Do I need to reserve seat on Swiss train?

You can reserve your seats when purchasing tickets at SBB.ch (step 4 – Reservations). It is not obligatory to reserve seats but we recommend it.



On the vast majority of Swiss trains, a seat reservation is not required and is actually quite uncommon for locals. On standard InterCity (IC), InterRegio (IR), and RegioExpress (RE) trains, you can simply board with your ticket or Swiss Travel Pass and sit in any vacant seat in your designated class (1st or 2nd). However, there are a few important exceptions in 2026. Panoramic tourist trains—such as the Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gotthard Panorama Express—do require a mandatory seat reservation, which carries an additional fee (often between 10 and 49 CHF). Additionally, if you are traveling on international high-speed trains like the EuroCity (EC) to Italy, the TGV Lyria to France, or the ICE to Germany, a reservation is often either mandatory or highly recommended during peak periods. For standard commutes between cities like Zurich, Bern, or Geneva, you will almost always find a seat, though during rush hour (7:00-9:00 AM and 5:00-7:00 PM), the trains can be very crowded, and paying the small 5 CHF fee for a guaranteed seat might be worth the peace of mind.

People Also Ask

In most circumstances, you must purchase a ticket before you board a train. Most trains require reservations and you should not board reserved trains without a reservation. Passengers who do so are not guaranteed a seat and may be instructed to get off the train at the next station stop.

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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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Can I choose a specific seat? Not while you're making a reservation. Your seat will be automatically assigned when you complete your reservation. You may change your assigned seat at any time after your booking is complete using interactive seat maps on the Amtrak app or on Amtrak.com.

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Reservations are often required in France, Italy and Spain. Trains in these countries are popular and will quickly get full, especially during the summer months. In many other countries, like Austria, the Benelux and Germany, you can usually get by without reservations.

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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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For the smoothest ride, get a seat equidistant between the trucks (wheels). This way a hard bump will be only half as bad. If you want to watch the train ahead going through curves, get a window seat near the rear of the coach.

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Sometimes First Class can turn out to be even cheaper than standard. However, the extra benefits vary from just an antimacassar, to extra seating area, reclining seats, more convenient luggage space, and inclusive food and drink.

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Forward facing – You'll be facing the front of the train. You may also be facing another passenger,sometimes with a table between you. Backward facing – You'll be facing the back of the train. You may also be facing another passenger, sometimes with a table between you.

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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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