class | CHF 35 | Yes |
| GoldenPass Panoramic (classic) | Around CHF 10 | No |
Why the Glacier Express reservation never changes
CHF 54 buys you the same seat whether you're in first or second class, travelling Zermatt to St Moritz or hopping just one section, in February or in August. There's no short-distance discount and no off-peak rate, it's a flat fee, and you pay it on top of a fully valid pass. Excellence Class is CHF 540 and also requires a first class pass to go with it. There's more on the route itself on our Glacier Express page.
Why the Bernina Express reservation varies
Your Bernina Express fee depends on which bit you ride and when. Chur to Tirano is CHF 44 in high season, that's 2 May to 25 October 2026, and CHF 40 the rest of the year. St Moritz to Tirano is CHF 32 all year. The bus leg down to Lugano is CHF 16 in high season and CHF 14 in low, and if you're doing train and bus together in high season you'll pay CHF 60. Small consolation: the fee includes an iced tea and a souvenir box of Lindt chocolates.
The Gotthard Panorama Express class trap
CHF 24 covers the train portion, and children aged 6 to 15 pay exactly the same. Under-6s go free as long as they don't need their own seat. Watch this one, though, the train is entirely first class, so if you're holding a second class pass you'll pay a class upgrade on top of the CHF 24. The boat leg across Lake Lucerne needs no reservation at all.
GoldenPass reservations and the Prestige supplement
The GoldenPass Express charges CHF 20 in first or second class for Montreux to Interlaken and CHF 35 in Prestige, and bookings open 11 months ahead. Children 6 to 15 pay the adult rate here. The classic GoldenPass Panoramic takes optional reservations at around CHF 10, and Prestige Class on it carries a supplement of about CHF 49 on top of your pass.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover seat reservations?
No pass covers a reservation. Not the Swiss Travel Pass, not the Flex version, not the Half Fare Card, not a regional pass. Your pass covers the fare, the actual transport from A to B. The seat is sold separately, and it's the one line on a scenic train bill you'll always pay yourself. It's worth building that into your budget early rather than finding it at the booking page. See what else your pass doesn't include.
How to skip the reservation fee on Swiss scenic routes
You can dodge the fee entirely on some routes by taking the ordinary service train instead of the panoramic one. The scenery outside the window is identical, you just don't get the curved glass roof or the onboard commentary. The Bernina line is the clearest example.
| Bernina Express | Regional train, same line | |
|---|---|---|
| Reservation fee | CHF 44 in high season | About CHF 5, and optional |
| Fare | Covered by your pass | Covered by your pass |
| The scenery | Same line, same viaducts | Same line, same viaducts |
| Panoramic roof | Yes | No |
| Tied to one train and date | Yes | No, hop on when you like |
| Can you break the journey? | Not really | Easily |
And three routes need nothing booked at all: the Centovalli, the Voralpen-Express and the Lötschberg are all genuinely scenic on ordinary trains. You just turn up.
When to book your panoramic train reservation
Bernina Express reservations sell out weeks ahead from May to October. Here's the order to work in:
- Fix your travel dates first, a reservation is tied to a specific train on a specific day, so it's the part of your plan that stops being flexible.
- Book the Bernina Express as soon as those dates are set, especially for anything between May and October.
- Book the Glacier Express next; it fills fast in summer too.
- Add the GoldenPass Express whenever you like, the window opens 11 months ahead and there's usually room.
- Leave the no-reservation routes for the gaps, since you can ride those on a whim.
Browse the full set of routes on our scenic trains hub before you lock anything in.
