Hi community
I’ve got a Eurail pass and trying to book the Gotthard express (from Lucerne to Lugano) via the SBB.ch website. As per advise on the Eurail website, since I have a second class pass already I should only be required to pay the fare upgrade to 1st class + seat reservation fee + 50% discount on the ferry.
However, “Eurail” pass discount option is not available (see below). What am I doing wrong? Help please!
Thanks very much in advance.
Saby
Best answer by sabyj
Thanks very much Danhiel for taking the time to respond. I did also reach out to the team @ Gotthard Express. FYI their response as follows:
Thank you for your interest in the Gotthard Panorama Express. We are very pleased about this. The Gotthard Panorama Express is a unique journey with the SBB 1st class panoramic train and the boat trip across Lake Lucerne between Lucerne and Lugano. For the route between Flüelen and Lugano, you will need a 1st class ticket.
Please proceed as follows:
Please reserve your train seats at www.gotthard-panorama-express.ch. Select "Reservation only" as your discount. You will then receive a seat allocation and a supplement of CHF 24. Seat reservations are not possible on the ship. If you wish, you can reserve seats for lunch online in the ship's restaurant.
Unfortunately, the Interrail/Eurail pass is not valid on the boat route; you will still need a ticket for this. However, with the Interrail/Eurail pass, you will receive a 50% discount. You can purchase your boat ticket from the boat crew during your trip or online at www.lakelucerne.ch. Choose the Half-Fare discount. The ticket for the boat journey costs CHF 26.50 in 2nd class or CHF 41.00 in 1st class.
With a 2nd class Interrail/Eurail Pass, you will need an upgrade to 1st class for the train journey. This is best paid for by paying to our train crew during your trip. The class upgrade for the Flüelen and Lugano route costs CHF 34.00. If you only use the train between Arth-Goldau and Lugano, the upgrade costs CHF 40.00.
We offer a free luggage transfer between Lugano and Lucerne. You can drop off your luggage at the platform in Lugano at 9:00 a.m. and pick it up at the luggage counter in Lucerne station until 7:00 p.m. Or, in the other direction, drop off your luggage at the Gotthard Panorama Express Welcome Desk at Pier 1 by 11:00 AM and collect it on the platform in Lugano, right next to the train.
Hello
You must buy two separate tickets, because you don’t have the same discount on both legs;
Boat Luzern - Flüelen: Regular Half Fare Ticket 1st or 2nd class. Seats reservations are not possible and it is not necessary to buy this ticket in advance.
EDIT I deleted this part of my answer because it was false.
Sorry, I’m now no more sure if my previous answer was correct. I don’t know if you can buy Half Fare Class Upgrades with an Eurail Pass. I will search or perhaps someone else can answer this question.
Thanks very much Danhiel for taking the time to respond. I did also reach out to the team @ Gotthard Express. FYI their response as follows:
Thank you for your interest in the Gotthard Panorama Express. We are very pleased about this. The Gotthard Panorama Express is a unique journey with the SBB 1st class panoramic train and the boat trip across Lake Lucerne between Lucerne and Lugano. For the route between Flüelen and Lugano, you will need a 1st class ticket.
Please proceed as follows:
Please reserve your train seats at www.gotthard-panorama-express.ch. Select "Reservation only" as your discount. You will then receive a seat allocation and a supplement of CHF 24. Seat reservations are not possible on the ship. If you wish, you can reserve seats for lunch online in the ship's restaurant.
Unfortunately, the Interrail/Eurail pass is not valid on the boat route; you will still need a ticket for this. However, with the Interrail/Eurail pass, you will receive a 50% discount. You can purchase your boat ticket from the boat crew during your trip or online at www.lakelucerne.ch. Choose the Half-Fare discount. The ticket for the boat journey costs CHF 26.50 in 2nd class or CHF 41.00 in 1st class.
With a 2nd class Interrail/Eurail Pass, you will need an upgrade to 1st class for the train journey. This is best paid for by paying to our train crew during your trip. The class upgrade for the Flüelen and Lugano route costs CHF 34.00. If you only use the train between Arth-Goldau and Lugano, the upgrade costs CHF 40.00.
We offer a free luggage transfer between Lugano and Lucerne. You can drop off your luggage at the platform in Lugano at 9:00 a.m. and pick it up at the luggage counter in Lucerne station until 7:00 p.m. Or, in the other direction, drop off your luggage at the Gotthard Panorama Express Welcome Desk at Pier 1 by 11:00 AM and collect it on the platform in Lugano, right next to the train.
Thanks for sharing this answer. If you buy the 1st class upgrade in the train you will have no problem. The staff knows the right price.
Until now I didn’t find if you can have a Half Price or a Full Price upgrade with an Eurail pass.
You definitely get 50% on the boats on Lake Lucerne, at least for second class, which is already a good offer on these boats IMO. This also applies to the boat connecting to the Gotthard Panoramic express as it is a regular service also open to people not travelling the whole route.
I have now the confirmation. With an Eurail Pass you have no discount for the 1st class upgrades and it is not possible to buy Day Class Upgrades. You must pay the full difference between 1st and 2nd class.
Also note that you can take a regular train each hour on the same route, without any extra costs.
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