[Removed user]

29 October 2019 at 2:17:55 #824325

Hi there! I need help on the Swiss Half Fare Card that I’ve just bought online:

1) I’m travelling from Paris to Switzerland (Basel first). Does the Swiss Half Fare Card discount apply to this? I tried buying train ticket for this online but there is no where in any of the train websites that allow me to key in or prove that I’ve a Swiss Half Fare Card for discount. Even on the SBB website/mobile app I tried to add a swisspass card but it requires the 10 digit customer number, however I do not have this number on my half fare ticket.

2) Does that mean I cannot book / reserve any of the train ticket online first because I can only buy the ticket when I am physically in Switzerland to show them I’ve the half fare card?

3) Will the trains be full if you can online buy the train tic when you’re in Switzerland?

Effortlessly learn from the questions and answers in the forum. Receive a daily e-mail with new discussions. Sign up

[rockoyster]

29 October 2019 at 3:05:52 #924342

Hello stylomilo and welcome to MySwissAlps,

1. The Swiss Half-Fare Card is only valid within Swiss borders. See http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/validi ty.

For travel from France see http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/france.

The SBB mobile app is the best way to buy tickets so you are on the right track there. Just set your passenger details to indicate you have a half-fare card.

When you are on the train show the inspector your electronic ticket on the app and your Swiss Half-fare Card to prove you are eligible to travel for half-fare.

There is no check made at ticket purchase time to ensure you actually already own a Swiss Half- Fare Card. See http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/howtou se.

2. In Switzerland you don’t “book/reserve” seats on trains. You just buy your ticket any time before boarding, then get on the train and find a seat.
See
http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/reservations
http://www.myswissalps.com/tr ain/practical/howtotra vel

Trains are rarely full except at peak business hours. You’ll be fine.

[Removed user]

30 October 2019 at 0:05:39 #924343

The Swiss half fare card, as its name implies, is only valid in Switzerland, not in France. To get to Basel just buy a French TGV ticket for Paris – Basel on line.

Once in Switzerland, the half fare card can be used to buy tickets from ticket machines or ticket offices up to a few minutes before you travel.

Please stop worrying about advanced booking – this is not really required for main line trains in Switzerland. On most main lines there is a train at least once every hour, on many lines it is more frequent than that.

[Removed user]

30 October 2019 at 7:22:48 #924344

Hi stylomilo24,

you can buy your Paris-Basel ticket online via any of these resellers: http://www.myswissalps.com/tr aintickets/france/pric e. On this route you cannot use your Swiss Half Fare Card, as it is only valid in Switzerland: http://www.myswissalps.com/sw isshalffarecard/validi ty.

In the timetable (use the advanced one at http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable) you can see also the occupancy rate; if it is 3 red people, it means very high occupancy expected. In this case, you can wait for an other train. There is no need to reserve your seats on Swiss trains. 🙂