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TRAVEL NEWS

Swiss communes no longer offer travel cards but what’s the alternative?

The popular ‘day travel cards’ that Swiss municipalities sold to their residents for about 40 francs, have been scrap. But is the new alternative as good?

Published: 4 January 2024 15:32 CET
Swiss communes no longer offer travel cards but what's the alternative?
The new system will be more flexible but also pricier. Photo: Pixabay

The commune day passes costing around 40 France each, which were valid for 12 hours and allowed limitless travel in 2nd class on Switzerland’s trains, buses, trams, and even boats, offered residents a good deal. 

Depending on the distance traveled, they were often quite a bit cheaper than ‘regular’ tickets purchased from the national railway company, SBB.

However, they are no longer in use since January 1st 2024, having been replaced with a different kind of tickets issued jointly by the SwissPass Alliance and the Association of Swiss Municipalities.

How do these new travel cards work?

Unlike the former tickets, which could be purchased at any time for the same price, under the new system the earlier you buy, the cheaper the travel card will be.

It will be offered two price levels — for 1st or 2d class (this option was not previously available), and based on whether the traveller has a half-fare subscription or not.

Also, the new system is not as restrictive.

For instance, while previously buyers had to prove they resided in a given municipality to be able to purchase these tickets, the new system is more flexible.

The restriction on sales to only the residents of the community is now lifted. Nor do you have to purchase the travel cards from your own municipality only.

You can simply go on one general website to check where the tickets for your chosen days are available, and purchase them online from any commune. 

The former limit on one ticket per person per week is no longer in effect either. You can buy as many tickets as you need, as often as you want.

All this sounds good, but what is the flipside?

As is often the case with new and ‘improved’ products, it is the cost.

There are now different price levels available:

Price level 1

Purchased up to 10 days before the day of travel.
2nd class, 1/2 fare: 39 francs.
2nd class, full price: 52 francs.
1st class, 1/2 fare: 66 francs.
1st class, full price: 88 francs.

Price level 2

Purchased until one day before the day of travel
 2nd class, 1/2 fare: 59 francs.
2nd class, full price: 88 francs.
1st class, 1/2 fare: 99 francs.
1st class, full price: 148 francs.

What else you should know

These day passes are issued as e-tickets in a PDF format or as a Mobile Ticket (a QR code in your smartphone). The point of sale decides whether the ticket is printed or sent by email.

During the check, travellers must be able to prove their identity with an official document with a photo.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Why is Switzerland going to collect a database of flight passengers?

Twenty years after the US began sharing a database of those flying in and out of the country in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Switzerland is set to follow suit - but not without some outside pressure. 

Published: 16 May 2024 15:51 CEST
Why is Switzerland going to collect a database of flight passengers?

Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems are databases that operate by flagging and tracking individuals who may pose a security risk. 

The data includes the name, destination, means of payment, and type of baggage for each passenger arriving or leaving a country via its airports. 

Until now, Switzerland has not participated in a PNR system in a way that allows data to be freely accessible to partners such as the EU and the US. 

Indeed, for years, it has been possible to circumvent the EU’s PNR systems by flying into Switzerland and crossing a land border with the EU. 

Now, however, Switzerland is being forced to comply. 

The United States has threatened Switzerland’s place in their Visa Waiver Program unless they share data. 

Similarly, the EU has applied significant diplomatic pressure to join their efforts – and considerable progress has already occurred, with agreements signed. 

Other countries have also signalled that Swiss carriers may withdraw their landing rights or impose heavy fines if Switzerland does not begin participating in a compliant PNR system. 

Changes in effect 2026

On Wednesday, Justice Minister Beat Jans announced at a press conference that a PNR program that worked in collaboration with other countries would come into effect in 2026. 

The reason given for the length of time it would take to go into effect was that a legal basis for the move does not yet exist in Swiss law—a dispatch on proposed legislation has only just been sent to the Federal Council.

Once passed by the Federal Council and then by the Council of States, the federal police will be responsible for tracking passengers via a new group – the Passenger Information Unit (PIU). 

The PIU will examine passenger manifests a day before and immediately before flights taking off or landing and compare them to shared lists of individuals involved in terrorism, organised crime, or who have committed violent crimes. 

If there is a match, information will be forwarded to authorities at the relevant airport.  

Privacy concerns 

Understandably, for the privacy-conscious Swiss, concerns have been raised. 

Both the right-wing SVP, the Greens and the SPD have voiced doubts about the security and privacy of passenger data. 

In response, the government has announced that all passenger data except for that relates to those linked to terrorist groups will be deleted after six months. 

To further ease concerns, Switzerland’s PNR system will be constantly monitored by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act.

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