When to buy Swiss Travel Pass online: before or after my arrival?

  • Sreedhar
    Participant
    16 posts
    21 April 2024 at 14:04:23 #1436641

    Dear Friends,

    As a TOURIST (not a Swiss/European Resident), can the Swiss Travel Pass (STP) be purchased online – AFTER we have entered the Swiss country?

    Asking becoz I faintly recall reading somewhere (don’t recall where) that a tourist can buy the STP only BEFORE entering Swiss borders. From within the Swiss border, you can only buy a ‘Resident Pass’ (equivalent of STP – applicable only for Swiss citizens).

    Thanks. === Sreedhar

  • Yolanda
    Moderator
    2412 posts
    21 April 2024 at 15:33:19 #1436649

    Hello Sreedhar,

    You can buy your Swiss Travel Pass whenever you want 🙂

    Some prefer to buy their passes before arrival, so everything is in hand before arriving or some prefer to buy when they actually arrive in Switzerland.

    Online purchase options for the Swiss Travel Pass here:  https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass/#tickets

    Kind regards,

    Yolanda

     

     

    Sreedhar
    Participant
    16 posts
    21 April 2024 at 18:36:02 #1436678

    Thank you for your note, Yolanda. === Sreedhar

    Ronny Gandey
    Participant
    4 posts
    22 April 2024 at 5:39:56 #1436695

    Hi

    I am Ronny from Indonesia. Last January I entered Switzerland from Rome/Milan and stayed overnight in Lugano before proceed to Interlaken

    I bought 6 days Swiss Travel Pass one day before my arrival in Lugano so that I started using the Pass for my travelling to hotel and getting around Lugano; the same Pass also used for my train trip to Interlaken and the rest 5 days in Switzerland.

    regards

    Ronny

    Annika
    Moderator
    7133 posts
    22 April 2024 at 14:38:38 #1439665

    Hi Shreedhar,

    If you buy your pass online, it will be e-mailed to you within minutes. So it’s no problem to get yours after arrival in Switzerland :-).

    Sreedhar
    Participant
    16 posts
    23 April 2024 at 13:31:16 #1445860

    Thank you for your helpful note, Ronny Gandey and Annika. === Sreedhar

    Maggie
    Participant
    2 posts
    23 April 2024 at 15:36:31 #1446869

    “If you buy your pass online, it will be e-mailed to you within minutes.”

    If only …. I bought mine on 31 March 2024 through the Switzerland Travel Centre. On the confirmation email it said:

    “Your order is being processed and will be sent to you by the requested mode of dispatch. Please note that this booking confirmation is not a ticket. We will send out your tickets as soon as possible. During times of high volume we reserve the right to prioritize orders by departure date.”

    And further down:

    “Type of delivery: Online Ticket. Your order will be processed and a PDF link for printing your ticket will be sent to your email address at least 7 workings days prior to departure.”

    I leave Australia on 2 May, just over a week from now. I dated my flex pass to start from 3 May. So “at leasr 7 working days prior to departure” is pretty much up.

    Time to send an enquiry I think …

    Have others had this experience?

    thank you

    Maggie

    Anna
    Moderator
    6401 posts
    23 April 2024 at 21:30:00 #1446875

    Hi Maggie,

    You definitely should write and request your Swiss Travel Pass be emailed to you as soon as possible since you have paid for it.

    It’s strange as the Swiss Travel Pass is usually delivered instantly when you purchase it online.

    I hope it works out for you.

    Regards,

    Anna

    Alpenrose555
    Participant
    358 posts
    24 April 2024 at 12:40:24 #1452862

    Hi Maggie,

    Have you checked your spam folder?

    Hope you can sort this out quickly!

    Alpenrose

    Yolanda
    Moderator
    2412 posts
    24 April 2024 at 19:30:41 #1459690

    Hi Maggie,

    Welcome to MySwissAlps.

    Sorry to hear, most frustrating.  Yes, good idea from Alpenrose – to check your spam / junk file.

    If not I hope the Switzerland Travel Centre has since replied to you.

    Keep us posted.

    Kind regards,

    Yolanda

    Annika
    Moderator
    7133 posts
    24 April 2024 at 19:56:43 #1459691

    Hi Maggie,

    Thanks for your input! In most cases, tickets and passes are e-mailed very quickly. For Shreedhar, who was enquiring about buying after arrival and would soon start using the pass, that would go as well.

    We are familiar with Switzerland Travel Centre (STC) issuing tickets and passes, that are bought far in advance, closer to one’s departure date. That’s not strange or uncommon.

    Do note that you won’t receive an actual (digital) pass, but only a receipt with a reference number you can use to generate your free travel day tickets. It’s explained under “How does the Swiss Travel Pass Flex work?” at https://www.myswissalps.com/travel-ticket/swiss-travel-pass-flex/. Just to make sure: does your booking confirmation contain this reference number? If you’re unsure, feel free to e-mail us your confirmation through https://www.myswissalps.com/contact/email/ and we’ll have a look at it.

    Annika
    Moderator
    7133 posts
    30 April 2024 at 12:11:31 #1474851

    Hi Maggie,

    From your other thread (https://www.myswissalps.com/community/thread/swiss-travel-pass-id/) I understand that you did receive your Swiss Travel Pass Flex after all. Happy to hear that :-)! Indeed, it’s not a pdf but just a number you can use to select your free travel days. The text about products being sent shorter before departure is probably a generic one that didn’t apply to your order.

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