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| How Passes Work Plan Your Rail Trip Compare Ticket Costs Using Your Pass Choose and Order |
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Compare Ticket Costs: Map shows point-to-point, one-way, 2nd-class rail fares in $US. Add up fares for your itinerary to see whether a railpass will save you money. For 1st class fares, add 50%. Source: www.sbb.ch.
Best Value: Public transport in Switzerland is well connected, frequent, and timely. Choose the pass that best matches the countries and number of travel days in your plan. A Swiss Pass for consecutive days gives you lots of freedom on trains, boats, city trams, buses, museums (see www.museumspass.ch), and discounted lifts during your stay. The Swiss Flexipass gives you the same coverage on selected "travel days" during a one-month window, plus 50% transport discounts in between those days (great for days focused on high-mountain lifts and short or unplanned side trips). A Swiss Card or Swiss Transfer Ticket is like a two-day flexipass that gets you in and out of a central destination. A few Deals Sold Only in Switzerland are also listed below, though exchange rate fluctuations have reduced their value.
Reservations: Most daytime routes in Switzerland do not need reservations. Some international trains (such as to/from France and Italy) and Switzerland's named scenic lines require seat reservations. See more details about train schedules and train reservations.
Coverage & Private Trains: All passes that include Switzerland cover national network trains, boat trips on Swiss lakes, and many sightseeing and private rail discounts. See Comparing Swiss Pass Coverage (below) for differences between Swiss Passes and multi-country passes. Read more about the official Scenic Rail Journeys online (excerpted from Rick Steves' Switzerland). As you travel higher up the mountains on some private trains and lifts, show your pass at the ticket window and smile when they give you a discount. Don't waste time trying to calculate every discount in advance.
Free Kids: The Swiss Family Card allows children under 16 to travel free with a parent who has a Swiss Travel System ticket or pass (not a multi-country pass). Based on the validity of the parent's ticket or pass, they're free even on the high mountain routes. Request a free Swiss Family Card when you order an adult Swiss Pass/Flexipass, Swiss Card, or Swiss Transfer Ticket in the U.S. One card has space to list seven kids. Also sold for 20 SF per child at Swiss train stations. Kids 6–15 not accompanied by parent pay half of full adult (not saver) fare; under 6 free.
Two-Country Passes: Options later on this page work for those traveling between Switzerland and one neighbor: Austria, France, or Germany (but not Italy).
| Swiss Pass | ||||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Indiv. | 1st Class Saver | 1st Class Youth | 2nd Class Indiv. | 2nd Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 consecutive days | $399 | $340 | $299 | $266 | $226 | $200 | ||
| 8 consecutive days | $576 | $490 | $432 | $384 | $328 | $290 | ||
| 15 consecutive days | $697 | $593 | $523 | $465 | $395 | $350 | ||
| 22 consecutive days | $805 | $685 | $604 | $536 | $475 | $403 | ||
| 1 month | $885 | $753 | $664 | $590 | $503 | $443 | ||
| Covers all trains, boats, buses, city trams, 400 Swiss museums, and buses in Liechtenstein. 50% discount on high mountain rides. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. See Swiss Family Card for kids. Swiss passes are also sold in major train stations. Prices subject to change. | ||||||||
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| Swiss Flexipass | ||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Indiv. | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Indiv. | 2nd Class Saver | ||
| 3 days in 1 month | $383 | $326 | $255 | $217 | ||
| 4 days in 1 month | $463 | $395 | $309 | $263 | ||
| 5 days in 1 month | $536 | $457 | $358 | $305 | ||
| 6 days in 1 month | $609 | $519 | $407 | $347 | ||
| Covers all trains, boats, buses, city trams, 400 Swiss museums, and Liechtenstein buses on your counted travel days. 50% discount on high mountain rides. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. See Swiss Family Card for kids. Swiss passes are also sold in major train stations. Prices subject to change. | ||||||
| The Swiss Flexipass also acts as a Half-Fare Travel Card. Between your counted, full-coverage travel days, you can get 50% off any transport (but not museums). | ||||||
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| Swiss Card & Swiss Transfer Ticket | ||||
| The Swiss Transfer Ticket gives you one train ride in from any Swiss airport or border station to any point in Switzerland, then one trip out from that same point to any airport or border for $196 in first class or $130 in second class. Each direction must be completed in a day by the fastest, most direct route and both trips must occur within a month. Sold only outside Switzerland. Prices subject to change. | ||||
| The Swiss Card includes one trip in and out within a month as above, plus 50% discounts between those two trips on all Swiss railways, lake steamers, postal buses, and high mountain lifts for $261 in first class or $187 in second class. Also sold at a few Swiss airports and border stations. Prices subject to change. | ||||
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All passes that include Switzerland cover national network trains, boat trips on Swiss lakes, and many sightseeing and private rail discounts. A map of this network comes with your pass. All passes cover these and other scenic rides:
