The Swiss Half Fare Card is a discount card for international visitors who want flexible public transport without paying for an unlimited travel pass. It reduces the price of most eligible trains, buses, boats, city transport, and mountain journeys for one month, while letting you choose and pay for each trip separately.
Quick Answer
The Swiss Half Fare Card costs CHF 150 in 2026 and lets eligible visitors buy discounted tickets for one month. Most covered trains, buses, boats, and mountain railways are 50% off, while some urban fares have smaller reductions. You still need a ticket for each journey, plus any required reservation or supplement.
Last checked: October 1, 2026. Dates and figures were verified against official sources.
Key Takeaways
- The visitor Swiss Half Fare Card is available only to people permanently resident outside Switzerland and Liechtenstein.
- The card works in both 1st and 2nd class, but you must buy the correct ticket for every journey.
- Children aged 6 to 15 can travel free with the complimentary Swiss Family Card when the required conditions are met; children under 6 travel free.
- You must carry the original passport or official ID linked to the card during ticket inspections.
- On journeys discounted by exactly 50%, the CHF 150 card breaks even after CHF 300 of otherwise full-fare travel.
What Does the Swiss Half Fare Card Cover?
The Swiss Half Fare Card gives you up to 50% off eligible public transport throughout Switzerland. According to the official SBB Swiss Half Fare Card rules, it covers trains, buses, boats, panorama trains, mountain railways, gondola lifts, and public transport in more than 90 Swiss towns and cities.
The card is a discount entitlement rather than an unlimited ticket. You normally choose your journey, buy the applicable reduced-fare ticket, and show both that ticket and your Half Fare Card if inspected.
The discount applies to both 1st and 2nd class. The card itself does not lock you into one class, although your individual ticket must match the class in which you travel.
Who Can Buy the Swiss Half Fare Card?
The Swiss Half Fare Card for visitors is available only if your permanent residence is outside Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. This corrects a common source of confusion with the similarly named Half Fare Travelcard used by Swiss residents.
The card is personal and cannot simply be passed to another traveler. You should also carry your original passport or official identity document because SBB requires it during an inspection; a phone photo or photocopy is not accepted as a substitute.
Parents can add their own children aged 6 to 15 when purchasing the card and receive the complimentary Swiss Family Card. Those children can then travel free when accompanied by the qualifying parent and when the parent holds the ticket required for the journey. Children under 6 normally travel free without a ticket.
How Much Does the Swiss Half Fare Card Cost, and Is It Worth It?
The Swiss Half Fare Card costs CHF 150 in 2026 and is valid for one whole month. Whether it saves money depends on the journeys you actually plan to take rather than simply the length of your holiday.
A useful starting point is the break-even calculation. If every planned fare receives a full 50% reduction, CHF 300 of normal fares creates CHF 150 of ticket savings, exactly covering the card price.
| Planned eligible full fares | 50% ticket savings | Result after CHF 150 card cost |
|---|---|---|
| CHF 250 | CHF 125 | CHF 25 more than buying full fares |
| CHF 300 | CHF 150 | Break-even |
| CHF 400 | CHF 200 | CHF 50 net saving |
| CHF 600 | CHF 300 | CHF 150 net saving |
This is only a planning shortcut. Some city fares are reduced by less than 50%, while reservations and supplements may remain payable in full. Calculate your important train and mountain journeys separately before deciding.
How to Purchase the Swiss Half Fare Card
You can buy the card online before arriving or from a staffed public transport sales point in Switzerland. SBB currently allows purchase up to 11 months before the first day of validity, so you do not need to wait until you arrive.
If you want the card to appear inside SBB Mobile, follow the official SBB online purchase instructions and buy while signed in with the same login you will use in the app. SBB says the card then appears under “Tickets & Travelcards.”
If you buy online as a guest instead, SBB sends the Swiss Half Fare Card by email as a QR code. You can still use SBB Mobile to buy reduced-fare tickets, but the visitor card itself will not appear in the app under that guest purchase.
Using the Swiss Half Fare Card for Public Transportation
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Using the Swiss Half Fare Card is simple, but the card alone is not your travel ticket. Before boarding, buy the appropriate reduced-fare ticket for your train, bus, boat, tram, mountain railway, or other covered service.
- Select your route in SBB Mobile, on SBB.ch, at a ticket machine, or at a staffed counter.
- Set the passenger reduction to Half Fare where required.
- Buy the ticket for the correct route, date, and travel class.
- Keep the ticket and Swiss Half Fare Card available for inspection.
