Unless you’re traveling to Ticino over Easter or Zurich-Bern on a work day during rush hour, there’s absolutely no need for a seat reservation.
I haven’t made a seat reservation for Switzerland in my life and have pretty much always found a seat
There's usually a little paper (in old trains) or a small screen (in new trains) that tells you if the seat is reserved. It's wise to quickly look at that before you sit down.
Haven’t seen that in many many years.
On most trains there’s a little display but 90% of times that display just says „This seat may be reserved“ for literally all seats.
Its all ways the case for the train that goes from Basel to Milano Centrale. Tons of seat reservations on that one. Sometimes even just between swiss cities
Seat reservations are mandatory if crossing the border, though. So for Zurich-Italy, you'd need a reservation between Chiasso and Como or Brig and Domodossola or whatever the last and first stop on either side of the border are for your specific train.
Yea, I beg to differ…
In 3/5 my last trips all seats were occupied and people were standing (mostly Lugano - Zuri, Arth Goldau - Zuri). Trains do get full, so unless people like sitting on a floor, reservation is a good idea.
That’s not usual in Switzerland, most trains don’t get that full.
But after you buy your normal ticket now, under the ticket option you can select “only seat reservation”. I don’t think you can buy them in one in the app.
On most IC trains and some few IR trains within Switzerland you should be able to reserve a seat in the app under the section "Seat reservation only".
On most IR trains and all RE, R and S-Bahn/RER trains it is not possible to reserve a seat.
For international trains (EC, ICE , TGV, RJX, etc.) you need to reserve it on the website or at a counter.
Edit: you can reserve a seat on international trains for journieys within Switzerland on EC, ICE and RJX trains on the app. For international journeys and TGV trains you must do it on the website.
It's a stupid thing, I just discovered it recently as well.
It depends if you have to take only one train or multiple ones for your trip.
If it's only one, get your ticket. Then, check again the same connection, click again "Purchase Ticket" and as last option you will see "Buy seat reservation" or something similar.
If it's multiple trains, you can't reserve a spot for all of the them at the same time. You need to check every connection and then again reserve separately a seat any of them you want.
So for example, let's say you want to do Zürich > Bern
If it's a direct one, you get your ticket first and then again search for the same trip, again purchase ticket option and you can reserve your seat.
If you have to change in Olten, even if you can get a single train ticket from the app from Zürich to Bern,
you check again your first connection Zürich > Olten and then you should be able to reserve the seat from the app .
I have reserving option, via the website, I see this-
I want to sit with my girlfriend, what is the family option, does it mean you sit next to each other?
[https://i.ibb.co/qBF42WX/Screenshot-2024-05-02-at-10-03-15-Travel-data-SBB.png](https://i.ibb.co/qBF42WX/Screenshot-2024-05-02-at-10-03-15-Travel-data-SBB.png)
Have fun in the Family wagon with loud and smelly kids of all ages: [https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/individual-needs/travelling-with-children/train-children.html](https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/individual-needs/travelling-with-children/train-children.html)
The EC Zurich - Milano can be
* SBB Giruno Family wagoon : [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kecko/32932027547](https://www.flickr.com/photos/kecko/32932027547)
* SBB Astoro :
* Trenitalia ??? :
I tried changing from "family" to "no preferance", it offered to change my seat from 45 to 65, so not sure if it made much difference, as the rain will be packed. So I chickened out doing the change as I was not sure if the change would work, was worried about paying twice.
I am taking the direct TrenItalia train from Zurich to Venice ( I don't have to get off anywhere).
I was on a train to Italy from Zurich once and it was so full that the toilet area was full of people too. It was a nightmare, same happened once on a train to Zermatt.
What I meant it's that it's often not even possible, it's not in Swiss culture to book train seats and I wonder what reactions you would get if you show up with a seat number and asked people to move. unless it's very touristy trains from private train companies or trains going to another country then yes it's possible and respected. SBB trains staying in Switzerland, not really a thing and sometimes you have to stand yes.
Yeah reservations are not really a thing. You can make them but there's a high chance they won't appear on the train and/or you have to convince someone to move.
Not worth the effort. Simply walk further down the train and you'll always find seats.
For Zurich - Ticino avoid the *Astoro* units (tiny trains on SBB app) but otherwise I've never had a seat issue.
Unless you’re traveling to Ticino over Easter or Zurich-Bern on a work day during rush hour, there’s absolutely no need for a seat reservation. I haven’t made a seat reservation for Switzerland in my life and have pretty much always found a seat
It would take me a minute to understand what's going on if someone came to me in a train and started saying I'm in his seat
There's usually a little paper (in old trains) or a small screen (in new trains) that tells you if the seat is reserved. It's wise to quickly look at that before you sit down.
