Swiss train tickets - everything you need to know

As diverse as Switzerland's public transport network is, the ticket landscape can feel just as dense and confusing. It can be overwhelming to understand all the details. The ticket prices, in particular, aren't easy to figure out. And trust us, even the experts don't always agree 100% on how everything exactly works.

In this article, we aim to give you an overview of the available tickets. Because having the right ticket can help you save money in Switzerland. We cover the most important tourist passes for your Swiss train journey in a separate article.

Ready for an expedition through the thicket? Then let’s start with some basics.

How do train tickets work in Switzerland?

There are some basic principles governing tickets in the public transport system in Switzerland.

Principle No. 1: One Journey - One Ticket

In Switzerland, it’s simple: one trip, one ticket. No matter who you’re traveling with. For example, if you’re traveling from Zurich to Zermatt, you take the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) from Zurich to Visp. In Visp, you switch to the MGB (Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn) train and continue to Zermatt. Even though you’re using two different transport companies on your journey, you only pay one fixed price. This price combines the SBB ticket cost and the MGB ticket cost.

The same applies if your trip includes a bus or postbus ride. This means you can travel from Bern to Heiden in Appenzell Ausserrhoden with just one train ticket. You first take the SBB from Bern to St. Gallen and then switch to the postbus there.

It gets a bit more complicated if you want to use the local bus network, but we’ll cover that later…

Principle No. 2: Tickets always cost the same

Whether you buy a ticket for next week or your train leaves in two minutes, the price doesn't change. Of course, there is an exception to this rule - otherwise it would be boring. But basically it is irrelevant when you decide to travel. So you can plan to take the train in an hour and change your mind shortly before for a later connection.

Principle No. 3: Buy your train ticket before you get on the train

All trains in Switzerland are subject to mandatory ticketing. During the last years, the possibility to buy a ticket on the train has been gradually abolished. Buying a ticket from the staff is only possible if you report to the staff before departure. The extra charge for this service is CHF 10 per ticket. Therefore, you should make sure that you have your ticket before boarding the train.

Where can you buy a ticket for public transport?

If you want to buy a ticket for your trip using public transport in Switzerland, you have plenty of options.

• Via the SBB App: The SBB App is your loyal companion when travelling by Swiss train, or using public transport in general. You can buy your ticket, check the timetable, get information about stations, and much more. Definitely download this app if you want to support your trip in the best way possible.
• Online on the SBB website: The SBB website offers the same functions as the app, plus a lot more information. You can also easily buy your ticket here.
• At the ticket machine: Every station has a ticket machine where you can purchase your ticket. The SBB machines also sell zone tickets for tariff associations. The tariff associations also have their own machines, for example at tram stops, on buses, or at smaller stations. Please note that at some machines at tram stops or on buses, you can only pay with cash.
• From the driver: This only applies to PostAuto buses and sometimes other buses, but this option is becoming less common. So unless you’re in the mountains and boarding a PostAuto, we recommend getting your ticket before you get on.
• At the ticket counter: Although many small stations no longer have staffed counters, you can buy your ticket at larger stations at the counter. This is especially useful if you need a more complex ticket. Otherwise, it’s much faster to use the app or the ticket machine.

What kinds of public transport tickets are available in Switzerland?

When you buy a ticket in Switzerland, it will fall into one of two categories: route or zone. There are also combinations and subcategories, which we will explain in more detail later. Let's start with the two main categories.

The route ticket

If you travel between two locations that belong to different tariff associations, you need a route ticket. This ticket is valid for one journey between your starting point and destination, and you can interrupt your trip as often as you like.

For example, if you travel from Basel to Lugano but want to stop in Lucerne and spend the afternoon at the Lake Lucerne, you’re free to do so. As long as you continue your journey on the same day and arrive in Lugano by the last train, it’s not an issue.

Whether you buy a one-way ticket or a return, your route ticket is valid for the entire calendar day. It doesn’t matter if you need to change trains or even switch modes of transport during your trip.

You can buy the poibt-to-point ticket either online via the SBB website, the SBB app, at the ticket counter or at a ticket machine.

The zone ticket

Switzerland is divided into around 20 regional transport and fare networks. These all operate their own fare system, within which you travel with a zone ticket. While a point-to-point ticket is valid for one route, a zone ticket allows you to travel freely within one or more zones.

Depending on how long your trip is, your ticket is valid for longer or less time. This also varies from fare network to fare network. For example, if you travel from Zurich airport to Zurich main station, you move within two zones of the ZVV (Zürcher Verkehrsverbund). If you buy a single ticket, you can travel for up to two hours in the respective zones.

