Saving Tips for Public Transportation in Switzerland

The variety of Swiss public transportation tickets – including possible combinations and subscriptions – is huge, and the opportunities to save money are almost as plentiful. Swiss price comparison service moneyland.ch provides a clear overview here.

How do Swiss public transportation fares work?

The least complicated tickets in Switzerland are the GA Travelcard and countrywide day passes which let you travel anywhere in Switzerland. They give you unlimited rides on all Swiss public transportation – with a few exceptions (some cable cars, for example).

All other tickets use one of two different systems:

• Zone-based tickets: For routes which start and end within a region serviced by one fare network (an association of public transportation operators within a certain region), the rates you pay are based on a system of zones. The fare network region is divided into different zones. The more zones you want to travel through, the more you pay for the ticket. In some cases, the zone-based system is also used for trips between two neighboring fare network regions. Tickets which use the zone-based system entitle you to travel on any eligible public transportation within all included zones throughout the ticket’s entire validity period.
• Point-to-point tickets: All other tickets use a point-to-point system. This system most commonly applies to long-distance trips. A point-to-point ticket is only valid for a single trip on a specific route.

For most routes, you as the passengers cannot choose between a zone-based ticket or a point-to-point ticket. Which system is used for your ticket depends on your travel route.

Are there public transportation passes for commuters?

Many different passes are available for people who regularly travel on the same route. Both monthly and annual passes are offered. A few fare networks also offer weekly passes.

• Fare network pass: A fare network pass entitles you to unlimited rides on trains, buses, and trams within your choice of one or more zones for the duration of its validity period.
• Point-to-point pass: If the route you travel does not fall under the zone system, then you can buy a point-to-point pass. This pass entitles to ride that specific route as many times as you want until the pass expires.
• GA Travelcard: If you frequently travel over longer distances, it can be worth getting a GA Travelcard.

There are a number of ways to cut the cost of Swiss public transportation passes.

• Annual passes: In many cases, the cost of an annual pass is equal to that of just nine monthly passes for the same route. So getting an annual pass can save you up to 25 percent. However, some fare networks have smaller discounts for annual passes. In Bern, Basel, and Zurich, for example, the annual-pass discount is between 16.7 and 23.3 percent. On the other hand, the 41-percent discount for annual passes in Geneva is much higher than in the rest of Switzerland.
• Employee passes: Many fare networks give employers the option of offering discounted passes to their employees. The available solutions vary between Swiss fare networks. In Basel, employees pay less for passes if their employer has a partnership with the local fare network. In Bern and Lucerne, employers can discount their employees’ passes, and give employees vouchers which can be redeemed towards the cost of any public transportation pass. Zurich and eastern Switzerland use a different system: Employees pay the standard, zone-based price for their commuting route, but if their employer has a partnership with the fare network, their pass is extended to cover the full network region at no extra cost for them. It is worth asking your employer whether they offer public transportation discounts.
• Flexi passes: A number of fare networks offer a “flexi” subscription. This is an annual pass that entitles you to travel on 100 days of your choice each year. The day passes must be activated using the SBB app or web portal. A flexi subscription for the city of Lucerne costs 449 francs, and one for Lausanne costs just 355 francs. The Zurich fare network only offers flexi passes through employers.
• 9-o’clock passes: If you only commute after 9:00 AM, it is worth noting that some fare networks offer cheaper passes for later travel. Make sure to account for all your travel when calculating whether the discount is worth it. Note: The time restriction of 9-o’clock passes typically does not apply on weekends and certain holidays, meaning you can travel earlier than 9:00 AM on those days.

Surprisingly the Swiss Half Fare Card does not entitle you to a discount for monthly and annual passes. If you use a monthly or annual pass to commute, but rarely ride public transportation aside from that, then there is little point in paying the annual fee for a Half Fare Card on top (165 or 185 francs, depending on whether or not you extend your subscription seamlessly).

What options are available for commuters?

Prices vary hugely depending on the region and route. Normally, the longer the travel route is, the more you will pay for the pass. A zone-based pass which is valid in one to two zones will cost you around 70 to 90 francs (monthly pass) or 620 to 820 francs (annual pass). The cheapest point-to-point pass in Switzerland costs 67 francs for a monthly pass, or 603 francs for an annual pass.

A pass for all of the zones in a fare network’s region costs between 165 and 342 francs for a monthly pass, and between 500 and 3078 francs for an annual pass. By comparison, a GA Travel Card which is valid for all of Switzerland costs 340 francs per month, or 3860 francs per year.

The Nordwestschweiz fare network is a special case. Its passes are always valid in the entire fare network region (the cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, the Fricktal region in Aargau and the Schwarzbubenland region in Solothurn) and, additionally, for certain routes in Germany and France. This pass costs 80 francs per month, or 800 francs per year.

