Hello! Coming from a country where train travel is almost nonexistent, I want to make sure that we get our basics right - 1. Seat reservation: when is it a good idea to make seat reservation and how far in advance is recommended? also, in the event we don't have a reserved seat, how do we find an unreserved compartment/seat so that we don't occupy someone else's seat? 2. Children's co-travel card: when a parent is on saver day pass, does the child with children's co-travel card need anything? Is there such a thing as child's saver day pass in this case? 3. Does point-to-point ticket allow hopping on and off as long as the route doesn't change? If not, are there any advantage in buying that over saver day pass if travel day is fixed and cost is similar? Thank you all!

Basic questions for train travel in Switzerland

Goateneack34

Hello! Coming from a country where train travel is almost nonexistent, I want to make sure that we get our basics right -

Seat reservation: when is it a good idea to make seat reservation and how far in advance is recommended? also, in the event we don’t have a reserved seat, how do we find an unreserved compartment/seat so that we don’t occupy someone else’s seat?
Children’s co-travel card: when a parent is on saver day pass, does the child with children’s co-travel card need anything? Is there such a thing as child’s saver day pass in this case?
Does point-to-point ticket allow hopping on and off as long as the route doesn’t change? If not, are there any advantage in buying that over saver day pass if travel day is fixed and cost is similar?

Thank you all!

RolandP

Hello Goateneack34

You can find a summary on the seat reservation tooic here:

https://community.sbb.ch/d/23887-demystifying-seat-reservations-on-swiss-trains-a-comprehensive-guide

Kind regards,
Roland

Krist

Seat reservations are uncommon on Swiss trains, and not possible on most anyway. So a free seat is one that has no person in it. In the rare case that a seat is reserved there will be a sign saying so.

The Children’s Co Travel Card (or the Junior Card) gives free travel for a child as long as the adult mentioned on the card is accompanying it, and the adult has a valid ticket or pass. The Child does not need anything extra.

Normal Point to Point tickets allow for stop overs. They are flexible, but limited to a route, whereas the Saver Day Pass is of course good for all public transport in the country.
However the Saver Day Pass is not refundable, and must be purchased in advance, whereas normal Point to Point tickets are refundable, and can be purchase even on the day of travel itself.