New cheap Swiss day ticket, even without Half Fare Card

[radamfi]

There have long been cheap day tickets for unlimited travel on all Swiss transport, but they were only available for Half Fare Card holders, making it prohibitively expensive for people visiting one or two days a year. There was the "Happy Birthday" ticket for a while, but that no longer exists.

But there is now the "Saver Day Pass".

https://www.sbb.ch/en/travelcards-a...tzerland/1-day-travelpass/saver-day-pass.html

This is available for those without a Half Fare Card. Those with a Half Fare Card get a discount, although not 50%. The price varies by day, but is advertised as "from 52 CHF".

 

[Polarbear]

If you can get it for CHF 52, it's a real bargain. The fact that it's valid on pretty much anything over there just leaves one spoilt for choice.

 

[radamfi]

If you can get it for CHF 52, it's a real bargain. The fact that it's valid on pretty much anything over there just leaves one spoilt for choice.

Just searching now, it looks like it is CHF 106 tomorrow, but for 13-15 November it is CHF 52.

 

[Gordon]

To confirm and clarify

CHF 52 is just under what the 2nd class day pass was in recent years for half fare card holders.

I have a half fare card and obtained one of these for each of the two days I spent freight photting in mid-October. I bought on line and printed them at home, and they caused no issues with on train grippers.

A couple of points:

As a long-time 1/2 fare card holder I am used to getting a what I consider a good deal on the traditional day pass, and even without this new deal would still buy the 1/2 fare card day pass for bashing trips.

But obviously this is an even better deal than usual. Stupidly I forgot about this new deal until it was rather late in the day, so didn't get the dirt cheap price. However, booking only 4 - 5 days ahead I still got a significant discount on what the normal day pass would be, thus saving at least £30 on each ticket.

 

[dutchflyer]

But then compare that to the per day price of a Swisstourist pass, which gives about the same privileges (plus also free access to many museums) and the difference is not that big anymore.

 

[radamfi]

But then compare that to the per day price of a Swisstourist pass, which gives about the same privileges (plus also free access to many museums) and the difference is not that big anymore.

The 3 day Swiss Pass is 216 CHF, not too bad if you are actually there for three days, but not much use for a one day trip. Even for three days, 3 x 52 = 156 CHF, so there is a significant saving if you can get the cheapest day tickets and don't care about going to museums.

 

[rg177]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but it's probably better than opening a new one just for this question-

Is this definitely valid on ALL rail services? The map SBB give you to refer to has all sorts of dashes all over it indicating half price only. Although some say that such dashes are to indicate tunnels. Otherwise it would be that you can't physically get out of Basel heading towards Zurich! Also a 9am restriction of some sort was mentioned on the map. Is there definitely no time restriction?

Cheers in advance.

 

[30907]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but it's probably better than opening a new one just for this question-

Is this definitely valid on ALL rail services? The map SBB give you to refer to has all sorts of dashes all over it indicating half price only. Although some say that such dashes are to indicate tunnels. Otherwise it would be that you can't physically get out of Basel heading towards Zurich! Also a 9am restriction of some sort was mentioned on the map. Is there definitely no time restriction?

Cheers in advance.

The downloadable map shows Half Price routes by dots, not dashes (which as you say, show tunnels). To me the distinction on the map is clear enough.
The only reference to after 9am in the T&Cs is to a first class upgrade, and on the map legend to a 9am Day Ticket, neither of which is relevant.

Basically, you can travel free and at any time on a day pass, or at normal per km fares, to any community in Switzerland, while half fare applies to purely tourist routes up mountains (and a couple of lake steamer routes). So (to take a couple of well known ones) the lines to Wengen and Muerren are free but Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn aren't.

 

[rg177]

The downloadable map shows Half Price routes by dots, not dashes (which as you say, show tunnels). To me the distinction on the map is clear enough.
The only reference to after 9am in the T&Cs is to a first class upgrade, and on the map legend to a 9am Day Ticket, neither of which is relevant.

Basically, you can travel free and at any time on a day pass, or at normal per km fares, to any community in Switzerland, while half fare applies to purely tourist routes up mountains (and a couple of lake steamer routes). So (to take a couple of well known ones) the lines to Wengen and Muerren are free but Jungfraujoch and Schilthorn aren't.

Ah I see the difference now! I am functioning on not much sleep having been on the 7am flight from Stansted so everything is a bit of a bleary mess Thanks for clarifying.

