How to pay on buses with a Swiss Half Fare Card?

We have purchased half fare cards for our train travel in Switzerland but I understand we can also use them on buses. Do we buy the tickets on the buses, or at the station/bus stop, and show our half fare cards? Also is there a website which will give me information about the cost of tickets so we may be prepared on arrival? Thank you, looking forward to holidaying in Switzerland again, and using the excellent transport system!

Hi Wendless56 -

Welcome to My Swiss Alps. Nice to see that you found a way to come back to Switzerland. ;-)

In the countryside, I show my half-fare card and pay on the bus. Usually less than 5 CHF...more like two or three.

In the cities, I buy a ticket good for an hour on al trams/ buses from a machine at the tram/bus stop, selecting half-fare if it it is an option, and only show it if an inspector comes along to check for tickets. Does happen. Short time tickets are 2 to 5 CHF.

Or, I buy one of many confusing optional regional/citywide tickets good for longer times and maybe more zones, from the machine, or, much better, at a manned desk in a main station, and use it for the designated time..such as 24 hours. In that case, I show the ticket and the half-fare pass when asked.

Let me know if those are insufficient data.

In the cities, the key point is to have your ticket before you get on the tram or bus.

The cities have their own transit organizations - Verkehrsverein. Carry 3 or 4 CHF coins for the machines, up to 10 or more including paper money, for the longer time span passes.

In the main stations, but not so commonly elsewhere, the ticket machines accept credit cards.

Carry 20 or 30 CHF as pocket change. You may not need it all.

Slowpoke

Thank you Slowpoke, that is all very helpful. We will be based in two places for our stay, Scuol and St Moritz so from what you have told me, we will be able to pick up tickets at the train station when we arrive, to access buses to our holiday accommodation?

Thank you again,

Wendy

<<"Scuol and St Moritz so from what you have told me, we will be able to pick up tickets at the train station when we arrive, to access buses to our holiday accommodation?">>

Yes.

It is likely you will pay on the bus. Some small bills ( 10, 20CHF) or pocket change to pay the driver.

The ticket machines often take credit cards, but not always. There will be a manned ticket counter at St. Moritz.

Don't remember if Scuol is manned.

We like to stay in Guarda, at the Hotel Piz Buin. Just changed management this spring. The new managers have good credentials. Looking for to a chance to go there.

Do you like to walk or hike?

Slowpoke

Thank you again! I have just rung our accommodation for the first week and the lovely people will collect us from the station which is very good, so no buses to worry about when we arrive in Scuol. We will be doing lots of walking but mainly we are there for the orienteering. The first week it is the Junior World Championships www.jwoc2016.ch/ and we will be supporting the GB Junior team and then the second week in St Moritz we will be competing in the Swiss O Week. We are very much looking forward to our visit now!

We like the easy walk from Ftan to Ardez, bus and train back to Scuol.

The easy walk from Motta Naluns, accessible via lift near Scuol station, to the lift station above Ftan has great views of the valley. Circular route via Ftan, bus back to Scuol

Sur En is a charming small village, on the other side of the river. I mean the Sur En across from Ardez and Guarda.

Guarda deserves a visit to look around

Hope you like to climb. In Switzerland, any thing up to a 30 degree pitch is considered a level walk. ;-)

The mapped and posted Wanderwege hiking network allows getting around nicely without the need for serious map work. Thats for us amateurs. ;-)

Do you know this site?

map.geo.admin.ch/?topic=inspire&X=188140 .00&Y=816720.00&zoom=5 &bgLayer=ch.swisstopo. pixelkarte-farbe&lang=en&layers=c h.swisstopo.swisstlm3d -wanderwege

Check the home page for products....maps of all kinds:

www.swisstopo.admin.ch /de/home.html

You probably know this:

www.alpenwild.com/stat icpage/trail-signs-swiss-alps/

The hiking trail maps on Swisstopo follow that color coding scheme.

Have a great trip.

Slowpoke

Great stuff, we usually head for a shop for a map as soon as we arrive. You are a mine of information and we will try to build in a visit to Guarda whilst there although we will be spectating and competing most of the first week. I shall report back after our trip.

Regards

Wendles56

<<"Great stuff, we usually head for a shop for a map as soon as we arrive. ">>

Glad to help.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Guarda,_Switzerland

www.myswitzerland.com/ en-us/lavin-guarda-bos-cha-ardez.html

Swiss maps are works of art. Check out the varieties available as shown on the SwissTopo web site. For Smart Phones, too.

In any part of the country, you can usually find good topos at many stores. They tend to be for the nearby region.

Also-

www.wanderland.ch/en/h iking-in-switzerland.html

Will you come in through Zürich?

There is a Barth Bücherei in the Hauptbahnhof that is serious about maps. Go down the stairs toward track 2.

If not Zürich, any other main city on your way in?

Slowpoke