EC Astoro

ShowMeTheJourney has anticipated what questions are most often asked about travelling on these international used for journeys to and from Switzerland.

If you can't find the information you are seeking, you can ask a question by using the Travel Planning Service.

These trains have a theoretical top speed of 250 km/h (155 mph).
However, the fastest sections of the routes that they typically take have a maximum speed of 200 km/h (125 mph), and these occur when the trains travel;

• through the Gotthard Base Tunnel, in which the railway has a maximum speed of 200 km/h (125 mph),
• on the higher speed line between Olten and Bern
  Most of the routes that they follow have a top speed of 160 km/h (100 mph),

Seat reservations are automatically assigned when making international journeys and journeys within Italy, but not for journeys solely within Switzerland - see the Swiss ticket guide

Yes, when booking tickets on the Trenitalia website for journeys between Italy and Switzerland.
However, when booking on the SBB website, it's only a possible to choose a preference for a type of seat - but the selections don't include, window or aisle, forwards or backwards.

This isn't possible, partially because when these trains are used on routes which call at Bern, Luzern or Milano Centrale, they will reverse direction on departure.

Seat reservations are mandatory when travelling over the Italian border and on journeys solely within Italy.
See the guide to making rail pass reservations to discover more info on the multiple booking options.
Note that there is no need to make reservations when taking these trains on journeys solely within Switzerland.

These trains have both a bar / bistro car and a restaurant car which can be accessed by all passengers.

Yes for both standard E.U. 2-point plugs and Swiss plugs.

Yes these trains have both WLAN connectivity and enhanced access to the roaming Wi-fi available on Swiss mobile networks.

Not on these trains

There are no luggage rules for travel by these trains, though an option for transporting larger items of luggage between Swiss locations, is to use the Station-To-Station luggage service.

Yes and they are located in a 1st class coach.
The SBB guide to reduced mobility travel.

There are bike racks located in Standard / 2nd Class, places must be reserved pre-boarding.

Yes, but tickets or passes are required for larger dogs,
Yu can transport small dogs with a wither height of up to 30cm for free as hand luggage provided they are in a transport box, basket or other animal-friendly container and placed under your seat. However, once the dog is no longer in its container, you will require a separate ticket for the dog.
Dog tickets for international journeys need to be booked at stations prior to boarding.

The EC (EuroCity) trains used on journeys between Switzerland and Italy usually differ depending on what route you are taking.

On these two routes via Brig through The Simplon Tunnel;

(1) Geneve - Lausanne - Montreux - Sion - Brig - Domodossola - Stresa - Milano
(2) Basel - Olten - Bern - Thun - Spiez - Visp - Brig- Domodossola - Stresa - Milano

you will be travelling on one of these comparatively comfortable ETR 610 trains; which Swiss national rail operator SBB, has now branded as Astoro trains.

The ETR 600 trains and the new Giruno trains are primarily used on some of the OTHER Switzerland <> Italy services, particularly those which travel on the Gotthard route via Lugano.

Something to watch out for is that these trains to and from Italy have a reputation for late running, particularly in comparison to other trains that operate solely within Switzerland.
Therefore allow at least 30 mins to change trains, when planning journeys that involve making connections.

These trains are also now used on the Zurich <> Munich/Munchen route; and in Germany they can be referred to on timetables as 'EuroCity Express' (ECE) trains.

These trains all have a restaurant car which is available from 6.30am to 9pm to both 1st and 2nd class ticket holders.
The menu is reasonably priced by Swiss standards,

The restaurant service tends to be popular, so in Switzerland many passengers head direct to the restaurant coach when boarding.
So if you want to be sure of a place in the car, the best option can be to go direct to the restaurant and then move to your reserved seat after your meal.
Note that the seat reservation service for places in the restaurant car, which SBB offers for travel by its IC trains, is not available on these international EC trains

A bar car selling hot, cold drinks, light meals and snacks is also available to all passengers.

When travelling to/From Italy:

Reservations are compulsory for cross border journeys between Italy and Switzerland, and for journeys solely within Italy.

When booking international journeys online or at stations, the reservation is included when booking a ticket and the ticket(s) you will be issued will be seat specific.

When travelling to/From Germany:

Seat reservations are optional on this route and the fees are €5.30 in 1st class and €4 in 2nd class.
Book a 1st class ticket on DB, the German national railways, booking service or at a station in Germany and the reservation is complimentary and included within the ticket price, but if you book online with SBB, Swiss national railways, the reservations won't automatically be included.

For journeys within Switzerland:

Reservations are NOT required for journeys solely within Switzerland by these trains – though they’re recommended, as these trains tend to be busier than non-international trains.
However, as reservations are optional when travelling between Swiss stations they're not automatically included when booking tickets online.

Using rail passes

If you will be travelling with a Eurail or InterRail pass valid in both Switzerland and Italy, you have to pay supplement/reservation fees prior to boarding these trains for cross border journeys.
If you will be travelling from Italy, the rail pass reservations can be booked at the ticket desks at major stations and you won't be charged a booking fee.
Though the Trenitalia ticket machines don't sell reservations for these trains.

In contrast if you book reservations in Switzerland - at a SBB Reisezentrum booking desk, you will have to pay a 11 CHF booking fee - in addition to the reservation fee.
SBB's online seat reservation service does NOT sell reservations for international journeys from Switzerland.
The reservations for direct journeys by these EC trains can booked, without paying any additional fees, on the website of Austria's national rail operator, OBB.
It's best not to question the logic of this and use the only option for booking rail pass reservations on these trains, without incurring any additional expense.
Though the steps to take on the OBB website aren't particularly obvious, hence this guide* to booking Eurail/InterRail reservations with OBB.

In contrast to the international journeys, rail pass users don't have to reserve when travelling by these trains on journeys wholly within Switzerland.
It can pay off to take a chance on finding a seat when making Swiss journeys, as the reservation fees are comparatively expensive.

These three things in particular are worth knowing:

(1) All seats are in open plan saloons – there are no compartment seats on these trains.

(2) A fairly high percentage of the seats don’t align with the windows, particularly in 2nd class - which can be disappointing on these comparatively scenic routes.

(3) These are ‘Pendolino’ trains, so they TILT when going round bends in the track at high speed and on the routes these trains take, the tilting motion is particularly noticeable.
If you suffer from motion sickness taking preventative medication is recommended.

These trains have bike racks for non-folding bicycles, but bike tickets must be purchased prior to boarding, they can't be booked online for international journeys, so will need to be arranged at the station, but it's best to avoid leaving this to the last minute just before boarding.
Look out for the bike symbols on the train's exterior, you'll need to target these coaches when boarding.