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The cheapest way to travel by train in Switzerland

The Swiss railway network (SBB) is one of the best and most efficient in the world. But it is also expensive, especially if you travel with family. However, there are ways to save on the price of tickets.

The cheapest way to travel by train in Switzerland
Hurry if you want to get supersaver tickets for summer travel- Photo by AFP

If you are planning to travel by train this summer and are flexible about the dates, you can do it quite cheaply.

With the so-called ‘supersaver tickets’ (Sparbillette / billets dégriffés / biglietti risparmio), you can save up to 70 percent off the regular price. 

And you can travel all over Switzerland on most public transportation, with the exception of routes within a regional fare network.

READ MORE: Q&A: What impact will Switzerland's mask rule for public transport have?

This is how it works:

Go online here and enter the destination and the date of travel. If supersaver tickets are available for that day and route, they will be automatically be displayed.

• You can then select the preferred connection, pay, and print out the ticket.

• Alternatively, you can purchase the supersaver ticket with your smartphone in the SBB Mobile or SBB Preview app

During peak hours or on weekends cheap tickets may be snapped up quickly, so if you know your travel plans in advance, buy supersavers well ahead of time.

Also keep in mind that supersaver prices are available for the 1st class too. In fact, sometimes they are even cheaper than standard 2nd class tickets.

The trains have now resumed their regular service, both domestically and internationally. 

Member comments

  1. If you’ve got a family, check out the offers from the Canton of Vaud. For 2-night stays you can get a 100 CHF Vaud card, PLUS a Riveria card for travel and activities (including Glacier 3000 and an Aquaparc), PLUS some hotels like Hotel Astra in Vevey have 2-nights-for-the-price-of-1, and you can get it even cheaper by paying using WelQome vouchers, which, again, are a scheme from the local canton. Seriously… you can combine ALL FOUR offers to get an amazing deal, and support the local economy.

  2. I AM ALWAYS TRAVELLING ALONE IN A SMALL CAR WITH MY 10 YEAR OLD FOR LEGS ! EVERYWHERE I GO SHE COMES WITH ME ! I KNOW THE LUGANO AREA QUITE WELL, & LAST YEAR WENT TO POSCHIAVO, WHICH WAS BEAUTIFUL, NOT THE BEST OF WEATHER THOUGH ! I AM TRYING TO THINK OF SOMEWHERE ELSE THIS TIME JUST FOR A SHORT TIME & LOVE THE COOLER AIR OF THE LOW MOUNTAIN AREAS…BUT AM VERY AWARE OF ANY RESTRICTIONS OR ANOTHER LOCKDOWN…ANY IDEAS, I HAVE A LIMITED BUDGET !

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TRANSPORT

Copenhagen Metro lines reopen after two-week closure

Lines M3 and M4 of the Copenhagen Metro are back in service having reopened on Sunday, one day ahead of schedule.

Copenhagen Metro lines reopen after two-week closure

The two lines had been closed so that the Metro can run test operations before opening five new stations on the M4 line this summer.

The tests, which began on February 10th, are now done and the lines were running again as of Sunday evening, a day ahead of the original planned reopening on Monday February 26th.

“We are very pleased to be able to welcome our passengers on to our two lines M3 and M4,” head of operations with the Metro Søren Boysen said.

“The whole test procedure exceeded all expectations and went faster than expected and we can therefore get a head start on our reopening now,” he said.

Time set aside for potential repeat tests was not needed in the event, allowing the test closures to be completed ahead of time.

“Several of our many tests went better than expected and we have therefore not used all the time we needed for extra tests,” Boysen said.

The two lines serve around one million passengers every week, according to the Metro company.

READ ALSO: Copenhagen city government greenlights extension to Metro line

The new stops on the M4 line will be located south of central Copenhagen in the Valby and Sydhavn areas. The will have the names Haveholmen, Enghave Brygge, Sluseholmen, Mozarts Plads and København Syd (Copenhagen South).

The M3 and M4 lines, the newer sections of the Metro, opened in 2019 and 2020 respectively.

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