If you’re planning a Switzerland trip, the age old dilemma of the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card is something every traveller has to consider. Read on to get a better idea of which Switzerland travel pass is best for you.
If you want to experience Switzerland’s magic without having a financial panic attack, travel passes like the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card are going to save the day. The tricky part is figuring out which pass is going to leave you the most Swiss francs to spend on fondue and chocolate.
Never fear, your resident travel nerd is here 🤓 (seriously though, I don’t think there’s anyone in the world with more travel spreadsheets than me).
I’ve spent loads of time exploring Switzerland’s cities and scenery by train, boat and bus, and I’ve compared the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card for loads of itineraries to find which one gives you the best bang for your buck.
While the annoying answer to the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card dilemma really is “it depends”, there are a few key indicators that will show you one pass is better than the other for your itinerary.
In this blog post I’ve shared those helpful indicators that will nudge you in one direction, all you need to know about the two passes and what they include/don’t include, pros and cons of both passes, pricing details, helpful example itineraries to give you a proper budget breakdown, and finally some alternatives to the STP and HFC.
And if you have any further questions, feel free to pop a comment at the bottom of the blog post and I’ll try and get back to you as soon as I can!
Quick summary: Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card
If you can’t be bothered reading a detailed guide and just want to know whether the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card is better, here you go.
When to choose the Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass is significantly more expensive upfront but gives you much more flexibility and freedom, as there’s no need to buy tickets on public transport and most inter-city trips. You will need to pay for most mountain excursions though, and the discount is usually the same or worse than the Half Fare Card.
✅ The Swiss Travel Pass is great if:
- Budget isn’t a concern and you’d prefer to pay a bit more for flexibility and convenience
- You’re planning on taking the expensive panorama trains like the Glacier Express or Bernina Express
- You’re doing the full Grand Train Tour of Switzerland
- You aren’t planning on doing too many mountain excursions
- You plan on visiting loads of museums
- You’re booking your trip quite last minute, within a few days of travel
When to choose the Swiss Half Fare Card
Travelling with a Swiss Half Fare Card actually often ends up being cheaper overall than the Swiss Travel Pass (as you can see in the itineraries below), but the compromise is that you have to buy tickets for every trip so it can take a bit more planning, and can cost more when booking last minute vs. booking far in advance.
✅ The Swiss Half Fare Card is great if:
- You’re planning on doing lots of mountain excursions
- Saving money is more important than convenience and flexibility
- You’re in Switzerland for longer than 1.5-2 weeks
- You know your itinerary in advance and can book in your transport early
Why do you need a travel pass for Switzerland?
Switzerland is home to a number of the most beautiful train journeys in Europe, but have you seen those prices?! This place ain’t cheap, and getting from A to B + going on mountain excursions uses up a pretty decent chunk of your travel budget.
With a travel pass though you can end up saving loads of money.
Both the Swiss Travel Pass and the Half Fare Card will end up being cheaper than buying individual tickets for *most* Switzerland itineraries, but which one to choose will depend on your specific route and your preference for value vs. convenience.
Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card overview
Let me explain all you need to know about the different passes we’re comparing, the Swiss Half Fare Card and the Swiss Travel Pass.
All about the Swiss Travel Pass
What is the Swiss Travel Pass?
An all-in-one ticket that lets you travel freely across Switzerland’s extensive network of trains, buses and boats, as well as providing free access to loads of museums and discounted rates (usually 50%, some 25%) on mountain excursions and cable cars.
How long is the Swiss Travel Pass for?
The Swiss Travel Pass is available in two formats:
- Consecutive pass (cheaper): 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 days of unlimited travel, from your start date you have free reign for the relevant number of days
- Swiss Travel Pass Flex (more expensive, non-consecutive): Offers the same benefits but your travel days can be spread out over a month. Choose a 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 day Flex pass and ‘activate’ it on the days you want to use the pass.
What is included in the Swiss Travel Pass?
- Unlimited travel on trains, boats and buses on the Swiss Travel System network
- Panoramic trains like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express
- Access to Rigi and Stanserhorn mountains for free
- 50% discount on most other mountain railways and cable cars
- 25% off the connecting ticket to Jungfraujoch (you get free travel until Grindelwald/Wengen)
- Free public transport within 90 cities
- Free entry to more than 500 museums
What isn’t included in the Swiss Travel Pass?
