Getting Around in Switzerland

Firstly, download the SBB app and set up an account with your details and a credit card. This way you can purchase all your tickets directly on your phone. Simply enter your starting point and your destination and the app will tell you the most direct way to get there. This way you don’t run the risk of spending more than you need to on the kiosks if you are trying to buy several tickets at once. The tickets are displayed on the app which the ticket conductor will scan when you’re checked (your tickets aren’t checked until you’re on the train and the train has left the platform). Make sure you carry ID with you too. This app works for all public transport tickets including the train, tram, buses and ferries! Make sure you buy your ticket before you board!

Once you have the SBB app, look out for Supersaver tickets. These are only available online and you can find tickets with a discount of up to 50%. These are often long-distance trains and outside of the usual commute hours (i.e. the quieter times during the day which is perfect for travelling). These can reduce the cost of your trip significantly!
 When you search a particular route they will show up in the results screen, but make sure you book these when you see them – tickets are limited and sell out quickly!

Get a Half Fare card. If you’re planning to be doing a lot of train travel within Switzerland or you know that you’ll be back within a year, then it’s worth investing in a half fare card. A one-off cost of CHF185 gets you the card which lasts 12 months. You then get all travel with SBB (the Swiss Rail network) half price. Which means that if you’re planning on doing two or more day trips to the alps then you’ve already made the cost of the card back. We both had one of these (before we upgraded to a Swiss Pass) and they’re definitely worth it. They also get you discounts off the cost of attractions such as funiculars and cable cars, as well as cheaper tickets if you’re taking a train outside of Switzerland (i.e. if you’re travelling to France, Germany, Italy or Austria!)


Rent a car. If there are more than two of you then we would definitely rent a car. We did this whenever we had friends and family visiting because it’s so much more cost effective, especially when you’re splitting the cost three or four ways. We didn’t have a favourite rental car company but just used Google to compare the best price. The roads generally aren’t as scenic as the railways, but you can always get off the motorway and drive some of the more scenic routes!

If you love driving then make sure you drive the Alpine Passes (check out our Switzerland travel guide for more).

Swiss Travel Passes. These are travel passes that you can buy for unlimited travel within Switzerland, and sometimes offer discounts on attractions too. We looked into these for our parents when they came to visit. These work out more cost effective if you buy them from outside of Switzerland so it’s best to get these before you arrive (we were in touch with a New Zealand travel agent).

You can get choose the number of days and whether these are consecutive or not. However, bear in mind these are still very expensive and they only make sense if you are doing day trips to and from the alps every day (i.e. if you have a base somewhere and happy to do single day trips rather than over night stays).

Check out our travel guide for a weekend in Zürich!