Learn how to ride Swiss transportation like a pro (and avoid making these mistakes)! Shop our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation here: aplinsinthealps.com/guides/ultimate-guide-to-swiss-transportation/
Switzerland tourism NEEDS to acknowledge you as a major asset! We are currently traveling through Switzerland based upon your advice, and it is going so well!
About the ticket prices, as you told in the video, the prices doesn't change if you buy a regular ticket before or just before catching the train BUT there are some tickets that have a reduced cost if bought the day before. So if you already know that you want to take that exact train at that precise hour, you can buy the ticket the day before and spare some francs.
You're right! We explain these options in detail in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation - including when it may or may not be a good choice for your travels.
I have lived in Switzerland for years, have a GA, and travel almost daily on public transport. All this is good information, but I do have a couple of comments. 1) I would not be so quick to discourage seat reservations, esp. on trains during busy periods. During busy holiday periods, e.g., Christmas and Easter, a seat reservation on an IC or EC might be the only way to avoid standing the entire trip. It is also good to get seat reservations at busy times if you have visitors and everybody wants to sit together. There is no way I would take a train heading towards Ticino or Italy during the hiolidays without a seat reservation. Also, one slight correction: Seat reservations are not available on most 'regular' trains, usually only the longer haul trains. 2) depending on the toilets on trains is sometimes risky. We were on a train from Chiasso to Zurich and the entire trainset (10 cars) had only one working toilet and that one was only functional for about 1/3 of the journey. The good news is that most of the major stations now accept contactless payment, e.g., contactless credit card, Apple Pay or GPay, for restrooms in the station. And some, like the ones in Luzern and in Chur, only take contactless payments, no coins. 3) Request stop announcements are regional; you provided the German, which is usually but not always given, In French, Italian, and Romansch speaking areas the first announcement is always in the regional language, so it is good to learn the appropriate linguistic phrase for the region you are traveling in.
Something important about the request stop, if you want to get on at one, there is a button on the platform to push that signals to the driver to stop. Just standing on the platform isn't enough in a lot of cases to get the train to stop for you, unlike with a bus.
2:53 I agree but a seat reservation is SUPER handy during the weekend rushes to Bellinzona for example. If you would go on a month long holiday, I would mention this
honestly, people really seem to underestimate the sbb app - even a lot of people. like every morning i see people waiting on some part of the perron just to then be standing in front of first class and having to walk through half the train - also like the middle car is completely stuffed with people, but two cars further along, half the seats are free. that's all in the app. also: it gives you maps of trainstations, and shows you how to get from one track to the other - you can also litteraly put in normal adresses and it will give you the complete route with all way to the closest bust/train/tram stations.
Plus, you can purchase your passes through the app and they will be automatically used when buying tickets, so you don't have to worry if a particular line is included or not in your pass.
Seat reservations are also highly recommended on the Gotthard route during peak times (especially Saturday morning nord-south and Sunday afternoon south-nord)
4:52 actually thats the emergency door opening, altough dont pull that either xD. Also some trains have green buttons that look like door openings, but are actually SOS alarms so watch out for that
The SOS alarm is just a phone line to a security office.. like in an elevator it just connects after 2secs (or like that) of pushing it. If it happens, just say sorry to the voice and there's no problem!
You guys post are extremely helpful..wife and I visited Switzerland with tour group, we believe we are ready tackle it alone..knowing exactly how transportation works help us a lot. Thank you
16:10 If you bring a lot of luggage with you, we recommend checking it in directly at the start station! It will then be sent to you at the specified destination station. It doesn't cost a fortune, but it will save you a lot of hassle and stress on your trip! Many trains in Switzerland these days do not have enough luggage racks and things can quickly get tight.
@@AplinsintheAlps It's not ideal for travelers who have a short stay, that's true. More luggage space on trains would be appropriate, but unfortunately there are savings... There was once a time when there was a specially equipped luggage car...If I'm not mistaken, the RhB still has this in its tracks...
Some great advice here - especially for those who don’t regularly get trains! I have to say that they are excellent for waiting for everyone to get on and off the trains - the staff were very kind to my aunt who had limited mobility on our last trip.
and the Gotthard base tunnel has a limit of people that can be in the train. Even if you could stand in the train, they sometimes throw out the people without seats in Bellinzona
you get a discount if you buy the ticket a view days in advance, so called Sparbillet. however the ticket is only valid the exact route and departure time you booked. you can't take any other connection or at a different time. i buy the sparbilett only when im sure i can use said connection. else i buy the normal ticket
We do the exact same thing! For example, we buy supersaver tickets when we're traveling to the airport to leave the country, but we never buy supersaver tickets when we arrive back to the country. Too risky!
You guys really helped me make my solo Swiss trip so easy, enjoyable! Your transport video, (being in the right carriage etc) visiting the swiss alps, etiquette and cafes (the eiger bean was BRILLIANT) I binged on all your videos without you guys I would’ve been the biggest noob and feel lost. Thank you - thank you - thank you! 🎉 you are guys are AMAZING 🤩 P.S the Swiss railway is amazing - how easy it is to travel and the SBB app was so easy to use! (I did buy the Swiss half fare card!)
@@bethkaiser9288 for some reason it didn’t. So I always kept my PDF opened everytime there was a ticket inspector on the trains. Because they will ask for it 😊
Thanks for the reply! I was all signed in when I purchased it, but mine isn’t showing up either. I wanted to make sure I didn’t do something wrong before I purchased passes for the others in my party! Thanks!!
Aww so so so glad our resources we so helpful during your trip!!! And you can load the Half Fare Card onto the app. We have a screenshot tutorial in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation!
In your reservations point, you could have added that the Glacier and Bernina Express named trains use the same route as the normal service trains, requiring no reservations - which offer a better experience for those who want to roam around from side to side, look out of opening windows , get off and get on.
Awesome video. And the reason why i love transportation in Switzerland. I still work as a train engineer in germany and can say that they do EVERYTHING wrong. Which leads to chaos, arguments and delays. Btw ... @4:49 the shown lever is the emergency release of the door, not the emergency break. The emergency break is shown in a clip a few seconds before when your wife is leaving the train 🙂 Keep up your great content and have fun in switzerland :-)
Great Video. But I do want to ask, can you get all your tickets for your family thru 1 SBB app, or each passenger has to buy their own in their own app? Also, can we get the FREE tickets thru the app for children
Yes, you can add co-passengers on the SBB app and keep everyone on one account. You also add whether or not you have a travelcard so you can take advantage of that discount.
Hi Benedict! Yes, you can buy tickets for your whole family using one SBB Mobile app. As long as you have a Swiss Family Card, you do not need to purchase tickets for children under 16 (the Swiss Family Card, plus your valid ticket or pass, is their ticket). Hope this helps!
Only thing I can't figure out is if everything in the Bernese Oberland is included in the Swiss Travel pass such as mountain trams/gondolas and such. Sorry if this is a dumb question!