Table: Cost of a fare network pass in Switzerland’s largest cities

* The Basel pass entitles you to travel in the entire cantons of Basel-Stadt and Basel-Landschaft, in the Fricktal region of Aargau, the Schwarzbubenland region of Solothurn, and on certain routes in France and Germany. The price shown is only available to residents of the fare network region. A higher price applies to non-residents.
** A flexi pass that lets you travel on 100 days of your choice within one year is also available for 449 francs.
 

These prices apply to adults who ride only second-class coaches. Passes for children cost less than the prices shown above. Passes for first-class coaches cost more.

You can find out how much a point-to-point pass for your specific commuting route costs on the website of your regional fare network, or on the SBB/CFF website. The SBB/CFF has an online calculator which you can use to find the cost of both zone-based and point-to-point passes for specific routes. You can get more detailed information on the websites of fare networks and at the counters of train stations and public transportation offices.

When does getting a public transportation pass make financial sense?

That depends on your specific situation. In some cases, using single tickets can work out cheaper than getting a pass. A flexi pass or a Half Fare Travelcard Plus pass can also pay off in some cases. That could be true if, for example, you work from home some days, or if you only work part-time.

Here is an approximate example based on a passenger with a Swiss Half Fare Card.

• If you move around within a Swiss city, getting a monthly pass is only worth it if you use public transportation at least 13 to 18 days per month, depending on which regional fare network you use. Getting an annual plan pays off if you use public transportation at least 116 to 171 days per year, which translates into 10 to 14 days per month.
• If you want to get a monthly pass for all zones in a fare network because you commute over a long distance, a monthly pass only makes sense if you make the commute between 7 and 17 days per month, depending on the fare network. An annual pass pays off if you make the trip a minimum of 71 to 154 days per year – again, depending on which fare network you use.

If you do not have a Swiss Half Fare Card, then a pass already pays off even if you make fewer trips than the estimates shown above. The calculations are for an adult passenger riding second-class.   

Which tickets are offered for single trips and recurring trips?

You can buy a ticket for a single trip. A zone-based ticket entitles you to unlimited use of public transportation within the specified zones up until the expiry time. The validity period is shown on the ticket, and typically ranges between 30 minutes and 3 hours. With a point-to-point ticket, you can only travel on the specified route. The short-distance tickets offered by some public transportation providers also only entitle you to a single route.

When you will make multiple trips on the same day, and the time required would exceed the validity period of a single ticket, then you can get a day ticket instead. A day ticket normally costs exactly twice as much as a single ticket. There are exceptions though: In Geneva, a day ticket costs as much as four single tickets. Day tickets are typically valid for an entire day and the following night (until 5:00 AM the next morning). The day tickets offered by the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV) network are an exception to this rule, as they expire 24 hours after you buy them.

There are ways to save money on tickets:

• Multiple-journey tickets: Multiple-journey tickets are stamp cards which have several blank fields, each of which represents one ticket for a certain route or zones. To activate a ticket, you must stamp one field on the multiple-journey ticket using the special stamping machines available at public transportation stations. Multiple-journey tickets are available for both single tickets and for day tickets. The ZVV app from the Zurich fare network includes a digital equivalent of the multiple-journey ticket. Typically, you get a 10-percent discount when you buy a multiple-journey ticket, compared to getting tickets individually. There are regions where the discounts are smaller, such as eastern Switzerland and the Lucerne area.
• 9-o’clock ticket: This day ticket covers public transportation after 9:00 AM on weekdays, and all day on weekends and holidays. This ticket normally only saves you money when you travel longer distances across multiple zones.

Which offers are suitable for excursions?

There are a number of ways to save on the costs of non-routine travel:

• Saver Day Pass

If you are able to plan a trip inside Switzerland ahead of time, then Saver Day Pass tickets are an interesting option. These are only sold online via transportation providers’ websites and apps. If you buy a Saver Day Pass two months ahead of your trip, the price is 29 francs. The closer to the travel date you buy the pass, the more it costs. If you buy it just a few days ahead of your trip, the Saver Day Pass often costs around 60 francs. A Saver Day Pass is only valid for the specific day and date which you buy it for. On that day, you have unlimited access to public transportation right across Switzerland (as with a GA Travelcard).

• Supersaver ticket

Supersaver tickets are only available online (including via mobile app), and are only valid for a specific trip. You have to specify both the exact time you will travel, and the specific train or other form of public transportation you will ride on. Prices for the same route may vary depending on the time and vehicle. In some cases, a supersaver ticket may only be valid for a slow Interregio regional train and not for Intercity express trains, resulting in longer traveling times.

