Good to know!

The Local Resident’s Card of the Valais municipalities provides an easy way to save money. Many cable car companies offer discounts to local residents. The offers aren’t usually obvious at first glance, so it’s worth asking for clarification before you buy your tickets.  For example, some ski schools and thermal baths also offer discounts with a valid Local Resident’s Card. The Card is issued by the municipalities and must be renewed at the municipality every year. Fees for issuing and renewing the card vary by municipality. The fee charged for issuing the Card is often CHF 10, while renewal is generally free.

 

Good to know!

If you would like to travel on public transport with children between the ages of 6 and 16, you can buy a personal Children’s Co-travelcard for CHF 30, valid for one year. The card makes it possible to go on inexpensive day trips in Switzerland, even when your young relatives are visiting.

SBB Junior travelcard

By bus & train

Swiss punctuality and public transport
Public transport is of great importance in Switzerland.  Almost every village is accessible, and services are punctual and run at regular intervals. Passengers who travel regularly by bus and train should buy a travelcard, as individual journeys on Switzerland’s public transport network are comparatively expensive. The relatively cheap Half Fare Travelcard (CHF 190/year) allows you to travel on public transport (and some cable cars and boats) throughout Switzerland at half price.

Tickets and travelcards

If you want to travel by train, you must buy a ticket before boarding the train. Tickets can only be purchased directly on the train if there is no ticket machine at the departure station. Buses are subject to a different system. Ticket machines can be found at every station and at most bus stops, and there are staffed ticket counters in the larger stations. Tickets can also be purchased online or via mobile phone. There are various travelcards available for people who travel frequently. These are available for individual routes, individual areas (tariff associations) or the entire Swiss transport network (GA travelcard). Children under six travel for free. Children up to the age of 16 can travel with their parents or grandparents almost free of charge if they have a Junior travelcard or Cildren's Co-travelcard. Information on tickets and travelcards can be obtained from Swiss Federal Railways (SBB) or bus companies.

If you buy your ticket online or via your mobile phone, you should keep an eye out for supersaver tickets. Just search for your desired route and travel time and you’ll be able to see whether supersaver tickets at a discount of up to 70% are available for the service in question. The SBB is offering a Saver Day Pass for customers who book at least 60 days in advance. The sooner you buy your Saver Day Pass online or via your mobile phone, the lower the price will be (from CHF 29 with a Half Fare Travelcard and from CHF 52 without a Half Fare Travelcard).

Swiss Federal Railways (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB) / www.sbb.ch
Supersaver tickets / www.sbb.ch
Saver Day Pass / www.sbb.ch
Public transport overview map for the Walllis / www.vs.ch

Day Passes from your municipality

If you are planning a longer trip within Switzerland, many municipalities offer Day Passes at reduced prices (Municipal Saver Day Pass). However, be sure to book early, as only a limited number of Day Passes are available. Further information can be obtained from the municipal administration.

Alliance Swiss Pass / www.spartageskarte-gemeinde.ch
The ABC of municipalities

Matterhorn Gotthard Railway multi-trip ticket

The Matterhorn Gotthard Railway (MGBahn) offers a personalised multi-ride ticket on the Visp-Zermatt route. It can be purchased by all travellers, regardless of their place of residence, and entitles them to six one-way or three return journeys within one year for the desired route section. Other reduction cards such as the half-fare card or the junior and children's travel cards can be used together with the multi-ride ticket. The personalised multi-ride ticket is available from all ticket machines and at MGBahn and SBB ticket counters.

For night owls

If you want to party longer at the weekend, you can take advantage of the PostBus’s night bus service on certain routes. The service is geared towards the routes going from the Rhône valley to the mountain villages. A separate night bus ticket must be purchased from the driver.

Night bus PostBus / www.postauto.ch