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FIY: Swiss Travel Pass FLEX no longer requires paper version!

I am publishing this on hope people who give frequent advice here update it.

The Swiss Travel Pass Flex, which allows a number of usable days (3, 5, 8 or 15) within a month, no longer requires a paper log of used days.

That used to be the case in the past. It also meant your personal printed pass had value, if you lost it, gone were also all the money you spent on it.

Things now have changed, it is possible to buy a Swiss Travel Pass Flex online, receive a voucher by email, which will then allow you to select the days you want to use on this website: https://activateyourpass.com/

A travel day can be selected anytime before travel starts, including on the own intended used day. A QR code will be then generated for inspection.

Posted by
8889 posts

Interesting.
The SBB page now includes a link to buy for flexi passes as well: https://www.sbb.ch/en/leisure-holidays/travel-in-switzerland/international-guests/swiss-travel-pass.html
Previously you could only buy non-flexi passes on the SBB website.

"It also meant your personal printed pass had value" - that is true of all rail tickets, EXCEPT the self-print ones (which have a name on them).
Tickets are valid for whoever possesses them, if you loose the ticket, you have to buy another.

Posted by
16893 posts

Yes, they've cleverly solved the issue of how to make a flexi pass be printable at home (e.g., turn it into multiple, printable one-day passes). Although the consecutive-day versions (already printable at home) still seem better priced for a lot of visitors. And of course, it's 3, 4, 8, or 15 days (no 5-day option). Other vendors like Rail Europe also are selling the e-ticketed version.

Posted by
2829 posts

@Chris F. - since the SBB app works well with international cards (much better than the site, once you register a card with the app and do that CHF 0.01 validation purchase), while also storing tickets bought offline, I think downloading the SBB app and buying tickets there (for those not using passes) is probably the best alternative.