[skijosh]

11 May 2016 at 4:55:58 #809169

I am about to buy the Swiss Half Fare Card.

What is the difference between a “Swiss Half Fare Card” and a “Swiss Half Fare TravelCard”?

If I purchase the “Swiss Half Fare Card” Can I purchase my tickets for individual trains in advance?

For example:

I would like to book my train from Zermatt to Zurich.

When I go to http://www.sbb.ch/ and look at the Time Table, I can see my available train options and their fares. When I look at the fairs it shows me a price without a reduction, and with a “Half Fare TravelCard” reduction. Can I purchase these with the “Swiss Half Fare Card”, or is this only for the “Swiss Half Fare TravelCard?” Are these passes the same, or is the “Swiss Half Fare Travelcard” different? Can I select the half fare reduction on the sbb.ch timetable and purchase the pass in advance with my “Swiss Half Fare Card?” Or do I need to purchase each pass at the actual train station?

I also saw a super saver pass advertised on sbb.ch/ for that same route. Can I purchase these with the “Swiss Half Fare Card,” or is this only for the “Swiss Half Fare TravelCard?” Are these passes the same, or is the “Swiss Half Fare Travelcard” different?

Thanks in advance.

Josh

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[Arno]

11 May 2016 at 5:39:06 #851861

Hi Josh, welcome to MySwissAlps!

The Swiss Half Fare Card is for tourists. The other name refers to the version for Swiss citizens, which is nearly the same thing, but not entirely: it’s valid for a longer time, and it offers discounts for tickets to some other countries. As long as you buy tickets for within Switzerland, you can pick “Swiss Half Fare Travelcard” while you actually have a “Swiss Half Fare Card”.

You can buy tickets in advance like you described, but you don’t need to. Trains do not book out, so you can buy from the machines or ticket desk just before you travel as well. The Swiss Half Fare Card itself can be purchased through http://www.swissrailways.com/ en and printed at home. That will save you time as you prevent waiting for a ticket desk. More purchase options are listed here.

[Removed user]

15 May 2016 at 11:18:10 #851862

Hi,

I just came back after a week in switzerland. Initially i struggle between the options (Euro Rail Pass, Switz Travel Pass and later on half fare pass).

Just as you, as I was playing with the SBB pricing of individual ticket I accidentally found out about the supersaver tickets. At that very moment i decided to go with only half fare pass as the supersaver ticket are so much more affordable. Example for my trip from Interlaken OST to Geneve will cost 70+ CHF through Bern, with half fare card it will be half of course but I was surprised to find supersaver ticket at 17.8 CHF only.

Just sharing, i also purchased 3 other supersaver tickets for individual trips (Basel – Zurich; Zurich – Lucerne & Lucerne – Interlaken OST). The 4 individual trips in total only cost me approx. 80 CHF.

So to your question , yes. You can buy supersaver tickets with half fare travel card.

[Removed user]

15 May 2016 at 16:05:47 #851863

Sorry 80 CHF was for 2 pax.