SBB Train Ticket Advice

Swiss tickets do not increase in price over time, unless you want train-specific nonrefundable tickets. There are are a couple of strategies to reduce the generally high cost of train tickets.

If the total full fare cost of your tickets per person is greater than 240 CHF, then buying a 1-month Half Fare Card for 120 CHF will save you money. If your itinerary is the same as the one you posted previously on the route I suggested, you will be just over the 240 CHF threshold. Now add in extra trips while you are in Grindelwald to go up the mountains, and you will be well above 240 CHF. So buy Half Fare Cards. They are also good for local transportation in cities, mountain lifts in Luzern and Grindelwald.

Once you have arrived in Switzerland, you can decide to opt for further reductions with SuperSaver Tickets, and the Half Fare Card gives you a better price than without one.

Note that when looking at Swiss train fares, the sites assumes you already have at least a Half-Fare card. So with no Passes, double that fare for the real cost of the route.

It is actually more complicated than that. If the price is in black, that is a SuperSaver Ticket or a Saver Day Pass, all with a Half Fare Card. To really be sure of the full fare price, click on the red ticket icon, then click on "purchase as a guest" then your name and birthdate, then "No discount". On the next page click on "Point-to-point ticket". Congratulations, you have the real full fare price.

Once your name and birthdate and no discount is in place, you can hit the back button until you are back to the travel planner and look up another city pair for the ticket price. As long as you stay on the website, it will remember your name, birthdate, and discount status.

Thanks Sam, you are the expert, and helped me so much with my Swiss trip last Sept. You are so generous with your time.