- Seat reservations for panoramic trains (this is always additional to any travel/rail pass)
- The mountain excursion to Jungfraujoch (just 25% off)
- Mountain excursions and cable cars like Gornergratbahn, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Titlis or Pilatus (50% off most of these)
- Private lake cruises (but regular, scheduled boat trips on the public transportation network are included)
- Adventure activities on mountains like the zipline at Grindelwald-First
All about the Swiss Half Fare Card
What is the Swiss Half Fare Card?
A travel card designed for visitors to Switzerland that allows them to save 50% on trains, buses and boats across the Swiss Travel System network, plus 50% off most mountain railways and cable cars.
How long is the Swiss Half Fare Card for?
The Swiss Half Fare Card is valid for one month.
What is included in the Swiss Half Fare Card?
- 50% off train, bus and boat travel within the Swiss Travel System network.
- 50% off most mountain railways and cable cars (including iconic ones like Jungfraujoch, Pilatus, Titlis, Gornergratbahn and Rigi Kulm)
- 50% off public transport in over 90 cities and towns across Switzerland
What isn’t included in the Swiss Half Fare Card?
- Seat reservations on some panoramic trains (Glacier Express, Bernina Express, etc.). These still need to be purchased at full price even with the Half Fare Card.
- Some smaller mountain railways or cable cars may offer smaller discounts or no discount at all
- Adventure packages on mountain excursions like Grindelwald-First, you can get a discount for the transportation element but not for any activities
- No museums are included in the Half Fare Card
Pros & cons of the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card
Swiss Travel Pass pros
✅ Convenience: Jump on most trains, boats and buses freely without buying separate tickets
✅ Free panoramic trains: Covers full cost of expensive routes like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express (seat reservation not included though)
✅ A couple of free mountain excursions: Travel to Rigi Kulm and Stanserhorn are fully covered
✅ 50% off most other mountain excursions
✅ Museum access: Free entry to more than 500 museums across Switzerland
✅ Flexibility: Choose consecutive days for a daily travel (cheaper) or a Flex pass to spread out your usage over a longer trip
Swiss Travel Pass cons
👎🏼 It’s pricey: Significantly more expensive upfront than the Half Fare Card
👎🏼 Limited mountain discounts: Most mountain railways and cable cars give you the same discount as the HFC
👎🏼 Lower Jungfraujoch discount: Only 25%, compared to 50% off with the HFC
👎🏼 Potential wasted value: Can be less cost-effective if you don’t utilise all the travel days wisely
Who is the Swiss Travel Pass best for?
- Short trips with lots of travel: If you’re squeezing in a lot of destinations (and especially mountain excursions) in a 3-8 day period, the convenience of not buying individual tickets or having total flexibility can outweigh the cost
- Panoramic train enthusiasts: If taking the Glacier Express, Bernina Express or similar trains is a priority, the STP covers the entire ticket cost (you just pay the reservation fee)
- Grand Train Tour travellers: If you want to go all out with the panorama trains and do the famous Grand Train Tour, the Swiss Travel Pass is probably going to save you the most CHF
- Museum lovers: If you plan to visit multiple museums, the free admission with the STP adds a bit of extra value
- Those who value ultimate convenience: If the idea of planning train times and buying tickets for each leg stresses you out, the STP lets you hop on and off as you please
- Families or big groups: It would be particularly easy for a group of travellers to use the Swiss Travel Pass just to reduce the admin time involved with booking specific tickets and being less flexible. That way if someone’s running late you can just jump on the next train instead of having to waste tickets and get everyone to pay again!
Swiss Half Fare Card pros
✅ Low cost: Only 120CHF for a month of travel, much cheaper than the Swiss Travel Pass
✅ Wide coverage: Discounted access to the whole Swiss Travel System network as well as most mountain railways and cable cars
✅ Better Jungfraujoch discount: 50% off (vs. 25% off with the Swiss Travel Pass)
✅ Longer validity: One month is the only option, vs. a maximum of 15 days with the Swiss Travel Pass (which is pretty expensive)
Swiss Half Fare Card cons
👎🏼 Need to buy every ticket: You still have to purchase a ticket for each journey
👎🏼 Panoramic trains still expensive: Even with the Half Fare discount some of the panoramic trains (*cough* Glacier Express *cough*) are still expensive!