With some luck, you can find supersaver tickets from Zurich to Bern for 7.80 francs instead of the standard 25.50 francs. With supersaver tickets too, the rule of thumb is that the farther ahead of your trip you book your ticket, the less it costs. A disadvantage is that supersaver tickets are generally only available for point-to-point connections, and not for zone-based connections within fare networks. The only exceptions to this rule are certain routes within the Frimobil (Fribourg), Mobilis (Vaud), Ostwind (eastern Switzerland), and Passpartout (Lucerne) network regions.

Saving tip: In some cases, penny-pinchers can save money by buying a supersaver ticket for a longer distance than they will actually travel. For example, a trip from Zurich to Uzwil costs 12.70 francs, with no Supersaver tickets available for that route. But Supersaver tickets for the Zurich to St. Gallen route can be purchased for as little as 7.80 francs. By purchasing the Supersaver ticket and getting off at Uzwil, you could save 4.90 francs. The important thing is to make sure that the specific train (or other common carrier) you book does in fact stop at your destination (Uzwil, in this example).

• Promotional day passes

Some Swiss retailers run special promotions during which they offer special day passes for travel throughout Switzerland. These promotional day passes typically costs around 50 francs, and you do not normally need to have a Swiss Half Fare Card in order to purchase or use them (unlike the day passes for Half Fare Card holders offered by public transportation providers). Promotional day passes typically have an expiry date, and the time frame within which they must be used is often relatively short. They use the same stamp system as multiple-journey tickets, so you simply stamp the ticket to activate it on the day of your trip.

• Municipal day passes

Many Swiss municipalities sell the Municipal Saver Day Pass. The new, personalized tickets (with your name) replace the non-personalized day passes previously sold by Swiss municipalities.

The new Saver Day Pass is personalized and can only be used on a specific date. It entitles you to use public transportation in the whole of Switzerland, as you would with a GA Travelcard subscription. The Municipal Saver Day Pass costs 39 francs if you have a Half Fare Travelcard subscription. This price applies for as long as stocks last, but at the latest up until ten days before the validity date. If you get it closer to the travel date, it costs 59 francs – as long as it is still available. Without a Half Fare Travelcard subscription, the Municipal Saver Day Pass costs 59 francs (when bought more than ten days in advance) or 88 francs respectively.

• Free public transportation with hotel stays

Many Swiss hotels, rental holiday homes, and some campgrounds offer complimentary public transportation passes to their guests. The conditions vary between businesses and locations. In some cases, public transportation passes are only offered with bookings of several nights or more, or are only given in the summer season. Typically, these passes only cover public transportation in the immediate vicinity, although there are exceptions: The Ticino Ticket lets you use public transportation throughout Ticino. You receive public transportation passes when you check in.

• Monthly GA Travelcard

Monthly GA Travelcard passes can be purchased at train station ticket counters. These are valid for exactly one month. A second-class pass for an adult costs 420 francs. This offer should not be confused with the standard GA Travelcard, the cost of which comes to 340 francs per month. Standard GA Travelcard passes have a minimum subscription term of six months.

During the summer months, you can get vouchers for the summer GA Travelcard (from Switzerland Tourism) and the trial GA Travelcard. These offers give you one month of unlimited public transportation throughout Switzerland for around 340 francs. These are one-off offers which cannot be extended at the end of the one-month term.

Tip: If you plan on traveling a lot inside Switzerland over a 30-day period, it can be worth running a quick Internet search for special offers. Some websites offer vouchers which can be used to purchase discounted monthly GA Travelcards.

Is a Swiss Half Fare Card worth the cost?

The Swiss Half Fare Card is a pass which entitles you to discounted tickets. Its name is somewhat misleading because you do not always pay half of the standard price for tickets. For shorter distances in particular, the discount is often much less than 50 percent. For example, a short-distance ticket in the city of St. Gallen costs just 20 centimes less than you would pay if you did not have a Swiss Half Fare Card – a discount of just 8.33 percent. The Swiss Half Fare Card does not entitle you to any discount at all when you buy many monthly and annual passes. If you mostly ride short distances, then getting a Swiss Half Fare Card may not be worth it.

But on the other hand, a Swiss Half Fare Card can save you money if you travel longer distances, and if you travel for purposes other than commuting. For longer-distance tickets, the discounts you get are actually 50 percent off standard prices. For example, holders of the Swiss Half Fare Card pay just 15.50 francs for a one-way trip from St. Gallen to Zurich, instead of the standard 31 francs. Buying the Half Fare Card pass will save you money if you make just eleven trips like that every year.

Do I need a separate ticket for boat rides?

The public transportation passes issued by fare networks do not cover boat rides on most Swiss lakes. That is the case with boats on Lake Biel, Lake Constance, Lake Brienz, Lake Geneva, Lake Murten, Lake Neuchâtel, and Lake Thun. Single tickets and day tickets from fare networks also cannot be used for ship travel on those lakes. The Ostwind Plus day ticket which costs 65 francs is an exception to this rule, as it can be used for boat travel along certain stretches of Lake Constance.

