English Corner

If you want to travel south without traffic jams over Easter, you can do so with the additional SBB trains. Image: Switzerland Tourism

SBB with 49 extra trains to Ticino

19.03.2024 – 06:54

SBB is ready for the high volume of travel at Easter: travellers can benefit from around 49,000 additional seats to the south over the holidays.

SBB is expecting an increased volume of passengers over the Easter period - especially on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Monday. It is therefore providing passengers between German-speaking Switzerland and Ticino 49 extra trains and a total of 49,000 additional seats. In addition, various regular trains will be extended with additional carriages or train units, including EuroCity trains travelling as far as Italy.

Seat reservation necessary

Following the derailment of a goods train on 10 August 2023, capacity through the Gotthard Base Tunnel is limited. The majority of trains run via the Gotthard Base Tunnel, some via the panoramic route.

SBB recommends that travellers make a seat reservation for all connections. For safety reasons, overcrowded trains cannot travel through the Gotthard Base Tunnel. Supersaver tickets are available for all trains travelling on the panoramic route during peak travel times. Despite these measures, SBB cannot rule out the possibility of high occupancy on individual trains in individual cases or in the event of disruption and asks for your understanding.

To meet the increased demand for journeys to Italy, two additional TILO RE80 connections will be offered from Locarno to Milano Centrale on Good Friday. The additional connections will not run via Chiasso as usual, but via Mendrisio, with intermediate stops in Varese and Gallarate.

Taking your bike with you

Depending on the route and train, different rules apply when taking your bike on the train: On all InterCity lines from Friday to Sunday and on public holidays, reservations are compulsory throughout Switzerland. For InterCity trains on the Gotthard axis and at the southern foot of the Jura, this applies on other days, as well. Trains requiring reservations are marked in the timetable with the "Bike reservation" symbol. Further information under "Travelling by bicycles".

If you are travelling with small bags, you can have your bike and luggage transported by SBB directly to your destination station or from door to door. Further information under "Luggage registration".

(TN)