By Gemma Tedaldi | Published: 25th March 2025 | Updated: 26th March 2025
Planning a trip to Switzerland but unsure whether to get the Swiss Travel Pass? Having lived in Switzerland for a few years now, we know a few tips and tricks to help you make the most of your time and money and plan a great trip to the country, with and without the Swiss Travel Pass. So below we will set out all the benefits, discounts and alternative travel passes to help you decide if it is right pass for you.
Planning Your Trip? Use our favourite travel resources below:
Accommodation: We recommend Booking.com
Rental Car: We recommend Rentalcars.com
Flights: We recommend Kiwi.com
Tours: We recommend Get Your Guide & Viator
Currency Conversion: We recommend Wise
Travel Insurance: World Nomads
What is the Swiss Travel Pass?
The Swiss Travel Pass is a ticket that gives you unlimited travel across Switzerland by train, boat and bus, as well as some mountain railways / cable cars, during either 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 consecutive days.
Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it?
Lots of tourists and tour providers in Switzerland rave about getting the Swiss Travel Pass, and don’t get us wrong, it is a great option for some, but depending on where you plan on visiting, how long you plan on visiting and what excursions you want to do then there may be better options out there.
The Swiss Travel Pass is worth it when:
📍 You want to be flexible with your itinerary, and be able to hop on public transport as and when you fancy, without having to worry about getting multiple tickets.
📍 You plan on doing the Glacier Express or Bernina Express, as well as one other panoramic train, (Lucerne Interlaken Express, Gotthard Express or Golden Pass Express).
📍 You plan on visiting multiple locations across the country, so plan to be moving every couple of days.
The Swiss Travel Pass is not worth it when:
📍 You are only in Switzerland for a short amount of time.
📍 You are only visiting a couple of cities or staying in one region of the country, (there are dedicated regional tickets for this instead).
📍 You plan on doing lots of mountain excursions, (only a few are included in the Swiss Travel Pass, more on the specific ones below).
Swiss Travel Pass Benefits & Discounts
What does the Swiss Travel Pass include?
The Swiss Travel Pass includes unlimited access to most of Switzerland’s public transport, (certain cable cars / mountain railways aren’t included as they aren’t owned by the Swiss Railway), including trains, boats, buses and trams throughout the country. You also get:
📍 Free mountain excursions to Klewenalp, Mount Rigi, Stanserhorn and Stoos.
📍 Free entrance to 500 museums across Switzerland.
📍 A free Swiss Family Card, where children up to 16 who are travelling with one parent can travel for free.
What does the Swiss Travel Pass not include?
Some mountain excursions and certain ferry crossings aren’t included at all with the Swiss Travel Pass as they are run by companies not connected to the SBB Swiss public transport network these include ferries on Walensee and Fürenalp Bahn for example, which are a little off the main tourist trail but still worth a visit to if you have the time.
You do however get some trips partially covered, the most popular of these include:
📍 50% discount on Grindelwald-First cable car.
📍 50% discount on Gornergrat railway, Rothorn railway / cable car and Matterhorn Glacier Paradise gondolas.
📍 50% discount on Oeschinensee cable car from Kandersteg.
📍 50% discount on Mount Pilatus cable car and/or cogwheel train.
📍 50% discount on Mount Titlis gondolas.
📍 50% discount on Schynige Platte funicular railway.
📍 25% discount on trip to Jungfraujoch.
How much does the Swiss Travel Pass cost?
The price of the Swiss Travel Pass can vary greatly depending on how many days you want to be covered and if you want a first class or second class ticket. The prices start at the following:
Swiss Travel Pass 1st Class
🎫 3 days: CHF 389 / £354 / USD 443
🎫 4 days: CHF 469 / £427 / USD 533
🎫 6 days: CHF 602 / £548 / USD 685
🎫 8 days: CHF 665 / £605 / USD 756
🎫 15 days: CHF 723 / £658 / USD 822
Swiss Travel Pass 2nd Class
🎫 3 days: CHF 244 / £222 / USD 278
🎫 4 days: CHF 295 / £269 / USD 336
🎫 6 days: CHF 379 / £345 / USD 431
🎫 8 days: CHF 419 / £381 / USD 477
🎫 15 days: CHF 459 / £418 / USD 522
Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex
Another option you have instead of a Swiss Travel Pass is the Swiss Travel Pass Flex, which gives you exactly the same benefits and discounts, but allows to you travel on non-consecutive days through one month. This means you can travel a bit more freely rather than having to stick to consecutive days travel, but it is a little more expensive.
Swiss Travel Pass Flex 1st Class
🎫 3 days: CHF 445 / £405 / USD 506
🎫 4 days: CHF 539 / £491 / USD 613
🎫 6 days: CHF 644 / £586 / USD 732
🎫 8 days: CHF 697 / £634 / USD 793
🎫 15 days: CHF 755 / £687 / USD 858
Swiss Travel Pass Flex 2nd Class
🎫 3 days: CHF 279 / £254 / USD 318
🎫 4 days: CHF 339 / £309 / USD 386
🎫 6 days: CHF 405 / £369 / USD 461
🎫 8 days: CHF 439 / £400 / USD 499
🎫 15 days: CHF 479 / £436 / USD 545
Where to buy the Swiss Travel Pass?
