I noticed by coincidence that for IC tickets, the ÖBB can be slightly cheaper. For example, Zurich HB to St.Gallen is 16CHF over the SBB app, but Euro 16.90 over the Austrian Railways. (with Half-Tax, 2nd class).
Or for Zurich HB to Bregenz, 1st class return, it is EUR79.80 (ca 75chf) with seat reservation via OBB, rather than 85 with the SBB app.
Overall it depends on the exchange, but for longer distances, you can save a cup of coffee or so.
Inevitable that when currency exchange is necessary. The Öbb likely doesn’t update the exchange rate every hour, or every day. Likely the same if you buy Swiss domestic tickets with DB or SNCF etc.
Yes, I’m almost always buying tickets in ÖBB all when going to Austria, even if 95% of my trip is in CH. The only problem is that it’s not always possible.
I can take two routes: via Zurich or Sargans. And for some reason ÖBB cannot sell tickets for the train IR35 to Sargans. I also cannot buy tickets for this route in SBB because when part of my trip is in Austria SBB sells tickets through ÖBB. So the only possibility is to buy a ticket Austria - Sargans in ÖBB and then from Sargans to my town in SBB. Which increases the price of course since I pay for Sargans twice.
I’d say it’s always better to buy tickets directly from the local railway company. Makes a big difference in terms of cancellations and exchanges.
Perhaps, but as with TinyK’s example, cross border travel is often cheaper via the neighbouring country. For example, seat reservations are 3 Euro with ÖBB, 4CHF with SBB. That’s effectively a 30% difference.
What is a local company when you travel between countries?
The OP’s first example Zurich-St. Gallen is a Swiss domestic journey bought from ÖBB,
The second example Zurich-Bregenz, is an international journey commencing in Switzerland bought using ÖBB.
It is likely the ÖBB would want to sell both for exactly the same value as the SBB does, but their system is not using an up-to-date exchange rate.
Usually, inter-city tickets are valid for the day until next morning at 5h00. Not much to discuss about cancellation and exchanges.
I’d just think about the low probability case of an accident and the limbo of no company being 100% liable…so a long legal case.
Tickets bought in ÖBB are valid for 2 days. Not until 5:00, but until 23.59. If I buy a ticket to Bregenz right now I can go any time today or tomorrow.
So, even longer validity.
Also, cross-border ticketing is more complicated when buying over the SBB. You usually end up with 2 tickets in each direction (1 from the SBB for the Swiss segment, the other from the ÖBB) and an ÖBB seat reservation (a must for the IC to Munich). And only the SBB ticket is integrated in the app, the ÖBB tickets are downloadable PDFs. (non-refundable once downloaded).