Swiss Travel Pass + Half Fare Card Combi confusion

Dear Sir,

I was surprised and confused yesterday, 31 May 2015, when I arrived in Switzerland to validate my wife's and my 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi purchased in Singapore.

When I purchased the 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi in Singapore , I was told that the Pass and Half Fare card can be validated on 31 May 2015, but we need not start using the first day of the Swiss Travel Pass Flex on that day. However we can already start using the half fare card on 31 May 2015 and it will last for one month. This was our intention to start using the half fare card to travel to our friend's place on 31 May 2015 and only use the first day of the Swiss Travel Pass Flex on 2 Jun 2015.

To our surprise, the officer validating our 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi in Zurich Railway Centre told us that we can only start using the half fare card when we start the first day of the Swiss Travel Pass Flex. Therefore we cannot use the half fare card of our combi on 31 May 2015 if we only use the first day of the Swiss Travel Pass Flex on 2 Jun 2015. The officer said that we have to buy separate half fare card if we want to use half fare card for travel before the first day of our 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi. He also said that the half fare card will stop after the 3rd day use of our 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex, not 1 full month from the date of validation.

We ended up paying another CHF 120 for 2 additional half fare cards. The officer then canceled and took away the original half fare cards in our 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi.

I am upset by the difference in instructions on the use of the 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi given by Switzerland's Railway Centre in Zurich and the Singapore's Agency. The 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex + Half Fare Card Combi costs more than just the 3 Days Swiss Travel Pass Flex alone. I have already paid extra for the half fare card in the combi that I found only when arrived in Switzerland that I cannot use on 31 May 2015 and in addition I paid CHF 120 more for 2 separate half fare cards.

I would be grateful if you could help to clarify which instructions were correct. Thank you in advance.

Hello taycg,

I'm sorry to hear this came as a surprise to you. The Swiss officer was correct. It is also explained on our Swiss Travel Pass Flex page: myswissalps.com/swisst ravelpassflex/howtouse. To be honest with you, I don't like this rule either, but it's the way it is. Which agency told you otherwise?

Thank you very much for your kind clarification. I understand now that the Singapore agency gave incorrect instructions. I shall get back to them. Hopefully they admit the mistake and willing to give compensation.

The agency in Singapore is:

Rail Europe Fulfillment Centre101 Upper Cross Street#06-13 People's Park CentreLevel 6058357 SingaporeSINGAPOREPhone: +65 6438 6266

Would it help if I update their response later here as well?

Just to add the website of the agency:

www.raileurope.com.sg

Hi taycg,

Thanks for the information. I am familiar with Rail Europe Singapore, we even link to them from our website. They're normally pretty knowledgeable, so this must have been a mistake I assume. I checked their page at www.raileurope.com.sg/ pass/swiss-travel-pass-half-fare-card, but they don't explain the details about how to use the included half fare card there. How did they explain to you that you could use the discounts even before the first free travel day? Did you personally talk to them?

It would be great if you could post their response here. Let me know if there's anything else I can do.

Hi Arno,

I was exactly searching through their websites to find out the details, but as you have pointed out they don't explain the details.

Therefore I visited their office personally on 25 May 2015 for the passes and asked if I could start using the half fare on 31 May 2015 when I only wanted to start the first free travel day on a later date. The lady serving me confirmed that its possible and said that I only need to make sure that the passes are validated on 31 May 2015 to start using the half fare, then only fill in the date of the first free travel day when I decided later. I asked and she also confirmed that the half fare card would last for one month from the validation date regardless of whether I have used the last free travel day. Unfortunately I did not get her name. There were 3 ladies in the office when I visited them. Today is public holiday in Singapore, so I can only expect to hear from them tomorrow. I have paid about SGD 155 more to buy the Combi which in the end the half fare cards are of no use to me, as I need to purchase in addition 2 separate half fare cards..

I shall keep you updated on their response as soon as I hear from them.

Thank you again for your kind offer to help.

Hi Arno,

Rail Europe Singapore responded by email, but they did not mention anything about compensation or refund of the difference between the flex pass combi and the flex pass alone. I have replied to them and requested for compensation or refund since they gave wrong information. Hope they would agree.

On 4 Jun, 2015 4:45 am, "Contact us - Singapore B2C" <contact-us@raileurope.com.sg> wrote:

Dear Mr Tay,

Greeting from Rail Europe Singapore.We have clarified with Swiss Railways after receiving your email regarding the usage of the Swiss Travel Pass + Half Fare Card Combi and realised that the information we had was incorrect thus ending up relating the wrong information to you.

The usage of the Swiss Travel Pass + Half Fare Card Combi should be as per what the stationmaster at Zurich main train station had advised.

Please accept our sincere apologies for the inconvenience you have experienced.

Best Regards

Nam Ling

Rail Europe Singapore

Tel: 65 6438 6266

Thanks for letting us know. Good to hear that they also see where this went wrong. I hope they will compensate the difference. It would be fair.

Hi Arno!

I am also confused about the Swiss Pass Flex Combi offer. Reading the posts by Mr. Tay have clarified my doubts to an extent, I guess. However, I would like to verify on one. If Mr. Tay had bought a 3-day Swiss Pass Flex and an additional Swiss Half Fare Card, would it have served his purpose?

Thanks for your advice!

Regards.

Hi mistybaby,

Yes, in that case you'd have two separate passes, instead of the combi. The separate Swiss Half Fare Card is valid for one month. With two separate passes you can choose which one you use on a daily basis.

@taycg: were you able to sort this out with them?

Hi Arno,

Sorry for the late reply.

I just returned home and following up with the local agent for compensation. I shall update you later on the outcome.