 

[Gordon]

Sorry to dig up an old thread but it's probably better than opening a new one just for this question-

Is this definitely valid on ALL rail services? The map SBB give you to refer to has all sorts of dashes all over it indicating half price only. Although some say that such dashes are to indicate tunnels. Otherwise it would be that you can't physically get out of Basel heading towards Zurich! Also a 9am restriction of some sort was mentioned on the map. Is there definitely no time restriction?

Cheers in advance.

Are you travelling on a Swiss Pass?

If so all main lines are free with no morning time restriction.

Mountain railways are usually not free (especially the 'steep' / popular ones!) but with notable exceptions.

When I was younger I would only ever travel on a Swiss Pass on the free routes as I couldn't afford the fare or be bothered to buy additional tickets for the non free mountain lines

 

[rg177]

Are you travelling on a Swiss Pass?

If so all main lines are free with no morning time restriction.

Mountain railways are usually not free (especially the 'steep' / popular ones!) but with notable exceptions.

When I was younger I would only ever travel on a Swiss Pass on the free routes as I couldn't afford the fare or be bothered to buy additional tickets for the non free mountain lines

Nah, on an SBB Saver Pass.

I can see one interesting looking line where you change at Arth-Goldau and somewhere else to get to the shores of Lake Lucerne and that seems like a solid line on the map.

Anyways, currently enjoying the Swiss version of rush hour which means sitting in a lounge next to the restaurant car with wafts of coffee

 

[alex17595]

I can see one interesting looking line where you change at Arth-Goldau and somewhere else to get to the shores of Lake Lucerne and that seems like a solid line on the map.

Are you referring to the Rigi bahn to Vitznau? I went this way on my last Swiss Pass and continued on the ferry to Lucerne. A very enjoyable trip which costs nothing extra. Where as I took the Jungfrau Bahn it was 99CHF! Even with the discount.

 

[rg177]

Are you referring to the Rigi bahn to Vitznau? I went this way on my last Swiss Pass and continued on the ferry to Lucerne. A very enjoyable trip which costs nothing extra. Where as I took the Jungfrau Bahn it was 99CHF! Even with the discount.

That's the one I meant, yeah. Didn't go for it in the end but I've seen a pile of wonderful scenery (Even on the local Geneva to Coppet service you get some nice views of the lake)

 

[AY1975]

Are you referring to the Rigi bahn to Vitznau? I went this way on my last Swiss Pass and continued on the ferry to Lucerne. A very enjoyable trip which costs nothing extra. Where as I took the Jungfrau Bahn it was 99CHF! Even with the discount.

Does this mean a return trip to Jungfraujoch costs CHF 99 even if you have a Saver Day Pass? How far towards Jungfraujoch can you travel with a Saver Day Pass before you have to buy a separate ticket for the Jungfraubahn?

 

[alex17595]

Does this mean a return trip to Jungfraujoch costs CHF 99 even if you have a Saver Day Pass? How far towards Jungfraujoch can you travel with a Saver Day Pass before you have to buy a separate ticket for the Jungfraubahn?

I had a youth swiss pass. I took the train to Grindelwald where I brought a ticket to Lauterbrunnen, I broke my journey at Kleine scheidegg and brought a return to the Jungfraujoch.

I think there is a ticket that includes all of that in one. But I payed 99CHF for Kleine - Junfraujoch. It was discounted by 25% - I may still have the ticket somewhere.

 

[dutchflyer]

Some years ago the validity of the Swiss passes were extended and they now include several of those mountainlines (as referred to above) since then also, includes nearly all Swiss musea and all city-transportation-and the price went up too. Swiss passes have in general same validity as the national GA-with tageskarten. (=general abo, or an all-lines season that Ch apparently has the highest % of ots population holding such a thing-its far cheaper as the British equiv.)
INTERrail has a smaller validity-only trains, no buses, but this too was extended 2-3 years ago and now includes many railways as free where you had to pay 50% before (like AB, CJ, BDWM and more). IR-1country for CH is thus cheaper as Swiss pass.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Quick update on booking the Swiss Saver Day Pass.
I've booked some for July, and I was watching the prices at times as the booking window neared - they always seem to be CHF49 with the half-fare card.
However I got up early on the day they were released and at 0630, I secured four of them them at CHF39. Two hours later at 0830 UK time, the price was back to CHF49.
So the early bird got the worm, or "book early to avoid disappointment".