What is a Swiss Travel Pass?
So you’re planning to travel to Switzerland and explore the beautiful sceneries and delicious food, but also wondering how you're going to travel around the country? Don’t worry! You can now get the Swiss Travel Pass on Klook!
Use the Swiss Travel Pass and get access to unlimited rides on trains, boats, buses, and premium panorama trains across the country for 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 consecutive or non-consecutive days! Once you're in Switzerland, just present your pass at the station to begin visits to Switzerland's most popular destinations like the lively city of Zurich or the Matterhorn Mountain in Zermatt, which inspired the now-iconic logo of Toblerone. Swiss Travel Passes also come with a complimentary Swiss Family Card for groups with children aged 6-15 plus free access to 500+ museums and galleries and discounts on other means of transportation!
What's the difference between the Consecutive Swiss Travel Pass and Flexible Swiss Travel Pass?
The Consecutive Pass will be valid only for the selected number of days starting on the date you have selected. Even if you haven’t traveled on a particular date with the Consecutive Pass during the activated period of the trip, it is still considered a travel day.
Meanwhile, a Flexible Pass would allow you to select the dates that you plan to travel and only these dates would be considered as travel days. This is perfect for those who wish to stay longer at each stop and have the flexibility of when you want to move on to your next destination.
Klook Tip: If you aren’t entirely sure which dates you’ll be traveling and prefer flexibility during your trip, check out the Swiss Half Fare Card instead! Enjoy up to 50% off tickets for Switzerland's public transport systems for one calendar month and travel around Switzerland with ease.
What’s the difference between First Class and Second Class?
First Class offers the following benefits:
- Upgraded seats aboard panoramic trains and Swiss Boat trips for better views during your journey. First Class on Swiss Boat trips are typically on the upper deck, offering you the best viewing point!
- More spacious seats and more legroom
- Additional power outlets in the carriage
- Quiet and business zones, where you can work and read in peace
- Depending on the train and route, some may also include meal services.
Note that while first-class seats are available in most trains, it’s not offered in cogwheel trains and cable cars, as well as city transport options like buses and trams.
How do I activate the the Swiss Travel Pass?
Once you’ve bought your Swiss Travel Pass on Klook, you’ll get your e-ticket as a PDF. Though it is not required, you may also print out the PDF if you wish. The train conductor will scan your QR code during travel.
For Flexible Passes, make sure that it includes all important information like your full name and birthday, then you can register your travel date and start using the transport system.
For Consecutive Passes, your Swiss Travel Pass will be automatically activated on the date selected during booking. No activation procedures are required.
Download the SBB App
We highly recommend that you download the SBB app to plan for your daily travels and also check for the latest train timings.
The SBB app is available on App Store and Play Store
What's the validity of the Swiss Travel Pass?
Once your Swiss Travel Pass has been activated, you will be able to use it for how many days you have purchased the pass for. It does not matter what time you activate your pass, as the start time is always 00:00 on the date of activation. For example, even if you activated your pass on 31 August 2022 at 19:00, your start date will still be 31 August.
The validity of your pass ends at 05:00 the next day, so you can still take overnight trains. For example, if you purchased a 8-day Swiss Travel Pass and activated it on 1 September, the valid dates would be September 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8. If you take an overnight train on the 8th, the ticket would still be valid until 05:00 of 9 September.
How do I use the Swiss Travel Pass?
Discover the captivating countryside of Switzerland. - Credit: Patrick Robert Doyle on Unsplash
The Swiss Travel Pass covers these types of tickets:
- Trips that allow free travel: This includes most buses, trains, boats, etc. For these routes, a separate reservation is not required — just show your digital pass / QR code to the staff and you should be able to board the bus, trains, boats. The SBB train rides here include but are not limited to regional trains, high-speed trains & sleeper trains. They can take you from Zurich to Lucerne, Interlaken to Zermatt, Geneva to Bern, and many more popular train routes are covered as well.
- Panoramic Trains: A separate fee and seat reservation are required using the official websites of the panoramic trains.
- Mountain Excursions: Fees and seat reservations vary depending on the specific service. Journeys to Rigi (either by boat/rail), Stoos and CabriO Stanserhorn are free of charge with the Swiss Travel Pass. Other excursions (Titlis, Matterhorn, and Jungfrau Railway, to name a few) require a separate fee and seat reservation.
Discounts for Panoramic Trains and Mountain Excursions are available when you purchase a Swiss Travel Pass. For more information about seat reservations on Panoramic Trains and Mountain Excursions, you may refer to the How do I reserve Premium Panoramic Trains or Mountain Excursions with the Swiss Travel Pass / Swiss Half Fare Card? section below.
I want to travel from one place to another but only part of the way is covered by the Swiss Travel Pass. What should I do?
In that case, you will only have to purchase a ticket for the route that is not under the Swiss Travel Pass. You can check the map that’s included in your pass to know which destinations are covered under the Swiss Travel Pass.
You can book your tickets for train journeys not covered by the Swiss Travel Pass (including other European countries — just in case!) directly on Klook.
What should I do if my name on the pass is truncated?
It is okay if your name is too long and has been truncated. The pass will still work.
How do I board the train?
When boarding a train, simply show the train conductor or ticket inspector your Swiss Travel Pass. Prepare your passport as well, in case they would like to cross-check your information.
How far in advance can I buy a Swiss Travel Pass?
