Do I need to make train reservations in Switzerland?

But for most regional trains, high-speed trains, and sleep trains, you will not have to reserve seats. However, for certain scenic routes such as Bernina Express, Glacier Express, Golden Pass & Gotthard Panorama Express, you will need to make a separate reservation by paying a small booking fee.



For the vast majority of domestic travel in Switzerland in 2026, reservations are not required. You can simply buy a ticket or use a Swiss Travel Pass, hop on any train, and sit in any unreserved seat. The Swiss rail system is designed for high-frequency "turn-up-and-go" travel. However, there are two major exceptions: Panoramic Express Trains (like the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gotthard Panorama Express) and International Trains (like the EuroCity to Italy or TGV Lyria to France). These routes require a seat reservation fee in addition to your ticket, often ranging from 10 to 45 CHF depending on the season. While you can optionally reserve a seat on standard InterCity trains for about 5 CHF, locals rarely do this unless traveling during peak Friday evening or Sunday afternoon windows. If you see a digital display above a seat with a station name, that seat is reserved; otherwise, it is free for the taking.

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If the train company does not offer seat reservations on the train you are travelling on, the reservation ticket will specify the date and time of travel. In this case, you may sit in any available seat on the specified train, appropriate to the class of your ticket.

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You can buy your ticket online, but if you're travelling on a regional train you'll need to validate it – the ticket will be valid for 4 hours. If you're travelling on a long-distance trip, your ticket will be valid from the moment it's validated until 05:00 the following day.

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Point-to-point tickets, day tickets, regional passes and Swiss Travel System tickets are not tied to any particular train. This means that even if you miss your connection, your ticket will continue to be valid. So you can simply take the next train.

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Your seat will be automatically assigned when you complete your reservation. You may change your assigned seat and choose a different seat at any time after your booking is complete by viewing your reservation in the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com.

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With most airlines, if you DON'T pay and just check in online as early as you can, you WILL get to sit with the rest of your group – as long as seats are still available. All of the major airlines bar Ryanair told us their seat allocation systems will always try to seat groups on the same booking together.

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If they were booked onto a specific train and miss it, their seat is still marked as reserved. You are allowed to sit in reserved seats that are not occupied. If you speak to a conductor on a busy train they will tell you to do this.

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Swiss train tickets are easy to buy in stations or online through the Swiss Federal Railway's site. (If you do buy them online, be aware that the from fares displayed on the first screen of the ticket shop are the prices you can get if you have a Half-Fare Card.

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Skipping seat selection doesn't mean you won't get a seat on the flight. You might get stuck in the middle seat if you don't pay for one. Even if seat selection is free, you might want to skip it if only lousy seats are available (see the upgrade hack” below).

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In fact, most regular airlines now charge for seat selection anyways. It's often around $10-$30 per seat per flight segment, so if you cave in and pay for that, it can add up quickly. You shouldn't do it. No matter which airline you're flying on, don't ever pay to select a seat.

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A seat reservation is what grants you a specific seat on that train and it must be issued for travellng in conjunction with a Rail Pass.

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Supersaver tickets are available to book up to 2 months in advance. You don't need to buy your Swiss train tickets in advance if you're traveling within Switzerland – standard tickets don't sell out and are valid on any train. Simply hop on, take any unreserved seat and enjoy the ride.

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The residents of Switzerland are paid very high wages compared to other countries, even bordering countries like France or Germany. This is somewhat as a result of the high quality of living. But due to the high wages, Swiss people have more money to spend, which naturally leads to higher prices.

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