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Question on Swiss Half Fare Card

Posted by (Lafayette, CA) on

We're traveling from Lucca, Italy -> Wengen, Switzerland on a Saturday in mid-June, and then various Swiss towns until late June. The Swiss Half Fare Card looks perfect, and we'd like to purchase our advanced tickets from Milan -> Wengen with the half-price discount (and free tickets for our two kids) for the Swiss portion. Our only problem: the Swiss Half Fare card is mailed 2-3 weeks ahead of time, or we could get an e-card sent a week before our trip. We'll already be in Europe. How do we get the Swiss Half Fare Card NOW so we can purchase our ticket from Italy to Switzerland this week?

I know I've read many people say just buy tickets when we're in Europe, but we wanted to at least have this one leg pre-purchased since it's such a long trip with so many connections (Lucca - Florence - Milan - Spietz - Interlaken - Wengen, etc). It also appears the Milan - Interlaken may be filling up.

Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

Posted by
8889 posts

Michael,
You don't have to have a Half Fare Card when you buy the tickets, just when you use the tickets.
The Half Fare card will be postdated to whatever date you choose, and that should be the first day you want to use it, when you take your train Milan - Spiez - Interlaken - Wengen, etc
I would buy it immediately from www.sbb.ch as a print-at-home ticket, postdated of course.
You may have to be careful where you buy your tickets, as the Italian railways website may not have the discount for the half fare card.
I would book Lucca - Florence - Milan on www.trenitalia.com
and Milan - Spiez - Interlaken - Wengen on www.sbb.ch
When I have done this SBB have issued me two tickets, a Swiss half price on to/from the border (Domodossola), and a full price one between there and Milan, even though you do not get off the train at Domodossola.

Posted by
7209 posts

WHen you purchase those tickets from www.sbb.ch (the Swiss Rail Site) you'll be asked if you have any discounts to apply...you'll chose "Half Fare Card". That's all you need to do to purchase.

WHen you're on the train and the conductor is walking through checking tickets you'll have to produce BOTH your purchased tickets as well as your Half Fare Card.

That's how it works, no need to have actual possession of the HFC in order to purchase a ticket online.

Posted by
3 posts

Thank you Chris & Tim for your very helpful replies. This gave us the confidence to go ahead and book our tickets as you mentioned, and everything went off without a hitch. Best to you both!

Posted by
20 posts

here is the info on the half price card at 120CHF Sbb half price card
you need to do your maths to see how much you are static sightseeing and how much train travel. The half price card is applciable in the Jungfrau area too, but not on all mountain trains in other parts.

Posted by
20 posts

here is the info on the half price card at 120CHF Sbb half price card
you need to do your maths to see how much you are static sightseeing and how much train travel. The half price card is applciable in the Jungfrau area too, but not on all mountain trains in other parts.

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