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Eurail pass for Bernina Express

  • 26 December 2022
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Is 2nd class eurail pass eligible to book a 1st class Bernina Express?  I’m not sure if this is the under different conditions because we have to book it on the official website of the train and the booking fees are the same for both class. 

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Best answer by AnnaB 27 December 2022, 08:47

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Userlevel 6
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If you want to travel with the panorama coaches of the Bernina Express, you need to book compulsory reservations through the site of the Rhätische Bahn: https://shop.rhb.ch/en/bernina-express All the seats offered through this booking engine are for the panoramic coach.

While first it will show the price of both a train tickets and a reservation, in the "traveller details" step of the booking process you can indicate "Eurrail pass" (sic) as a discount card which removes the ticket costs.

 

Note however the non-panorama coaches don't require any reservation for Eurail passholders, and also offer pretty decent views. 

You can find more details here: https://www.eurail.com/en/get-inspired/trains-europe/scenic-train-routes/bernina-express

If you want to travel with the panorama coaches of the Bernina Express, you need to book compulsory reservations through the site of the Rhätische Bahn: https://shop.rhb.ch/en/bernina-express All the seats offered through this booking engine are for the panoramic coach.

While first it will show the price of both a train tickets and a reservation, in the "traveller details" step of the booking process you can indicate "Eurrail pass" (sic) as a discount card which removes the ticket costs.

 

Note however the non-panorama coaches don't require any reservation for Eurail passholders, and also offer pretty decent views. 

You can find more details here: https://www.eurail.com/en/get-inspired/trains-europe/scenic-train-routes/bernina-express

I was navigating through the website and manage to get to this page. However, I was wondering if I am eligible to book a 1st class seats if I have 2nd class Eurail Pass because it doesn’t specify terms&conditions on the website regarding Eurail pass holder eligibility. Both seating class also have the same booking fee. 

Userlevel 7
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Basic principle: for 1st-that usually means wider seats and nothing else, one needs a ticket or pass for 1st. In SOME areas/countries it is possible to do a 1 time upgrade by paying the difference in NORMal fares from 2nd to 1st-mostly that means 50% of full fare-and it is Swiss, so that can be astronomically high. Easy to check this cost by doing a dummy booking for the whole sector for 2nd-then 1st-you intend to make on them. That is- IF they even allow this, I am not sure about that.  That prices for the RES are same says nothing, but seems as many ask about it lately a common misunderstanding. This cost is simply the cost of the administration to do this and in the end show a tiny paper or electronic set for that seat on that day. Thats all!

Userlevel 7
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2nd class passes NEVER allow you to just sit in or buy a reservation for 1st class accommodation.

 

It in some cases is possible to buy an upgrade but there is no online booking that I know of that allows this.

Userlevel 7
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@Jamie Wach @Schelte @Al_G @mcadv 

Here is information about how to make an upgrade from 2nd to 1st class in Switzerland.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/class-upgrades-supersaver-class-upgrades/class-upgrade.html

 

Userlevel 6
Badge +4

@Jamie Wach @Schelte @Al_G @mcadv 

Here is information about how to make an upgrade from 2nd to 1st class in Switzerland.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/class-upgrades-supersaver-class-upgrades/class-upgrade.html

 

Interesting. Looking at the prices for these journeys, I expect exchanging your pass to a 1st class pass (€15 fee + price difference) will be cheaper. 

 

2nd class passes NEVER allow you to just sit in or buy a reservation for 1st class accommodation.

 

It in some cases is possible to buy an upgrade but there is no online booking that I know of that allows this.

I in fact only know SNCF allows upgrading reservations on their domestic French TGV & Intercités services. These can be made on online and automatically appear as you fill in a 2nd pass in the search engine. Funnily, it is sometimes cheaper to buy an upgraded €10 reservation than a 2nd class €20 reservation. That's the only exception I know where this is integrated with the reservation process.

 

Userlevel 7
Badge +9

2nd class passes NEVER allow you to just sit in or buy a reservation for 1st class accommodation.

It in some cases is possible to buy an upgrade but there is no online booking that I know of that allows this.

For domestic French reservations, that is possible via Belgian railways:

https://travel.b-europe.com/Eurail-GE/en/booking-tgv#TravelWish

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