How to book Bernina express and glacier express seats with eurail?

Great advice from rvdborgt !

I'll only add that on said regional trains windows can be opened (while not on the panorama coaches) so it's way better for pics ! There are also open-air coaches during summer on regional trains on the Bernina line (AW symbol on sbb.ch or SBB app).

The regional trains are less busy, more frequent (hourly) and have the same seating configuration : 2-2 2nd class, 2-1 1st class. That way you can stop along the way if you'd like. Alp Grüm is an excellent middle stop on the Bernina line

diego1399 wrote:

rvdborgt wrote:

i dont see the option “eurail pass”

 

 

Scroll down further. It's 10 options further down.

rvdborgt wrote:

diego1399 wrote:

rvdborgt wrote:

i dont see the option “eurail pass”

 

 

Scroll down further. It's 10 options further down.

If I am traveling alone and do not want to have another person facing me, which trains do you recommend?  

Most trains in Switzerland (95% I'd say) have seats facing another one or next to another one. The only exception would be some 1st class seats (maybe 2-3 per carriage).

But don't worry 1st class carriages are mostly empty so simply sit wherever you want and nobody will sit next to you. On the other hand 1st class Glacier Express/Bernina Express are always full so you'll sit near someone else. It's a great way to meet people :)

Do not reserve seats in Switzerland, you can't on many trains anyway. It's a waste of money and you can't select your seat anyway.

Zermatt - Chur  is it not included to get discount with eurail pass?

diego1399 wrote:

Zermatt - Chur  is it not included to get discount with eurail pass?

 

The list with discounts is about 15 items long and your screenshot only shows the top 2. You need to scroll further down in that list, as I wrote before.

The best possibility to avoid having to face another person is first of all to avoid travelling with the trains or coaches that require reservations. Those trains will most certainly be fully booked and you must sit in your reserved seat. 

Secondly, if you choose the trains/coaches which are reservation free they will most likely be less crowded and you also have the possibility to switch between seats.

Yep as everyone else advises, take regional trains and they'll be empty.

There are only 1-2 seats left for 24th May on the direct Glacier Express, you'll sit next to 3 people (without window access).

Zermatt - Visp - Andermatt - Disentis/Mustér - Chur (easy connections, don't worry).

You'll save 49 CHF too. :)

rvdborgt wrote:

diego1399 wrote:

Zermatt - Chur  is it not included to get discount with eurail pass?

 

The list with discounts is about 15 items long and your screenshot only shows the top 2. You need to scroll further down in that list, as I wrote before.

Glacier Express 900 

Zermatt - Chur

Single, 1st Class 

I dont see eurail disccount  and i scrolled down. 

Can you please check if the eurail discount option appears for that trip?
I have tried different browsers and I do not see the option

I totally agree that making reservations in Switzerland is a waste of money but when making a reservation though RhB on the GE or BE you can select which coach and seat you want. 

@AnnaB Yep the Glacier and Bernina Express are indeed an exception. You know in advance that you'll sit next to 1-3 other people :)

@diego1399 You could take the reservation-free trains without worrying about anything or use the pages rvdborgt linked for the special trains

Can I use the glacier express without reserving a seat? I read that yes or if you have to reserve a seat

The Glacier Express trains need a seat reservation. There are 3 direct trains per day and only 4 seats left for the whole day.

Or you take reservation-free hourly regional trains running on the same route. Those will be empty. You need to change in Visp, Andermatt and Disentis/Mustér, all are easy connections.

For those trains simply add them to the app before boarding, board them and find a free seat in 1st class (there will be plenty)

No you can't. But there are reservation-free regional trains every hour running over exactly the same lines.

and the regional trains do the same route as the glacier and bernina? I'm sorry, it's the first time I've been to Europe and I feel like it's complicated for me.

You are looking at thee wrong site to book Glacier express.

You need this link https://shop.glacierexpress.ch/gex_en/specials/daytrips/glacier-express

Select train add full fare 1st class ticket, select seat then at next stage enter eurail as discount to remove the fare and leave the reservation fee.

I would also go with the others on here, the regional trains on the same route would be my choice.

@diego1399 Yes they take the same route, don't worry ! They have pull-down windows too for part of the route so it's much better for pics

Hi,

A quick question on top of this discussion. I’ve got 2nd class EuRail pass, but when I’m trying to reserve seat in the Bernina websit directly, it’s showing me both 1st & 2nd class seats available. Can i actually reserve 1st class seat with my 2nd class eurail pass? When I’m selecting EuRail, it’s as discount, it’s removing the fare, and only showing the reservation fee, but not specifying the 1st or 2nd class. So can I actually reserve 1st class seat? Thanks in advance!

To travel in 1st class with a 2nd class pass, you also need to pay the difference between the normal 1st and 2nd class fares.

Thanks for your reply. Yes paying the extra fare is fine, but how do I book that upgrade? Because in Bernina website, after selecting Eurail, it automatically remove the fare, just charge for the reservation. So my question is, how do I actually do the upgrade specifically for one route? 

You need to get the upgrade from 2nd to 1st class from the SBB website/app. The seat reservation you get from the Bernina website.

Thank you so much!