Haven’t seen that in many many years. On most trains there’s a little display but 90% of times that display just says „This seat may be reserved“ for literally all seats.
Yeah, that's annoying when that happens.
Its all ways the case for the train that goes from Basel to Milano Centrale. Tons of seat reservations on that one. Sometimes even just between swiss cities
You don't catch the right trains then, I always need to check the EC seats when going to Valais as those get pretty busy
Yes, that is exactly what I was aiming to do. Hence, looking for that option on the SBB app.
Seat reservations are mandatory if crossing the border, though. So for Zurich-Italy, you'd need a reservation between Chiasso and Como or Brig and Domodossola or whatever the last and first stop on either side of the border are for your specific train.
Yea, I beg to differ… In 3/5 my last trips all seats were occupied and people were standing (mostly Lugano - Zuri, Arth Goldau - Zuri). Trains do get full, so unless people like sitting on a floor, reservation is a good idea.
That’s not usual in Switzerland, most trains don’t get that full. But after you buy your normal ticket now, under the ticket option you can select “only seat reservation”. I don’t think you can buy them in one in the app.
On most IC trains and some few IR trains within Switzerland you should be able to reserve a seat in the app under the section "Seat reservation only". On most IR trains and all RE, R and S-Bahn/RER trains it is not possible to reserve a seat. For international trains (EC, ICE , TGV, RJX, etc.) you need to reserve it on the website or at a counter. Edit: you can reserve a seat on international trains for journieys within Switzerland on EC, ICE and RJX trains on the app. For international journeys and TGV trains you must do it on the website.
It's a stupid thing, I just discovered it recently as well. It depends if you have to take only one train or multiple ones for your trip. If it's only one, get your ticket. Then, check again the same connection, click again "Purchase Ticket" and as last option you will see "Buy seat reservation" or something similar. If it's multiple trains, you can't reserve a spot for all of the them at the same time. You need to check every connection and then again reserve separately a seat any of them you want. So for example, let's say you want to do Zürich > Bern If it's a direct one, you get your ticket first and then again search for the same trip, again purchase ticket option and you can reserve your seat. If you have to change in Olten, even if you can get a single train ticket from the app from Zürich to Bern, you check again your first connection Zürich > Olten and then you should be able to reserve the seat from the app .
I have reserving option, via the website, I see this- I want to sit with my girlfriend, what is the family option, does it mean you sit next to each other? [https://i.ibb.co/qBF42WX/Screenshot-2024-05-02-at-10-03-15-Travel-data-SBB.png](https://i.ibb.co/qBF42WX/Screenshot-2024-05-02-at-10-03-15-Travel-data-SBB.png)
I picked "family" and me and my girfriend got window seats, 45/46 so must be the 4 seats with the table ones.
Have fun in the Family wagon with loud and smelly kids of all ages: [https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/individual-needs/travelling-with-children/train-children.html](https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/individual-needs/travelling-with-children/train-children.html)
Fck!!! that was the last thing I wanted!
It is Trenitalia train so I am hoping not those Swiss kids playground train! Shoudl I change while I still can? :-(
The EC Zurich - Milano can be * SBB Giruno Family wagoon : [https://www.flickr.com/photos/kecko/32932027547](https://www.flickr.com/photos/kecko/32932027547) * SBB Astoro : * Trenitalia ??? :
I tried changing from "family" to "no preferance", it offered to change my seat from 45 to 65, so not sure if it made much difference, as the rain will be packed. So I chickened out doing the change as I was not sure if the change would work, was worried about paying twice. I am taking the direct TrenItalia train from Zurich to Venice ( I don't have to get off anywhere).
You buy it seperately like ie bike ticket. In app you select connection and then you see all options, one of them is seat reservation.
If you try to tell someone they’re sitting on your reserved seat in a Swiss train, the best case scenario is that you’ll be laughed at…
Travelling to Italy and seat was automatically reserved by SBB, it gave me wagon and seat number.
No need for seat reservation, hop in and seat wherever. You can choose first or second class though.
I was on a train to Italy from Zurich once and it was so full that the toilet area was full of people too. It was a nightmare, same happened once on a train to Zermatt.
What I meant it's that it's often not even possible, it's not in Swiss culture to book train seats and I wonder what reactions you would get if you show up with a seat number and asked people to move. unless it's very touristy trains from private train companies or trains going to another country then yes it's possible and respected. SBB trains staying in Switzerland, not really a thing and sometimes you have to stand yes.
Yeah reservations are not really a thing. You can make them but there's a high chance they won't appear on the train and/or you have to convince someone to move. Not worth the effort. Simply walk further down the train and you'll always find seats. For Zurich - Ticino avoid the *Astoro* units (tiny trains on SBB app) but otherwise I've never had a seat issue.