TRANSPORTATION AROUND SWITZERLAND!

As you may have seen in previous blog posts, we have been traveling all over on transportation around Switzerland. But, what transportation are we using? There are several options, and we have been very impressed with the Swiss travel system. The three options we have used are trains, buses, and boats (or a combination of them all).

In our experience, the train system has been incredible and it is extremely efficient. Beware though – they are very strict with timetables. The train will leave exactly when it says it’s going to so make sure to arrive early. Switzerland is a small country (about the size of Virginia) so trains are accessible almost everywhere.

For example, we live in Basel, which is in the northwest of Switzerland. To get to Lugano, which is in the south of Switzerland, it only takes about 3 hours on the IR & IC trains. An IR train is a InterRegio train, which connects regions within Switzerland. It typically only stops in cities or larger towns. The IC train is the InterCity train which only stops in large cities. To get to a smaller town, you will usually take a RE or S train. RE stands for RegioExpress and S stands for S-bahn. Both of these trains tend to make more stops.

We usually end up taking buses or boats once we arrive in a city to go to a smaller location. I definitely prefer boats to buses as I get carsick on buses. Boats, or ferries, offer spectacular views and they are relaxing.

So, how do we manage to pay for all of these day trips? Well, as a Swiss resident, you have access to day passes from your local town or on the SBB (Swiss Federal Railways) app. If you plan ahead and order tageskarte (day passes) with your gemeinde (community building), it is 44 CHF per day/adult. If you make last minute decisions on the SBB app, a day pass can be 49 CHF, 59 CHF or 75 CHF per adult depending on your end location. A day pass covers all public transportation as well. There are also dog day passes which range from 25 to 35 CHF. A dog is free though if it is carried in a carrier.

As far as the kids, Switzerland has an amazing program called the Junior Travelcard. With the travelcard for 30 CHF, children from the age of 6 until 16 can travel on public transport with a paying adult for an entire year. Yes, you heard it right! It only costs 30 CHF for my children to travel with me on public transport for the ENTIRE year! It is seriously the one inexpensive thing about Switzerland.

As far as travelers from abroad, we would definitely recommend the Swiss Travel Pass. The pass includes unlimited travel by train, bus and boat, unlimited travel on panorama trains, free admission to some museums, some mountain excursions, and discounts on other travels. There is also a Swiss Travel Pass Youth for people under 26 that has a 15% discount on the Swiss Travel Pass.

Switzerland is an amazing country, and we highly recommend the amazing transportation system. We have felt comfortable on the public transportation even in Corona times. Masks are required for everyone that is 12 and older. And, the trains have usually been less crowded due to less travelers. Thank you so much for wandering along with us!