Can I hop on / off with a Swiss point-to-point ticket?
Nick is planning a train journey from Lausanne to Bern with a stop in Fribourg and seeks clarity on whether a point-to-point ticket allows for such stops. He's unsure if he can take his time between stops using the same ticket but is under the impression it should be valid for a day.
- You can make multiple stops with point-to-point tickets as long as you continue forward.
- The Swiss Travel Pass allows unlimited travel on trains, buses, and boats for a day, making it a flexible option.
- When planning your route, point-to-point tickets do not restrict you to specific connections, so you can take different trains to your destination.
AI-generated summary-
Hello all Swiss travelers,
Will point to point tickets allow you to stop during the train journey before reaching the final destination? For example, going to Bern from Lausanne but I want to stop at Fribourg. If I buy a point to point ticket from Lausanne to Bern can I stop at Fribourg and then take the train from Fribourg at a later time to continue to Bern using the same point to point ticket? I think it’s allowed as the point to point ticket has a validity of 1 day but it’s not mentioned on the SBB website or perhaps I miss that.
Thank you in advance for your help.
Nick
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Hi Nick,
Yes you can. With point-to-point tickets, as you have correctly understood are valid for a day so you can stop as often as you like along the route.
Scroll to “FAQ about Switzerland point-to-point tickets” no.2 in the link below:
(This does not apply to Supersaver tickets though, these are time and date specific)
Kind regards,
Yolanda
This is useful information! So let me ask this (semi-unrelated to Nikolaus’ question). We plan on using the Let’s Fly luggage service, so we can get express luggage delivery to Murren (which SBB doesn’t offer). As part of that service, you have to purchase transit tickets, as well. We’ve used the service in the past, quite pleased with it.
But my concern this time was – if we get point-to-point tickets from Zurich to Murren, can I take either the IC1 (changing trains at Bern, Spieze, before getting to Interlaken Ost), or can I take the IC81 (going direct to Interlaken Ost, and skipping the changes)? In other words, is all that matters that the point-to-point is good to get me to the listed destination, and exactly which route I take to get that destination does not matter?
Ideally, I’d like to use the IC81, as more direct, and no changes. But it only runs every 120 minutes. And if I miss the IC81 because the plane is delayed or whatever reason, then I’d use the IC1, rather than just wait possibly as much as 2 hours for the next IC81.
Thanks! This forum is very useful!
I’d like to know what I need to ask for, to not limit myself to only the IC1, etc.
On you journey from Zurich Airport to Interlaken Ost, you are not limited to the IC81 through trains. You can also take other IC trains or even local trains, changing at Bern and/or Spiez. As you are not encumbered by luggage you might indeed consider spending a while in Bern (https://www.myswissalps.com/town/bern/) and travel on to Interlaken by a later train. The centre of Bern (close to the station) is a UNESCO world heritage site.
Kind regards
Roger
I do indeed want to see Bern, just after I’ve had a chance to get to my hotel and rest first. I’ll have a BO Pass, so getting from Murren to Bern on another day of my trip won’t be a problem. I just don’t want to do it on a travel day, where I’ve already been 10 hours over night on a plane, and another couple hours on a train. I’m an old man now, we get tried. LOL
What I’m asking, is if point-to-point tickets means I can take any train (or combination of transport), to get to the listed destination? Or is a point-to-point ticket good only for certain connections listed on the ticket. For instance, the last point-to-point ticket from Zurich to Murren that I purchased says “Zürich Flughafen -> Mürren, via Zürich – Olten – Bern – Interlaken Ost – Lauterbrunnen – Grütschalp”.
So the above makes me think that I can *not* use that point-to-point ticket on the IC81, since the IC81 doesn’t stop in Olten or Bern, just Interlaken Ost. But I could be wrong.
That’s what I am trying to determine – if I have to buy point-to-point, do I have to choose the explicit route, and only that route, that the point-to-point ticket is good for? Or will the point-to-point be valid for any intermediate destination listed on the ticket, regardless of how I get there? Would the above ticket be good for the IC81, which bypasses Bern, which is a stop listed on the ticket? I wouldn’t want to get on the IC81 with the above ticket and find out it’s not valid for the IC81, meaning I’d have to buy a ticket on the IC81, which would carry a penalty.
Hello Turgon. After a ten hour flight you will want to get to your hotel in Murren as quickly as possible.
A point-to point Zurich Airport to Interlaken Ost-(Murren) ticket will certainly be valid on the IC81 trains which go through to Interlaken OST.
Going back to your reply 2, you can also use the point-to-point ticket when you need to change trains at Bern.
The shortest and quickest route form Zurich Airport to Murren will always be via Zurich Hauptbahnhof (the main station in the city centre) Olten, Bern, Interlaken OST, Lauterbrunnen and Grutschalp.
Between Zurich and Bern the Intercity train will pass through, usually without stopping, the very busy railway junction of Olten.
All trains (including the IC81 trains continuing to Interlaken OST) will stop at Bern station.
Between Bern and Interlaken OST all intercity trains (including the IC81) will stop at Thun, Spiez and Interlaken West before reaching Interlaken Ost.