👎🏼 Rigi & Stanserhorn not free: These mountains are just 50% off, unlike the Swiss Travel Pass
👎🏼 No museum access: There’s no museum access included
Who is the Swiss Half Fare Card best for?
- Budget-conscious travellers: It’s significantly cheaper upfront than the STP, and will likely save you more money unless you’re using long-haul trains or premium panorama trains extensively throughout your trip
- Mountain lovers: The 50% discount on most mountain railways is the same or better than the STP, and it includes a 50% discount on Jungfraujoch, which the STP only has at 25%
- Flexible itineraries: If your plans aren’t firm and you have no idea how much you’ll be travelling in Switzerland, the Half Fare Card only requires you to book 240CHF worth of transport before the card has basically paid itself off. With the Swiss Travel Pass it can be harder to hit the pass value without pre-planning.
- Longer stays: The one-month validity of the Half Fare Card is a plus if your trip extends beyond the 15-day limit of the STP
- Those who enjoy a bit of planning: If you’re willing to compare prices and book tickets in advance, the Half Fare Card usually wins in terms of cost-efficiency
Remember: The best way to determine the optimal choice is to create a rough itinerary and calculate the estimated costs with each pass. Your specific plans will always be the deciding factor!
Costs of the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card
Swiss Travel Pass prices
Here are the prices for adult passes in 2nd class. 1st class passes are about 60% more expensive than the prices you see below.
Prices valid as of 1 March 2024, they typically put prices up annually at the most so these should be valid for the remainder of 2024.
How long | Swiss Travel Pass | Swiss Travel Pass Flex |
3 days | 244CHF | 279CHF |
4 days | 295CHF | 339CHF |
6 days | 379CHF | 405CHF |
8 days | 419CHF | 439CHF |
15 days | 459CHF | 479CHF |
- If you’re between 16 and 25 you’re eligible for a youth pass which is 30% off the prices above
- Kids aged between 6 and 15 (inclusive) gets free travel when accompanying a parent with a valid ticket or travel pass, you just need to order the free Swiss Family Card for this to work
- Kids under 6 travel free
Swiss Half Fare Card prices
120CHF for one month. No discounts for youth or seniors, you get half price travel on both first class and second class tickets.
Where to buy the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card
👉🏼 You can buy your Swiss Travel Pass online here
👉🏼 You can buy your Swiss Half Fare Card online here
You can also buy both at train stations or transport hubs throughout Switzerland.
How to use the Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass
Here are some step-by-step instructions on how to use the different passes.
How to use the Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass acts as your train tickets, boat tickets and bus tickets, there’s no need to buy an additional ticket if you’re using a regional train/bus, going on a scheduled public boat trip or using public transportation. If you’re asked for your ticket, you can show them the PDF attachment on the confirmation email when you bought your pass.
If you want to use the mountain trains or cable cars which are only discounted with the Swiss Travel Pass (like Jungfraujoch, Pilatus or Titlis), you can go onto the official mountain website, search your travel date, and there will be a ‘discount’ or ‘travel card’ dropdown for you to select the Swiss Travel Pass, or sometimes there’s a specific category for pass holders like the example below.
You can also go to the ticket counter at the mountain and show your Swiss Travel Pass PDF and they’ll charge you the discounted Swiss Travel Pass rate.
How to use the Swiss Half Fare Card
With the Swiss Half Fare Card you’ll need to buy tickets for each and every trip you make.
If you’re using public transport or regional trains, boats or buses, you need to go onto the SBB app or website and find the route you want to book. Click through to purchase the tickets and you’ll get a pop up asking you to add a passenger. Add your details, and in the ‘discount cards’ dropdown select ‘Half Fare Travelcard’ like below.
The Half Fare Travelcard technically is the name for the annual half price travelcard that’s available to Swiss residents only, but Half Fare Card holders get the exact same benefits on the Swiss Travel System and the SBB annoyingly doesn’t have a ‘Half Fare Card’ option in the dropdown, so this is the only way to book half price.
When you catch your trip you might be asked to show your Half Fare Card, just show them the details in your confirmation email.
