Betreff: 4 minute transfer at Lugano enough time?

[TravelerFromLA]

Hello,

I bought a SBB train (one way) ticket from Luzern to Como S. Giovanni.  I just realized that there is one train change/transfer in Lugano (from IC 667 Platform 2 to RE 25519 Platform1).  There are only 4 minutes for transfer per ticket.  Is this enough time for me?  Can I wait for the next transfer from Lugano to Como S. Giovanni ?  Can I cancel this ticket for full refund and buy a new direct ticket (no stop) from Luzern to Como S. Giovanni (on October 1, 2023)?  I am an American and I couldn't find an email address for SBB Customer Service.  Therefore, I am posting here in this community.  Please help with your answers (in English please). Thank you.  

[TravelerFromLA]

Thank you very much for your recommendation and explanation .  We will keep the ticket and if the connection is late, we will take the next trenitalia from Lugano to Como.  Thank you again and have a good day.

[RomanoS]

Hi @TravelerFromLA 

Our advise is to call the contact center at the number that Roland gave you and refound your tickets buying the ticket for the EC 151 departing from Lucerne at 12:18.

We wish you a really good trip and all the best.

Best regards,

Romano and Roland

[RolandP]

Hello @TravelerFromLA 

The ticket you hold requires a change in Lugano. You cannot continue on the EC 151 after the train has crossed the Swiss/Italian border, as your ticket is not valid for the EC 151 in Italy. In most cases, tickets that require a change of trains in Lugano are Saver tickets, and an alteration / exchange of Saver tickets is not possible (please check though with the SBB Contact Center by phone +41 51 225 78 56, available 24/7, waiting times may occur). If you stay on board the EC 151 with your ticket, the Italian railways ticket inspectors may inquire a hefty surcharge.

That said, the 4-minute change in Lugano is usually well doable; if it would not, it would not be offered as a connection. In the station of Lugano, there are ramps, and escalators on the platform for people with luggage.

There is another issue with this connection, that could make a change of trains in 4 minutes impossible: from my experience, as I work frequently as train conductor on the Eurocity train, the EC 151 is often arriving late from Germany. This means, it can be that the connection in Lugano is not possible as the EC151 is running so late, and, consequently, you would anyway have to take the next RE train from Lugano. In such a case, your ticket remains, of course, valid. Trains between Lugano and Milano Centrale do run frequently.

→ In order to make up the delay, the EC 151 is sometimes rerouted and not running via the station of Lucerne. In such a scenario, there is a replacement train at 12:18 that takes you from Lucerne to Arth-Goldau, where the EC 151 will stop and pick you up. This concept allows the EC 151 to be on time again at arrival in Lugano, to make the connection. If there is a huge delay, the connection might be impossible and you will have to take the next train from Lugano, as described above.
It sounds all confusing, but it isn't. You won't be the only couple taking the EC 151, followed by a change of trains in Lugano for Milan. It will be a smooth travel, just follow the crowd. Furthermore, all announcements will be made in English, too. We train conductors do speak English as well, as you can see by my response.

One last advice: I would suggest going to the Coop store in the station of Lucerne and buying a pick-nick, which you can enjoy on board the Eurocity while the train crosses the Alps at high speed through the world's longest railway tunnel. The food in the EC 151 restaurant car is unfortunately not that delicious, although the restaurant is operated by the Italians; however, the espresso coffee is excellent.

Kind regards,
Roland

[TravelerFromLA]

Thank you Roland for your reply and suggestion.  I will go to Coop store for food to eat on EC train.  We will wait for next RE train at Lugano if EC151 is late.  Thank you again and have a good day.

[TravelerFromLA]

Thank you Mr. Schneider (RomanoS) for your reply/help.

I bought flexible fare 2nd class ticket (one-way from Luzern Station to Como S. Giovanni on Sunday 10/1/23) (for 62.40 CHF).  We are a couple and only have 1 carry-on luggage each person.  So maybe we can make the train transfer in that 4 minutes? My ticket has 2 parts (first part is SBB ticket from Luzern to Chiasso (is this Lugano?) and the second part is ticket for Trenord RE 25519.  The second part stated that it is valid for 6 hours from 12:31 on 10/01/23 (but departure time for RE25519 is 12:05 from Chiasso/Lugano).  Do you think I can exchange this ticket (flexible fare) for the direct (non-stop) train trip at 12:18 on 10/1/23?  I will call the Contact Center from USA.  Thank you very much.

[RomanoS · Accepted solution]

Hi @TravelerFromLA 

Many thanks for your question. I know the train station of Lugano very well and 4 minutes are enough but:

• Are you travelling alone or in group?
• Have you lots and big heavy luggage? 

Because if the answear is yes, especially to the second question, it could be a bit of a hurry. If not necessary and you didn't buy a super saver ticket (with refound only possible within 30 minutes after purchase) you could change tickets, but you have to call the contact center (contact further down in this message). The only way not contacting the Contact Center for the refound is if you bought the ticket with a Log in on the Website SBB.ch. Did you?

Here the plan of the station. Between P2 and P1 there are maybe 25 Meeters to walk but it depends where you get off the train coming from Lucerne. 

Yes you could wait for the next RE and take it, if you took a normal ticket with the validity of one day.

What do you think @RolandP ?

Many thanks and best regards,

Romano Schneider

Customer Success Manager SBB.ch

 

SBB Contact Center.

Tel. 0848 44 66 88
(CHF 0.08/min.)
(available 24/7, sometimes you may be required to wait)