Swiss Travel Pass
Description
Are you interested in exploring Switzerland at your own speed? The Swiss Travel Pass offers unlimited access to trains, buses, and boats throughout the country, and also grants you entry to over 500 museums.
Overview of the Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass serves as an electronic ticket that allows you to embark on unrestricted travel via trains, buses, and boats in Switzerland for a duration of your choice.
You can check out a map detailing the transportation options and areas where the Swiss Travel Pass is valid by following this link:
Be aware that this pass is not applicable for residents of Switzerland or Liechtenstein and does not permit crossing the border into other countries.
Additional Advantages of the Swiss Travel Pass
Scenic Train Journeys
The pass allows for travel on picturesque trains across Switzerland, though a seat reservation fee is required, which should be made at least three months prior to your journey via the following sites:
Swiss Museum Pass
This pass also encompasses the Swiss Museum Pass, a tourist card granting you complimentary access to over 500 Swiss museums for a year. The full list can be found here:
Mountain Excursions
The Swiss Travel Pass incorporates excursions to Rigi, Stoos, and Stanserhorn.
Additionally, you’ll receive discounts on various mountain activities.
Other Perks
- Reduced rates for cable cars, funiculars, and mountain trains
- Discounts on other offerings from SBB Swiss Federal Railways
Validity of the Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass becomes effective at midnight on the purchase date. For instance, if you acquire a 4-day pass starting on July 24th, it will expire on July 28th at 5 am. It remains valid for travel overnight until the following morning, provided the journey concludes by 5 am and is not extendable.
There are options for the pass with validity periods of 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 consecutive days.
Usage Instructions
Utilizing the Swiss Travel Pass is simple. Upon making your reservation, you will receive a confirmation email containing a QR code, which can either be printed or kept on your mobile device.
This allows you to bypass queues at ticket offices for trains, buses, and boats. Simply present your QR code in its printed form or on your mobile device when requested by ticket inspectors. It's that easy!
For cable cars, funiculars, and mountain trains that offer discounted rates with the pass, you will need to show your QR code at the ticket office to obtain the reduced ticket price.
To access museums covered by the pass, you'll present your QR code at the entrance for free entry.
Do keep in mind that the pass for museums and mountain trains is only valid on the travel days selected.
Swiss Travel Pass Flex
If you opt for this variant, your pass will be valid for 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 non-consecutive days within a month. This flexibility allows you to choose the travel days that best fit your schedule.
A crucial note! The museum pass included with the Swiss Travel Pass Flex is only valid on the specified travel days. This also applies to the mountain excursions: discounts of up to 50% are available only on the dates chosen for travel and not throughout the entire month.
Unlike the standard Swiss Travel Pass, the Swiss Travel Pass Flex requires you to activate your pass prior to travel. Clear activation instructions will accompany your booking voucher.
Comparative Overview: Swiss Travel Pass vs. Swiss Travel Pass Flex
The primary distinctions between these passes lie in their validity and activation procedures:
Validity
- Swiss Travel Pass: valid for 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 consecutive days.
- Swiss Travel Pass Flex: valid for 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 non-consecutive days within a month.
Activation
- Swiss Travel Pass: you simply need to present the QR code received via email after making your reservation.
- Swiss Travel Pass Flex: you must activate this pass prior to your journey. Instructions for activation will be included on your booking voucher.
What's included
- Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex (depending on selection), with unlimited travel on trains, boats and buses in Switzerland for your chosen period of time
- Travel on Switzerland's panoramic trains
- Swiss Museum Pass, with admission to over 500 museums
- Admission to the Rigi, Stoos and Stanserhorn mountain excursions
- Discounts on other mountain excursions
- Discounts on cable cars, funiculars and mountain trains
- Discounts on the Swiss railway company SBB's other products
What's not included
- Seat reservation on the following Swiss panoramic trains: Bernina Express, Glacier Expres and Golden Pass Express
Cancellation policy
Cancellazione gratuita fino a 24 ore prima (local time)
Accessibility
Wheelchair accessible.
Important information
Swiss Travel Pass
After making your reservation, you will receive a confirmation email with a QR code, which you can print or carry on your cell phone.
This way, you will not have to queue at the ticket offices of the train, bus, or boat stations. You can freely board any of these public transports and, if the ticket inspector asks you for your ticket, you only have to show him your QR code in printed format or on your cell phone. It's that simple!
In the case of cable cars, funiculars and mountain trains, which have a reduced price with the pass, you will have to show your QR code at the ticket office to get the discounted ticket.
Regarding the museums included in the pass, you will have to show the QR code at the ticket office to get the free admission.
However, please note that the pass for museums and mountain trains is only valid during the selected travel days.
For travel with reduced mobility, please consult the following link: https://www.sbb.ch/en/travel-information/individual-needs/travelling-reduced-mobility.html
Swiss Travel Pass Flex
If you choose this option, your pass will be valid for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 non-consecutive days within a month. Therefore, you will have more flexibility in choosing the days you want to travel.
After booking, you will receive a QR code by email. By scanning this code, you will go directly to the activation website (https://www.activateyourpass.com), where your data will be automatically uploaded, and where you will not need to enter them again. From this activation website, you will be able to activate each of the travel days of your choice before your first trip.
Important! The museum pass integrated with the Swiss Travel Pass Flex is only valid on the selected travel days. This also applies to mountain excursions: the discount of up to 50% is only valid on the selected travel dates and not for a whole month.
How do I use my Swiss Travel Pass Flex?
Before your first trip you must activate your pass at https://www.activateyourpass.com. You will find all the information you need to activate and use your Swiss Travel Pass Flex here: https://rail.myswitzerland.com/en/swiss-travel-pass-flex-instructions.
For each travel date activated, a ticket valid for your trip will be created. This ticket will be available at any time at https://www.activateyourpass.com.
E-tickets can be shown to ticket inspectors in printed form or on the screens of mobile devices.
Travel dates already activated can be deactivated/changed as many times as you wish up to 1 day before the start of the trip. Activated tickets cannot be deactivated/changed on the day of travel.
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