InfoMySwissAlps.com includes display ads, non-commercial links, and commercial links to Stay22 and other trusted partners.

Using the Swiss rail pass calculation spreadsheet

Short summary – read this first

A traveler named Pbcemail is confused about using a spreadsheet to determine the best pricing for a week in Switzerland. They are struggling to get price data, especially using the SBB app on both a Chromebook and Windows 10. Help is needed to navigate the app for pricing and selecting transportation modes.

Key takeaways:
  • Open the spreadsheet in Excel or Google Sheets to edit and view pricing data properly.
  • Use the SBB website or app by entering your trip details to find pricing easily and select transport modes.
  • To display full or half fares in the app, go to Settings in the menu and edit Passenger Information appropriately.
  • Look for Supersaver fares on the timetable for possible discounts on specific train departures.
➤ Need some help planning your Switzerland trip? See how it works
InfoAI-generated summary. Details may be outdated. Check with our travel experts to be 100% sure.
  • Anonymous
    Inactive
    83570 posts
    12 February 2020 at 23:49:38 #825204

    I am completely confused. I downloaded the spreadsheet, but it is read only. I finally scrolled down below the examples and was able to enter some segments, but I can’t figure out how to get the price data. I have tried various links from here and tried using both a Chromebook with the SBB app, and Windows 10 with google chrome browser. I also put the SBB app on my phone, but it is too difficult to use on the phone. Also, how do you select a single mode of transportation? I am trying to determine the best pricing for my week in Switzerland by myself as suggested by you on many issues.

    🇨🇭 The official SBB tourist webshop
    ✓ Discounts for passholders ✓ Instant mobile e-Ticket ✓ Free cancellation option
    🎁 Promotion: Buy your pass and get a free CHF 100 itinerary review! See details ►
    Swiss Travel Pass Unlimited travel

    Swiss Travel Pass

    Unlimited train, bus, & boat travel across Switzerland.

    Mountain excursions With discounts

    Mountain excursions

    Official e-Tickets with pass holder discounts. Skip the ticket counter.

    Regional passes Unlimited travel

    Regional passes

    Unlimited travel in the Berner Oberland, Jungfrau Region or Lucerne Region.

  • User
    Inactive
    83570 posts
    Reply 1 of 6 • 13 February 2020 at 1:07:40 #930097

    Hi Pbcemail

    You have to open the spreadsheet in a program like Excel. If you don’t have Excel you can use google sheets, it’s free.

    it took me a while to figure it out as well. Just replace what’s listed with what you’d like to do.

    Swiss Rail Pass Promotion

    ➤ Buy a rail pass and get a free Expert Itinerary Review. Works for all travel dates, 1st and 2nd class. See how it works

    CabinJon
    Participant
    306 posts
    Reply 2 of 6 • 13 February 2020 at 1:16:08 #930098

    I’m sure others can provide more detailed advice and links to help you, but I am using Chrome on my laptop and the SBB timetable page provides pricing information for any trip you choose. Plug in the beginning & end points, date, time, etc. and click “Search.” From the list of responses, I just click a red box to the right of any specific trip option, and it shows the price, lets you pick one way or roundtrip, 1st or 2nd class, etc. The price shown is 1/2 the full fare price (they indicate it is the Swiss Half Fare price).

    To select a single transport mode, click on the Advance Search option next to the origin/destination location pair and scroll down to the Transport Type box where you can select or deselect any of the transport methods.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8872 posts
    Reply 3 of 6 • 13 February 2020 at 2:02:34 #930099

    Hello Pbcemail and Welcome to MySwissAlps,

    If you find the SBB mobile app too difficult to use you are doing something wrong. It is by far the most simple way to find prices.

    To select a single mode of transport click on the icon in the first attachment. The select the mode of transport you want from the list shown in the second attachment.

    The SBB website shows half-fare prices by default, the mobile app allows you to nominate whether to show full or half-fares (by editing the passenger details in settings) and is also smart enough to offer you the Saver Day Pass (http://www.myswissalps.com/saverdaypass) if that offers the best fare. The app can also display a platform map (at least at the larger stations) to help you make connections. You can also easily filter modes of transport (eg bus or ship).

    The app (or website) will always show the fastest, most direct routes unless you tell it you want to go a longer way round by including other stations to go VIA. For example, if you wanted to follow the Golden Pass route you would need to search the SBB app looking for Luzern to Montreux via Interlaken and Zweisimmen.

    User
    Inactive
    83570 posts
    Reply 4 of 6 • 13 February 2020 at 7:35:59 #930100

    Hi Pbcemail,

    if you are not familiar with the SBB timetable then first study the descriptions at http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable. It also explains how to find ticket prices.

    For the calculation spreadsheet (http://www.myswissalps.com/train/ticketspasses/practical/chooserailpass) you should be able to write everywhere not just in a few places. (The little red triangles in the corners give you extra hints and tips.) You should open the spreadsheet in Google Spreadsheet (within the Google Drive) or in Excel. Do you know how to use any of them?

    Please let us know how are you doing. If you are not familiar with these systems it can be difficult for first sight. If you have any print screen where you stuck it would also help us to understand the problem.

    I’ve found these video guide on Youtube, they might help you: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jSwP4UwpD-w&list=PL2y5uecQPrF0co4GZXKRa2S1BIzIu6SVa

    Ildiko

    🇨🇭 The official SBB tourist webshop
    ✓ Discounts for passholders ✓ Instant mobile e-Ticket ✓ Free cancellation option
    🎁 Promotion: Buy your pass and get a free CHF 100 itinerary review! See details ►
    Swiss Travel Pass Unlimited travel

    Swiss Travel Pass

    Unlimited train, bus, & boat travel across Switzerland.

    Mountain excursions With discounts

    Mountain excursions

    Official e-Tickets with pass holder discounts. Skip the ticket counter.

    Regional passes Unlimited travel

    Regional passes

    Unlimited travel in the Berner Oberland, Jungfrau Region or Lucerne Region.

    User
    Inactive
    83570 posts
    Reply 5 of 6 • 13 February 2020 at 13:58:03 #930101

    I’m a little confused with part of the SBB app. You say it can be set to show full fare prices instead of the default half fares. To put it in the words of Ricky Ricardo “‘Splain”.

    I opened the advanced search and checked ‘show prices in timetable’ and all that seems to do is, well, show prices in the timetable. What does the ‘%from CHF5.80’ mean? One would think there would be check boxes for ‘show full fare’ and ‘show half fare’. Clarification needed.

    Thanks.

    rockoyster
    Participant
    8872 posts
    Reply 6 of 6 • 13 February 2020 at 19:33:02 #930102

    To set full or half fare click the menu button (top left). Then go Settings -> Travellers -> Edit Passenger Information and tick or leave blank the appropriate box. See attached. You can also edit passenger information when you go to “Select a Ticket” for a particular journey. See second attachment. (1/1) next to your name means full fare, (1/2) means what it says. 😉

    % in front if a price means there is a Supersaver fare available. Supersaver fares are tied to a particular train departure. Regular fares are valid for a whole day for a single trip on a given route.

  • The thread ‘Using the Swiss rail pass calculation spreadsheet’ is closed to new replies.

About MySwissAlps

We’re Arno & Annika: passionate, frequent Switzerland travelers. We help you plan your trip, or we plan it for you. MySwissAlps was founded in 2002.

Want us to plan your trip?

The easiest way to plan your trip is to let us handle the itinerary design and bookings for you. We design a unique, independent journey based on your wishes.

Just need some help planning your trip?

Ask your questions to us personally or to the forum. Or see how we plan Swiss holidays for real travelers, and discover how to avoid mistakes.