A good rule of thumb is that the Swiss Travel Pass only covers rides at low elevations (think between cities, boat rides, etc). It does not cover the mountain transportation in the Berner Oberland (although it does give you a discount). You’ll want to look up the validity maps to see which passes work for which places!
if you are putting your luggage on the luggage rack, would you use a combination lock with a cable so that the cable can connect the suitcase to the luggage rack to prevent thievery?
Some travelers do that! We often have small bags so we keep them under our seat. But we suggest keeping an eye on your bag if you place it on the door racks.
@@AplinsintheAlps or perhaps if the seat next to you or in front of you does not get taken up at all during the train trip, you can just keep it with you at your seat
1:22 Mistake 2: Wrong ! Go to the app and play around with the date and you will see you will get a huge discount if you book two weeks earlier. The cheapes tickets are marked with a black percent symbol
Yes, you can sometimes get discounts if you book in advance, but you are selecting a specific time and route! And often travelers can’t always stick to a specific date/time. But our point was that the ticket prices do not increase as your travel dates get closer. 🙃
We’re heading to Switzerland end of August for 6 days from Munich to Chur to get on the glacier express. Is it better to buy the eurail global pass instead of the Swiss travel pass?
Hi there! Unfortunately it depends on exactly what you'll do during your visit. Make sure you watch this video first if you haven't already: th-cam.com/video/fzuP0hMUjFk/w-d-xo.html
All your videos have been SUPER helpful while planning our upcoming Switzerland vacay! 2 questions I have ran into: Does the Half Fare Card show up in the SBB app? I purchased it and received an email with a QR code but am not seeing anything in the SBB app. I have a sign in for the SBB app and the SwissPass site. Do we need to verify our ID (on the SwissPass site) in order for passes to show up on the app?
You can add the Half Fare discount to the SBB app, and you don’t need to create a SwissPass account. We have a detailed tutorial with screenshots in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation!
Like with many things, that depends on what you're hoping to see/experience. We made an in-depth video about when to visit that should help answer your question. Check it out here: th-cam.com/video/1qzwAKWh2n0/w-d-xo.html
Cool I want to go to Switzerland, again alone , pass summer I went with parents and family , to Zermatt , I was stunned , a train from Milan to Zurich is so beautiful.
No, you’ll need to have your pass available to display (paper or digital). If you want more tips on using the app and how to show the Half Fare discount, check out our guide with detailed instructions!
Hello. Very nice video. I bought a Saver Day pass for a day in Interlaken from Zurich for my family of 5.. question- do i still need to book the itinerary in the SBB app? Or does it work like a hop on hop off then show the QR code to the train person. Thanks for your future reply.😊
Just show your ticket, no need to book anything else. But it is still a good practice to save your itinerary in the SBB app to get notified of any delays or platform changes.
Here the tips where you can go on toilet for following mountainess locations: Zermatt: Furi, Trockener Steg (down in the new station of the Glacier Ride). Dont go on top of Matterhorn Glacier - it costs there since several years). On "Schwarzsee" is only one in a seperate small building, otherwise you must go into the restaurant. Gornergrat: several toilets available. Sunnegga and I think on Blauherd is too. Region Engelberg: if you need a toilet, then go on the mid-station near the lake. Dont use those on top of Titlis, there are only one/two, often not clean, and overcrowed. And sorry to say, but they are often real dirty by all those tourists from India! Jungfrau region: i am not sure because it was long time ago I was there, but best place should be: Mürren (station of the cable car, but meantime they build there a new cable car, so actual there might be no available toilet), and Kleine Scheidegg. Oh, and on top of First at the gondola station.
"Saver Day Pass" it covered large amount of directions, and various transports: trains, buss and water-transport. But not to all, high mountains directions. Simpiliciese, can tell, that ticket works in areas where living a population. If You want "go" out of "living zones", You need a purchase additional tickets, to "clear touristic" destinations. (Pilatus; Schiltorn; Jungfraujoch; e.t.c) This SBB transport system, not a simple understood, but every individual voyager, need working own homework and some hours or days read a info in SBB home page. Thanks, for autors per info about "seat reservation". SBB only recomended take a seat reservation. ( I not understood, can I choose every free seat place, in own class of carriage?)
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank You very much per answer! 😊👍 Frequently I usare a Italo treno, but in Switzerland after some days i been first time. This is a new adventure... 🤔 (This information shows near seat number, with higlighting "station to staton", where interval is reserved. ..but, can turned "off" after some time)
Hey! Thanks for the video, very helpful as Im planning to visit this November in first week. Would you be able to share some more tips on what all areas are open/accessible? Also, if the gondalas are closed, is there an alternate means of transport to these mountain areas? Thank you :)
Hi there! Here's a really helpful website showing the operating info and maintenance dates for lots of the transport in the Jungfrau Region: www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/operating-info/
hi I'm looking for the video you did about the budget for staying one month in Wilderswill(?) Watched it a long time ago and can't find now.Can you help? thanks it was quite an informative video.
Travelling there from Malaysia with my young family for the first time later this year. Appreciate your videos and I would even buy a guide if our currency wasn't so weak
We bought the saver day pass for one day starting our journey from Zurich to lauterbraun to wengen to Grindelwald than back to Zurich because our bus to Italy is from Zurich from at 10 pm in night on the same day , is this iternery right or I can change or add something more , I want to try cable car also but don't know which cable car in our route is fully coverrby saver day pass ?
Wow, that’s a really full day! You’ll have to check if that specific cable car accepts the Saver Day Pass because some do and some don’t. But the trains between the cities will be covered by the Saver Day Pass.
Here we're mainly addressing point-to-point tickets, to try and simplify things. Those prices don't change. In other videos and resources we discuss Saver Day Passes and Supersaver tickets.
Hey Guys, when we buy berner oberland pass, for the train Brienzie Rothorn train do we still need to book seats? Last year we couldn't ride as he said we need to book the seat in advance for that day and he didn't have anything available during our pass availability😢
Seat reservations aren’t required for the Brienzer Rothorn so you should be able to show up and wait in line. I’m not sure if you can reserve in advance, but you can check their website!
@@SabaFaizanMUA As it was full that day, they have priority for seat reservation. And of course they dont have unlimited seats and trains. So they are limited.
Great question! We spent 1 month in Interlaken a few years ago. Prices have changed slightly, but the information is still helpful. You can find it here on our website: aplinsinthealps.com/cost-of-1-month-in-switzerland-2021/
@@AplinsintheAlps wasn't asking a question :P I was just stating that if you buy train tickets in advance, you can get it cheaper (SuperSaver tickets).
Sorry for the confusion! :) We thought about mentioning Supersaver tickets in point #2, but felt like it was just going to take lots of explaining. We have other resources and videos where we go more in depth on that topic, but felt it would add more confusion for the average traveler. But good catch!!