Photo courtesy of @arielinpink
Worried about running out of tickets? Don’t fret. You can buy a Swiss Travel Pass up to 6 months in advance, but it will only be valid on the specified date you chose while booking.
Klook Tip: We do understand that your travel plans may change. That's why the Swiss Travel Pass is fully refundable up to one day before the 'valid from' date. After this date, if the pass has not been used, you can request for a refund of up to 85% of its value via Klook.
Do I need to buy a Swiss Travel Pass for my kids?
Planning to travel with kids? Great news! The Swiss Travel Pass offers the following benefits for those traveling with kids:
- Children aged 6-15 travel free of charge with a Swiss Family Card (make sure to select this option at checkout!)
- Children aged 0-5 travel free of charge if accompanied by a Swiss Travel Pass / Half Fare Card holder
There’s also a 30% discount for youth travelers aged 16-24. You may book the passes together with your own Swiss Travel Pass on Klook.
What else can I use my Swiss Travel Pass for?
Fall in love with Zurich during your stay. - Credit: Henrique Ferreira on Unsplash
The Swiss Travel Pass doesn’t just cover transportation around the country, it also includes selected routes to other bordering countries like Italy and Liechtenstein. Check the map that comes with your pass to see which bus and train routes are included.
Besides free transport, you can also enjoy discounts on mountain excursions and railway offers with your ticket.
Do I need to reserve seats for train trips?
It depends on the train rides. But for most regional trains, high-speed trains, and sleep trains, you will not have to reserve seats. However, for certain scenic routes such as Bernina Express, Glacier Express, Golden Pass & Gotthard Panorama Express, you will need to make a separate reservation by paying a small booking fee.
Klook Tip: Check if you need to make a reservation before you head to the train station!
How do I reserve Premium Panoramic Trains or Mountain Excursions with the Swiss Travel Pass / Swiss Half Fare Card?
You may first refer to the coverage sheet here. To reserve individual Premium panoramic trains, please follow the step-by-step instructions below.
1. Bernina Express
Follow these simple steps to make reservations for Bernina Express with Swiss Travel Pass / Swiss half fare card:
Step 1: Visit Bernina Express official website; input your train journey details. Book early as trains can be sold out quickly!
Step 2: Choose the train and seats
Step 3: Input your personal details; be sure to choose Swiss Travel Pass under the Reduction tab to enjoy the discounts
Step 4: Pay and you are set to go! Receive the ticket and kindly present the ticket to board the train.
2. Glacier Express
Follow these simple steps to make reservations for Glacier Express with Swiss Travel Pass / Swiss half fare card:
Step 1: Visit Glacier Express official website; select your train journey
Step 2: input your train journey details
Step 3: Choose the train and seats
Step 4: Input your personal details; be sure to choose Swiss Travel Pass under the Reduction tab to enjoy the discounts
Step 5: Select your meal option
Step 6: Conduct payment with discounts and you are set to go! Receive the ticket and kindly present the ticket to board the train.
3. GoldenPass Express: Interlaken - Montreux
Follow these simple steps to make reservations for GoldenPass Express with Swiss Travel Pass / Swiss half fare card:
Step 1: Visit GoldenPass Express official website
Step 2: Go to the reservation page. Search for a route (eg. Interlaken <> Montreux) and pick a date
Step 3: Select your seats
Step 4: Input your personal details; be sure to choose “Only reservation” or “Half fare” under the Reduction tab to enjoy the discounts
Step 5: Conduct payment with discounts and you are set to go! Receive the ticket and kindly present the ticket to board the train.
4. Luzern-Interlaken Express: Luzern - Brünig - Interlaken Ost
Follow these simple steps to make reservations for Luzern-Interlaken Express with Swiss Travel Pass / Swiss half fare card:
Step 1: Visit Luzern-Interlaken Express official website
Step 2: Search any routes between Luzern <> Brünig <> Interlaken Ost and pick a date
Step 3: Input your personal details; be sure to choose “Swiss travel pass” or “Half fare” under the Reduction tab to enjoy the discounts
Step 4: Select your seats
Step 5: Conduct payment with discounts and you are set to go! Receive the ticket and kindly present the ticket to board the train.
5. Gotthard Panorama Express:
Boat: Luzern-Flüelen;
Train: Arth-Goldau / Flüelen-Bellinzona-Lugano
For 1st class Swiss travel pass holders/ half fare card holders, follow the below steps to make reservations for Gotthard Panorama Express:
*For Swiss Travel Pass holders, please note that only 1st class pass holders can reserve Gotthard Panorama Express trains with additional seat reservation fees. For 2nd class pass holders, if you wish to upgrade your pass to 1st class, please contact sales-gopex@sbb.ch.
Step 1: Visit Gotthard Panorama Express official website. Search routes: Arth-Goldau / Flüelen-Bellinzona-Lugono. Pick a date.
(Important note: 1st-class Swiss travel pass & Half fare card only includes these routes, for other routes under Gotthard Panorama Express, please buy the tickets separately)
Step 2: Input your personal details; be sure to choose “Only reservation” or “Half fare” under the Reduction tab to enjoy the discounts
Step 3: Select your seats
Step 4: Conduct payment with discounts and you are set to go! An e-ticket will be sent to your email and kindly present the mobile tickets to board the train.
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🇨🇭 Switzerland Travel Essentials 🇨🇭
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