We are going to Zurich on the 3rd, with a couple of hours stop in Renens, and I’m trying to get the best price.
I’m confused. I’ve studied the CFF site (French and English) but it isn’t clear to me if the companion ticket is valid if travelling with someone paying a full (1/2 price abo) ticket.
No, Only with someone traveling on a day/month/year ticket valid for the whole GA-area, including saver day passes
A day pass using the half-tax card could be the most affordable anyway given the departure and destination. Round trip single tickets could be pricey. I'd check all options for the main card holder to see if it would work out.
The rack rate is around 75. A Saver Day Pass is 99 plus 38 for the companion ticket. 137 is less than 150. Super saver tickets are available but adding Nyon Renens plus Renens Zurich comes out around 135.
The Super savers can only be used on the specific trains while, for about the same price, the saver day ticket plus companion are more flexible.
These are all in 1st, 2nd would likely be different.
Thank you everyone for your sage advice.
Not quite sure what you mean.
We have a ticket for our son which means if he travels with one of use parents, then he is covered by our ticket (and we both have 1/2 price cards).
If in doubt go ask at the ticket desk at your local train station.
What about getting two gemeinde/commune day passes? I think they're only 2nd class but would be more affordable
The "ticket" you're referring to is the Carte Junior/Junior-Karte, which as the name implies is only for children (accompanied by a parent or grandparent).
I was going to suggest the same, although OP, you'd better be quick as tickets are very limited and valid only on the day you specify.
Do you really need 1st class? Unless you expect the train to be absolutely crowded (unlikely on a Wednesday, outside very peak hours), there is virtually no difference between 1st and 2nd class. Unless red seats are essential to your wellbeing, of course.
3 Wishes. Already checked, they are not available for the days we want to travel.
No, of course not. But it is a bit of luxury that I can offer my lovely bride, who is in the middle of some nasty medical treatments. Three and a half hours will pass more quickly for her in 1st.
OP, presumably you read this from the SBB website:
Relevant to you would be the Saver Day Pass or the Day Pass with Halbtax/Demi-tarif card. So a Saver Day Pass @ 99.- (at the moment) plus a Companion Ticket @ 38.- sounds like your best bet.
The “Companion Ticket” is a special promotion at the moment. Anyone can travel with someone using a day pass, etc, for only 38.
So on the way out I can buy one saver day pass (99) plus a companion ticket (38) which is less than two rack rate tickets (150). On the way back, where we can commit to specific trains I bought two supersaver tickets (101)
Last question. I’m sure you can buy Zurich local transport tickets on-line or by SMS. Can anyone provide a link?
https://www.zvv.ch/zvv/en/travelcard...s/tickets.html
An hour-long ticket and of course the 24-hour ticket (which costs only 2x the hour-long ticket) are valid on the lovely Limmatschiffli, a glass-roofed, flat boat under the bridges of the Limmat river, and out into the lake. Hop on, hop off. Round trip takes about 50 minutes.
https://www.tripadvisor.co.za/Attrac...rt-Zurich.html
Be sure to look up the zones, too.
Thanks doropfiz,
I think I’ll just use faretiq. That seems way too complicated.
Download the SBB app to your phone and use that to buy your tickets (it has all the timetable info as well). I think you can even request a bill (orange payment slip) if you don't want to provide your credit card details.
Presumably you're travelling back on a different day...
This thread reminds me how phenomenally expensive public transport is in Switzerland. Having said that, I recently bought Supersaver tickets well in advance, to travel from Basel to Zürich Airport. The regular full price is CHF 39 in 2nd class, 69.- in 1st. We paid CHF 6 each, kids travel free with their Junior Cards.
That is not a companion ticket but a "Junior Card", costs Chf 30.-- you can get 2 cards, one for each parent and it allows a child to travel free with the parent. (one of the parents has to travel with child)