8:00 The main reason is hygiene! There are a lot of bacteria on the soles of shoes, especially fecal bacteria! It is therefore advisable not to wear outdoor shoes in the apartment/house! And you definitely don't want bacteria like this on the seat cushions where you rest your hands! Question: How many times a day do you touch your own face with your fingers? Correct...🤔
You two have helped me more than you know while planning my Italy/ Switzerland vacation! Life savers!! Question: what do you suggest for using trains to get from Milan to interlaken?!
_Milano Centrale_ to Switzerland is a trendy route (i.e. overcrowded). You have a connection in _Spiez_ and also _Brig_ (depending if the train goes to _Geneva_ or _Bern_ )
we will be receiving tourism transport cards for the 2 cities we're staying in. how do we integrate that with our SBB travel that may extend beyond those boundaries? v overwhelmed and our air bnb hosts are not helping :(
Great question! Guest cards cannot be loaded onto the SBB app. You’ll have to use the validity map to know where they will/will not cover! (Typically they only cover the city and not beyond)
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank you for the reply! So, in theory, we have to use the city pass then get off and buy a ticket to get us the rest of the way for our day trips? For example, we'll be in Interlaken and will visit Top of Europe / Grindlewald / Lauterbrunnen... so we should get the Jungfrau pass to supplement? Very overwhelming! THank you again!
At 4:50 thats not the Emergency Brake, its the Emergency Release for the Door. But if it is not an emergency, as it is said in the video, do not use it 😄.
You mentioned toilet fees, but have you made a more comprehensive video about what kind of places a tourist needs cash in Switzerland? We are travelling there this summer and this information would make planning the trip much easier.
Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere! You'll want some cash for self-service farm fridges and maybe some remote mountain restaurants, otherwise just bring a few credit cards! (Bring a few in case one doesn't work.)
Public transport savings tip for those planning a stay in the city or canton (state) of Zurich: Take the "9 Uhr pass" ticket. Valid from 9am on Monday to Friday and from the first to the last departure on Saturdays and Sundays. For ALL! trains, trams, buses, cable cars and boats. Costs 26 Swiss francs. Amazing, isn't it?
The secret about putting your feet up: A) only do it, if there are few people on the train, nobody wants your boots next to them. B) Use a "20 minutes" free newspaper (or something like that) to keep your boots from dirtying the seat. B is they main reason people get angry. Nobody wants to sit on a seat, where someone transferred all kinds of nasty stuff onto it, from their boots.
That is a great pass for Zurich! If you’re also doing touristy things, check out the Zurich Card - for 29 CHF you get free unlimited transport AND free/discounted museum entrances and attractions!
The newspaper idea is a great tip!! But you’re right, no one wants to sit on a dirty seat. The worst was one time we sat down and realized the seat was all wet…we hoped it was a water bottle spill and not a toddlers potty accident 🥴
We agree, it should be! But many tourists are anxious about missing their train and often just run on board as soon as the doors open. If you haven’t been here, you’ll quickly find that out when you visit! 🙃
It’s perfectly alright to eat a full picnic lunch on the train. Just be respectful of the space you take up, anything super smelly, and as mentioned clean up everything. Once a group of five friends and I had the entire car on a beautiful mountain train ride with just one other Swiss person. After a few minutes as I noticed she was enjoying our conversations I quietly offered her some of the grapes I was sharing with the others. She happily accepted and we made a friend.
Yes you can eat on the train! (Unless there is a sign that says no food/drink, which some of the mountain trains have). As always, just be respectful, try not to spill your food, and clean up after yourself 😊
You have made the very best videos! I have so appreciated all the free info! Lol. I would live to know something about living in Switzerland. Would you guys be willing to do that?
I’m planning for my second Swiss trip in June and I’ve noticed that on the SBB app too. The point to point tickets seem to be the same price but I’m not sure how far in advance it’s possible to get that super saver ticket for. I hope to buy for the journeys I’m absolutely sure I can make if it’ll save even more money (with half fare card too)!
General guidance is to avoid them because they lock you into a specific train time that can’t be changed. Consider getting a Half Fare Card so the cost of the flexible Point-to-Ticket is easier to stomach.
The Super Saver tickets are booked for a specific route at a specific time. So if you know you can make that specific time, they can be a good buy. But if you miss it, you’re out of luck and have to buy another ticket. We explain what they are and how to buy them (and when to NOT buy them) in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation!
Two days ago in Switzerland, we boarded a train with our baby, only to find the luggage racks full. A local man rudely shoved our bags aside, made himself comfortable, and even put his feet up. When we stared in disbelief, he tried to hoist our heavy suitcase above us, directly over our baby. I quickly intervened, saying it wasn’t safe. I eventually managed to squeeze the luggage into another spot, but the man spent the next two hours loudly chatting. It was a stressful experience with a local, while other tourists were far more considerate.
I visit Switzerland regularly, and as I do a lot of travelling around the country I always buy a first class Swiss Travel Pass. First Class is USUALLY less crowded than second. However on busy commuter routes such as Bern to Zurich first class can be very crowded, or even full on working day peak hours. (Switzerland has a lot of wealthy commuters!) Another advantage of first class is that the UPPER deck of boats, with the best views, are for first class ticket holders only. And this rule is strictly enforced by the ship's crew.
That’s true that First Class is often less crowded. In our opinion, we purchase Second Class passes and then just pay for a First Class upgrade on the routes that we want (such as a boat). This usually ends up being more affordable since most mountain routes don’t have separate First/Second Classes. But we’re glad you’ve discovered what works for your travels! 👍
Yes, The track (voie/Gleis) on which the correspondence is to be found is announced in advance. Sometimes it's even on the same platform. In the worst case, the next train is half an hour later ;-)
The SBB APP also shows you the way that you must go. Like google maps. Also from a plattform to another platform. And also to find the right busses or cable car station.
There are usually big numbers on the outside of the carriage. And the first class section often has a door with a giant 1 on it - so it’s pretty obvious once you start looking!
The order of the wagons is displayed on a blue screen at the track. Apart from that, first class wagons have the „1“ next to the doors and there‘s usually a yellow beam under the roof of the first class wagons. You can‘t miss that 😊
You'll find the train composition in the timetable and on the platform. The speaker also tells where the 1st and 2nd class wagons are. Normally, 1st class is in the front.
I live in Geneva, and when it comes to the trams and buses ... LOL at the notion that people will let you get off before they get on. I wish! Regularly I have to practically push people aside as they block my exit from the bus or tram. Trains are more polite, true, but not the stuff in the city!
@@AplinsintheAlps I will say that when my wife was on crutches because of a broken leg, virtually every time she boarded a bus or a tram, someone gave up their seat for her.
@Elif-bm9lo i didn't mean it was appropriate. I just commented because i didn't know. But no one said anything to us. I love Jenna and Brett videos, and they are always very helpful. I am glad i know now. I would rather prefer creators replies than strangers
@@SabaFaizanMUA Thanks for the clarification, I got you wrong. I think with younger children and when they have taken their shoes off, people are much more tolerant. It's also common to leave toddlers on the seat with only socks on. Anyway, good travels to you and your family!
