For people that are not aware, SBB updated their app in the last 7-10 days and there are some major improvements/new functionality. Below, I've called out five which I think are helpful to know about :
1. Co-Passengers
You can add one or more co-passenger and purchase tickets for you and them on your app. Just go to the bottom right hand corner 'profile' icon and select co-passenger, there you can add the name and date of birth of the person(s) who will be travelling with you, and you can add if they do or do not have a travel card such as a half-tax card too! Then go to purchase you ticket as normal but before completing it, at the top of the screen where you see your name, select the pen icon on the right hand side and then the app presents a pop up which displays all the co-passengers saved in the app and you can the person(s) that need a ticket. The advantage is that you can buy for multiple people at the same time. I think this is great for friends/family who are visiting CH and you don't have time or the inclination setting up their own SBB app.
2. 1st and 2nd class
Its now easier to see how to switch the ticket view from 2nd class to 1st class and vice versa.I think previously it was defaulted to one class and it was complicated to switch this. Now whether you look under 'plan' which is the icon in the bottom left hand corner or 'easy ride' its easy to see 2nd and 1st class options.
3. Finding tickets and SBB card
Now it is so much easier to find your ticket in case the conductor is on the train. There is an icon with a QR code - its the fourth icon from the left along the bottom, as the time of writing this and it shows the SBB card and all ticket you would need to show to the conductor.
4. Saver Day Passes
There is a dedicated section to search for, see prices and book saver tickets. The 5th icon along the bottom of the app that looks like a shop called "shop and services" takes you to a screen. First check the screen is showing the 'quick access' items along the top. There is a section in there called "Day Passes Switzerland" and below that "Saver Day Pass" as well as other tickets which you might want to buy such as upgrades or dog passes.
5. Reka card can be saved
You can now add a Reka card as a payment option under 'Profile' which is in the bottom right hand corner and under "payment method". I don't think this was possible to save before instead one could choose to pay with the Reka card individually when purchasing items in the basket, but it could not be saved as a payment option.
Well, the first three of your 5 existed in the previous version, perhaps not in the same places. For number 3 all you need do is press and hold the icon on your home screen and a mini menu pops up including tickets, tap that and you’ve got your most recent ticket.
Regional day passes are a bit of a joke. In Vaud we have Mobilus which is zone based. But you can only buy a pass for one zone, the one you are in. The zone I’m in has a total of seven stops all on the same bus route. I’m so unlikely to want a day pass for 7 stops. However not all is lost, I can get multizone passes by pricing an origin destination and that has the added benefit of counting the number of zones.
I don’t use REKA so can’t comment.
They don’t seem to have fixed the bug when buying tickets for two or more people only the purchaser’s demi tariff is shown to the conductors, the others need to get out their cards.
I’m a bit of a cynic but I see this update as being more form over function. It is more pleasing to the eye, but it hasn’t actually improved very much. And moving functions can be quite irritating when you need something while standing in the rain watching the bus approach.
Thanks @Bowlie and @capacitrix, whilst I knew 2 and 3 were functionalities that were present in the old app, they were difficult and clunky to find (in my opinion) and I thought it was only possible to pay Reka but not save Reka, but I could have be wrong.
I did not know that adding and buying for multiple co-passengers was possible in one swipe and had read online that it wasn't possible to do this. Its just so much easier for me to use the app now.
My point is that generally I think they have worked hard on their UX (user experience) and I think this massively improves how we can interact with the app and that alone is worth sharing. I know I feel less frustrated with the app now.
I don't follow what you're saying here: in both the old and new app one can easily buy both single- and multi-zone Mobilis tickets (by entering in origin and destination stops), or a single- or multi-zone Mobilis day pass by selecting a return ticket for the same route. The multi-zone day pass is essentially a return ticket (it costs slightly less than twice a single ticket) but is valid all day.
Nothing really much changed in my opinion. I hadn't seen any issues with the previous version. In the new one I can't buy a local Mobilis (Vaud network) ticket anymore, there's only the integrated "fair ticket" which I don't want to use as it drains battery.
That’s exactly right. They added the ability to by regional tickets, but it only offers one zone. You can continue to buy multizone Mobilus by selecting a return but the new function is useless to me.
I don't think that is a bug. It is surely a security issue that you, on your phone, cannot simply call up someone else's Swiss Pass Card (if that is what you mean by "demi tariff") complete with name, picture and date of birth.
If a person is coming to Switzerland to visit me and she/he doesn't have or want to install the SBB APP, is there a way I can buy a ticket from my SBB APP and then send the ticket/QR code via message/email to this person so she/he can travel alone without me?
Almost always my partner. If you can link kids to parents / grandparents surely it’s possible to link (and de-link) partners.
Or for the conductor to assume Alles ist in Ordnung and not demand to see a piece of plastic.
It certainly isn’t the end of the world as each of us simply buy our own tickets, with a small risk that one may miss a saver ticket, but it would be nice if we could buy the ticket in one transaction and have them scanned once.
Yes! This started working about two weeks ago. Conductors seem to consistently be able to see the Juniorkarte in my app. I have not tried with the card.
Word of caution: There are mountain trains (Niesenbahn, for example) who cannot see the Juniorkarte with their scan device. In my case, they just took my word for it, but YMMV.
You can buy, through the SBB APP, a ticket in someone else's name and you can email them with the PDF (printable version) of the ticket which includes a QR code. I do this for my wife. I fetch a printable version of the ticket from the "My Orders" feature of the sbb.ch web site but you may also be able to achieve the same following the links on the confirmation of your ticket purchase which you get by email.
That person must carry some form of identification (passport etc.) which shows the same name that you have given when you purchased the ticket. That is all.
But this is also valid for Tram/Bus tickets? So even if I buy from my APP for somebody else I just email the ticket, I don't need to be travelling with that person as well, correct?
If you both have iPhones you can add the ticket to your wallet, and then forward it to the wallet of your friend. Three dots upper right corner, click that then you get the share button.
It's valid for all tickets bought through the CFF and you don't need to travel together.
For tram and bus and generally travelling in a zone system it may not be practical to purchase a ticket on someone else's behalf. The problem is that the some tickets may have short expiry times so, whereas you can purchase a ticket in advance for a specific time, the difficulty is getting the time correct and the loss of flexibility.
There is no general requirement that the ticket purchaser travels together with the person using the ticket.
You may have another option here if you trust the person you are buying the tickets for. That is to have the SBB App installed on the other persons phone then use your credit card as the payment method. This is how I have done it with my wife who is not yet immersed in the world of E-banking and has no method of electronically authorising her credit card for the SBB App.
Yes, you are right. Problem is that I want to help my parents when visiting, but they are above 75 and not really practical with APPs, regardless if I put my credit card or not, still they will have issues to use it.
You've a point about short expiring times, I will consider to buy a day ticket for them and then send the QR code via email or wallet.