If you’re booking mountain excursions then there will be a dropdown to add your Half Fare Card or a specific category for you to select the Half Fare price.
Swiss Travel Pass vs Swiss Half Fare Card: Example itineraries
The best way to understand the difference in value between the Swiss Travel Pass and the Swiss Half Fare Card, and to determine the best option, is to show you some example itineraries.
Each of these example itineraries is using prices for tickets booked one week in advance. Keep in mind that you could get slightly cheaper full fare/half fare tickets if you booked further in advance, and would likely end up paying a bit more if you booked last minute.
All prices are in CHF and are valid as of March 2024, but you’ll need to check your exact dates to find the correct pricing for your trip. I’ll update this each year to ensure I catch any major price changes.
Three days in Switzerland
Let’s assume you are just doing a whirlwind trip to Switzerland where you’ll spend some time in Zurich, then catch the train to Chur, do the Glacier Express to Zermatt, then head to Geneva over three consecutive travel days.
- Zurich to Chur
- Chur to Zermatt (Glacier Express)
- Zermatt to Geneva
Full fare | Swiss Travel Pass | Swiss Half Fare Card | |
Zurich to Chur | 42 | 0 | 21 |
Glacier Express | 173 | 49 | 111 |
Zermatt to Geneva | 102 | 0 | 51 |
Pass cost | 0 | 244 | 120 |
TOTAL | 317 | 293 | 303 |
🥇 In this example the Swiss Travel Pass is the best choice. You’ll save 3.3% using the Swiss Travel Pass vs the Half Fare Card, and 7.5% compared to buying individual tickets. You’ll also get the added benefit of free museums in Zurich and Geneva, and you can just jump on whatever Zurich-Chur train and Zermatt-Geneva train you want to, no need to book tickets for a specific time.
Five days in Switzerland with the Glacier Express
For this one I’m using my five days in Switzerland itinerary, which includes:
- Zurich to Interlaken
- Interlaken to Schiltorn day trip
- Interlaken to Jungfrau day trip
- Interlaken to Zermatt
- Zermatt to St Moritz (Glacier Express)
- I’ve thrown in an extra day for a Gornergratbahn excursion from Zermatt to make use of the full six day Swiss Travel Pass
Full fare | Swiss Travel Pass | Swiss Half Fare Card | |
Zurich to Interlaken | 73 | 0 | 36.50 |
Interlaken to Schiltorn day trip | 142.80 | 42.80 | 71.40 |
Interlaken to Jungfrau day trip | 223.80 | 147.80 | 111.90 |
Interlaken to Zermatt | 86 | 0 | 43 |
Gornergratbahn excursion | 114 | 57 | 57 |
Zermatt to St Moritz (Glacier Express) | 206 | 49 | 128.50 |
Pass cost | 0 | 379 | 120 |
TOTAL | 845.60 | 675.60 | 568.30 |
🥇 In this example, you’d save 15.9% using the Swiss Half Fare Card vs the Swiss Travel Pass, and 32.8% compared to buying individual tickets.
10 days in Switzerland
For this one lets use my 10 day Switzerland trip.
- Zurich to Lucerne via St Gallen
- Rigi excursion
- Pilatus excursion
- Lucerne to Grindelwald
- Jungfraujoch
- Grindelwald-First excursion
- Grindelwald to Interlaken
- Harder Kulm
- Interlaken to Zermatt
- Gornergratbahn
- Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
- Glacier Express to St Moritz
- Bernina Express to Tirano
Phew! This itinerary would require an 8 day Swiss Travel Flex pass, leaving two days for shorter trips or local travel that isn’t worth a travel day.
