[Anonymous]

14 March 2016 at 23:41:40 #808621

Hello, does anyone know if there is a discount on rail passes in Switzerland for those that are disabled? I’m legally blind and thus disabled and will be accompanied by a seeing “eye” companion.

💡 Save time and get daily forum questions & answers by e-mail

[User]

Reply 1 of 5 • 15 March 2016 at 1:10:37 #849422

<<“Hello, does anyone know if there is a discount on rail passes in

Switzerland for those that are disabled? I’m legally blind and thus

disabled and will be accompanied by a seeing “eye” companion.”>>

I recall that a blind person could ( a few years ago) travel for free or at a substantial discount, as long as they had a traveling companion. I got elected to be a traveling companion one time, when a blind person sat beside me and asked if I would mind being his companion for ticketing purposes.

Perhaps Arno and Annika can pin point a link.

Try this, at least for a start –

http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/passengers-with-a-handicap/blind-and-sight-impaired.html

Slowpoke

[User]

Reply 2 of 5 • 15 March 2016 at 1:28:29 #849423

Slowpoke, thanks for the information. I’m just trying to figure out if that also applies to myself as a US citizen visiting and what I need to bring with me for proof. Maybe Arno or Annika can assist.

[User]

Reply 3 of 5 • 15 March 2016 at 4:54:49 #849424

Arno & Annika,

It would be great if you could provide some insight on this. According to “special conditions of international carriage ” (SCIC), as well as numerous sites including the SBB travel for those disabled and blind and their guide or companion should be mostly free. There is also mention of a disabled passengers ID card. I’m not sure what exactly this is, but most definitely would be interested in finding out what I need to do to handle that. Thanks, Joe

[User]

Reply 4 of 5 • 15 March 2016 at 6:32:07 #849425

Hi Joe –

this link for contact may help. There is a contact e-mail address for travelling with a handicap partway down the list.

http://www.sbb.ch/en/meta/con tact.html

When I have contacted them on other issues, I’ve always gotten one of those automated “We’ll get back to you real soon” kind of messages. Then , they have done so, usually within 24 hours.

Slowpoke

[Arno]

Reply 5 of 5 • 15 March 2016 at 7:07:25 #849426

Hi Joe,

The tourist passes such as the Swiss Travel Pass are unfortunately not discounted for disabled passengers. There are options to have a companion to travel along for free, but as far as I know that’s for Swiss residents only, because the required ID can only be issued by local authorities. Please see http://www.sbb.ch/en/station-services/passengers-with-a-handicap/travel-discount/id-card.html for details. Various kinds of assistance is offered to blind travelers for free, like help boarding trains. You’ll find details through the link provided by Slowpoke.