Complete Swiss Travel Pass Guide: Pro Tips and How to Use It

Switzerland is made for exploring by train, boat, and cable car — and the Swiss Travel Pass makes it simple to enjoy it all without the hassle. The Swiss Travel Pass allows for unlimited travel on public transportation across Switzerland. Planning a trip to Switzerland and wondering if the Swiss Travel Pass is worth it? This quick and easy guide to the Swiss Travel Pass is perfect for first-time users, covering all the essential details you need to make the most of your pass, all in one place. From how to actually use the pass on public transportation to getting discounts at top attractions, this guide will walk you through everything you need to know so you won’t look like a lost tourist. Keep reading to find out how to make the most of your Swiss Travel Pass!

Why Travel by Train in Switzerland?

Part of the fun of traveling around Switzerland is riding all of the public transportation. Train lines link up every corner of Switzerland and allow you to enjoy the stunning landscape as you go. These are easy, comfortable train rides with minimal train changes and maximal views. Why stress about driving when you can sit back on the train and watch the scenery glide by?

Another bonus of traveling by train is that the trains deposit you right in the center of town. Finding parking in city centers or mountain towns can be tricky, time consuming, and expensive. It’s much easier to just get off the train and already be in the heart of the city. And you won’t have to drag your luggage as far to your accommodations.

For our recommendations on the best places to stay in Switzerland, check out our handpicked list of charming and centrally located accommodations.

Traveling by train in Switzerland is a no-brainer if you have kids. Most kids LOVE trains. Parents know that just going on public transportation can be the highlight activity of the day! It also helps keep parents sane by not having to keep active toddlers strapped into a car seat for long drives.

The best part is that kids 6 years old and under travel free on public transportation in Switzerland! Kids 6 and under don’t need their own Swiss Travel Pass when traveling with an adult. Kids 6 to 16 years old can also travel free of charge when accompanied by at least one parent with a valid Swiss Travel Pass using the Swiss Family Card. The Swiss Family Card is free when you purchase a Swiss Travel Pass. You would just enter the children you are traveling with under “Add passengers” on SBB.ch.

What is the Swiss Travel Pass?

The Swiss Travel Pass gives you unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats within Switzerland, covers some mountain excursions and gives at least 25% discount on the other mountain excursions, and gives discounts to museums. The pass is only available for purchase to tourists who reside permanently outside of Switzerland. With the Swiss Travel Pass, you can just look up the train schedule and hop on to any train.

The Swiss Travel Pass covers 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 days of travel. There are two options – a consecutive day pass or a more expensive flex pass where you can choose which days to use the pass. You do have to select what day you want the travel pass to start when you purchase the pass. So you have to be strategic in how you arrange your itinerary to maximize the savings when using a consecutive day pass.

There are 1st and 2nd class trains, but honestly, 2nd class is perfectly comfortable for most people.

What is Included in the Swiss Travel Pass?

The Swiss Travel Pass includes:

• Unlimited travel by train, bus, and boat within Switzerland
  • Including scenic boat rides on Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, and Lake Lucerne
• Unlimited travel on premium panorama trains (although seat reservation fees are not included)
• Unlimited use of public transport in many towns and cities
• Free admission to more than 500 museums in Switzerland
  • Including Chillon Castle, Matterhorn Museum, Swiss National Museum, Olympic Museum, and Thun Castle
  • 50% discount to Swiss Museum of Transport
• Completely covers transportation to Rigi, Stanserhorn, and Stoos mountain excursions
• Discounts to other mountain excursions:
  • 25% discount for transport from Grindelwald/Wengen to Jungfraujoch
  • 50% discount for transport from Alpnachstad/Kriens to Mount Pilatus
  • 50% discount for transport from Mürren/Stechelberg to Schilthorn

Is the Swiss Travel Pass Worth It?

In my opinion, yes, the Swiss Travel Pass is definitely worth it if you plan ahead to make the most of it and appreciate the added flexibility it offers. On our first trip to Switzerland, some of our favorite side trips were last-minute additions, and with the pass, we could visit them without any extra cost.

You can do the math to see if the pass is worth it by searching each train leg of your trip on the SBB website and the cost of all mountain excursions and add up the costs. Check to see if all of these costs are equal to or more than the cost of the Swiss Travel Pass. If it is, then the pass is worth it. But basically, if you are planning on doing at least one mountain excursion then the Swiss Travel Pass is usually worth it.

Note that the prices listed on the SBB website by default are half what they should be. This is because most Swiss residents have a “half-fare card” which takes 50% off of all train fares, so the SBB website defaults to showing the half price fare since it assumes most local people searching will be using a half-fare card. If you do not have a half-fare card, you will pay the full fare, which is double the cost of what is listed.

If you are traveling with young kids, the Swiss Travel Pass can make travel much less stressful. With transportation covered, you have one less thing to keep track of on the trip. This was especially helpful for us when traveling with a toddler who has no concept of time, because we did not have to stop to buy train tickets when we were already running late for the very punctual Swiss trains. Parents know that anything that can save time or reduce stress when traveling with toddlers is money well spent.

How to Buy the Swiss Travel Pass

You can buy the Swiss Travel Pass on the main SBB website. Complete the purchase as a “guest,” you don’t need to log in. If you have a credit card that does not charge foreign transaction fees, choose to pay in CHF rather than USD for a better exchange rate. Using this exchange rate trick is probably the only way to get a discount on the pass. You can also purchase the Swiss Travel Pass in Switzerland at major railway stations and at tourist offices.

