Purchasing rail passes in Switzerland

You can, but I personally would have a plan and purchase the night before to have it ready to go so you don’t have to mess with it at the airport, which can be a bit annoying when you just want to get going after a long flight. You don’t need to pre-purchase actual train tickets but the passes/half fare card is nice to have already on your phone.

Why not outline your basic itinerary and people here can help you decide?

I’m with wanderweg. I like to purchase my Pass ahead of time so I can have a printed out copy and an electronic copy for my phone’s wallet. Also, I don’t want to wait in line at the ticket counter after a long flight.

Don’t stress over the different options. If you will be vising different areas of Switzerland like I do, the Swiss Travel Pass is most likely your best option. You just need to buy tickets for the things that are only discounted with the Pass.

If you will be sticking to one region of the country, a regional pass with the ½ card is often the best option.

List lola said, if you’d like some help deciding, just post your itinerary.

I agree with Carrie, I always purchase my Swiss Travel Pass in advance, so I can have electronic and paper copies. I put the pass in my Apple Wallet and can access it without so-fi.
I favor the Swiss Travel Pass because of the convenience- I don't have to buy individual tickets ( except for the speciality lifts). I just walk onto the train, boat, whatever and find a seat. Because I have the pass, I often access more unplanned outings with modes of transport, because I have it, and it's all so easy.
Have a wonderful time in this beautiful country!

The disadvantage of buying the passes once you arrive is that you will get proper passes. We bought the Half Fare Card and BO Pass at the train station. The disadvantage is that for the gondolas, you have to scan a QR code/barcode to pass through a turnstile. Our tickets did not have a code that worked. We had to wave over a worker each time. A bit of a hassle. Plus there was the worry about losing those paper tickets.

When you figure out which pass works better for your itinerary, I would buy online. Print the paper copy and screenshot your QR code so you can pull it up without using data. If you buy the HFC and the BO Pass, you will be asked to show both on the trains.

Thanks for the helpful comments! I'll order ahead of time.

Margieg, I have gotten stuck in the same rabbit hole. We will be spending about 2 weeks over Christmas in Switzerland and have determined the STP is our best option for our plans. 5 of us, 2 coming in by rail from Italy via Lugano and the other 3 flying in to Zurich, all meeting up in Mürren. My confusion is the format of the pass. I see "eTicket" and Apple Wallet as well as ticket in pdf format. Do I understand correctly that the electronic copy of the pass comes via email and can be dropped into the Apple Wallet? As well as printed? Is that true whether I buy via SBB website or the SBB app? If I buy one for one daughter (joining me coming in from Italy) who is at study abroad in Florence now, and use her name and passport, can it just be forwarded to her for her use in her Wallet? Any difference in this process between buying via the SBB website and via the SBB app? Can either be added to Apple Wallet?

Thanks!

Ken, I think it is yes to all your questions.
I buy the STP for my husband and my self at the same time, from home, in advance. The only answer I don't have is if you can buy the pass from the app.
Sometimes, they have sales, so don't buy it in advance too early.
Have a great trip in this beautiful country!

Pat - in regards to buying the STP for both yourself and your husband - did your husband need to have a SBB account, or did you just forward the pass to him for storage in his 'apple wallet'?
Did you buy the pass on the SBB website, or in the app? I would think that once you created an account it would not matter which one?
Betsy

Pat: When you buy your tickets via the website, how do they arrive? email as a pdf? I am used to putting my airline boarding passes into my Wallet, but they come via the individual airline apps, not as a pdf from a website. Is the process the same? Just trying to make this as easy as possible for everyone, given we will be arriving separately via different modes. Thanks for the advice to wait for a possible sale.

When I bought my husband's STP, I just forwarded the email to him, and he opened the email. I can't recall all the details, but everything was super easy, including putting the STP in our Apple Wallet. Someone here with more recent experience should chime in soon. I don't think the STP is stored in the SBB app.
You can also take a screen shot of the bar code on the STP, and keep that with your pictures.
It's all much easier than it seems now, the Swiss are meticulous regarding their public transportation systems and use.
Safe travels!

I see that the SBB site says to expect a fare adjustment on Dec 10. Is this an annual upward fare adjustment or might this be referencing a possible sale for off-season discounts? Anyone have any experience with this?

Ken, prices are increasing for next year.

https://www.mystsnet.com/en/news/price-changes-in-2024/#:~:text=Swiss%20Travel%20Pass%20and%20Swiss,6%2C%208%20and%2015%20days.

This is separate from any discounts that may be offered in the future.

Carrie, thanks. That is good to know. It looks like that was announced 19 May and it seems to apply specifically to passes and will be effective 01 Jan, 2 days after we depart (just in the nick of time). This site:
https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/individual-tickets/outward-return.html
currently shows an unspecified ticket price adjustment effective 10 Dec but apparently only for single tickets? A little confusing. But I am going to assume any change on 10 Dec will not be a sale for TravelPass, particularly if they are raising prices 01 Jan.

Thanks again!

Ken, sounds like they are raising all ticket and pass prices. I guess not a surprise as everything is going up. My airfare for next year is almost double what I paid last year.

Pat had mentioned that she drops her Swiss Travel Pass into her Apple wallet. I just purchased one on the SBB website (as a guest—not logged in to an account) and received it by email, but I see no way to drop it into the wallet either from the email or from the SBB app. Am I missing something or do I need to create an account to be able to do that?

Thanks

You should always make an account first on the SBB site before buying anything, that way you can get your passes in the App, which can move them to your Apple Wallet.

WengenK, can I buy a Travel Pass for each member of our family under one account or do we each need a separate account?

FWIW, the French discount card often goes on sale around Black Friday so SBB may do similar.