How to use Swiss Transfer Ticket from Como San G

I plan to purchase both the Swiss Transfer Ticket and the Swiss Half Fare Card. I believe it is the Swiss Transfer Ticket Combi. I have a few questions: Thank you in advance for your assistance.

1. I will be traveling from Como San Giovanni, Italy to Wengen, Switzerland on my entry to Switzerland and want to use my entry "transfer" into Switzerland on that day. I can find two train routes on sbb.ch. One goes from Como to Lucerne and then to Wengen. The other goes from Como to Domodossola to Wengen. The train travel time is shorter with the route through Lucerne and the timing is better for me with fewer train changes. Can I use my Transfer ticket to travel from Como to Wengen via Lucerne? Or am I restricted to a certain itinerary?

2. I plan to purchase the Combi Ticket in the U.S. prior to traveling, so I will have it in hand. If I get on the train in Como San Giovanni do I need to purchase a ticket from Como to Chiasso?

3. Where do I get my Swiss Transfer Ticket officially stamped for that day of travel? The Como San Giovanni station? On the train? or do I have to exit the train in Chiasso and go to a Swiss Rail Office to have it stamped? It would be more convenient to be able to get it stamped in Como on the train.

Hi travelHNL,

Indeed the combination of those passes is called the Swiss Transfer Ticket Combi (see here).

1. Both routes are covered by the Swiss Transfer Ticket. It's fine as long as the route is suggested by the timetable and the route is covered according to the map.

2. You need a ticket from Como to Chiasso which can be purchased locally. It costs a few Euro's only. The Swiss Transfer Ticket Combi is not offered by Rail Europe US yet, but you can get it from the SBB webshop: swissrailways.com/swis stransferticketcombi.

3. If you buy it through the above shop you don't need a stamp. Just fill out the blank fields before boarding the train. No need to exit the train in Chiasso.

Have a good trip!

Thank you very much for your assistance. It seems like it will work well. I have another question:

In the same scenario, Como to Wengen via Luzern, if I purchased only a month long Half Fare Card (rather than the Combi) prior to leaving the U.S., how would I use it from Como to Wengen?

-Could I purchase a full price ticket from Como to Chiasso and have the Como Train Station validate my Half Fare Card for the rest of the trip that day, Chiasso to Wengen, and pay the half fare at the Como Station ? Would the Como station validate my Half Fare Card to begin that day or would that take place on the train?

My goal is to board the train in Como and complete the trip to Wengen via Lucerne without having to get off at a train station to validate and to make sure that I am following the regulations of the pass.

Thanks again!

Hi travelHNL,

The discussed option will work for your goal: no need to get off the train in Chiasso, since you can validate the pass yourself. If you're in doubt about how to do it, just ask the train staff before you reach Chiasso.

A Swiss Half Fare Card + point to point tickets is more expensive, assuming that you also leave Switzerland by train. You can assume that rail stations outside of Switzerland can sell you full price point to point tickets, but not reduced tickets such as for the Swiss Half Fare Card. Nor can they validate Swiss rail passes, if that would be required at all.

Thank you again. Your assistance is much appreciated. It looks like the Combi is the best for us, so I will stay with the Combi and use it as you suggested and purchase from source you suggested.

The entire forum is very helpful!

Arno said:

Hi travelHNL,

The discussed option will work for your goal: no need to get off the train in Chiasso, since you can validate the pass yourself. If you're in doubt about how to do it, just ask the train staff before you reach Chiasso.

A Swiss Half Fare Card + point to point tickets is more expensive, assuming that you also leave Switzerland by train. You can assume that rail stations outside of Switzerland can sell you full price point to point tickets, but not reduced tickets such as for the Swiss Half Fare Card. Nor can they validate Swiss rail passes, if that would be required at all.

Arno said:

Hi travelHNL,

The discussed option will work for your goal: no need to get off the train in Chiasso, since you can validate the pass yourself. If you're in doubt about how to do it, just ask the train staff before you reach Chiasso.

A Swiss Half Fare Card + point to point tickets is more expensive, assuming that you also leave Switzerland by train. You can assume that rail stations outside of Switzerland can sell you full price point to point tickets, but not reduced tickets such as for the Swiss Half Fare Card. Nor can they validate Swiss rail passes, if that would be required at all.