These 10 Swiss Tickets Are Introduced in This Article

To give you a quick overview of what to expect in this article, here is a list of the tickets you will learn more about shortly.

• Route Ticket: For a one-way trip between two points not within a fare network (for example, from Zurich Airport to Interlaken)
• Zone Ticket: For travel within a fare network (for example, within a city)
• City Ticket: For a combination of the route and zone tickets (for example, a bus ride to Bern station and a train journey to Geneva)
• Saver Ticket: For planned trips with fixed train connections at reduced prices
• RailAway Ticket: For travel on public transport to an attraction (for instance, a train trip from St. Gallen to Zurich Zoo)
• Snow'n'Rail Ticket: For public transport trips to a ski area (for example, train travel from Chur to the Davos-Klosters ski region)
• Various Day Passes: For multiple trips in a day within a fare network or across Switzerland
• Half Fare or Swiss Half Fare Card: For a 50% discount on all public transport travel in Switzerland
• General Subscription (GA): For residents of Switzerland who frequently use public transport
• Swiss Family Card: For families who can take their children on public transport for free

The validity period is always indicated on the ticket. If you plan to take more than one trip, it might be worth buying a day ticket depending on the tariff association. This ticket is valid for the entire calendar day and allows you to use all public transport within the purchased zones.

Most core zones, meaning those covering the city center, are usually charged twice. This means if you buy a ticket for central Zurich and the ticket only lists one zone, you actually pay for two zones. This is indicated on the zone map by an asterisk (*) next to the zone number.

You can buy the zone ticket online via the SBB website, the SBB app, the website or app of the respective tariff association, at the ticket counter, or from a ticket machine. Most tariff associations have their own machines where you can also buy tickets. However, the SBB machines also offer zone tickets.

The City Ticket

Now it gets interesting. It is, of course, possible to combine route and zone tickets. This combination is called the City Ticket. The idea is to combine the city zone either at your start or end point with the route ticket. Explained with a concrete example, it looks like this:

The City Ticket valid at the destination

You want to take a day trip from Bern to Lausanne. Since you'll be spending the whole day in Lausanne and don’t want to walk everywhere, you'll use the local public transport. So, you need a route ticket for the journey from Bern to Lausanne and a zone ticket for local transport within Lausanne.

One option is to buy both tickets separately. But if you choose the combo with the City Ticket, you save 10%.

The City-Ticket Valid at the Starting Point

There is another version of the City-Ticket where you add the local zone at your starting point instead of your destination. In our example, this means you would use local public transport in Bern before traveling to Lausanne. Instead of being valid in Lausanne, this version allows you to use public transport within the core zone in Bern.

Both types of City-Tickets are available online via the SBB website, the SBB app, at the counter, or from a ticket machine.

If you choose the second version of the City-Ticket – where local transport is valid at your starting point – it only makes sense to purchase it through the app or website. By the time you reach the station counter or ticket machine, you’ll no longer need the bus or tram there.

The Saver Ticket

One major advantage of the Swiss public transport ticket system is its flexibility. Whether you want to travel at 8:02 or 16:32 doesn’t matter. You buy your ticket and you’re covered for the whole day. However, this principle doesn’t apply to the Saver Ticket.

As the name suggests, this ticket costs less than the regular fare. Savings can vary greatly, from 5% up to 70%. However, only a limited number of Saver Tickets are available, and once sold out, that’s it. As a rule of thumb: the earlier you book, the better your chances of snagging a deal. This applies not only to SBB ticket prices but also to all other tickets from Swiss transport companies.

The Rules for the Saver Ticket

Of course, you don’t get anything for free here, and these discounts come with certain conditions. Here are the features and rules that apply to the Saver Ticket:

• It’s only available for routes, not zones.
• It’s personal and non-transferable.
• It can only be purchased online or via the app.
• It’s only valid for the specific train assigned. Taking an earlier or later connection, or getting off mid-route, isn’t allowed with the Saver Ticket.
• It can be bought up to 6 months in advance.
• It’s non-exchangeable and non-refundable, even if you don’t use it or choose a different connection.

Swiss Activities Tip: Sometimes, the fare for 1st class Saver Tickets can be cheaper than for 2nd class. This is rare, but when booking a Saver Ticket, it’s worth comparing the 1st class price as well.

What happens if you miss your connection?

Missing your connection is a hassle in almost every case. But it becomes really annoying when you travel with a Supersaver ticket. If you bought a Supersaver ticket with a transfer, for example from St. Gallen to Bern with a change in Zurich, and you miss your connection in Zurich because of a delay, you have to take action. Ask the conductor to confirm that the train was indeed delayed.

