When to buy the Swiss Rail Pass

I too am traveling to Switzerland in late September, and have been investigating the same issue.
We plan to buy 3 weeks in advance of arrival, and buy from the official swiss train site of sbb.ch/en.
That way, it leaves time for a physical pass to be mailed if needed, though much appears to be online nowadays!

Do you prefer a printed pass to a pass on your SBB app or Apple Wallet/Google Wallet?

Just order a few days before you leave so you have time to deal with any technical issues that may arise.

I have purchased mine from the Switzerland Travel Center:

https://switzerlandtravelcentre.com/en/che/ticket/swiss-travel-pass

I plan to buy one for my upcoming June trip. I leave June 5th and will most likely buy the Pass the weekend before that. You never know when you’re going to have a printer problem or something. :)

If it still works the same, you will be sent one email after you make the purchase, letting you know the order was received and is being processed. Then, you will be sent a second email minutes later with two links. One you can click on to print the Pass. I always print multiple copies and keep one in my suitcase. The second link is to add the Pass to your phone’s wallet.

Just a note, when you enter your phone number, I believe you have to enter the plus sign. So, the number will look like this:+12223334444

I usually use the printed copy as it's easier to just keep it on the table on the train so i don't have to waste the conductor's time fiddling with my phone. You may also be asked for ID. I keep a copy of my passport with the Pass and keep both on the table until they are checked.

Thank you Carrie. Thanks also for the tip about the phone # protocol. I would have entered 001-212-555-5555. I didn’t realize the + is a substitute for 001.

You can buy the Swiss Pass whenever it is convenient for you. The price does not change (unless. In the short time in spring when there may be a sale), and you choose the date for it to start. No need to allow time for it to be mailed to you (I don’t know if they even do that these days); you can both print it at home and put it on your phone. I do both.

Carrie gave you excellent information. The one thing I would add is that you should compare prices on the Swiss Travel Center link she provided, with the price from SBB.ch.

https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/tickets/guests-abroad/swiss-travel-pass.html

The Swiss Travel Center website is designed for foreigners (like us) and the price is quoted in US dollars. That means they set the conversion rate. I prefer to use the SBB.ch website as I pay in Swiss francs, converted by my credit card to USD at the current rate that day. For our last 2 trips the price in CHF has been lower than the USD price set by the Swiss Travel Center.

If you prefer an old fashioned printed pass you can just buy it at the station when you are here. You can buy the Swiss Pass at any manned station in Switzerland (including at the airport) and at major stations throughout Europe.

Carrie, it is interesting that you say you use a copy of your passport.

That is what I hope to do, but so many posts on TA and other forums say only an original passport is accepted.

Obviously we will have our passports when travelling from hotel to hotel, but I certainly don't want to carry my original passport on a day trip. Have you had experience using a copy and did it work?

I am certainly not going to leave my passport in the hotel :-) Most countries anyway require you to carry a piece of ID. I remember turning 12 and my parents telling me that from now on I had to have my ID on my all the time when I left the house...

You are supposed to have your passport with you, so a train conductor can require you to produce it, and you could face a hefty fine if you can't. That other people have been lucky before is no guarantee that you will.

I always carry my passport with me. Great reminder. I saw the Swiss Travel Center website & compared Swiss Travel pass prices. Indeed the price difference especially that we will be buying 2 passes is significant. We’ll buy directly from SBB. It’s good to know that we can also buy directly from a ticket machine. Thank you!

I am certainly not going to leave my passport in the hotel :-)

Neither am I :) I always have my passport on me—safely in my money belt. In my experience, a copy of the passport is acceptable when asked for by a train conductor. So, I see no need to keep my actual passport out when asked for ID with the Swiss Travel Pass.

I have been on numerous trains, traveling from one country to another, where police have boarded the train for a passport check. When the police ask for your ID/passport, you want to show them your actual passport, and not a copy.

The past years that I purchased the Swiss Travel Pass—2021 and 2022—the promotions offered for the Pass were not offered by SBB. Hence. the reason for purchasing from the Travel Center. It does not appear a promotion will be offered for this year. And last year, the promotion was also offered by SBB. So, definitely a good idea to check prices.

We are traveling in early June and I just bought them the other day. Directly from the SBB site, and with a credit card with no foreign transaction fees. At checkout I was offered to pay in CHF or in USD at a rate about $20 higher than the current exchange rate.

I first created an account on their site and also downloaded their app to my phone. The passes immediately showed up in my app as QR codes. I will also print them just in case. The only reason to wait is to make sure nothing crazy comes up that forces you to cancel your trip. I have travel insurance that would cover me if I needed to cancel and get a refund for the passes.