[Anonymous]

20 November 2017 at 0:06:23 #813699

Hi,

We are a family of 5 (3 kids) will be in Geneva for 8 months.

We would like to travel on and off and especially during weekends to other parts of Swiss.

What travel pass is most suitable?

I read about half fare with family pass available for 1 month to a year. But we don’t travel that often, as i am working during weekdays.

Is there any other good options? Is there half fare tickets for weekends with family card?

What about car rental during weekend?

We are considering all option in order to save money.

Merci !

Leow

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[rockoyster]

Reply 1 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 5:08:06 #872153

Greetings Leow and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

You might want to look at this for the times you want to do some touring http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelca rds-and-tickets/tickets-for-switzerland/1-day-travelpass/saver-day-pass.html

The Half-fare Card may be what you are thinking of http://www.sbb.ch/en/travelca rds-and-tickets/railpasses/hal f-fare-travelcard.html but it is only available with a Swiss Pass. To get a Swiss Pass you need a Passport or ID card issued in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy or Liechtenstein.

Not sure if your 8 month stay entitles you to an ID Card.

[User]

Reply 2 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 7:26:23 #872154

Thanks Rockoyster,

I didn’t notice that 1 year Half Fare Card needed a Swiss Pass, thanks for the heads up. I hope I can apply 1 with my work/residence permit.

I read in some forums, like glocals.com, some expats manage to get the yearly half fare card without permit, but that was in 2010, 2011.. Not sure now.

Paying monthly for 1 month half fare card would be too expensive for straight 8 months.

Thank you

[rockoyster]

Reply 3 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 7:31:07 #872155

Ace moderator Lucas will know if your work/residence permit will cut the mustard. 🤓

[User]

Reply 4 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 7:34:55 #872156

Oops…

[User]

Reply 5 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 9:09:10 #872157

Hi voon25,

If you have a Swiss address and a residence permit that allow you to get a Swiss Pass without issue and then buy a Half Fare TravelCard valid for the year (185chf) which then gets you 50% off all trips.

Children 6-15 can travel for free with you if you get the Junior Card (30chf each).
16 year olds get a discounted half fare travelcard (99chf) and 17 and up pay the normal adult price with you.

[rockoyster]

Reply 6 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 9:14:03 #872158

Knew you’d fix it. 🤓

[User]

Reply 7 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 9:29:53 #872159

Nothing to fix! 🙂

[User]

Reply 8 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 9:35:51 #872160

Hi Lucas and Rockoyster..

Thank you for the clarification.

Talking about kids, do I need to get Junior Card ? I read somewhere here that, Swiss Family Card can be apply when purchasing a half fare card which allow kids to travel for free. Correct me if I am wrong..

Thank you

[User]

Reply 9 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 10:44:58 #872161

The Swiss Family Card is valid with the Swiss Half fare Card (both for tourists only) not the Half Fare TravelCard (Swiss residents only).

The Junior Card is only 30chf per year.

[User]

Reply 10 of 13 • 20 November 2017 at 13:52:28 #872162

Thank you for the information Lucas. Now I’m clear.

[rockoyster]

Reply 11 of 13 • 23 November 2017 at 21:19:42 #872163

Seems it is even simpler than at first thought.

I emailed SBB to ask if in fact I could buy a Half-fare Card as a non-resident.

I now have a lengthy and very thorough email response which in summary says “yes you can”.

To quote from the response . . .

“If you’re a first time customer without an existing SBB customer number an online travelcard order is only possible, if during the automated process, the Webshop can verify your First and Last Name, as well as Date of Birth with a valid government issued photo ID and the respective countries have provided a verification process of some sorts.

Currently the following countries provide the technological means to do so: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Liechtenstein, Switzerland (my emphasis in order to highlight ah ha moment)

If you have an ID or passport from a different country, the SwissPass Half Fare travelcard may be purchased only using these 2 options:

1) By post mail service: order form (including a copy of a valid government issued photo ID, as well a physical photo) and your handwritten original signature. It’s the same which is attached to this email.

2) Directly at any staffed SBB railway station ticket counter (payment in cash, Reka Checks or by credit card).

Notes:

For legal reasons we require your original handwritten signature, thus can’t accept email orders or the likes.

If during the purchase/order, the postal address of the contract partner is not in one of the above mentioned countries, the automatic renewal is deactivated by default and can’t be overridden and no SwissPass card is issued.”

Their final recommendation was . . . .

“My advice, if you’d like to have a Half Fare travelcard on the SwissPass, buy it directly at one of our train station ticket counters. All it takes is about 3 minutes.

That way there is no paper work, you just order, sign the contract, pay and are good to go right away.

It also allows you to upload the photo comfortably digitally, have any other questions you might have answered and also set up SBB Mobile for an easy to use, convenient travel experience.”

[User]

Reply 12 of 13 • 24 November 2017 at 7:32:38 #872164

I think the final decision remains the same for Voon25 😉
Buy the Half fare Travelcard (and Junior card) when they are in Switzerland.

[User]

Reply 13 of 13 • 26 November 2017 at 13:16:20 #872165

Hi Rockosyter and Lucas,

I reached Geneva yesterday and tomorrow will be going Geneva train station to purchase the ticket. Hopefully alright, my tenant ask me to bring along passport, photos and rental contract.

Will see how it goes…thank you