Just some of my observations about the trains in Switzerland. "Allowing everybody to exit before boarding." Easier said than done sometimes. You patiently wait for everybody to exit, check the door and nobody's coming, then double check, still nobody coming. OK I can board now. Three steps in and you collide with somebody who's glued to their phone, and rushing to get out because they were to engrossed on whatever is happening on Tiktok that they didn't notice the train had stopped. "Seat reservations," Oh don't get me started on seat reservations. Why oh why do schools, or dual stick wielding pensioners clubs of on one of their "GA days" think it's a good idea reserve half the bloody train at 7 o'clock in the morning, leaving us regular commuters standing in the aisles and the vestibules with our noses stuck in each other's armpits. It really is not the best way to start a working day. And as for those dual stick wielding pensioners you don't want to mess them as those sticks are lethal in their highly trained hands. "Pressing the button to open the train doors." This is not just tourists, this is also common amongst Swiss nationals who've never been the first to enter a train, and especially those who've never been the first to exit a train. More than once have I been standing 2nd in the queue to exit a train, and the person in front of me just stands there waiting for the doors to open. This worse amongst the younger generation, who are invariably wearing headphones that cover three quarters of their head, who as a result fail to hear your twice delivered polite "excuse", and also fail to hear your escalated and less polite "hallo", leaving you to rudely reach around them to activate the door opening control yourself. This is a lot more common on older carriages where you need to move a lever on the door to open it, and thus doesn't have a high intensity green light surrounding it to indicate "press here to open". If caught in this situation don't expect any help form those waiting outside to open the door, as these people are following rule one - "Allowing everybody to exit before boarding.". It is therefore considered the responsibility of those inside the train to open the door. While waiting to board I personally have to admit to "assisting" those inside to open the door, although I do, however, suspect this is considered to be a breach of protocol.
A tourist trap I recently experienced was about Swiss railway (SBB) who tend to indiscriminately fine passengers who activated the Swiss pass just a little bit late with excessive fine. I was handed a 158 CHF fine ticket by the ticket controller without even asking me any question (e.g. if it was my first time). According to SSB website such a high fine should be for repeated offenders. Later, I found out the abusive habit of SBB ticket controllers from many internet groups and decided to make an in-person trip to the SBB office to complain (as the SBB tel line is always engaged). The funny thing was the staff in SBB office after hearing my case immediately and apologetically reduced my fine to 30 CHF. Instead of having time to sight-seeing, I spend a lot of my time in Switzerland complaining to SBB. This not only wasted a lot of my time but leave a really bad taste in my mouth. So watch out for this abusive action from SBB. Take care.
So sorry you had such a tough experience! In general, the staff expect all travelers to have a valid ticket or pass that follows the outlined rules and regulations. But we hope they don’t over-fine travelers!
It is not a tourist trap. It is because still a lot of swiss people drive without tickets and try to cheat the system. There are people that only buy tickets in a train, once they see a controller. And that's quite annoying for sbb, bls etc. I guess that's why there is more and more a zero tolerance mood. It's because of some swiss people 😅 and yeah, it's annoying that you had to go to a sbb office because of that. Always check the train departure time. If it departs on 10:03, then you have to swipe or 'checkin' until 10:02 then you are fine. If you do it 10:03 then there is a 50/50 chance they will let you go. After 10:03 you sadly will get a fine.
@@mujakapasa Thank you for your reply. I wonder why SBB does not adopt systems like other railway system around the world especially in South East Asia where everyone use a ticket to go through a turnstile to enter the station. Passengers don't have to worry about when to activate the ticket and there is very rare cases of abusing the system.
@@awaw20062006 Yes, that would be a great idea. But due to politics this will likely never happen in Switzerland. To many different train and public transport associations in here. Some are better organised than others. And when it comes to who pays the new train stations, there is always a mix between the Confederation of Switzerland and the cantons. And since we have 26 of them and everyone acts differently, it's amazing that it actually works somehow the way it is now :D
They fine everyone like that. It shouldn‘t be allowed, but it is. If you use an app, you need to activate it before you get on, otherwise they will fine you. Activating while the train etc gets moving won‘t do (sadly)
We’ve been to Montreux and Lausanne a few times, just haven’t been able to film there yet! We’ve actually been all over this country, but haven’t had the capacity to film everywhere…one day 🙃
Well guys map.. u r right. We wanted to go and see Oltschibachfall. Our map took us all the way up in residential area. I was kept on saying to my husband its wrong and he goes map is telling us. He never listened when we ended up to a no way😂😂😂
DON'T leave backpacks on the top shelf on any train. We were at stop in Cologne, Germany and a thief nonchalantly grabbed my wife's bag and walked off the train. Luckily I saw him and I had to jump off the train and grab it back, and I could've gotten stuck there if the doors had closed while I was off.
For sure! We cover the topic of Supersaver tickets pretty extensively in other resources. But we wanted to help simplify things for travelers by letting them know that the price of standard tickets don't change as the travel dates get closer. Thanks for highlighting this just in case!
Switzerland got the most perfect public transport system in the world. Mostly all your advices are for rude, uneducated tourists. And by the way all stations have machines to sell tickets very simple to use and you can pay with debit and credit cards, swiss francs and euro.
Hi there! Sometimes when you haven't traveled to other countries before, it's easy to make these mistakes, even if you aren't trying to be rude. That's why we wanted to help :)
Half of these are like "don't be selfish" and apply to anywhere in the world. e.g. "let people get off the train first" or "don't block seats with your backpack" It's wild that this even has to be mentioned. But I also fear that the people who need to know this are not the ones watching this video.
You're right that general courtesy goes a long way - anywhere in the world! These "mistakes" are based on years of traveling here and observing tourists in general, so these unfortunately do happen. We hope this video helps prepare travelers before their trip!
As a swiss I can confirm that, for most people, it is ok to put your feet on the seat if you're wearing socks, but old people won't like it and technically it's against houserules.
You can certainly ask for help in the tourist office, although we've found that they have some standard recommendations which are not always the best value for the traveler. (Such as the Swiss Travel Pass, which is great for trips across the country but not as affordable for trips in the mountains). However, there are SO many questions about transportation that we answer in our guide, including step by step photo tutorials for the SBB app!
This seems obvious to people used to riding public transportation, but tourists make this mistake ALL the time! We personally see it regularly (and we live near Interlaken). I think some people genuinely don't realize there are even multiple classes available!
We do hope this advice feels like common sense! But unfortunately these mistakes are things we witness travelers doing daily in this region - which is why we made this video!
Learn how to ride Swiss transportation like a pro (and avoid making these mistakes)! Shop our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation here: aplinsinthealps.com/guides/ultimate-guide-to-swiss-transportation/
Switzerland tourism NEEDS to acknowledge you as a major asset! We are currently traveling through Switzerland based upon your advice, and it is going so well!