Kind regards
Roger
“A point-to point Zurich Airport to Interlaken Ost-(Murren) ticket will certainly be valid on the IC81 trains which go through to Interlaken OST. “
Excellent! Just what I needed to know.
“All trains (including the IC81 trains continuing to Interlaken OST) will stop at Bern station.
Between Bern and Interlaken OST all intercity trains (including the IC81) will stop at Thun, Spiez and Interlaken West before reaching Interlaken Ost”
I don’t mind those intermediate stops .. .as long as I don’t have to get off my train and go wait for another. LOL That’s what we’re hoping to avoid – connecting trains. Like flights, always best to go as direct as you can. This way you don’t have to rush to make a connection if you’re late, or wait for an unexpectedly late connection.
Thanks so much, I learn so much from this forum. Now I know that if I have to get a point-to-point (I’m going to try for a Saver Day pass, as that’s less expensive. But if I can’t, I will have to settle for point-to-point), that I have a choice of local or express trains to Interlaken Ost, as it were. Depending on what time the flight lands, how long it takes to get through passenger control, etc.
The Saver Day pass works the same way, right? I can use any combination of trains to get to my destination, as the point-to-point above?
All (or almost all) of our plans once we reach Murren are in the BO region (Grindlewald, Interlaken, Merigien, maybe Bern, etc) so I will have that BO Pass. I am debating on whether I also need the Half Fare card, since we’re staying 10 days, and the BO Pass is only good for 8 days. So I might need the HF Card for really just one day (we’re staying in Zurich the night before our departing flight, so we don’t have to rush the morning of the departing flight, and I’ll already have that return train ticket, so I won’t be going anywhere else that day).
Regarding the Saver Day Pass, the great beauty of that ticket (and also the more expensive Swiss Day Pass) is that you can get on and off trains, buses, boats, streetcars etc as and when you like. For example you are on a streetcar or bus in Bern and you suddenly see something interesting, you can hop off at the next stop to go and investigate! When you have finished looking, you can just hop on the next bus or streetcar.
If you want to buy a Saver Day Pass, buy them as far in advance as you can. The further in advance you buy them, the cheaper they are. And occasionally, on busy days, this Saver Day Pass ‘sells out’. (I suspect that today, 1st August, they will have sold out. Today is Swiss National Day, the Swiss equivalent to 4th July.)
The ordinary Swiss Day Pass is more expensive than the Saver Day Pass.. But it can always be bought on the day of travel.
Perhaps most importantly, in the light of what you have now told us, I think you should probably buy a Half Fare Card. You will get 50% off ordinary point-to-point tickets, discounts on the Saver Day Pass and Day Pass tickets, and a discount on the BOP.
Kind regards
Roger
Hi Turgon,
Roger has explained everything well and yes, you have understood how the Saver Day Pass works. It covers transportation all over Switzerland and you can hop on/off as you wish, on your travel day. (Mountain transportation is not covered but there are a few exceptions).
All explained in our Saver Day Pass guide in the attached link, you can also find some online purchase options as well:
The Swiss Half Fare Card (https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-half-fare-card/) costs CHF120 per person. You may want to carry out a few calculations based on your plans just to be sure.
There are also Supersaver tickets you may want to explore for when you leave the Berner Oberland for Zurich. These are time and date specific, not always available but can be quite favourable in price. However just be mindful that if you do not take the train you purchased for, you will need to buy a new ticket. More details on Supersaver tickets below:
Also if you have time, you may want to take a look at the point-to-point link I provided in “reply 1”, there is additional useful information regarding point-to-point tickets.
Kind regards,
Yolanda
Thanks everyone. Yes, I plan to buy both a Half Fare Card and the BO Pass (for 8 days). We’ll be arriving in the morning of Sep 16, on an overnight flight from the US (so no real traveling about that day, we’ll just want to get to the hotel), so a Saver Day or point-to-point ZRH-Murren will work for that day.
Then I will have the BO Pass for the next 8 days (Sep 17 – 24). And if we decide to go somewhere out of the BO region, I can get a ticket using the Half Fare Card – we’re not planning on that, but who knows? Sometimes you have to be spontaneous.
Then, on Sep 25, we’ll be heading back to stay overnight in Zurich, because we fly out early in the morning of Sep 26, so I’ll have a Saver Day or point-to-point for Sep 25 Murren-ZRH, as that will be the only traveling I do that day (unless we decide to wander around Zurich for a few hours).
So based on the above, perhaps 2 Super Saver Day passes (Sep 16, and Sep 25), might work out, since I know I will definitely be traveling on those 2 days (ZRH-Murren, then Murren-ZRH). If not, a a “regular” Saver Day or point-to-point will work.
How does that sound?
Hi Nikolaus,
That’s great Turgon!
You can find purchase details for the Swiss Half Fare Card and Berner Oberland Pass below:
Swiss Half Fare Card: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-half-fare-card/
Berner Oberland Pass: https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/berner-oberland-pass/
If you purchase a single point-to-point ticket, be aware that you can hop on and hop off but cannot back track. The ticket is valid for 1 day but only for forward journeys. A Saver Day Pass on the other hand is valid all day on any connection anywhere in Switzerland.
Regards,
Anna
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