We would highly recommend purchasing your Swiss Travel Pass online and in advance of your trip to Switzerland so that once you arrive in the country you already have your transport sorted.
You can get it from the SBB Website, or from the Switzerland Travel Centre, (who are the official ticket and excursion providers in Switzerland for Visit Switzerland as well as the SBB). We would highly recommend booking through Switzerland Travel Centre as we have a 5% discount code – AFFTEDALDI that you can use, helping save a bit of money for your trip!
You can buy the regular Swiss Travel Pass here and the Swiss Travel Pass Flex here.
Swiss Travel Pass Alternatives
As well as the Swiss Travel Pass there are also a few other options of travel passes that you can use in various locations across Switzerland.
Swiss Half Fare Card
The Swiss Half Fare Card is a great option if you plan to travel around Switzerland a lot, and on a few mountain excursions too. It entitles you to a 50% discount on all journeys by train, bus and boat, including panoramic routes, most gondolas and mountain railways too.
Validity: 1 month
Price: CHF 120 / £110 / USD 137
Buy here: Swiss Half Fare Card
Regional Passes
If you are planning on staying within a certain region in Switzerland rather than travelling around, then a regional pass may be better suited to you:
Tell Pass – Lucerne region
Discounts: Unlimited travel by train, bus and boat as well as certain mountain railways. Fully included mountain trips include the following, but there are many more covered too:
📍 Brienzer Rothorn 📍 Brunni
📍 Burgenstock 📍 Klewenalp
📍 Mount Pilatus 📍 Mount Rigi
📍 Mount Titlis 📍 Stanserhorn
📍 Stoos 📍 Zugerberg
Validity: From 2 days up to 10 days.
Price: From CHF 120 per adult for 2 days, (no class choice).
Buy here: Lucerne Tell Pass.
Berner Oberland Pass – Bernese Oberland Region
Discounts: Unlimited travel by train, bus and boat, as well as more than 25 mountain railways across the Bernese Oberland. Fully covered mountains include:
📍 Brienzer Rothorn 📍 Niederhorn
📍 Niesen 📍 Mannlichen
📍 Oeschinensee 📍 Schilthorn
50% discounts at:
📍 Grindelwald First 📍 Harder Kulm
📍 Jungfraujoch 📍 Schynige Platte
Validity: From 3 days up to 10 days.
Price: From CHF 240 per adult for 3 days in 2nd Class, and with a further discount for holders of the Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex or Swiss Half Fare Card.
Buy here:Berner Oberland Pass.
Jungfrau Travel Pass – Jungfrau region
Discounts: Unlimited travel by train, mountain railways and cable cars, buses and boats, as well as a discounted journey to Jungfraujoch. Fully covered mountain trips include:
📍 Grindelwald First 📍 Harder Kulm
📍 Kleine Scheidegg 📍 Mannlichen
📍 Schynige Platte
Validity: From 3 days up to 8 days.
Price: From CHF 210 per adult for 3 days, (no class choice), and with a further discount for holders of the Swiss Travel Pass, Swiss Travel Pass Flex or Swiss Half Fare Card.
Buy here: Jungfrau Travel Pass.
Zermatt Peak Pass
Discounts: Unlimited travel on the following routes:
📍 Matterhorn Gotthard Bahn between Randa, Täsch and Zermatt
📍 Zermatt – Matterhorn Glacier Paradise
📍 Zermatt – Rothorn 📍 Zermatt – Gornergrat
📍 Furi – Riffelberg
Validity: From 1 day up to 21 days
Price: From CHF 180 – 1 day adult Peak Pass, from CHF 90 – 1 day child Peak Pass and from CHF 135 – 1 day Swiss Pass holders Peak Pass.
Buy here: Zermatt Peak Pass
Saver Day Pass
Another option rather than getting a pass that covers multiple days is to get a Saver Day Pass for a single travel day. We regularly get this pass for day trips on weekends as they work in the same way as the Swiss Travel Pass, giving you unlimited travel on public transport for the day. This is one pass that is best bought well in advance though as prices go up depending on how close the date is and how popular that day is for travel.
Discounts: Unlimited travel on public transport, (some mountain railways / cable cars are not included).
Validity: 1 day
Price: From CHF 29 with the Swiss Half Fare Card or from CHF 52 without.
Buy here: Saver Day Pass
City Passes
The last option is only if you plan on staying within the cities during your trip, as you can get various city cards that give you free public transport, (train, bus, boats, tram depending on which city you are in), for the duration of your stay.
Basel
Discounts: With every stay in the Canton of Basel Stadt you will receive a Basel Card for the duration of your trip, which includes free public transport, discounted entry or free entry into art galleries / museums, and reductions on activities such as walking tours in the Old Town and public boat trips on the Rhine.
Price: Free
More information here: Baselcard
Lucerne
Discounts: Similarly to the Basel Card, the Lucerne Visitor Card gives you free public transport in the city for the duration of your stay, discounts for cableways, mountain railways and museums in the area and free Luzern.com Wi-Fi.