Full fare | Swiss Travel Pass Flex | Swiss Half Fare Card | |
Zurich to Lucerne via St Gallen | 74.80 | 0 | 37.40 |
Rigi excursion | 119 | 0 | 59.50 |
Pilatus excursion | 113 | 39 | 56.50 |
Lucerne to Grindelwald | 32.40 | 0 | 19.60 |
Jungfraujoch | 201 | 148.60 | 100.50 |
Grindelwald-First excursion | 68 | 34 | 34 |
Grindelwald to Interlaken | 11.80 | 0 | 5.90 |
Harder Kulm | 38 | 19 | 19 |
Interlaken to Zermatt | 86 | 0 | 43 |
Gornergratbahn | 114 | 57 | 57 |
Matterhorn Glacier Paradise | 109 | 54.50 | 54.50 |
Glacier Express to St Moritz | 208 | 49 | 128.50 |
Bernina Express to Tirano | 60 | 28 | 44.50 |
Pass cost | 0 | 439 | 120 |
TOTAL | 1235 | 868.10 | 779.90 |
🥇 Another one with the Swiss Half Fare Card taking the top spot, saving just over 10% compared to the Swiss Travel Pass Flex but saving 36.9% vs. individual tickets.
15 day Grand Train Tour of Switzerland
The Grand Train Tour of Switzerland is an epic 1280km journey, using the premium panoramic trains to visit places like Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Montreux, Zermatt, St Moritz and Lugano.
If you’re looking for a bucket list train adventure, this is it. Let’s take a look and see if the Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass comes out on top, assuming you want to include a couple of mountain excursions and city breaks along the way.
- Zurich to Interlaken (Luzern-Interlaken Express)
- Jungfraujoch excursion
- Day on the Interlaken lakes
- Interlaken to Montreux (GoldenPass Express, reservations recommended)
- Montreux-Visp-Zermatt
- Gornergrat excursion
- Zermatt to St Moritz (Glacier Express, reservations mandatory)
- St Moritz to Lugano (Bernina Express to Tirano + bus connection to Lugano, reservations mandatory)
- Lugano to Lucerne (Gotthard Panorama Express, reservations mandatory)
- Rigi excursion
- Stanserhorn excursion
- Pilatus excursion
- Lucerne to St Gallen (Voralpen-Express)
- St Gallen-Schaffhausen-Zurich
- This uses 12/13 travel days depending on what places you want to overnight at, which leaves a few extra days of the Swiss Travel Pass to add on regional trips to smaller towns or mountain villages
Full fare | Swiss Travel Pass (15 days) | Swiss Half Fare Card | |
Zurich to Interlaken | 53 | 0 | 26.50 |
Jungfrau excursion | 223.80 | 148.60 | 111.90 |
Day on the lake | 27.60 | 0 | 13.80 |
GoldenPass Express | 76 | 20 | 48 |
Montreux-Visp-Zermatt | 76 | 0 | 38 |
Gornergratbahn | 114 | 57 | 57 |
Glacier Express | 208 | 49 | 128.50 |
Bernina Express + bus to Lugano | 118 | 44 | 81 |
Gotthard Panorama Express | 159 | 41 | 91.50 |
Rigi excursion | 119 | 0 | 59.50 |
Pilatus excursion | 113 | 39 | 56.50 |
Stanserhorn excursion | 98 | 0 | 49 |
Lucerne to St Gallen | 51 | 0 | 25.50 |
St Gallen to Zurich | 32 | 0 | 16 |
Pass cost | 459 | 120 | |
TOTAL | 1468.40 | 857.60 | 922.70 |
🥇 And the 15 day consecutive Swiss Travel Pass is the best option for the Grand Train Tour itinerary, saving 7% vs. the Half Fare Card or a massive 41% compared to full fare tickets.
If you ended up doing more mountain excursions then the Swiss Half Fare Card might end up being the cheapest option, or if you were travelling at a faster pace and could cut the trip to fit into an 8 day consecutive pass then the Swiss Travel Pass would save you even more.
Alternatives to the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card
Regional or area passes
If you’re concentrating on a particular region in Switzerland, or you have a decent chunk of your trip in one area, then a regional pass might save you even more than a Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card.
Regional passes differ on exact inclusions as they’re run by different regions (duh) so you’ll need to check the details to see if it would work for your trip.
Popular regional passes include:
- The Jungfrau Travel Pass for the Jungfrau region (Jungfrau, Grindelwald, Interlaken, Lauterbrunnen, previously known as the Top of Europe Pass)
- The Berner Oberland Pass for the Bernese Oberland (includes Jungfrau region plus more, the validity extends further)
- The Tell Pass for the Lake Lucerne region (Lucerne, Rigi, Pilatus, Titlis, Stanserhorn)
- The Peak Pass for the Zermatt region (Gornergrat, Matterhorn, Rothorn)
Regional passes fully cover most mountain railways/cable cars in that area so if you’re planning on visiting multiple mountains in one region, it could be more cost effective than the Swiss Travel Pass or Half Fare Card.
