Charged for cancelling Swiss Travel Pass within free cancellation
My Swiss Alps Team needs clarification about the cancellation policy for the Swiss Travel Pass (STP) after facing unexpected charges when canceling a trip planned for September. They had the Flex Cancellation Option but were charged a fee, prompting them to seek advice on the actual conditions for free cancellation.
- Always purchase the 'Flex Cancellation Option' when buying the Swiss Travel Pass to ensure free cancellation up to 1 day before the start date.
- Cancelling without the Flex Cancellation Option can lead to fees, so evaluate your need for cancellation before deciding.
- If you do not expect to cancel, buy your pass shortly before traveling to avoid needing the option and save money.
AI-generated summary-
My Swiss Alps Team,
It has been my understanding that there is no charge for cancellation, when it is done in advance of 1-day prior to the beginning date of your STP. Recently I had to cancel my 15-day, 1st class, STP that was scheduled for September so I could repurchase it for different dates that month. I originally purchased my STP by adding the Flex Cancellation Option for an additional cost.
I was charged for cancellation. When I reviewed their policy, I keep coming back to their statement that there is no charge for cancelling when meeting certain requirement. Can you clarify the policy.
Thanks,
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Hi Big Dad,
Do you mind sharing where your purchased the Swiss Travel Pass from?
If you have a booking or reference no, let us know so we can escalate the issue if needed.
Regards,
Anna
Anna,
I purchased the 15-day, 1st class STP from “SBB CFF FFS”.
The following is copied from the email response I received from the [email protected] of the Switzerland Travel Centre on August 3, 2024
1100202400650598- cancelled & refunded CHF 723.00 back onto my credit card (less CHF 15.00 cancellation fee)
1100202400650596- cancelled & refunded CHF 723.00 back onto my credit card (less CHF 15.00 cancellation fee)
1100202400659037- cancelled & refunded CHF 1722.00 back onto my credit card (less USD 18.00 cancellation fee)
Note: The first two purchased were for my wife and I, then the 3rd purchase included STP for my two sons.
I’ve also attached the Policy explanation that they sent me. Their file is titled ‘STC new conditions’.
I am just trying to understand why cancelling is not free when I read that it is. There must be some technical detail that isn’t clear to me. If I am having trouble understanding this, then possibly others on MySwissAlps could also benefit from better understanding the correct answer.
Sorry to bother you with this, but the policy seems so straightforward, IE: “Cancellation is Free”.
Thanks again!
Hi Big Dad,
Can you confirm that you purchased from https://www.swissrailways.com? That’s the tourist webshop of SBB, the Swiss Federal Railways. If so, and you paid for the Flex Cancellation Option, you should indeed get a full refund if you cancel up to 1 day before the start date of your passes. There is no refund of the amount for the Flex Cancellation Option itself by the way. If this is your situation I recommend contacting them and asking if they made a mistake. Refer to this forum thread if necessary.
If you purchased elsewhere, e.g. from the domestic site of SBB, then cancellation options might be different.
Hi Arno,
I can confirm that my purchase of the STP’s was with SBB CFF FFS and the tickets came with their SBB logo and QR Code. Their email to me in response to my cancellation came from the [email protected], Switzerland Travel Center, Binzstrasse 36, 8045 Zurich. I don’t feel it is appropriate for me to share the name of the person who wrote the email.
In now checking my credit card, I find that they have refunded my 4 Passes. For simplicity purposes I will use just use one Pass in my example below.
The purchase amount of one Pass was CHF 723.00 plus when I add their quoted Cancellation Fee (in their email) of CHF 15.00 it totals CHF 738.00. My credit card is now pending a refunded amount in USA dollars of $843.15. When estimating the conversion factor I arrive at 1.14248 which I assume is a reasonable factor, however it frequently changes. So it appears that they decided NOT to apply their Cancellation Fee that was in their email. Again, I don’t have an updated email from them that confirms what I am estimating, but I will assume my calcs are correct and they have refunded the total amount.
Now comes the next issue that needs to be understood. When I originally purchased the STP, I also elected to purchase the ‘Flex Cancellation Option’ which I guess was $18.00. Checking their website today, that amount is $19.00 so my guess is probably correct. Below is one of several points that I copied and pasted off their website that describes their ‘Flex Cancellation Option’.
- FLEX CANCELLATION OPTION tickets can be cancelled up to 1 day before the first day of validity at the latest at no additional cost.
I originally purchased the ‘Flex Cancellation Option’ because I was unclear what would happen if I didn’t. Maybe this point needs some clarification for everyone who is considering purchasing a STP. It appears that you must purchase the ‘Flex Cancellation Option’ to get free cancellation, however all the language I’ve read in several locations don’t mention the ‘Flex Cancellation Option’ and simply says that cancellation is FREE.
This stuff can wear you out. Thanks for your and Anna’s follow up.
Hi Big Dad,
I agree, those amounts make sense. You did get the full refund as expected. Without the Flex Cancellation Option, a cancellation fee would have applied.
Arno
It seems that SBB wins either way.
- If you purchase the ‘Flex Cancellation Option’ when you get the STP, it costs $18
- If you don’t purchase the Option and later need to cancel, then they will charge you a Cancellation Fee that costs $15
It appears you are better off not purchasing the ‘Flex Cancellation Option’ because you may never need to cancel.
It seems there is more to it but that is how it appears.Thanks
Hi Big Dad,
The cheapest way is to buy passes only a few days before traveling, so you’d be fairly sure that cancellation isn’t needed, and then don’t include the Flex Cancellation Option. But in some cases, it can be a handy option to cancel even on the last day before departure: cancellation is at least 4 times cheaper with Flex Cancellation Option than without (CHF 15 per order vs at least CHF 60 per order).
Also, it’s always good to check your travel insurance because if cancellation is needed for an emergency they might cover all expenses anyway, regardless of the Flex Cancellation Option.
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