Ticket type: Public transport pass
Season: all year
Valid for max. 14 days
Included area: Ticino
Free

Must-knows about the Ticino Ticket

  • You’ll receive the free Ticino Ticket if you book a participating hotel, hostel or campsite spot for at least one night.
  • Some authorised private accommodations provide the ticket as well.
  • It offers free travel by train, most buses and some boats.
  • Cableways, various attractions, and the remaining boats are discounted.
  • Swiss Travel Pass discounts are mostly higher: take advantage of them if you have that pass too.

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What’s included in the Ticino Ticket?

  • Unlimited travel by trains, almost all buses, and some boats for the duration of your stay.
  • Discounts of 20-30% on cableways, funiculars, and day cards for the remaining boats.
  • Discounts of 20-30% on pools, wellness, museums, and various other activities.
  • Free entrance to some museums.

➤ Price of the Ticino Ticket and how to get it

The Ticino Ticket is free if you book accommodation in the canton of Ticino for at least one night.

The ticket is provided by hotels, hostels, and campsites. The Ticino Ticket is not offered by most holiday homes, apartments, farmhouses, mountain huts, Airbnb’s, and most bed and breakfasts. There are a few exceptions.

Contact the accommodation with your booking reference to double-check you’ll receive the Ticino Ticket. If you’re still in doubt: make sure your booking can be canceled. 

Scenic train rides with the Ticino Ticket

Scenic trainDiscount
Centovalli Railway guide & pricesFree:
  • Locarno to Camedo (train)
More information:

Camedo to Domodossola: no discount. Seat reservations: no discount.

Gotthard Panorama Express guide & pricesFree:
  • Airolo to Lugano (train)
More information:

Arth-Goldau to Airolo (train): no discount. Lucerne to Flüelen (boat): no discount. Seat reservations: no discount.

Mountain trips with the Ticino Ticket

MountainDiscount
Cardada-Cimetta guide & pricesDiscount 20%:
  • Orselina to Cimetta (cableway)
More information:

Locarno to Orselina (funicular): 20% discount.

Monte Brè guide & pricesDiscount 30%:
  • Cassarate to Monte Brè (funicular)
Monte Generoso guide & pricesDiscount 30%:
  • Capolago-Riva S. Vitale to Generoso Vetta (train)
Monte San Salvatore guide & pricesDiscount 20%:
  • Paradiso to Monte San Salvatore (funicular)
Monte Tamaro guide & pricesDiscount 20%:
  • Rivera-Bironico to Alpe Foppa (cableway)

Other things to do with the Ticino Ticket

ActivityDiscount
Boat Lake Lugano guide & pricesDiscount 20%:
  • Only for the daily card for the Swiss parts of Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore
Boat Lake Maggiore guide & pricesDiscount 20%:
  • Only for the daily card for the Swiss parts of Lake Lugano and Lake Maggiore
More information:

Locarno – Tenero – Magadino route: free.

Castles of Bellinzona guide & pricesDiscount 30%:
  • Entrance fee
More information:

Mini train: no discount.

Swissminiatur guide & pricesDiscount 20%:
  • Entrance fee

Other much-traveled routes with the Ticino Ticket

RouteDiscount
Italy to Switzerland guide & pricesNo discount:
  • Italian leg of the route
More information:
  • Swiss leg of the route: free
  • Example border train stations: Camedo, Cantello Gaggiolo, Chiasso

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➤ Ticino Ticket coverage map

Ticino Ticket map 2026

Basic Ticino Ticket validity rules

The map shows where you can travel for free. The basic rules are:

  • Trains and buses are free.
  • The boats on the Locarno – Tenero – Magadino route are free (Lake Maggiore).
  • A 20% discount applies to day passes for the Swiss parts of Lake Maggiore and Lake Lugano.
  • A 50% discount applies to bus route 62.110: Airolo – San Gottardo (Gotthard Pass).
  • A 50% discount applies to bus route 62.111: Airolo – Passo della Novena (Nufenen Pass).

How the map works

  • Solid dark green lines are free bus, boat, and train routes.
  • Solid light green lines are discounted bus routes.
  • Gray dashed lines are excluded routes.
  • Other discounts are not displayed on the map, but listed in the rest of the document.

How does the Ticino Ticket work?

The Ticino Ticket app allows you to have the ticket on your phone. You can hop on and off trains, buses, and boats on the free routes. Just show your app on request. To get a discount on an activity or transportation, show the app at the ticket desk.

How to start using your Ticino Ticket

You need to activate your ticket before you use it. First, download the app through https://www.ticino.ch and log in with an existing or new account. Then follow the instructions. You’ll need a code, provided upon checking in at your accommodation, to complete your registration and start using the digital Ticino Ticket.

All guests from 6 years old will receive their own code and must have their own Ticino Ticket. Children up to 5 years old do not need a Ticino Ticket: they travel for free in Switzerland anyway.

Period of validity

The Ticino Ticket is valid from arrival at your accommodation until the departure day. The maximum validity period is 14 consecutive days. If your stay lasts longer than that, a new Ticino Ticket must be issued. Contact your accommodation owner or host in that case.

Seat reservations

You don’t need seat reservations for 99% of all trains, buses, and boats in the Ticino. You can simply board with your Ticino Ticket.

Some panoramic trains like the Gotthard Panorama Express are an exception. If you choose to travel on such a train, you will have to arrange for seat reservations separately. Seat reservations are not included in the Ticino Ticket.

What to present on board the train, bus, or boat

Once you’re on board, you will need to present your Ticino Ticket app to ticket controllers upon request. The controller may want to check your passport as well, to make sure you’re the owner of the presented ticket.

Additional tickets

There are two types of trips:

  1. Trips on routes that allow free traveling. You can just board any train, bus, boat, et cetera on such routes. You do not need anything else besides your Ticino Ticket.
  2. Trips on routes that allow discounted traveling. This mostly applies to boats and transportation into the mountains. You need to arrange for a discounted ticket. You can do so at the ticket office. Present your Ticino Ticket app to make sure you’ll get the discount. Tickets are available online too, but the Ticino Ticket discount may not always be offered there.

Ticino Ticket FAQ

  1. Is the Ticino Ticket always my best option because it is free?

    The Ticino Ticket is a good option in many cases, but there are exceptions.

    If you stay in the Ticino for a few days only, and you’ll also explore other areas of Switzerland, a Swiss Travel Pass might be a good choice for the entire trip. Within the Ticino area, it offers better value for boats and mountain transport than the Ticino Ticket.

    If you plan to travel by boat, cableways, and mountain railways extensively, you can consider buying an additional Swiss Half Fare Card to get discounts of 50% instead of the 20-30% offered by the Ticino Ticket.

  2. My accommodation does not provide a Ticino Ticket, can I buy it instead?

    No, the only way to get a Ticino Ticket is from your accommodation. It is not for sale.

  3. Can I travel 1st class?

    The Ticino Ticket is only offered for 2nd class, but you can buy upgrade tickets if you prefer to travel 1st class on a specific route.

  4. Does the Ticino Ticket offer anything else than travel?

    Yes, it offers a free or discounted entrance to museums and various activities. Please download the map for details.

  5. What if I can’t use the Ticino Ticket app?

    You can request a paper version at your accommodation.

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Arno
Page author: ArnoI have visited Switzerland countless times since 1997. I've explored most of the country, but find myself staying in the Bernese Oberland and Graubünden most frequently. The alps and the rail network remain very impressive, even after all these years.