With this confirmation, board the next train to Bern. If you are checked and show your Supersaver ticket, which would have been valid for the previous train, you show the confirmation of the delayed train to the control staff. Then the whole thing is no problem.

Without confirmation it becomes risky and it depends on the goodwill of the control staff whether they tolerate your "excuse" or not. The same applies if you don't board the next possible train and decide to spend a few hours in Zurich. So don't dawdle too long and make sure you get to Bern.

The RailAway Ticket

The RailAway Ticket is designed for leisure travelers and offers the option to combine admission to a leisure facility with the outbound and return journey. Like the City-Ticket, it provides a discount on ticket prices. This discount also applies to all other railway companies.

On the SBB RailAway website, you’ll find a comprehensive overview of institutions that can be visited at a reduced rate with RailAway. To explain exactly how the RailAway Ticket works, let’s look at another example.

Imagine you’re in Chur and want to visit the Zurich Zoo. You could buy a single ticket for the route from Chur to Zurich and a zone ticket from Zurich main station to the zoo. Or you can simply purchase a RailAway Ticket and get a 10% discount on the train ticket between Chur and the zoo, plus a 20% discount on the zoo admission ticket.

The discounts vary, so depending on the excursion, you might save more or less. You can see exactly how much you save with each offer when you buy your ticket online or at the counter.

The Snow'n'Rail Ticket

The Snow'n'Rail Ticket works in the same way as the RailAway Ticket. You benefit from a discount if you combine the journey by public transport with the entrance fee.

In this case, you guessed it, it is about the combination with ski passes

You can find the participating ski resorts here on the SBB website. Also with Snow'n'Rail, the price reductions vary, depending mainly on these three factors:

• the ski resort you want to visit
• the time of your trip (during ski vacations and weekends the reduction is smaller than during the week towards the end of the season)
• the duration for which you buy the ski pass

Again, you'll see how much you're profiting with this offer when you buy either online or at the counter.

Swiss Activities Tip: With Snow'n'Rail you not only get a price reduction on the trip and the ski pass, but also on the rental of your equipment. So if you need a pair of skis or a snowboard, buying a Snow'n'Rail ticket pays off twice as SBB has an agreement with Intersport Rent. Other discounts, such as on the transport of your luggage, will also be shown to you at the time of purchase.

The Day Pass

You might rightly wonder what your options are if you don’t just want to buy a simple one-way ticket and plan to travel extensively on public transport in one day. And if you don’t want to try to understand the ticket prices. Good news: both the route ticket and the zone ticket are also available in extended versions. And these are valid on the 5 most scenic panorama trains in Switzerland!

The Day Pass for all of Switzerland

To get around on Switzerland’s entire public transport network in one day, there is the so-called day pass. It gives you unlimited travel on the entire Swiss public transport network including trains, buses, post buses, boats, and certain mountain railways. With the day pass you can hop on wherever you want and have access to any public transport operating in Switzerland.

However, you can only buy a day pass if you have a half-fare card. (More on the half-fare card shortly.)

There is also a saver day pass, which offers the same benefits as the day pass described above and is available even for those without a half-fare card. Saver day passes are limited and usually sell out quickly. The especially low prices are very popular and only available for a short time. So if you know when you'll be travelling, it's worth checking for a saver day pass as early as possible. You can find these up to 6 months before your travel date in the SBB webshop, along with more information about the saver day pass.

The Day Pass for individual zones

The day pass is also available in tariff associations. This entitles you to unlimited travel during one day within the purchased zone. So if you make two or more trips within one zone, depending on the tariff association it may already be worth buying a day pass.

This is especially recommended if you’re sightseeing in a city and make several trips in a day, even if only short distances, by public transport. You can buy these day passes at the same outlets as the zone ticket—online, at the counter, or at any ticket machine.

The Half-Fare Travelcard

A very important part of the Swiss ticket system is the Half-Fare Travelcard, which especially benefits frequent travelers. As the name suggests, the Half-Fare Travelcard entitles you to a 50% discount on all public transport tickets. This includes not only ticket prices but also all other public transport tickets, including those for shipping companies and even most cable cars.

The Half-Fare Travelcard is available either as an annual subscription or for just one month. The annual subscription only makes sense if you either live in Switzerland or stay here for a longer period. It costs CHF 185 and can be purchased either online or at the ticket counter at any Swiss train station.

If you are in Switzerland for a month or less, the Swiss Half Fare Card is available for you. It is valid for one month and costs CHF 150. During this time, you enjoy the same benefits as the regular Half-Fare Travelcard. The Swiss Half Fare Card can be obtained either online or at the ticket counter. The validity area of both Half-Fare cards is the same as for day tickets.