You’re so kind. That’s awesome that you’re having a wonderful trip! 😊
About the ticket prices, as you told in the video, the prices doesn't change if you buy a regular ticket before or just before catching the train BUT there are some tickets that have a reduced cost if bought the day before. So if you already know that you want to take that exact train at that precise hour, you can buy the ticket the day before and spare some francs.
You're right! We explain these options in detail in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation - including when it may or may not be a good choice for your travels.
I have lived in Switzerland for years, have a GA, and travel almost daily on public transport. All this is good information, but I do have a couple of comments. 1) I would not be so quick to discourage seat reservations, esp. on trains during busy periods. During busy holiday periods, e.g., Christmas and Easter, a seat reservation on an IC or EC might be the only way to avoid standing the entire trip. It is also good to get seat reservations at busy times if you have visitors and everybody wants to sit together. There is no way I would take a train heading towards Ticino or Italy during the hiolidays without a seat reservation. Also, one slight correction: Seat reservations are not available on most 'regular' trains, usually only the longer haul trains. 2) depending on the toilets on trains is sometimes risky. We were on a train from Chiasso to Zurich and the entire trainset (10 cars) had only one working toilet and that one was only functional for about 1/3 of the journey. The good news is that most of the major stations now accept contactless payment, e.g., contactless credit card, Apple Pay or GPay, for restrooms in the station. And some, like the ones in Luzern and in Chur, only take contactless payments, no coins. 3) Request stop announcements are regional; you provided the German, which is usually but not always given, In French, Italian, and Romansch speaking areas the first announcement is always in the regional language, so it is good to learn the appropriate linguistic phrase for the region you are traveling in.
Completely agree with you, for example the Milano Centrale train going from Basel is always packed
Something important about the request stop, if you want to get on at one, there is a button on the platform to push that signals to the driver to stop. Just standing on the platform isn't enough in a lot of cases to get the train to stop for you, unlike with a bus.
So true Robin! Thanks for the reminder!
You mine like Jet Lag in Hospental? 🤣
Ha, exactly!!
2:53 I agree but a seat reservation is SUPER handy during the weekend rushes to Bellinzona for example. If you would go on a month long holiday, I would mention this
honestly, people really seem to underestimate the sbb app - even a lot of people. like every morning i see people waiting on some part of the perron just to then be standing in front of first class and having to walk through half the train - also like the middle car is completely stuffed with people, but two cars further along, half the seats are free. that's all in the app. also: it gives you maps of trainstations, and shows you how to get from one track to the other - you can also litteraly put in normal adresses and it will give you the complete route with all way to the closest bust/train/tram stations.
Yes, we totally agree! One of the most powerful transportation apps we've ever seen.
Plus, you can purchase your passes through the app and they will be automatically used when buying tickets, so you don't have to worry if a particular line is included or not in your pass.
It's a great app. It also has the Non-SBB public transport added like buses including where they're located etc.
Thanks!
Thanks for your generosity! We're happy to help keep you entertained while teaching about traveling Switzerland ;)
Even tho I'm Swiss, I think its interesting to watch videos like this one. You did a great job with this one!
That is a HUGE compliment! Thank you!
Seat reservations are also highly recommended on the Gotthard route during peak times (especially Saturday morning nord-south and Sunday afternoon south-nord)
Great advice! We've heard of so many Swiss heading down to Ticino for the weekend, so it's not surprising these trains can be very busy!!
4:52 actually thats the emergency door opening, altough dont pull that either xD. Also some trains have green buttons that look like door openings, but are actually SOS alarms so watch out for that
Yes, good point!!
The SOS alarm is just a phone line to a security office.. like in an elevator it just connects after 2secs (or like that) of pushing it. If it happens, just say sorry to the voice and there's no problem!
You guys post are extremely helpful..wife and I visited Switzerland with tour group, we believe we are ready tackle it alone..knowing exactly how transportation works help us a lot. Thank you
That's fantastic to hear! We're so glad this video helped!
16:10 If you bring a lot of luggage with you, we recommend checking it in directly at the start station! It will then be sent to you at the specified destination station. It doesn't cost a fortune, but it will save you a lot of hassle and stress on your trip! Many trains in Switzerland these days do not have enough luggage racks and things can quickly get tight.
We’ve used the luggage transfer before, but it takes up to 2 days for SBB to deliver your bags - which is tough for most travelers!
@@AplinsintheAlps It's not ideal for travelers who have a short stay, that's true. More luggage space on trains would be appropriate, but unfortunately there are savings... There was once a time when there was a specially equipped luggage car...If I'm not mistaken, the RhB still has this in its tracks...
We’re visiting this June! Your videos have been so informative! Looking forward to visiting with all your inputs
Thank you, we hope you have a great trip!!
Some great advice here - especially for those who don’t regularly get trains!
I have to say that they are excellent for waiting for everyone to get on and off the trains - the staff were very kind to my aunt who had limited mobility on our last trip.
That’s so true! The staff do care about helping passengers and making sure everyone can board on time 😊
The name of this channel is really cool. Great video on what to consider when using public transport in Switzerland. Swiss approved! 🇨🇭👍
Thanks so much! We're grateful to have a name that fits well with these beautiful Swiss mountains!!
Do a seat reservation too on a weekends from Lugano to Zurich. Most the time these trains are from Milano and they are overbooked!
Very helpful tip!!
and the Gotthard base tunnel has a limit of people that can be in the train. Even if you could stand in the train, they sometimes throw out the people without seats in Bellinzona
you get a discount if you buy the ticket a view days in advance, so called Sparbillet. however the ticket is only valid the exact route and departure time you booked. you can't take any other connection or at a different time. i buy the sparbilett only when im sure i can use said connection. else i buy the normal ticket
We do the exact same thing! For example, we buy supersaver tickets when we're traveling to the airport to leave the country, but we never buy supersaver tickets when we arrive back to the country. Too risky!
But you only can buy Sparbillets for "unloved" connections, like very early in the morning or later in the day.
You guys really helped me make my solo Swiss trip so easy, enjoyable! Your transport video, (being in the right carriage etc) visiting the swiss alps, etiquette and cafes (the eiger bean was BRILLIANT) I binged on all your videos without you guys I would’ve been the biggest noob and feel lost. Thank you - thank you - thank you! 🎉 you are guys are AMAZING 🤩
P.S the Swiss railway is amazing - how easy it is to travel and the SBB app was so easy to use! (I did buy the Swiss half fare card!)
Did your half fare card show up on the SBB app?
@@bethkaiser9288 for some reason it didn’t. So I always kept my PDF opened everytime there was a ticket inspector on the trains. Because they will ask for it 😊
Thanks for the reply! I was all signed in when I purchased it, but mine isn’t showing up either. I wanted to make sure I didn’t do something wrong before I purchased passes for the others in my party! Thanks!!
Aww so so so glad our resources we so helpful during your trip!!! And you can load the Half Fare Card onto the app. We have a screenshot tutorial in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation!
do we need to validate the tickets if we have swiss travel pass
The best vloggers on Switzerland! Thank you!
