tageskarte-gemeinde Question

Transportation, Travel and Trips
1
Hello All,

I live in Canada and I will be visiting Swiss in July for 6 days and My friend lives in Berne. He said he will get me the tageskarte-gemeinde for 6 days. I have following questions.

1. do you have to be a Swiss resident to use this?

2. how much will it cost per day?

any other things I need to be aware of? this will be my first time. thanks

2
The cost per day is around 45chf.

Anyone can use them, but they need to be purchased by a resident, usually they are bought from the local town hall and there are only a couple available each day...

They will have the date on them, so make sure you use them on the right day.

They are a lot cheaper than paying full 'tourist prices' for large trips around Switzerland. However, for some of the tourist trains/cablecars you'll still need to pay extra...to get up the big mountains... but it will still save you plenty of money...

3
thanks Swiss pea. With .tageskarte-gemeinde in hand, do I need to worry about reserving seats? or is it open even if train is full? and how often you get trains between these junctions? Zurich, Lucerne, Interlaken, Engleberg?

yes I am planning to go top of alps from Interlaken. do I need to book that tickets in advance?

since this is my first time, any help is much appreciated.

4
Your tageskarte has the same validity as a fully priced second class day pass, or a second class season ticket for the whole of Switzerland. Trains obviously can get full at weekends or rush hour, but you can still board any train with your karte, you just may not get a seat. Reserving seats in 2nd class hardly occurs in Switzerland as far as I've seen, and I've had a season ticket since 2006 (not sure if it's even possible for single passengers, although on the Italian trains that you may get going through the Bernese Oberland, reservation is highly recommended, sometimes compulsory) Larger groups do book blocks of seats so that they can all sit together in the same compartment.

On busy trains, or indeed in general, just be a polite passenger and don't block seats with your bag or coat, it just infuriates regular commuters!!

Almost every main station/stop-off/point of interest, like the ones mentioned, will be served by a train every 30 minutes, worst case every hour. Trains run from main stations from 5.30 am until just after midnight.

Journeys to the "top of the alps" will normally also include getting a bus, cable car, funicular railway or the like, and is in the majority of cases not included in the Tageskarte due to a lot of these services being privately run.

The transport system here is amazing, varied, and reliable - just take the time to inform yourself via www.sbb.ch and then google as much as you can too, you'll find plenty of special hints, tips and insider secrets on the world wide web!!

5
You can use the Gemeinde tageskartes for all forms of public transportation (Bus, Tram, Trains and Boats) within Switzerland for the date(s) bought. You can check on the availability of these for selected municipalities (Gemeindes) in the different states (Kantons) in the website below:

http://www.tageskarte-gemeinde.ch/en-us/

You can travel unreserved via any of these transportation modes; it is however better to get a travel plan together and then check on the seat availability for each of the travel days. If you find certain sectors busy, it is better to get your seat reserved to ensure the travel is hassle-free and comfortable. If you take certain special trains like Bernina Express or Glacier Express, reservation is mandatory and hence you need to do so accordingly. You would also be eligible for certain discount (mostly 50%) in selected other "special" modes like cable cars etc.

Summer in Switzerland means a lot of travellers. Hope you enjoy the Alpine country and wishing you good travels!

6
can I ask a silly question?

so as Zurich city does not offer the tageskarte-gemeinde - does that mean if you live in Zurich city you can't get one or can you purchase one from the Canton areas?

7
You can try your luck by going to a nearby Gemeinde and see if you can have it your way. Most often than not, you should be ok. Very few Gemeindes check proof of residence (i.e. first priority to residents) when you buy the tageskartes in person or online.

8
Thanks Big MAc and ksvalliappa,

I see the tageskarte is 45 CHF. I take 4 one way trip

Zurich to Lucerne

Lucerne to Engelsberg

Engelsberg to Interlaken

Interlaken to Geneva

what would be the normal price for these destinations?

and we are planning to go to Top of Alps and Mount Titlis. As you mentioned I need to buy separate tickets fro these right? any swiss specific sites. thanks

9
As Big Mac #24 said, you can check on the connections, schedules, travel durations, platform details along with travel costs on sbb.ch/en

For Mt.Titlis, you can check on further details at titlis.ch/en

For Jungfrau, please check further details at Jungfrau.ch/en

If you have tageskartes, you will receive some discount depending on whether you take cable car etc at Mt. Titlis and Jungfrau. You pay extra only for these special rides and not for the entire trip. You can talk to SBB personnel at any nearby railway station and they're super helpful to clarify things for you, as to what all is covered and what not along with the cost.

Since you're traveling around Luzerne, Mt.Rigi is a wonderful option where even the cable car ride is free if you have a tageskarte. Mt. Pilatus might be another option that's nearby if you have time.

Use the search option within the forum where you can read multiple threads that talk about travel suggestions near the regions you've chosen.

10
OP, just a suggestion so you don't wind up disappointed and in a bind - have a backup plan.

Don't count 100% on having a tageskarte for every day. As others have said, the quantities are limited each day and it's possible the municipality will not allow one person to get cards for 6 days in a row.

According to the website for the city of Bern, the cost is 49 Francs, not 45.

As you are putting in potential trips on the SBB website, note that it might show prices with the language "from XX CHF". This price is usually the cost for someone with a half-fare ticket (i.e. not you). Make sure when you're pricing different routes you account for the full ticket price.

Enjoy your trip!

11
Zurich to Geneva via those places would probably cost somewhere between 125-150 francs ONE WAY