Some you can even combine with the Half Fare Card, and get a discount on the regional pass price! A combo of the Swiss Half Fare Card and Jungfrau Travel Pass can be the perfect option if you’re spending three or more days in the Jungfrau region.
I’ve got detailed breakdowns of two travel passes on offer:
👉🏼 My Jungfrau Travel Pass guide (includes a comparison with the similar Berner Oberland Pass)
👉🏼 My Tell Pass (Lake Lucerne region) guide
Individual tickets
Booking point-to-point tickets for the full fare price is almost never good value, unless you’re only in Switzerland for a day or two.
If you’re going to spend at least 240CHF on transport (easily done with two long trips and one mountain excursion) then the 120CHF Half Fare Card will save you money vs. buying regular tickets at a full fare rate.
Supersaver tickets
One type of individual ticket that can be a good deal is a Supersaver ticket. A Supersaver ticket is like the first batch of seats sold on a flight, super discounted but very limited with no flexibility, valid for a specific train and exact departure time.
You can book a Supersaver ticket up to six months in advance, and if you know your exact plans then they can end up being pretty decent value. You can also combine a Supersaver ticket with a Half Fare Card to get an even cheaper ticket price.
Just keep in mind that these are non-refundable and non-changeable, so if you have any doubt about your plans, don’t buy one or you’ll lose the money if you have to change to a different train time.
Saver Day Passes
A Saver Day Pass is pretty much a one-day Swiss Travel Pass, giving you unlimited travel across Swiss trains, buses and boats for a whole day for a flat fee. You can combine them with the Half Fare Card to get a Saver Day Pass at a discounted rate (not half price, generally between 15-45% cheaper depending on demand).
Saver Day Passes are priced based on demand, so if you want to buy one for tomorrow it might be 69CHF with a Half Fare Card or 119CHF without a Half Fare Card, but if you bought one for 6 months from now (the earliest you can buy) it might be 29CHF with a HFC or 52CHF without one.
This can be used on panoramic trains like the Glacier Express (and it’s a great way to get the Glacier Express for a low price without having to splurge on a Swiss Travel Pass), but they aren’t valid for most mountain railways and cable cars.
Eurail/Interrail passes
The Eurail Global Pass and Interrail Global Pass are rail passes that cover most countries in Europe, including Switzerland.
They cover the train network in Switzerland on the Swiss Travel System, including inter-city trains and scenic trains like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express, but they don’t cover boats, buses, public transport within cities, museums or any mountain railways or cable cars (though you’ll often get a 25% discount, maybe 50% for some).
I love travelling with a Eurail Pass (I have a whole Eurail travel guide here) but because of their limitations within Switzerland and lack of coverage for mountain excursions, they don’t provide great value here.
If you’re travelling by train around Europe then I’d recommend using your Eurail Pass for other countries, or just using it for long inter-city trains and panorama trains in Switzerland, then get a Half Fare Card and/or regional travel pass to bring your costs down for mountain excursions.
Swiss Travel Pass vs Swiss Half Fare Card FAQS
Is there an app for the travel passes?
There’s no app specifically for the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Half Fare Card, when you buy your chosen Swiss pass you’ll get an email with a PDF showing your pass details and QR code, and you can show this to train conductors or ticket checkers when asked.
You should download the SBB app though, this is the official app for the Swiss Travel System and is the best way to buy tickets with your Half Fare Card or to check timetables.
Does the Swiss Half Fare Card or Swiss Travel Pass work in other European countries?
Nope, the any Swiss travel pass or card will only work in Switzerland, but if you’re travelling from Switzerland into a neighbouring country you will get the appropriate discount on the Swiss portion of your trip.
A valid Swiss Travel Pass covers travel right up to the Switzerland border, so you just need to pay for the fare from the train station at the border to your international destination. Using Zurich to Milan as an example, you’ll get free travel to Chiasso and then just have to pay for a ticket from Chiasso to Milan.
