Launched in the summer of 2015, the Swiss Travel Pass is Switzerland's most sought-after passport. It is an all-in-one ticket that allows foreign tourists to explore every corner of Switzerland by public transport.
The Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited rides on buses, trains and boats, in addition to numerous discounts. It's perfect for you if you want to discover the entire Switzerland on your own. In this article, we'll introduce you to all the benefits of this ticket and help you decide if it's right for you.
What is included in the Swiss Travel Pass?
The Swiss Travel Pass offers an incredible range of benefits. With it, you can travel at will across the country on one of the world's densest public transport networksSwitzerland's rail network covers almost 5500 km and is operated by 80 railroad companies. The bus network is over 21,000 km long and a total of over 23,000 bus stops are served. And there is also a lot going on on the water in shipping in SwitzerlandWith the Swiss Travel Pass you have access to almost all public transport routes in Switzerland. On this overview map you can see exactly what is included. But the Swiss Travel Pass is not only a ticket for public transport. It also serves as a museum pass and offers other attractive benefits.
- Access to train, bus, post bus, streetcar and ship without an additional ticket. The Panoramazüge der Schweiz are also included, although you may also need a seat reservation, depending on the route.
- The mountain railroads to the Rigi, the Stoos and the Stanserhorn are free with the Swiss Travel Pass.
- On other mountain railway tickets, incl. Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn, you get up to 50% discount with the Swiss Travel Pass.
- Free admission to over 500 Swiss museums
- Up to 30% discount on SBB RailAway offers
- Up to 50% discount on bike and e-bike rentals at train stations
- Children between the ages of 6 and 16 travel free with the free Swiss Family Card when accompanied by at least one card-holding parent.
- Certain cross-border buses and trains, such as the EuroAirport-Basel bus line in France and the train from Brig to Domodossola in Italy, accept the pass and allow free travel.
on the road with the Swiss Travel Pass (Photo: Swiss Travel System)
Golden Pass Line (Photo: Swiss Travel System)
How much does the Swiss Travel Pass cost?
The price varies depending on the type and duration of use. You can choose between 3, 4, 6, 8 and 15 travel days. There are two variants of the Swiss Travel PassThe "normal" Pass is available on a certain number of directly consecutive days. The Swiss Travel Pass Flex on the other hand is valid for a certain number of flexible days within one month.Below you will find the prices for the Swiss Travel Pass and the Swiss Travel Pass Flex in CHF for the respective duration. Young people under the age of 25 benefit from a 30% discount with the Youth Pass.
Swiss Travel Pass prices (CHF)
| Adults aged 25 and over | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days within 1 month | 232.00 | 369.00 |
| 4 days within 1 month | 281.00 | 447.00 |
| 6 days within 1 month | 359.00 | 570.00 |
| 8 days within 1 month | 389.00 | 617.00 |
| 15 days within 1 month | 429.00 | 675.00 |
Prices Swiss Travel Pass Flex (CHF)
| adults from 25 years | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days within 1 month | 267.00 | 424.00 |
| 4 days within 1 month | 323.00 | 514.00 |
| 6 days within 1 month | 384.00 | 610.00 |
| 8 days within 1 month | 409.00 | 649.00 |
| 15 days within 1 month | 449.00 | 706.00 |
Prices Swiss Travel Pass Youth (CHF)
| Youth under 25 years | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days within 1 month | 164.00 | 260.00 |
| 4 days within 1 month | 199.00 | 315.00 |
| 6 days within 1 month | 254.00 | 402.00 |
| 8 days within 1 month | 274.00 | 436.00 |
| 15 days within 1 month | 307.00 | 479.00 |
Prices Swiss Travel Pass Flex Youth (CHF)
| Youth under 25 years | 2nd class | 1st class |
|---|---|---|
| 3 days within 1 month | 189.00 | 299.00 |
| 4 days within 1 month | 229.00 | 362.00 |
| 6 days within 1 month | 272.00 | 430.00 |
| 8 days within 1 month | 290.00 | 459.00 |
| 15 days within 1 month | 321.00 | 501.00 |
Prices Children Swiss Travel Pass
Children from the age of 6 until before the age of 16 accompanied by at least one parent (with a valid Swiss Travel Pass) travel free of charge with the free Swiss Family Card.
Children under 6 travel free of charge.
What you can experience with the Swiss Travel Pass
No matter how remote, every corner of Switzerland is accessible by public transportation. So your options for what you can do with the Swiss Travel Pass are endless. Here are a few suggestions for your trip.