| Route or bonus: | Eurail Global, Select, or Two-Country Passes | Swiss Card or Transfer Ticket | Swiss Pass or Flexipass |
| Swiss Family Card (kids travel free) | No | Applies | Applies |
| Postal buses | No | Covered | Covered |
| Urban transport in 40 cities ($2/trip) | No | No | Covered |
| Swiss museums admissions | No | No | Covered |
| Brig-Disentis section of the Glacier Express scenic route ($45 2nd cl, reservation extra) | 25% discount | Covered if it's most direct route (fr/south border to south destination) | Covered |
| Brig–Zermatt private train to see the Matterhorn ($35 2nd cl) | 25% discount | Covered if Zermatt is final destination | Covered |
| Mt. Rigi Railways ($25-40 per leg) | 50% discount | 50% discount with Swiss Card | Covered |
| Jungfrau Region Railways (e.g., from Interlaken: $7 to Lauterbrunnen, $10 to Grindelwald, $13 to Wengen; $180 round-trip to Jungfraujoch) | 25% discount above Interlaken | 50% discount with Swiss Card; Jungfraujoch not covered on in- & outbound roundtrip | 50% discount above Murren, Grindelwald, or Wengen, except only 25% off Kl. Scheidegg-Jungfraujoch |
| More high mountain lifts (e.g., Stechelberg-Schilthorn $90 roundtrip/$70 off-peak) | No | 50% discount w/Card, not w/ Transfer Ticket | 50% discount |
| Half-fare option — 50% transport discount between fully covered flexi travel days | No | 50% discount w/Card, not w/ Transfer Ticket | 50% discount w/flexipass |
| Le Châtelard, Switzerland to Chamonix, France ($14) | Need France on pass | Covered (e.g., entering or exiting country via Chamonix) | Covered |
| Passholder rate on international night trains | Applies | No | Applies |
| 7 p.m. rule for night trains | Applies | No | No |
| All "covered" services start use of a travel day on a flexipass, but discounts do not. | |||
The Half-Fare Card for visitors gives you 50% off on all national and private trains (including Jungfraujoch), postal buses, city trams, lifts, and lake boats for about 99 SF ($99) a month. This can save you money if your Swiss travel adds up to more than $200 in point-to-point tickets. Buy it at your first Swiss train station.
The Berner Oberland Pass, like a flexipass for the Bern-Interlaken-Luzern area, is the most useful of Switzerland's regional passes. You can choose any 5 days of free travel plus 10 days of 50% discounts in a 15-day period for 277 SF ($277) second class or any 3 free days plus 4 days of 50% discount in 7 days for 230 SF ($230). The highest mountain lifts are either 50% off during the validity of the pass or have special prices (e.g., Kleine Scheidegg to the Jungfraujoch, or Murren to the Schilthorn are 50% off). Also available in first class for 20% more; or if you have any type of Swiss Pass or discount card, all prices are 20% less. To see a map of discounted rides, go to www.regiopass-berneroberland.ch. Depending on exchange rates, the full-country Swiss passes purchased before you go can be a better value.
For a few days in Switzerland as part of a wider-reaching trip, a two-country or multi-country pass is fine. While single-country passes in these regions allow travel within one month, passes below offer a two-month window. Two-country passes push adults 26 or older (and families of mixed ages) into paying for first class.
| Austria-Switzerland Pass | |||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $383 | $326 | $268 | ||
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $42 | $36 | $30 | ||
| Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 half single adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||
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For about the same price as a first-class Swiss Flexipass, the Austria-Switzerland combo covers two countries and allows you to spread travel over a longer period. Separate, second-class passes for each country are cheaper, but you'll use a day of each pass when crossing the border.
| France-Switzerland Pass | |||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Individual | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||
| 4 days in 2 months | $402 | $342 | $283 | ||
| Extra rail days (max 6) | $46-48 | $39-43 | $30-34 | ||
| Covers many Swiss boats as well as trains. See our Switzerland page for an outline of coverage. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||
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If your trip is really Swiss-focused with just one trip in France (e.g., Paris-Basel for $110, or less with advance-purchase discount), consider a Swiss pass plus separate, reserved French ticket. If you need more of France, you probably want the two-country pass.
| Germany - Switzerland Pass | |||||||||
| Type of Pass | 1st Class Adult | 1st Class Saver | 2nd Class Youth | ||||||
| 5 days in 2 months | $430 | $366 | $303 | ||||||
| 6 days in 2 months | $474 | $404 | $334 | ||||||
| 8 days in 2 months | $561 | $479 | $394 | ||||||
| 10 days in 2 months | $649 | $554 | $456 | ||||||
| Covers many Swiss boats as well as trains. See our Switzerland page for an outline of coverage. Saver prices are per person for 2 or more traveling together. Youth passes are for travelers under age 26 only. Kids 4–11 pay half of adult or saver fare; under 4 free. Prices subject to change. | |||||||||
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Separate single-country passes may be cheaper, but you'll use a day of each pass when you cross the border.
