Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Travel Pass is a transportation pass for visitors who live outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein. It provides unlimited travel on much of Switzerland's public transportation network, including trains, buses, boats, and local transportation in more than 90 towns and cities.
It also includes travel on several premium panoramic train routes, although required seat reservations and supplements are not included. Passholders receive free admission to more than 500 museums and discounts on many mountain railways, gondolas, and other excursions.
The standard Swiss Travel Pass covers 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 consecutive days. The Swiss Travel Pass Flex provides the same number of travel days, but lets you select them individually within one month.
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Traveling Momma Says...
Switzerland's trains make traveling with children wonderfully easy-but choosing the right ticket can feel anything but easy. The Swiss Travel Pass can remove much of that stress, especially if your family plans to move around often, ride boats, visit cities, and enjoy several of Switzerland's scenic train routes.
Traveling Momma Says...
Switzerland's trains make traveling with children wonderfully easy-but choosing the right ticket can feel anything but easy. The Swiss Travel Pass can remove much of that stress, especially if your family plans to move around often, ride boats, visit cities, and enjoy several of Switzerland's scenic train routes.
Pronunciation
How do you say "Swiss Travel Pass"?
[SWISS TRAV-uhl PASS]
/swɪs ˈtræv.əl pæs/
Quick Facts
Type: Nationwide public-transportation pass
Designed For: Visitors who live outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein
Available For: 3, 4, 6, 8, or 15 travel days
Transportation: Trains, buses, boats, and local public transportation
Museums: Free admission to more than 500 participating museums
Mountain Excursions: Some included completely; many others discounted
Children: Children under 16 may travel free with a parent under qualifying family rules
Classes: First class or second class
What It Is
The Swiss Travel Pass is intended to make traveling around Switzerland simpler. Instead of purchasing a separate ticket for each covered train, bus, boat, or city journey, passholders can generally board with the pass and show it during ticket inspection.
This can be particularly convenient for families taking several journeys across the country. A trip might include an intercity train from Zurich to Lucerne, a boat ride across Lake Lucerne, a local bus, and another train into the mountains-all without purchasing a separate standard ticket for each covered segment.
The pass is not the same as the similarly named SwissPass. SwissPass is the red card and customer account used primarily to hold Swiss transportation products. The Swiss Travel Pass is the tourist travel product described on this page.
★ Don't judge the Swiss Travel Pass by train fares alone. For a family, free child travel, city transportation, boat rides, museum admission, and the convenience of avoiding repeated ticket purchases may change the calculation considerably. ★
Common Questions
What is the Swiss Travel Pass?
It is a transportation pass for visitors from outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein that includes extensive travel by train, bus, boat, and local public transportation.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover every train in Switzerland?
It covers most regular public trains, but not every private or mountain service. Some mountain routes are discounted rather than included.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass include Jungfraujoch?
Not completely. Travel to Wengen or Grindelwald is covered, but the onward journey to Jungfraujoch currently receives a 25-percent discount with the Swiss Travel Pass.
Do children travel free with the Swiss Travel Pass?
Children under 6 generally travel free. A family's own children age 6 through 15 can also travel free with the complimentary Swiss Family Card when accompanied by a parent holding a qualifying pass.
Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it for families?
It can be, especially when several children qualify for free travel and the family plans frequent train, bus, boat, and museum visits. It is not always the cheapest option for families staying in one region.
What's the difference between the Swiss Travel Pass and the Swiss Travel Pass Flex?
The standard pass covers consecutive days. The Flex pass lets you select the same number of individual travel days within one month.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass include the Glacier Express?
The transportation portion is covered, but the mandatory seat reservation must generally be purchased separately.
Are mountain gondolas included?
Some mountain journeys are fully included, while many others receive a discount-often up to 50 percent. Check each route individually.
Does the pass include museums?
Yes. It currently includes free admission to more than 500 participating museums during valid travel days.
Do I need to reserve regular Swiss trains?
Usually not. Most regular Swiss trains do not require reservations, but premium panoramic trains and some heavily visited mountain journeys may require or recommend them.
Can I keep the Swiss Travel Pass on my phone?
The standard pass can be shown in the SBB Mobile app when purchased online while signed into an account. The Flex version currently cannot be integrated into the app, but its QR code can still be shown electronically.
Do I need my passport while using the pass?
Yes. The pass must be presented with the original passport or official identification document associated with it.
