Easy ways to handle your luggage in Swiss public transport 

How to travel with luggage in Switzerland’s trains

This is how to handle your luggage in Swiss trains:

• Put your luggage in the designated space over the seats, between the backrests, or at the end of the coach.
• Don’t occupy seats with your luggage, especially if it’s busy in the train.
• Keep an eye on your luggage at all times. Theft is not common but it does occur, mostly at larger crowded stations.

If you have more luggage than you can carry, or if you want to travel more comfortably, a luggage transport service might be useful.

Luggage storage at train stations in Switzerland

Lockers for short-term storage

All larger Swiss rail stations have lockers. You can access them nearly 24 hours a day. There are 2 types:

• The new grey lockers, which can be rented for a minimum of 6 and a maximum of 96 hours. Payment can be done by credit card, payment apps such as Apple Pay and Samsung Pay, and Swiss coins.
• The old blue lockers, which can be rented for a minimum of 24 and a maximum of 72 hours. Payment must be made with Swiss coins.

Locker sizes and prices range from:

• S (about 35 cm wide, 45 cm high and 55 cm deep) at CHF 5 for the first 6 hours, to
• XXL (about 52 cm wide, 94 cm high and 85 cm deep) at CHF 12 for the first 6 hours.

The SBB Travel Centre for long-term storage and large items

Larger Swiss rail stations offer luggage storage at the SBB Travel Centre. This is suitable if your luggage doesn’t fit in lockers, and/or if you want to store it for a period longer than 96 hours.

You can access your luggage during the opening hours of the concerning counters. This is typically between 7-8 am and 6-7 pm.

Costs are CHF 12 per item per day. Each item can weigh no more than 25 kg. Long-term serviced luggage storage is possible too. For example: 1-month storage costs CHF 120 per item.

Luggage transport services

There are various luggage services. Below is an overview of the options. Note that you need to present a valid train ticket or pass when handing in your luggage.

Traveling within Switzerland

You can ship luggage from train station to train station within Switzerland. This is available for many, but not all train stations. The price is CHF 12 per item, with a limit of 25 kg per item. In most cases you can hand in your luggage before 7 PM and collect it two days later from 9 or 10 AM. Timeframes may very per rail station. Ordering in advance is not required.

Other options:

• Station to door: shipping from a train station to any address in Switzerland or vice versa is possible as well. An additional fee applies. Ordering in advance is not required.
• Door to door: a luggage service from address to address within Switzerland, with an optional express service for same day delivery. This service needs to be booked two days in advance at the latest.
• There are also luggage services from Germany and Austria to Switzerland and vice versa.

Please see the SBB link at the bottom of this page for further details.

Luggage transport services for plane travelers

Please use the SBB link further down on this page to find details about luggage services from and to Zurich Airport and Geneva Airport (services for Geneva Airport are only available if you fly with the air company ‘Swiss’).

Transporting luggage on Postbuses and other buses

There’s room for your luggage in racks and in designated areas of Swiss buses. You can also place bags or smaller suitcases below your seats. In general, there’s less storage space than in trains. If you have more luggage than you can handle yourself, or than you can take along without taking up seats meant for other passengers, it’s better to use a luggage transport service.

If you need a bus ride to reach your hotel, check whether the hotel offers a pick-up service or transfer service for you and your luggage. This is the case for quite some hotels in cities, in larger towns and near airports.

Transporting luggage on Swiss boats

It’s no problem to bring along backpacks and suitcases on boats. You must be able to handle it yourself though. And it shouldn’t take up space meant for other passengers. That’s why we recommend carrying only relatively small and lightweight items on boats. Leave larger pieces in your accommodation or use one of the luggage transport services.

Please consult the boat companies’ websites for further details. You’ll find links at our boat pages.

Transporting luggage in cable cars and mountain trains

It’s very common to take along light luggage on board of Swiss cable cars, cogwheel trains and funiculars. Examples are backpacks for a day trip, additional hiking gear, skis and snowboards. If you have larger pieces of luggage, such as suitcases, please check the options in advance. Links to many transport companies can be found on our mountain pages.

How to transport your bike

Transport your bike in Swiss trains

You can take your bike in most trains. Exceptions:

• In some trains it’s not possible.
• Some trains require a reservation. This goes for specific IC (InterCity) trains if you’re traveling between March 21 and October 21 for example.

If there are such limitations, the timetable will show them for your route with these symbols:

• A bike between the brackets ( ) indicates that limited bike storage is available.
• A bike crossed by a dash means you can’t take along your bike at all.
• A bike in a rectangular indicates you need to make reservations.

As for pricing:

• You need to buy a bike point-to-point ticket or a bike day pass.
• Some types of bikes can be transported for free as hand luggage. Examples are packed folding bikes and bikes for children under 6 years old.

Transport your bike on Swiss buses

You can transport your bicycle on Swiss buses, but there are limitations. These are the rules:

• You must be able to load and unload the luggage yourself.
• Bikes are allowed on buses in the luggage area, but only if there’s enough space. Wheelchairs and buggies have priority. If there’s no space, you’ll have to wait for the next bus.
• Postbuses operate with bike trailers and bike racks, but only in tourist areas and only from May to October. The capacity varies from 5 to 20 bikes per bus.
• In some cases, you need to make a reservation. This is indicated in the Swiss timetable by a bicycle icon in a rectangle.
• In some buses, bikes can’t be transported at all. This is indicated in the Swiss timetable by a bicycle icon crossed by a dash.

Getting your bicycle on other modes of transport

You can mostly bring along your bike on boats and mountain rides. The capacity, rules and prices differ per transport company. Please check the options in advance. You’ll find links to many companies through our activity pages.

Luggage options for travelers arriving or departing by plane

Please use the SBB link here to find details about luggage services from and to Zurich Airport and Geneva Airport (services for Geneva Airport are only available if you fly with the air company ‘Swiss’).