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Ticket type: Public transport pass
Season:
all year
Valid for max. 31 days
Included area: Switzerland
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What discounts do I get with the Swiss Half Fare Card?
| Scenic train | Discount |
|---|---|
| Bernina Express guide & prices | Discount 50%:
Seat reservations: no discount. |
| Centovalli Railway guide & prices | Discount 50%:
Seat reservations: no discount. |
| Chocolate Train guide & prices | Discount 25%:
|
| Glacier Express guide & prices | Discount 50%:
Seat reservations: no discount. |
| GoldenPass guide & prices | Discount 50%:
Seat reservations and surcharge for Prestige class in GoldenPass Express: no discount. |
| Gotthard Panorama Express guide & prices | Discount 50%:
Seat reservations: no discount. |
| Lötschberg Mountain Railway guide & prices | Discount 50%:
Seat reservations: no discount. |
| Voralpen-Express guide & prices | Discount 50%:
|
Go here to see which mountains, boats, and other train lines are discounted, and to download the validity map:
How does the Swiss Half Fare Card work?
With a Swiss Half Fare Card, you are entitled to buy tickets at half the regular fare. You don’t need proof that you’ll own a valid Swiss Half Fare Card when you buy the ticket. This will be checked on board.
How to start using your digital Swiss Half Fare Card
- You will receive a PDF file. Keep that on your smartphone. The file contains a code that train staff can scan.
- There is no need for an e-wallet. Keep the PDF file on your phone like any other downloaded PDF. If you do prefer an e-wallet, you should use one that supports PDF files. Apple Wallet and some others do not support PDF files.
- The card is ready to use if it includes all information like the start date, passenger name, and birth date. Your passport number is not on the card. Your name may be truncated if it’s too long to fit on the pass, but that’s no problem.
- Optionally, you can print backup copies of the card on A4- or letter-sized paper.
- You don’t have to link your pass to any account, such as a SwissPass account or the Swiss timetable app. In most cases, this isn’t even possible. Nor does it have any benefits.
Period of validity
A Swiss Half Fare Card is valid for one month. You can choose any start date you like. It doesn’t have to be the first day of a month. For example: you can start the validity period on July 15. In this case, August 14 is the last day you can use it.
Validity ends at 5:00 AM of the day following the last day. In the above example, validity ends on August 15, 5:00 AM.
One Swiss Half Fare Card for each traveler aged 16 and older
Every adult traveling on a discounted ticket must have his or her own Swiss Half Fare Card. The Swiss Half Fare Card can’t be shared.
When, where and how to get your discounted tickets
When to buy your tickets
You need to arrange for a discounted ticket before your journey starts. Depending on the type of ticket you buy, you can do so from 3 or even 6 months ahead, to minutes before you board.
Where to buy your tickets
Discounted tickets are available online.
Alternatively, you can buy tickets in Switzerland. You can do so at staffed Swiss rail stations during opening hours. It can get busy, especially at larger stations and around rush hours.
Ticketing machines are available at many locations too: at stations, at tram stops, in some buses, et cetera. There are machines not only of the Swiss Federal Railways SBB, but of local and regional transport companies too. Each machine works differently.
How to get 50% discount when buying tickets online or through ticketing machines
You don’t need to already have your Swiss Half Fare Card when buying tickets. Nor do you need proof you’ll be traveling with a valid Swiss Half Fare Card. This will all be checked on board while you’re traveling
You don’t have to enter a pass number either, nor do you have to add a pass to an account. Some online vendors offer this, but that’s meant for other products (like the Half Fare Travelcard held by Swiss residents).
Online vendors and ticketing machines describe the 50% discount you’re entitled to each in their own way. Examples:
- In some cases, the 50% discounted fare is presented by default. You don’t have to select or change anything in that case.
- Others allow you to add the Swiss Half Fare Card as a discount card to your traveler details. You’ll see correct ticket prices once you’ve selected that.
- Many vendors allow you to select a discount card that’s not exactly the Swiss Half Fare Card, but a similar product offering similar discounts. This is mostly the variant for Swiss residents, which you may see described as “Half Fare Travelcard”, “Half-Fare Travelcard”, or “Half Fare Card”. In German, this called “Halbtax”. And in French, you might see “Demi-Tarif”.
- Some vendors just show a list with multiple fares, including a 50% discounted one, without mentioning rail passes or discount cards.
- In a few rare cases, there may not be an option to buy discounted tickets at all. Get your tickets somewhere else in that case.
How to get 50% discount when buying tickets from manned Swiss desks
If you purchase your tickets from a manned desk in Switzerland, just show your Swiss Half Fare Card.
Seat reservations for Swiss Half Fare Card holders
You don’t need seat reservations for 99% of all trains and buses in Switzerland. You can board with your Swiss Half Fare Card plus a discounted ticket.
Exceptions are some international trains and some scenic trains, like the Glacier Express and Bernina Express. If you need or want seat reservations, you have to arrange for them separately. Seat reservations are not included in the Swiss Half Fare Card.