Other Train Tickets in Switzerland

We are almost out of the jungle now. Still, a few low-hanging vines remain that we want to draw your attention to.

Bicycle Tickets

If you want to take your bicycle with you on your trip, you have two options.

1. You can have it sent to your destination by the SBB. You bring it to the station, pay CHF 20, and pick it up at your destination the day after next.
2. You take it with you yourself and buy a day ticket for your bicycle. This costs either CHF 14 or the price of a reduced route ticket. So if you make a trip where the route ticket costs less than CHF 14, you can save the day ticket and instead buy the route ticket at half price. This applies to short distances or trips by bus.

Swiss Activities Tip No. 1: Some trains require a reservation for your bike. You can see if this is the case for your connection when you buy your ticket online, on the app, at the counter or at the ticket machine. The reason for this is that ICN trains only have a certain number of seats available for bicycles. Therefore, you need a reservation on these trains between March and October for 5.- CHF.

Swiss Activities Tip No. 2: If your bike fits in a bag, you don't pay anything for taking it with you. If you are looking for such a bag, you can buy one at the SBB for just under 100.- CHF. For this to be worthwhile, however, you need to take your bike on a longer train journey at least five or six times.

Group Tickets

If you’re traveling with a group of 10 or more, you can take advantage of a group fare that offers a 30% discount. You can find the exact details on the SBB website, and you can purchase the ticket either online or at the counter. One special feature is the long validity of the group ticket. A one-way trip is valid for 10 days, while for round trips, you can use the ticket for up to 30 days.

Tickets for Dogs

For dogs, the rules are quite similar to those for bicycles when it comes to fares. If your dog's shoulder height is no more than 30 cm and it travels in a bag, you don’t pay anything. Otherwise, you need to buy a reduced ticket or a day pass for your furry friend, which costs 25 CHF. You can find more information about traveling with your dog on the train on the SBB website.

Swiss Family Card

There is a specially designed family card for families. It allows children between their 6th and 16th birthdays to travel free with their parents. You get the Swiss Family Card for free when you buy a ticket within the Swiss Travel System. This includes, for example, the Swiss Travel Pass. The Swiss Family Card is available worldwide at all sales points offering Swiss Travel System tickets.

The General Subscription

If you’re only in Switzerland for tourism, this subscription is not relevant for you. However, there is a ticket valid for all public transport in Switzerland for an entire year. It’s called the General Subscription (GA). If you’re not travelling extensively in Switzerland throughout the year, like many commuters do, this expensive subscription is not worth it.

It covers all routes accessible by day ticket and costs 3,995 CHF for adults. It’s a brilliant invention you should have heard about at least once, but then can forget again—unless you secretly plan to emigrate and want to explore every corner of Switzerland.

What is the Swiss Family Card?

There's a special family card designed for families. It allows children aged between 6 and 16 to travel for free with their parents. You can get the Swiss Family Card for free when you purchase a ticket from the Swiss Travel System. This includes products like the Swiss Travel Pass. The Swiss Family Card is available for free at all sales points that offer tickets from the Swiss Travel System.

Other rail tickets in Switzerland

We have almost reached the end of the jungle. However, a few low-hanging vines remain to bring us to the end, and we would like to draw your attention to them.

Tickets for bicycles

If you want to take your bike with you on your trip, you have two options.

1. You can have it sent to your destination by SBB. You bring it to the station, pay 20.- CHF and pick it up the next day at your destination.
2. You take it with you and buy a Day Pass for your bike. This costs either 14.- CHF or the price of a reduced point-to-point ticket. So if you make a trip where the point-to-point ticket costs less than 14.- CHF, you can save yourself the Day Pass and buy the point-to-point ticket at half price instead. This is the case for short trips or for trips by bus.

Easyride

We know all this information can be a lot to take in. But now you’re familiar with the key parts of the Swiss public transport ticket system, including ticket prices. There is, however, an invention that can make your life a lot easier. We’re talking about the Easyride feature in the SBB app, which is the solution to (almost) all your problems.

To use this feature, you need an account in the app. Once you’ve added a payment method, you can check in when you board your transport and check out when you get off. The app tracks your journey and charges you the cheapest fare at the end of the day. So if you don’t want to deal with things like the City Ticket or zoning validity periods, Easyride is perfect for you.

Some tickets, like day passes, saver tickets, and dog tickets, still need to be bought separately. But for everyday use of public transport, Easyride offers a very welcome convenience.