You’re so kind! Thanks for your encouragement! 😊
In your reservations point, you could have added that the Glacier and Bernina Express named trains use the same route as the normal service trains, requiring no reservations - which offer a better experience for those who want to roam around from side to side, look out of opening windows , get off and get on.
Yes, great tip!
I live in Switzerland and your video has been spot on!!!! Have subscribed!
That's a huge compliment! Thank you! So glad to have you here:)
10:58 Thank you for mentioning this. Saw this happen sooo many times before
Awesome video. And the reason why i love transportation in Switzerland. I still work as a train engineer in germany and can say that they do EVERYTHING wrong. Which leads to chaos, arguments and delays.
Btw ... @4:49 the shown lever is the emergency release of the door, not the emergency break. The emergency break is shown in a clip a few seconds before when your wife is leaving the train 🙂
Keep up your great content and have fun in switzerland :-)
Great Video. But I do want to ask, can you get all your tickets for your family thru 1 SBB app, or each passenger has to buy their own in their own app? Also, can we get the FREE tickets thru the app for children
Yes, you can add co-passengers on the SBB app and keep everyone on one account. You also add whether or not you have a travelcard so you can take advantage of that discount.
Hi Benedict! Yes, you can buy tickets for your whole family using one SBB Mobile app. As long as you have a Swiss Family Card, you do not need to purchase tickets for children under 16 (the Swiss Family Card, plus your valid ticket or pass, is their ticket). Hope this helps!
We used your train advice/guide while traveling in Switzerland last month and it was so easy. You made our trip so much easier. Thank you!
This is so great to hear! Thanks so much for sharing!
You guys are the best. Your videos are so well done and organized ☺️🫶🏻
Thank you! That’s our goal, to be helpful and entertaining!
Davosis guest card is an exception it kover s ome rail lines that go further rhan davos itsels in some direction
Yes, for sure some exceptions to this general rule. Thanks for sharing!
Absolutely - it is a great guest card that covers a good distance around Davos/Klosters and the cable Cars/funiculars above Davos too. Total bargain.
It's interesting you mentioned it because we're releasing a video about Swiss Guest Cards soon!
Only thing I can't figure out is if everything in the Bernese Oberland is included in the Swiss Travel pass such as mountain trams/gondolas and such. Sorry if this is a dumb question!
A good rule of thumb is that the Swiss Travel Pass only covers rides at low elevations (think between cities, boat rides, etc). It does not cover the mountain transportation in the Berner Oberland (although it does give you a discount). You’ll want to look up the validity maps to see which passes work for which places!
@@AplinsintheAlps perfect! Will have to watch your Swiss train guide one more time before buying one! Thank you!
You're welcome!
if you are putting your luggage on the luggage rack, would you use a combination lock with a cable so that the cable can connect the suitcase to the luggage rack to prevent thievery?
Some travelers do that! We often have small bags so we keep them under our seat. But we suggest keeping an eye on your bag if you place it on the door racks.
@@AplinsintheAlps or perhaps if the seat next to you or in front of you does not get taken up at all during the train trip, you can just keep it with you at your seat
1:22 Mistake 2: Wrong ! Go to the app and play around with the date and you will see you will get a huge discount if you book two weeks earlier. The cheapes tickets are marked with a black percent symbol
"Huge discounts" 😂 not really
Yes, you can sometimes get discounts if you book in advance, but you are selecting a specific time and route! And often travelers can’t always stick to a specific date/time. But our point was that the ticket prices do not increase as your travel dates get closer. 🙃
We’re heading to Switzerland end of August for
6 days from Munich to Chur to get on the glacier express. Is it better to buy the eurail global pass instead of the Swiss travel pass?
Hi there! Unfortunately it depends on exactly what you'll do during your visit. Make sure you watch this video first if you haven't already: th-cam.com/video/fzuP0hMUjFk/w-d-xo.html
All your videos have been SUPER helpful while planning our upcoming Switzerland vacay!
2 questions I have ran into:
Does the Half Fare Card show up in the SBB app? I purchased it and received an email with a QR code but am not seeing anything in the SBB app.
I have a sign in for the SBB app and the SwissPass site. Do we need to verify our ID (on the SwissPass site) in order for passes to show up on the app?
You can add the Half Fare discount to the SBB app, and you don’t need to create a SwissPass account. We have a detailed tutorial with screenshots in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation!
what months are best for travel if we want to see top of euro and griswald areas?
Like with many things, that depends on what you're hoping to see/experience. We made an in-depth video about when to visit that should help answer your question. Check it out here: th-cam.com/video/1qzwAKWh2n0/w-d-xo.html
Cool I want to go to Switzerland, again alone , pass summer I went with parents and family , to Zermatt , I was stunned , a train from Milan to Zurich is so beautiful.
We hope you get to go back soon!
Can we manage with English with the locals / staff members ?
Shouldn't be a problem at all!!
Can you put the half far card on the SBB App for purchases or must you have it on your phone to physically display to someone somewhere as proof
No, you’ll need to have your pass available to display (paper or digital). If you want more tips on using the app and how to show the Half Fare discount, check out our guide with detailed instructions!
You really helped with my last trip to Switzerland 🇨🇭 I want to go back already
So glad we could help! Come back soon!!
I want to go back too.
Hello. Very nice video. I bought a Saver Day pass for a day in Interlaken from Zurich for my family of 5.. question-
do i still need to book the itinerary in the SBB app? Or does it work like a hop on hop off then show the QR code to the train person. Thanks for your future reply.😊
Just show your ticket, no need to book anything else. But it is still a good practice to save your itinerary in the SBB app to get notified of any delays or platform changes.
Here the tips where you can go on toilet for following mountainess locations:
Zermatt: Furi, Trockener Steg (down in the new station of the Glacier Ride). Dont go on top of Matterhorn Glacier - it costs there since several years). On "Schwarzsee" is only one in a seperate small building, otherwise you must go into the restaurant. Gornergrat: several toilets available. Sunnegga and I think on Blauherd is too.
Region Engelberg: if you need a toilet, then go on the mid-station near the lake. Dont use those on top of Titlis, there are only one/two, often not clean, and overcrowed. And sorry to say, but they are often real dirty by all those tourists from India!
Jungfrau region: i am not sure because it was long time ago I was there, but best place should be: Mürren (station of the cable car, but meantime they build there a new cable car, so actual there might be no available toilet), and Kleine Scheidegg. Oh, and on top of First at the gondola station.
Very helpful. I will be in CH in 2 weeks.
Enjoy!!! 😊
"Saver Day Pass" it covered large amount of directions, and various transports: trains, buss and water-transport. But not to all, high mountains directions. Simpiliciese, can tell, that ticket works in areas where living a population.
If You want "go" out of "living zones", You need a purchase additional tickets, to "clear touristic" destinations. (Pilatus; Schiltorn; Jungfraujoch; e.t.c)
This SBB transport system, not a simple understood, but every individual voyager, need working own homework and some hours or days read a info in SBB home page.