On Lake Zurich, the situation is very different. All ZVV passes, single tickets, and day tickets which cover the necessary zones are also valid for travel by boat. With the exception of some special cruises, you can travel on Lake Zurich ships and ferries without having to buy special boat tickets.

The rules applicable for boat trips on Lake Lucerne with the Passepartout fare network are more complicated: If you have a monthly or annual Passepartout pass which includes zones 10, 29, and 39, at least, you can ride the lake boats between Lucerne (Bahnhofquai), Hertenstein, Weggis and Vitznau. If you do not have a pass which meets the criteria, or if you want to travel on any other route, you must purchase a separate boat ticket.

If you have a GA Travelcard, a day pass which covers all of Switzerland (including the Saver Day Pass and municipal day passes), you can ride on most of Switzerland’s lake boats. Lake Constance is a partial exception, as day passes only entitle you to travel on specific routes. Day passes also do not cover some smaller lakes, where a separate ticket is required for boat rides.

Are there other ways to save on public transportation in Switzerland?

• Get a Half Fare Travelcard Plus subscription for additional discounts

Although its name suggests otherwise, the Half Fare Travelcard Plus is not a Half Fare Travelcard subscription. Instead, this subscription rewards you with credits that you can redeem towards certain public transportation purchases. However, it is beneficial to have a Half Fare Travelcard subscription if you buy a Half Fare Travelcard Plus subscription.

You buy a certain amount of prepaid credits, and you are rewarded with additional bonus credits equal to between 25 and 43 percent of the credits you buy. These credits can be used in the SBB/CFF mobile app to purchase digital tickets – including Supersaver tickets and Saver Day Pass tickets, and Easyride. However, Half Fare Travelcard Plus credits cannot be used to pay for subscriptions (like fare network passes, point-to-point passes, Half Fare Travelcard subscriptions, and GA Travelcard subscriptions). They also cannot be used to pay for tickets that are not available in the SBB/CFF app (like multiple-journey tickets, municipal Saver Day Pass tickets, and promotional day passes).

There is no risk of losing money. If you end up spending less than the amount you paid for the prepaid credits, the difference is returned to you. The bonus credits expire if they are not used.

The Half Fare Travelcard Plus is offered in three versions: You buy 800 francs worth of prepaid credits and get 200 francs worth of bonus credits on top; You buy 1500 francs worth of prepaid credits and get 500 francs worth of bonus credits on top; You buy 2100 francs worth of prepaid credits and get 900 francs worth of bonus credits on top. The bonus credits translate into discounts of 20 to 30 percent.

• Pay with Reka money

Many Swiss employers offer their employees the chance to buy Reka money, typically with a 20-percent discount on its face value. There are normally limits on the amounts of discounted Reka money you can purchase from employers. Alternatively, you can buy Reka money in Coop supermarkets with a discount of 3 percent off its face value. Both Reka Pay and Reka Rail can be used to buy tickets and passes for Swiss public transportation.

• Use a credit card with a rewards program to pay

Some Swiss credit cards reward you for making purchases. By using a credit card which rewards you for public transportation purchases to pay, you can reduce your overall spending on public transportation.

• Use automatic ticketing apps

Using the Fairtiq app or the Easyride feature in the SBB/CFF app can save you money in some cases. With these apps, you swipe to activate a trip when you begin your trip, and then swipe again to end the trip when you reach your destination. The app calculates the price using the lowest available standard fairs, regardless of which routes you travel on, and how often. However, these automatic ticketing apps do not let you use multiple-journey tickets or other discounted fares. Typically, the way that your trips are billed is not optimized to account for monthly usage, so it is possible to spend much more than you spend on a monthly pass. Travel within the A-Welle network (Aargau) is an exception to this rule: Charges for travel within this network are limited to between 100 and 319 francs per month.

The main advantage is that you do not need to understand all the fare systems and zones. Important: You can make sure that the ticket is correctly purchased by having the app display it as a QR code.

• Age-based discounts:

The pricing examples in this article are based on standard fares for adults. But pricing is different for other age groups. Children between the age of six and 16 generally pay half of the standard fare. Young adults up to the age of 25 pay less for practically all Swiss public transportation subscriptions, but not for individual tickets and day passes. Pensioners and people who receive a Swiss disability pension are also entitled to discounts on select public transportation subscriptions, including the GA Travelcard pass.

More on this topic:
The costs of transportation in Switzerland compared
Tips for saving on hotel stays in Switzerland
Mobile data: Useful tips for staying connected on the go
Tips for getting cheaper flights
How to travel the world for free