- Carry the original passport or official ID associated with your card.
This system gives you flexibility because you are not committed to unlimited travel every day. You can combine reduced point-to-point tickets with qualifying saver products when they fit your plans.
Navigating Swiss Trains with the Swiss Half Fare Card
Most ordinary Swiss trains do not require you to reserve a seat just because you hold a Half Fare Card. You buy the reduced ticket first and then travel on a connection permitted by that ticket.
| Ticket or Service | Without Half Fare Card | With Swiss Half Fare Card |
|---|---|---|
| Eligible standard point-to-point journey | Full applicable fare | Normally 50% or the applicable reduced fare |
| Inner-city public transport | Local full fare | Up to 50% off; the reduction can be smaller |
| Premium scenic service requiring a reservation | Transport fare plus required reservation or supplement | Transport fare may be reduced; required reservation or supplement remains separate |
The distinction matters on famous panoramic services. For example, the Glacier Express accepts the Swiss Half Fare Card, but its official rules state that a seat reservation is mandatory and costs extra.
Exploring Swiss Cities with the Swiss Half Fare Card
The card can reduce public transport fares in more than 90 Swiss towns and cities, including journeys by local bus and tram. However, you should not assume that every urban ticket is exactly half price.
The official Swiss Travel System provisions specifically state that the reduction on inner-city and town public transport can be less than 50%.
The Swiss Half Fare Card is also not a general museum pass. This is an important difference from the Swiss Travel Pass, which includes free admission to hundreds of participating museums. Individual attractions may sell their own discounted packages, but that is separate from the core Half Fare Card benefit.
Using the Swiss Half Fare Card for Mountain Excursions
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Mountain excursions are one of the strongest reasons to calculate the Swiss Half Fare Card carefully. Many mountain railways, gondolas, and cable cars offer a 50% reduction, so one or two expensive excursions can account for a large part of the card’s CHF 150 cost.
For a concrete 2026 example, the official Pilatus prices list the May-to-October Golden Round Trip from Lucerne via Alpnachstad and Pilatus Kulm to Kriens and back at CHF 119.80 in 2nd class for an adult, compared with CHF 59.90 with a Swiss Half Fare Card.
Jungfraujoch is another major excursion where you can select the Half Fare Card reduction when calculating a ticket. The Jungfrau Railways 2026 ticket information also lists a CHF 10 seat reservation and says reservations are mandatory from May 1 through October 31, 2026.
Always separate the transport fare from any reservation, timed-entry, or other mandatory charge. A 50% transport discount does not automatically mean every component of the excursion is cut in half.
Using the Swiss Half Fare Card for Boats and Cable Cars
The Swiss Half Fare Card is not limited to rail travel. Covered lake boats, funiculars, mountain railways, and gondola lifts can also qualify for reduced fares, which makes the card useful for itineraries that combine cities with lakes and Alpine excursions.
For example, you might use a reduced train ticket to reach a lake, a reduced boat fare for part of the day, and a reduced mountain railway ticket later. Each component still needs its own valid ticket unless you buy a combined product that specifically covers several parts of the trip.
Important Limitations and Extra Costs
The main limitation is simple: the Swiss Half Fare Card is not an unlimited travel pass. You must continue buying tickets, and not every fare or extra charge receives a 50% reduction.
- Urban transport reductions can be less than 50%.
- Some premium trains require a separate reservation or supplement.
- The card does not provide the Swiss Travel Pass’s broad museum-admission benefit.
- The card is personal and non-transferable.
- You must carry the original passport or official ID used for verification.
- Swiss Half Fare Cards are not eligible for partial refunds under the general Swiss Travel System provisions.
Swiss Travel System rules also state that its tickets are valid from midnight on the first day of validity until 5:00 a.m. on the day following the final validity day. Keep the stated validity period in mind if your last journey continues after midnight.
Swiss Half Fare Card vs Swiss Travel Pass
The Swiss Half Fare Card and Swiss Travel Pass solve different problems. The Half Fare Card has a lower upfront price but leaves you paying for individual journeys, while the Swiss Travel Pass provides unlimited travel on covered routes during its selected travel days.
| Feature | Swiss Half Fare Card | Swiss Travel Pass |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 adult price | CHF 150 for one month | 2nd class: CHF 254 for 3 days; CHF 309 for 4; CHF 399 for 6; CHF 439 for 8; CHF 499 for 15 |
| Covered public transport | Buy reduced tickets for each journey | Unlimited travel on covered routes during valid travel days |
| Museums | No broad museum-pass benefit | Free admission to more than 500 participating museums and exhibitions |
| Typical use | Flexible itinerary with selected travel and mountain excursions | Frequent travel on consecutive or selected pass days |
The official SBB 2026 Swiss Travel Pass prices confirm the current adult fares shown above. The best value therefore depends on your actual itinerary rather than simply choosing the pass with the biggest stated discount.