Price: Free
More information here: Luzern Visitor Card
Zurich
Discounts: Free travel on all public transport, free or reduced admission into all Zurich museums, up to 50% discount on city tours and at selected shops, restaurants and bars.
Price: From CHF 29 for 24 hours, up to CHF 56 for 72 hours, per adult and from CHF 19 for 24 hours up to CHF 37 for 72 hours per child, (aged 6 to 15).
Buy here: Zurich Card
Geneva
Discounts: Free or discounted access to 60 attractions, including museums, cruises and guided tours including a cruise on the lake and entry into the MAMCO.
Price: From CHF 35 for 24 hours with public transport included, up to CHF 65 for 72 hours.
Buy here: Geneva Pass
Interlaken
Discounts: Free travel on all public transport around Interlaken, as well as various discounts to attractions throughout the area, including 20% off Schynige Platte railway, 15% off Harder Kulm funicular railway and 20% off day passes on all ferries on Brienzersee and Thunersee.
Price: Free
More information here: Interlaken Guest Card
Swiss Coupon Pass
Another great thing to add to your journey through Switzerland is the Swiss Coupon Pass. Although not a travel pass directly, this booklet gives you over 100, 2 for 1 offers throughout the country on transport, entry to attractions, (including various cheese and chocolate experiences), and many more things. All in the offers save you up to CHF 4,500 – which is why we buy it every year.
Buy here: Swiss Coupon Pass.
Be it the Swiss Coupon Pass, or a Digital Coupon Pass for a specific region, don’t forget to include our discount code ‘AFFTEDALDI’ for a discount on your purchase!
Swiss Travel Pass FAQs
Do you need to make seat reservations with the Swiss Travel Pass?
Whilst most trains do not require you to make seat reservations, (the general trains between cities etc), if you plan on taking any of the Express or panoramic trains, then seat reservations are often mandatory. You can make reservations for panoramic trains at least 3 months in advance, and they will often sell out early, so it is best to book as soon as you know your travel dates.
Seat reservations can be made directly on the train’s website, (linked below), or with Switzerland Travel Centre, if you have booked an excursion / your tickets with them:
📍 Gornergrat, Zermatt (optional reservations from CHF 7, but recommended during peak season)
📍 Jungfraujoch, Jungfrau (optional reservations from CHF 10, but we would highly recommended booking)
📍 Pilatus, Lucerne (optional reservations from CHF 5, but recommended during peak season)
How do you book mountain excursions with the Swiss Travel Pass?
You do not need to book most mountain excursions in Switzerland, you can just turn up and show your valid ticket. If you want a guaranteed spot on transport for certain busier and more well known locations then you can book a seat reservation through the dedicated mountain website. (This is only really done at locations in and around Zermatt, Interlaken and Lucerne).
Which travel pass is best for Switzerland?
This is slightly dependant on where you are planning to visit, how long you are spending in Switzerland and what mountain excursions you want to do. For first timers to Switzerland how plan to travel around a lot the Swiss Travel Pass or Swiss Travel Pass Flex are great options, if you plan on doing a few mountain excursions as well as travelling around then the Half Fare Card is a good option and if you are staying in one region then a regional pass such as the Tell Pass, Berner Oberland Pass or Jungfrau Pass is better.
Is Jungfraujoch free with the Swiss Travel Pass?
No, there isn’t any pass that makes a trip to Jungfraujoch free, although the Jungfrau Travel Pass does offer a discounted connecting ticket, which is exclusively available when you purchase the pass. You can book the connecting ticket here.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover the Grand Train Tour?
Yes, the Swiss Travel Pass covers the routes that are on the Grand Train Tour. You can also book the Grand Train Tour as it’s own package here.
Does the Swiss Travel Pass cover all mountain railways and cable cars?
No, only specific mountain railways and cable cars / gondalas are included. These are Klewenalp, Mount Rig, Stanserhorn and Stoos. You also get a discount on the following mountain railways / cable cars, Grindelwald-First, Gornergrat, Matterhorn Glacier Paradise, Oeschinensee, Mount Pilatus, Schynige Platte, Mount Titlis and Jungfraujoch.
Conclusion: Swiss Travel Pass Guide: Benefits, Discounts & Alternatives
So, there is our guide to the Swiss Travel Pass, from the benefits, discounts, what is included, what isn’t included and alternative options for your trip. Hopefully it helps to make planning a trip to Switzerland a little easier and cheaper!
All Our Switzerland Content
Here are a few other articles you may find useful for planning your trip:
📍 How To Visit Switzerland On A Budget
📍 Switzerland Saver Day Pass Guide: Discounts & Best Day Trips
📍 Is The Lucerne Tell Pass Worth It?
📍 Is The Jungfrau Travel Pass Worth It?
📍 Is The Berner Oberland Pass Worth It?
Gemma Tedaldi
Gemma is the owner and author of The Travelling Tedaldi, a travel blog helping travellers to discover the best road trips and travel itineraries throughout the UK and Europe. When she isn’t writing about her favourite travel destinations, she can often be found out exploring local hikes or planning future trips.