Thanks, for autors per info about "seat reservation". SBB only recomended take a seat reservation.
( I not understood, can I choose every free seat place, in own class of carriage?)
Yes, as long as a seat isn’t reserved, you can sit there! Seat reservations are posted above the seats near the seat numbers.
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank You very much per answer! 😊👍
Frequently I usare a Italo treno, but in Switzerland after some days i been first time. This is a new adventure... 🤔
(This information shows near seat number, with higlighting "station to staton", where interval is reserved. ..but, can turned "off" after some time)
Hey! Thanks for the video, very helpful as Im planning to visit this November in first week. Would you be able to share some more tips on what all areas are open/accessible? Also, if the gondalas are closed, is there an alternate means of transport to these mountain areas? Thank you :)
Hi there! Here's a really helpful website showing the operating info and maintenance dates for lots of the transport in the Jungfrau Region: www.jungfrau.ch/en-gb/live/operating-info/
@@AplinsintheAlps thanks a ton. You guys are amazing ❤️
hi I'm looking for the video you did about the budget for staying one month in Wilderswill(?) Watched it a long time ago and can't find now.Can you help? thanks it was quite an informative video.
Hi there! The numbers are quite outdated now, but here's a link to the video for your reference: th-cam.com/video/puBcoFBnibA/w-d-xo.html
@@AplinsintheAlps thank you very much for the link and all your great videos.
Travelling there from Malaysia with my young family for the first time later this year. Appreciate your videos and I would even buy a guide if our currency wasn't so weak
So glad you'll have the chance to visit! Feel free to enjoy all of the free content we have available :)
We bought the saver day pass for one day starting our journey from Zurich to lauterbraun to wengen to Grindelwald than back to Zurich because our bus to Italy is from Zurich from at 10 pm in night on the same day , is this iternery right or I can change or add something more , I want to try cable car also but don't know which cable car in our route is fully coverrby saver day pass ?
Wow, that’s a really full day! You’ll have to check if that specific cable car accepts the Saver Day Pass because some do and some don’t. But the trains between the cities will be covered by the Saver Day Pass.
Saver Day Pass don't increase price until the very day of travel?
Here we're mainly addressing point-to-point tickets, to try and simplify things. Those prices don't change. In other videos and resources we discuss Saver Day Passes and Supersaver tickets.
Do you push the door button to request a stop right after leaving the stop before or wait until you get closer to your stop?
You can wait until the train departs the previous stop and the. starts moving toward your stop 😊
Lifesavers! Heading to Switzerland in a few weeks and your videos are so helpful!
We’re happy to help! Have fun! 😊
Hey Guys, when we buy berner oberland pass, for the train Brienzie Rothorn train do we still need to book seats? Last year we couldn't ride as he said we need to book the seat in advance for that day and he didn't have anything available during our pass availability😢
Seat reservations aren’t required for the Brienzer Rothorn so you should be able to show up and wait in line. I’m not sure if you can reserve in advance, but you can check their website!
@@AplinsintheAlps just because i didn't reserve the seat on the day, online they didn't let me ride. That day got wasted. We were very upset
@@SabaFaizanMUA As it was full that day, they have priority for seat reservation. And of course they dont have unlimited seats and trains. So they are limited.
Point 2 seems slightly incorrect. Intercity tickets are cheaper if purchased the SuperSaver tickets in advanced.
Great question! We spent 1 month in Interlaken a few years ago. Prices have changed slightly, but the information is still helpful. You can find it here on our website: aplinsinthealps.com/cost-of-1-month-in-switzerland-2021/
@@AplinsintheAlps wasn't asking a question :P I was just stating that if you buy train tickets in advance, you can get it cheaper (SuperSaver tickets).
Sorry for the confusion! :)
We thought about mentioning Supersaver tickets in point #2, but felt like it was just going to take lots of explaining. We have other resources and videos where we go more in depth on that topic, but felt it would add more confusion for the average traveler. But good catch!!
Is the train from Lucerne to Grindelwald Terminal covered by Berner oberland pass? Thank you 😊
Yep, it is!
Ha! We saw that car stuck on the stairs at the Interlaken station two years ago. Epic fail.
Yikes!
And an expensive fail, I guess.
8:00 The main reason is hygiene! There are a lot of bacteria on the soles of shoes, especially fecal bacteria! It is therefore advisable not to wear outdoor shoes in the apartment/house! And you definitely don't want bacteria like this on the seat cushions where you rest your hands! Question: How many times a day do you touch your own face with your fingers? Correct...🤔
I think there are many reasons, and hygiene is certainly one of them!
@@AplinsintheAlps We often ask our passengers to take off their shoes. Or they should put a protector on it...
Totally understandable!
Will be my first time in April to Lucerne from Zurich.
Hope you love it!!
You two have helped me more than you know while planning my Italy/ Switzerland vacation! Life savers!! Question: what do you suggest for using trains to get from Milan to interlaken?!
So glad our resources have been helpful! Check routes on the SBB app from Milan to Interlaken!
_Milano Centrale_ to Switzerland is a trendy route (i.e. overcrowded). You have a connection in _Spiez_ and also _Brig_ (depending if the train goes to _Geneva_ or _Bern_ )
Thank you guys so much for all of the super valuable info.
You're welcome!
No 17 😳. I'm glad I watch this video. Thank you for all the tips
Thank you!
we will be receiving tourism transport cards for the 2 cities we're staying in. how do we integrate that with our SBB travel that may extend beyond those boundaries? v overwhelmed and our air bnb hosts are not helping :(
Great question! Guest cards cannot be loaded onto the SBB app. You’ll have to use the validity map to know where they will/will not cover! (Typically they only cover the city and not beyond)
@@AplinsintheAlps Thank you for the reply! So, in theory, we have to use the city pass then get off and buy a ticket to get us the rest of the way for our day trips? For example, we'll be in Interlaken and will visit Top of Europe / Grindlewald / Lauterbrunnen... so we should get the Jungfrau pass to supplement? Very overwhelming! THank you again!
How can i get a guest card?
You get one from your hotel or Airbnb - if there is a guest card available in the town. They don’t have them everywhere!
At 4:50 thats not the Emergency Brake, its the Emergency Release for the Door. But if it is not an emergency, as it is said in the video, do not use it 😄.
The emergency brakes look different on different trains - but let’s steer clear of all emergency buttons and levers 🤣
You mentioned toilet fees, but have you made a more comprehensive video about what kind of places a tourist needs cash in Switzerland? We are travelling there this summer and this information would make planning the trip much easier.
Credit cards are accepted almost everywhere! You'll want some cash for self-service farm fridges and maybe some remote mountain restaurants, otherwise just bring a few credit cards! (Bring a few in case one doesn't work.)
@@AplinsintheAlps Are credit cards accepted for using toilets?
Public transport savings tip for those planning a stay in the city or canton (state) of Zurich: Take the "9 Uhr pass" ticket. Valid from 9am on Monday to Friday and from the first to the last departure on Saturdays and Sundays. For ALL! trains, trams, buses, cable cars and boats. Costs 26 Swiss francs. Amazing, isn't it?
