"SWISS RAIL PASSES" Page 1, 2, 3

ABOVE: Train of the BLS near Frutigen, Bernese Oberland.

Rail passes for foreign tourists

The most useful rail passes are intended for foreigners. You can buy them from travel agents at home and abroad, from one of the online sources mentioned on page 3, or at major railway stations in Switzerland (including the stations in the Zürich and Geneva Airports) upon presentation of a foreign passport.

Swiss rail passes come in versions for first- or second-class travel and include:

Swiss Pass. Use this for unlimited travel on the Swiss Federal Railways, postal buses, lake steamers, and local transportation in 35 cities and towns. Just show your pass to the conductor (along with your passport, if asked). The Swiss Pass also gives a 25% discount on privately owned mountain railroads, funiculars, and aerial cablecars. It's offered for periods of 4 days, 8 days, 15 days, 21 days, or a month.

Swiss Saver Pass. Couples and friends who travel together can save money with this version of the Swiss Pass, which offers a discount for groups of 2 or more.

Swiss FlexiPass. If you plan to stay mostly in a few areas, the FlexiPass is a good bet. It's similar to the Swiss Pass but allows unlimited travel on any 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, or 9 days within a 30-day period.

Swiss Card. This 30-day pass includes roundtrip transportation to any one destination within Switzerland plus a 50% discount on other travel during your visit.

Swiss Transfer Ticket. Use this for roundtrip transportation from a Swiss airport or border point to a destination within Switzerland. The Transfer Ticket is intended mainly for skiers who'll be buying lift tickets for local or regional transportation.

Consult your travel agent for current prices, or use the vendor links on the next page.

TIP: Eurailpass and Europass allow free travel on Swiss Federal Railways and discounts on some other services, but the passes and cards mentioned in this article are better values if you're traveling extensively within Switzerland.

Discounts available only in Switzerland

Swiss Half-Fare Card. This is different from the Swiss Card mentioned above. You can buy it locally in Switzerland, and it offers a 50% reduction on most travel services (including private railroads). It's especially useful for longer stays, since the validity period is one or two years.

Family travel discounts

Next Page > Family travel, Web links > Page 1, 2, 3

Rail Europe our partner
If you live in the U.S., you can use this site to buy Swiss and other European rail passes in your local currency. The site, which is operated by the Swiss and French national railroads, also has links to general agents in other countries.

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