On board the train, bus, or boat
Once you’re on board, you will need to present your Swiss Half Fare Card plus your discounted ticket to the staff upon request. The controller may want to check your passport as well, to make sure you’re the owner of the presented card.
Why I usually don’t buy a Swiss Half Fare Card
The main Swiss Half Fare Card pro
Before I get to the disadvantages: the main pro of the Swiss Half Fare Card is that it nearly always pays off. If your full-price tickets would cost more than CHF 300, the Swiss Half Fare Card will already save money. That amount is quickly reached. For example: a 2nd class ticket Zurich-Bern costs about CHF 50. A return trip to Schilthorn costs more than CHF 100.
Also, the card provides discounts on the Jungfrau Travel Pass and Berner Oberland Pass. So combining the Swiss Half Fare Card with one of these passes can be worth it.
That doesn’t mean the Swiss Half Fare Card is always the cheapest option. If you travel across several regions, the Swiss Travel Pass is usually better. And if you explore only one region, just a regional pass may be best.
The main disadvantages: more planning, less flexibility
Annika and I pick the Swiss Half Fare Card for about 10% of our Swiss holidays. Since we travel by public transport a lot, the Swiss Travel Pass is often better for us.
Why I’m not the biggest fan: with a Swiss Half Fare Card, we have to spend more time on planning, both before and during our stay:
- About 3 months before departure, we check if we need additional Saver Day Passes. We buy those as early as we can, but it’s hard to predict which days we’ll travel most. The weather often changes our plans. That means we risk either buying too few Saver Day Passes (and paying more later) or too many.
- While in Switzerland, we map out our journey for the next day. We then get discounted tickets the evening or morning before departure. We always check if Supersaver tickets are available. Buying tickets isn’t hard, but it takes time, especially if you want to find the best deal.
We’re less flexible than with a Swiss Travel Pass. The discounted tickets are only valid on a specific date, and sometimes for a specific time or route. So we can’t easily adjust our plans at the last minute. At least: not without losing money on the ticket(s) we already bought and will not use, or only partially use.
What’s decisive for us
The extra hassle and less flexibility are worth it for us if the Swiss Half Fare Card is clearly the much cheaper option. If not, we like the Swiss Travel Pass a lot better because it’s easier to use.
Swiss Half Fare Card popularity among other tourists
The Swiss Half Fare Card is a popular option among many travelers, just like the Swiss Travel Pass. Please see the train pass buying statistics.
Swiss Half Fare Card frequently asked questions
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How do I know if the Swiss Half Fare Card is my best option?
The Swiss Half Fare Card is the right choice if you have planned just a few trips or relatively short trips. You’ll save money as the regular fare is more expensive. The Swiss Half Fare Card is also suitable for anyone who does not mind buying tickets for each trip.
Sometimes, it’s worth combining the Swiss Half Fare Card with regional rail passes or a Swiss Travel Pass Flex, to get discounts on routes or days that are not covered by your other pass.
For frequent and longer trips, and ticketless traveling, you’d better consider the Swiss Travel Pass.
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Do I need a SwissPass to use the Swiss Half Fare Card?
No, the Swiss Half Fare Card is for tourists, while the SwissPass is a completely different product for Swiss residents.
I advise keeping things simple: buy your Swiss Half Fare Card from any of the vendors listed on this page. They are geared toward tourists. The Swiss Half Fare Card is ready to use once the validity period starts. There is nothing else you need to do.
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Do I need to add my Swiss Half Fare Card to the Swiss railways app?
No, you don’t need to add your card to any app. You can buy discounted tickets at any time without proving you own a Swiss Half Fare Card. Only when conductors ask for your ticket, you will have to show both your ticket and your Swiss Half Fare Card.
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Is the Half Fare Travelcard the same as Swiss Half Fare Card?
No, the 1-month Swiss Half Fare Card is for tourists, while the Half Fare Travelcard is a similar product for Swiss residents. It’s valid for one year or longer.
I advise getting the Swiss Half Fare Card. The validity period is a better fit for most tourist trips. And it’s much easier to purchase.
Please find details about the Half Fare Travelcard here.
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What if I want a day of unlimited travel?
In that case, you can buy a Day Pass, which is a discounted day ticket for Swiss Half Fare Card holders. If you buy well in advance, the Saver Day Pass is usually cheaper than a Day Pass though. A Saver Day Pass too is discounted with a Swiss Half Fare Card.
If you have planned multiple longer trips, consider the Swiss Travel Pass instead.
Swiss Half Fare Card promotions
There are rarely promotions for the Swiss Half Fare Card. But if there are, we’ll list them here. Subscribe to the MySwissAlps newsletter to get a notification of new promotions.
There are currently no promotions available.
More about the Swiss Half Fare Card
Buy the Swiss Half Fare Card
Swiss Half Fare Card validity
- www.swissrailways.com: official SBB tourist webshop
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