A regional pass can also deserve consideration when almost all of your sightseeing is concentrated in one area, such as the Bernese Oberland or Jungfrau Region. Compare the exact trains, boats, and mountain lifts you plan to use because regional passes can include services that a nationwide card only discounts.
How to Plan Your Itinerary with the Swiss Half Fare Card
The easiest way to decide whether the card works for your trip is to price the expensive journeys first. Long intercity trips and mountain excursions usually matter far more to the calculation than a few short tram rides.
- List every major train, boat, and mountain trip you realistically expect to take.
- Record the normal fare and the Half Fare Card fare for each trip.
- Add any compulsory reservations or supplements separately.
- Total the savings from the reduced tickets.
- Compare those savings with the CHF 150 card price.
- Then compare the final total with a Swiss Travel Pass or a suitable regional pass.
If your calculated Half Fare savings comfortably exceed CHF 150, the card can make financial sense. If the difference is small, compare convenience as well: a Swiss Travel Pass reduces the need to buy individual covered tickets, while the Half Fare Card gives you more freedom to pay only for the journeys you actually take.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Swiss Half Fare Card?
The Swiss Half Fare Card is a visitor discount card that lets eligible travelers buy reduced tickets for trains, buses, boats, city transport, and most mountain railways for one month. It is not an unlimited travel pass, so you normally need a separate ticket for every journey.
How does the Swiss Half Fare Card work?
You buy the card first and then select the Half Fare reduction when purchasing eligible transport tickets. During an inspection, you must be able to show the travel ticket, your Swiss Half Fare Card, and the original passport or official ID required for the card.
Where can I use the Swiss Half Fare Card?
You can use the Swiss Half Fare Card on eligible trains, buses, boats, panorama routes, mountain railways, gondola lifts, and public transport in more than 90 Swiss towns and cities. Most covered fares are reduced by 50%, although some urban transport reductions can be smaller.
Who is eligible to purchase the Swiss Half Fare Card?
The visitor Swiss Half Fare Card is available only to people whose permanent residence is outside Switzerland and the Principality of Liechtenstein. People living in Switzerland use different domestic products, including the resident Half Fare Travelcard.
How can I purchase the Swiss Half Fare Card?
You can purchase the Swiss Half Fare Card online through SBB or at a staffed public transport point of sale. If you buy online while signed in, the card can appear in SBB Mobile; guest purchases are delivered by email as a QR code.
What are the main benefits of the Swiss Half Fare Card?
The main benefit is flexible access to reduced fares for one month without paying for unlimited travel. It can be especially valuable when your itinerary includes expensive mountain railways, long-distance trains, lake boats, or several travel days spread across a longer holiday.
Is the Swiss Half Fare Card worth it?
The Swiss Half Fare Card is worth it when your actual ticket savings exceed its CHF 150 price. If all your planned eligible fares receive a full 50% reduction, the mathematical break-even point is CHF 300 of normal fares; smaller urban discounts or extra reservation fees can raise the practical threshold.
Can I use the Swiss Half Fare Card on scenic and mountain trains?
Yes, the Swiss Half Fare Card is accepted on many scenic trains and mountain railways. However, a reduced transport fare does not necessarily include a required seat reservation or supplement, so services such as the Glacier Express can still have an additional mandatory charge.
Sources
- SBB: Swiss Half Fare Card: 2026 price, one-month validity, transport coverage, eligibility, travel classes, family benefits, and ID requirements.
- SBB: Buy Swiss Half Fare Card: Online purchase, SBB Mobile integration, and guest QR-code delivery.
- Switzerland Tourism: Swiss Travel System provisions: Area-of-validity rules, urban fare exceptions, identification, transferability, validity periods, and refunds.
- Glacier Express: Half Fare Card acceptance and mandatory seat-reservation rules.
- Pilatus-Bahnen: 2026 Half Fare Card discounts and Golden Round Trip fares.
- Jungfrau Railways: Half Fare Card ticketing and 2026 Jungfraujoch seat-reservation information.
- SBB: Swiss Travel Pass: 2026 adult prices used in the pass comparison.