With the Swiss Travel Pass on the panorama train through Switzerland
There are several panorama trains in Switzerland. These include the Bernina Express, the Glacier Express or the Golden Pass Line. Since the Swiss Travel Pass is valid on these trains, you can take the following route, for example.From Lucerne you take the Golden Pass Line to Montreux. From Montreux the "normal" train takes you via Visp to Zermatt. In Zermatt you board the Glacier Express and travel to St. Moritz in the Engadine. If you want to add more panorama trains, you can take the Bernina Express to Lugano. The Gotthard Panorama Express departs from Lugano and returns to LucerneFor this trip we recommend you to plan at least one week. The Swiss Travel Pass includes these routes, but you have to book a seat reservation online or at the ticket office
Glacier Express (Photo: Swiss Travel System)
Bernina Express (Photo: Swiss Travel System)
Traveling by boat with the Swiss Travel Pass
Many of the larger Swiss lakes are accessible by shipping. Your Swiss Travel Pass is valid on numerous lakes, such as Lake Thun, Lake Brienz, Lake Lucerne, Lake Constance, Lake Zurich or Lake Geneva
You can make the following excursions by boat:
- Take a boat from Interlaken to Brienz and visit the Aare Gorge, Ballenberg, Brienzer Rothorn, Reichenbach Falls or other destinations from Brienz
- Board the boat in Montreux to Chateau Chillon and visit the most popular castle in Switzerland.
- Visit Lucerne and enjoy a boat trip on Lake Lucerne. You can take a round trip that lasts several hours or make a stop along the way. The mountain peaks of Pilatus, Rigi, Stanserhorn and Bürgenstock are popular destinations in Lake Lucerne Region.
- Take your time traveling from Thun to Interlaken and travel by boat. The historic paddle steamer "Blüemlisalp" also operates here. On the way you can enjoy a magnificent view of the mountain peaks of the Bernese Alps, such as the Niesen or the Stockhorn. On the way you can make a stop at the Beatus Caves.
Ship on Lake Geneva (Photo: CGN)
Ship on Lake Lucerne (Photo: Vierwaldstättersee Schifffahrt)
Into the city with the Swiss Travel Pass
In the city, the pass is particularly interesting because it not only includes all means of local transport, but also admission to over 500 museums. So you can ride all city buses and streetcars for free and explore the city and its museums on your own
Since many Swiss cities are located on a lake, you can perfectly complement your city trip with a boat trip or two
These are just a few suggestions on how you can organize your trip with the Swiss Travel Pass. But they give you an idea of what is possible. So let your creativity run free when planning your trip. In our Travel Guide you will find more inspiration, which destinations could be possible for you
Hiking with the Swiss Travel Pass
Switzerland is an absolute hiker's paradise. In this travel guide we have picked out 53 hikes for you
However, the starting and ending points of many hiking routes are somewhat remote and often not accessible by train. Good that there are post buses. These yellow buses are especially widespread in peripheral regions and are known for providing access to even the most remote villages. With the Swiss Travel Pass you have access to all postbus lines in Switzerland
So you can easily travel to and from your next hike by public transport. Whether you go hiking in one of the 19 nature parks of Switzerland, the national park, in Ticino or in the Jura, it doesn't matter. The Swiss Travel Pass helps you get where you want to go.
Postbus (Photo: Swiss Travel System)
hiking to lake Oeschinen with the Swiss Travel Pass
Is it worth buying the Swiss Travel Pass?
The Swiss Travel Pass is extremely good value for money. The offer you can use with this great ticket is incredibly extensive in the dense transport network of Switzerland. If used frequently, the Swiss Travel Pass will quickly pay for itself and let you enjoy the breathtaking Swiss landscape at a comparatively low price
With the pass also comes flexibility and extra time. You can board any bus, train, streetcar and most boats without having to buy a ticket. So if you spontaneously want to stay a little longer in one place or have to choose another destination at short notice due to the weather, the Swiss Travel Pass makes this possible. You also get discounts on the cable cars that access the numerous mountain peaks in Switzerland
Swiss Activities Tip: The price per day is reduced for longer durations calculated down to the single day. To make the shorter pass worthwhile for 3 or 4 days, you need to use it for a higher value than if you are traveling for 6, 8 or even 15 days.
In the following cases the Swiss Travel Pass is worthwhile for you:
- You have your main residence outside of Switzerland. (If you live in Switzerland, these Travel and Tourist Passes might be interesting for you)
- You plan to visit several regions in Switzerland and travel longer distances by public transport.
- You plan to take one or more trips by boat or panoramic train. This includes, by the way, the world famous Glacier Express
- You want to visit museums, castles, chocolate factories or other sights from this list during your stay.
- You prefer the freedom of not having to worry about buying the right ticket and just being able to get on any train or bus.
(Photo: Swiss Travel System)
Swiss Activities Conclusion about the Swiss Travel Pass
As you can see, the Swiss Travel Pass is ideal for people who want to do and experience a lot while traveling in Switzerland. Basically, the Swiss Travel Pass is a great option for discovering Switzerland and making your trip a destination. With all its included services, it is your ideal companion on your trip through Switzerland.
Only you can decide if the Swiss Travel Pass is worth it. If you are not quite sure whether you want to buy it or not, we recommend a rough calculation. Make a rough plan of where you want to travel and use the timetable function on the SBB website to estimate the prices for your routes
This will give you a good feel for whether the pass is worth it for you in combination with a visit to a museum or two
As a final tip, we can give you the following: With an all-inclusive ticket in your pocket, you're more likely to discover more of Switzerland. Especially if you are price-conscious and often calculate the costs in your head, a ticket that includes everything is absolutely worth its weight in gold. You can make it your challenge to explore as much of Switzerland as possible and get the most out of your Swiss Travel Pass. After all, you paid for it.