With a valid Swiss Half Fare Card, you can just search on the SBB app or website for your train, select ‘Half Fare Travelcard’ in the discount dropdown, and it’ll show you the price for a half fare ticket from Zurich to Chiasso and then full fare from Chiasso to Milan.
Are the Swiss Half Fare Card and Swiss Travel Pass for tourists or Swiss residents?
The Swiss Half Fare Card and Swiss Travel Pass have been created for travellers visiting Switzerland for a short trip.
There are similar passes available to Swiss residents though.
The GA Travelcard for Swiss residents covers unlimited travel on SBB trains, most other railways and many other public transport networks in Switzerland. It generally covers mountain transport that provides access to residential areas, but for tourist mountain excursions like Jungfraujoch or Titlis it will just provide a discount or nothing at all. The GA Travelcard is valid for a minimum of six months, and you can’t cancel it earlier than that.
The Half Fare Travelcard for Swiss residents is similar to the Swiss Half Fare Card for tourists, but with a one year validity.
The final verdict: Swiss Travel Pass vs Swiss Half Fare Card
As you can see from the example itineraries above, the best value pass really does depend on the exact routes and excursions you’re taking.
Based on my experience of planning Switzerland trips that combine a mix of city breaks, panoramic trips and mountain excursions, the Half Fare Card often comes out as being a bit cheaper than the Swiss Travel Pass, maybe 10-20% on average. The downside is the inconvenience of having to book tickets for every trip, but if you need to pinch the pennies then the saving might be worth the extra time it takes to plan.
The Swiss Travel Pass on the other hand is often (not always) slightly more expensive, but you get the benefit of total flexibility to jump on different transport without pre-booking. This pass is particularly good value if you’re doing the (very expensive) Glacier Express or the epic Grand Train Tour and are happy to keep your mountain excursions to Rigi and Stanserhorn (free with the STP), but if you’re doing lots of other mountain trips you’ll probably find the Half Fare Card a better deal.
And finally, if you’re keen to tick Jungfraujoch off your Switzerland bucket list then consider combining the Swiss Half Fare Card with the Jungfrau Travel Pass for excellent value for money.
I hope this detailed breakdown of the Swiss Travel Pass vs Half Fare Card has helped you figure out which of the Swiss travel passes is best suited to your upcoming Switzerland adventure.
As always, if you have any questions please let me know in the comments below!
MORE SWITZERLAND TRAVEL INSPIRATION:
- 10 days in Switzerland itinerary
- 5 days in Switzerland itinerary
- 33 most beautiful places in Switzerland
- Rigi vs Titlus vs Pilatus vs Stanserhorn: Which one to visit?
- The cheapest place to ski in Switzerland: Liddes Ski Hostel
- 10 reasons to try co-living in Switzerland
MORE SWITZERLAND TRAIN GUIDES:
- The ultimate Swiss Travel Pass guide
- The ultimate Swiss Half Fare Card guide
- Is the Glacier Express worth it?
- Is the Bernina Express worth it?
- Bernina Express vs Glacier Express: Which one should you choose?
- Is the Jungfrau Travel Pass worth it?
- Is the Tell Pass worth it?
MORE EUROPE TRAVEL INSPIRATION:
Aimara says
Hey Alexx, first off, kudos on your fantastic blog and Instagram content! Your posts are filled with captivating pictures and valuable information.
Regarding this particular post, I’ve got a couple of questions about the half fare ticket. If I opt for the half fare ticket and happen to book my travels last minute, will I still receive the 50% discount despite possibly facing a higher price? Also, I generally have a good idea of my itineraries, but sometimes plans shift a bit. So, if I purchase a train ticket with the half fare for a specific hour and later decide to adjust my travel time on the same day and route, would there be any issues with that?
Appreciate your insights! Thanks a bunch!
Alexx says
Thanks for your feedback Aimara 🙂 that’s so kind of you to share.
There are different types of tickets available for SBB network. There are SuperSaver tickets which are the cheaper options but are for a specific train time (so only buy this if you’re 100% certain you’ll take that train), but these tickets are limited so they might sell out. If they sell out you’ll need to book a point-to-point ticket which is a bit more expensive but means you can take any train on that route that day.
You can choose to book either and your Half Fare Card gives you a straight 50% discount on whatever ticket price. I hope this helps!