How to Use the Swiss Travel Pass

After purchasing online you will receive an email with the Swiss Travel Pass attached as a PDF with a QR code. Print out the pass at home, and bring it with you everywhere. You do not need to validate the pass anywhere before using it for the first time. At some point on the train ride a train conductor will come by to check tickets. Show them the print out of the Swiss Travel Pass so they can scan the QR code. Sometimes they will ask to see your passport.

In general, you don’t need seat reservations for trains in Switzerland. You just show up, get on the train, and take any seat. Just make sure it’s the right class train car. Exceptions are the panorama trains like Glacier Express, Bernina Express, and Gotthard Panorama Express, which do require seat reservations. You can purchase seat reservations on the websites for each of those trains and select a”Swiss Travel Pass” on the reduction tab. You can also purchase a seat reservation for non-panorama trains on the SBB website during busy times to ensure that you get on the train departure time of your choice.

How to Search for Train Routes

SBB is the train company in Switzerland. The SBB website and app are fantastic for searching for train times. When you search for a route, it gives you all the route options around your chosen time of departure or arrival. It also shows you which route is direct and which requires a train change. The app tells you clearly what platform the train will depart from and which platform the train will arrive to. It also tells you which platform to go to if you need to change trains midway. You can see all the stops in between on the route to your destination. It also tells you the expected occupancy on the train to help you plan ahead to avoid busy trains. I downloaded the SBB Mobile app prior to our trip and used the app on the go.

How to Save Money with the Swiss Travel Pass

Buying the Swiss Travel Pass is a big up front cost, but you can maximize it by being strategic about using the pass on the days with the most expensive transportation. Plan out your itinerary first, then calculate the cost for each leg of travel and cost of any mountain excursions. This will help you decide which days you should use the pass and which days it would be more cost effective to just buy a single train ticket. Try to group your longest train journeys and mountain excursions on consecutive days so that you can use the Swiss Travel Pass for those days. And definitely do the trip to Mount Rigi since the entire mountain excursion is included with the pass!

Find our favorite hike on Mount Rigi, the cliff walk in Rigi Kaltbad-First, in our 10 day Switzerland itinerary.

Don’t forget to make use of the other benefits of the Swiss Travel Pass besides just transportation. The museums and scenic boat rides are great ways to maximize your Swiss Travel Pass while also seeing a different side of Switzerland. Research ahead of time and figure out how to include some of those museums and castles into your itinerary. The Chillon Castle and Thun Castle are stunning. And scenic boat rides on Lake Brienz, Lake Thun, and Lake Lucerne are a relaxing way to see the lakes from a different perspective.

Check out our toddler friendly Switzerland itinerary to see how we maximized our 8 day Swiss Travel Pass.

Pro Tips for Using the Swiss Travel Pass with Kids

• Look for the family coach play areas on certain long distance trains! These trains have a play area in them, and SBB describes them as a “playground on wheels.” It’s a great way for kids to burn off steam while on the train! The trains with family coaches are marked on the timetable with “FA” or have a little bear icon. You can spot the family coach because the coach will be decorated with jungle or dragon themes.
• Don’t forget to include the complimentary Swiss Family Card with your Swiss Travel Pass if traveling with kids 6 to 16 years old so that they can travel free with an adult with the pass.
• Many museums have free admission for kids under 6 years old. The Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne is a must-do for kids. While the Swiss Museum of Transport is not completely free with the Swiss Travel Pass, there is a 50% discount on admission and children under 6 are free.
• Kids love boat rides! The Swiss Travel Pass covers all boat rides and they are free for kids 6 and under. The boat we rode on Lake Lucerne had a little water play area in the back of the boat, which was a blast for all the kids.
• Use the Swiss Travel Pass to visit some amazing alpine playgrounds!

How to Buy Single Train Tickets

Sometimes it is more cost effective to just buy a single train ticket rather than using a day of the Swiss Travel Pass. An example of this would be the day of arrival into Switzerland, if you are traveling from the airport to Zurich or Lucerne.

Most single train tickets are not tied to a particular train departure time, so if you miss the train, your ticket is still valid on the next train on the same route as long as it is the same day. The exception to this is the “supersaver” tickets, which can be purchased online at a discount. Those tickets are marked with a “%.” Because the supersaver tickets are discounted tickets, they are only valid for that particular train departure time. If you miss your departure time, then you will have to buy a new train ticket. If there is a connecting train on the supersaver route and you miss your connecting train, you will have to buy a new ticket for the second leg of that route. Although the supersaver tickets are a great deal, make sure that you can catch the train! Don’t book supersaver tickets after flights, in case of delays.

With internet access on your phone, the easiest and fastest way to purchase single train tickets is through the SBB Mobile App. On the SBB Mobile app, you can search for the train route and purchase tickets on the app. The tickets will automatically load into the “Tickets & Travelcards” section of the app. Then you can just show the QR code on the app when the conductor comes to check tickets.

Wondering how to use the internet on your phone in Switzerland? We have had great experiences using Airalo for e-sims!

To purchase a single train ticket at the train station, find a ticket machine or go to the ticket window. All ticket machines have the option to change the language to English. Search for your destination and select the route you want to take. Make sure that you select the option for “full fare” and not “half-fare,” or else be prepared to pay when the conductor checks your tickets. Keep the tickets with you to show the train conductor during ticket checks.

Grab your Swiss Travel Pass and start planning your epic Swiss train trip today!