The secret about putting your feet up:
A) only do it, if there are few people on the train, nobody wants your boots next to them.
B) Use a "20 minutes" free newspaper (or something like that) to keep your boots from dirtying the seat.
B is they main reason people get angry. Nobody wants to sit on a seat, where someone transferred all kinds of nasty stuff onto it, from their boots.
That is a great pass for Zurich! If you’re also doing touristy things, check out the Zurich Card - for 29 CHF you get free unlimited transport AND free/discounted museum entrances and attractions!
The newspaper idea is a great tip!! But you’re right, no one wants to sit on a dirty seat. The worst was one time we sat down and realized the seat was all wet…we hoped it was a water bottle spill and not a toddlers potty accident 🥴
I‘m baffled: mistake no. 1 is something you learn as a child
We agree, it should be! But many tourists are anxious about missing their train and often just run on board as soon as the doors open. If you haven’t been here, you’ll quickly find that out when you visit! 🙃
Hi. Is it ok to eat sandwich or bread in the train?
It’s perfectly alright to eat a full picnic lunch on the train. Just be respectful of the space you take up, anything super smelly, and as mentioned clean up everything.
Once a group of five friends and I had the entire car on a beautiful mountain train ride with just one other Swiss person. After a few minutes as I noticed she was enjoying our conversations I quietly offered her some of the grapes I was sharing with the others. She happily accepted and we made a friend.
Yes you can eat on the train! (Unless there is a sign that says no food/drink, which some of the mountain trains have). As always, just be respectful, try not to spill your food, and clean up after yourself 😊
@@AplinsintheAlps thanks for sharing
You have made the very best videos! I have so appreciated all the free info! Lol. I would live to know something about living in Switzerland. Would you guys be willing to do that?
Thank you. You’re so kind! We’re grateful to live here (thanks to dual Italian citizenship!) 😊 and to run our business here too!
Thanks, this is great general information to know 😃
We’re so glad you found it helpful! 🙂
Is that Wilderswill at the beginning?
Yes!
Yep, it is!
Great advice 👍🏻 thank you 😊
You're welcome! Glad it was helpful!
What about super saver tickets? I was told to book early to secure those
I’m planning for my second Swiss trip in June and I’ve noticed that on the SBB app too. The point to point tickets seem to be the same price but I’m not sure how far in advance it’s possible to get that super saver ticket for. I hope to buy for the journeys I’m absolutely sure I can make if it’ll save even more money (with half fare card too)!
General guidance is to avoid them because they lock you into a specific train time that can’t be changed. Consider getting a Half Fare Card so the cost of the flexible Point-to-Ticket is easier to stomach.
The Super Saver tickets are booked for a specific route at a specific time. So if you know you can make that specific time, they can be a good buy. But if you miss it, you’re out of luck and have to buy another ticket. We explain what they are and how to buy them (and when to NOT buy them) in our Ultimate Guide to Swiss Transportation!
Great information to note 😍👏🏼. Will keep watching your info blog about Switzerland . We will be in Switzerland in three months time.
Wonderful! I hope all of our resources are helpful as you plan your trip! 😊
Two days ago in Switzerland, we boarded a train with our baby, only to find the luggage racks full. A local man rudely shoved our bags aside, made himself comfortable, and even put his feet up. When we stared in disbelief, he tried to hoist our heavy suitcase above us, directly over our baby. I quickly intervened, saying it wasn’t safe. I eventually managed to squeeze the luggage into another spot, but the man spent the next two hours loudly chatting. It was a stressful experience with a local, while other tourists were far more considerate.
Goodness, we're so sorry to hear you had this experience!!
I visit Switzerland regularly, and as I do a lot of travelling around the country I always buy a first class Swiss Travel Pass. First Class is USUALLY less crowded than second. However on busy commuter routes such as Bern to Zurich first class can be very crowded, or even full on working day peak hours. (Switzerland has a lot of wealthy commuters!)
Another advantage of first class is that the UPPER deck of boats, with the best views, are for first class ticket holders only. And this rule is strictly enforced by the ship's crew.
That’s true that First Class is often less crowded. In our opinion, we purchase Second Class passes and then just pay for a First Class upgrade on the routes that we want (such as a boat). This usually ends up being more affordable since most mountain routes don’t have separate First/Second Classes. But we’re glad you’ve discovered what works for your travels! 👍
Great job!❤
Thank you!!
I'll be in Zurich in 2 days and then I'm going to Lauterbrunnen. Can you really switch trains in 6 minutes?
Yep, it’s totally possible! Just follow the signs from one platform to the next 😊
Yes, The track (voie/Gleis) on which the correspondence is to be found is announced in advance. Sometimes it's even on the same platform. In the worst case, the next train is half an hour later ;-)
Thanks, I did it. Interlaken Ost is a small station and I made it with a couple of minutes to spare.
The SBB APP also shows you the way that you must go. Like google maps. Also from a plattform to another platform. And also to find the right busses or cable car station.
could you buy swiss family card if you are travelling with your siblings? thanks.
The Swiss Family Card is only for children between ages 6 and 16.
Nice travel tips for Swiss trip.
Thank you!
Can i bring ski with me on the train?
Yes, you can! There are luggage areas near the doors or overhead bins where you can place your skis.
Beautiful switzerland 🙂♥️🇨🇭
how to I know in advance which carts are first class?
I sometimes bought 1st class tickets and was not sure if I got on a 1st class cart or a 2nd class one 😂
There are usually big numbers on the outside of the carriage. And the first class section often has a door with a giant 1 on it - so it’s pretty obvious once you start looking!
The order of the wagons is displayed on a blue screen at the track. Apart from that, first class wagons have the „1“ next to the doors and there‘s usually a yellow beam under the roof of the first class wagons. You can‘t miss that 😊
You'll find the train composition in the timetable and on the platform. The speaker also tells where the 1st and 2nd class wagons are. Normally, 1st class is in the front.
I live in Geneva, and when it comes to the trams and buses ... LOL at the notion that people will let you get off before they get on. I wish! Regularly I have to practically push people aside as they block my exit from the bus or tram. Trains are more polite, true, but not the stuff in the city!
That's unfortunate, but sometimes you just gotta find a way through the crowds!
@@AplinsintheAlps I will say that when my wife was on crutches because of a broken leg, virtually every time she boarded a bus or a tram, someone gave up their seat for her.
That's wonderful to hear!
Lol not putting feet on the seats, my kids did so many times as they get tired in the evening after long day of hiking and going around
Now you know to encourage them to keep their feet on the ground 🙃
That's a strange comment. Just because you (or your kids) can do something doesn't mean it was somehow appropriate.
@Elif-bm9lo i didn't mean it was appropriate. I just commented because i didn't know. But no one said anything to us. I love Jenna and Brett videos, and they are always very helpful. I am glad i know now. I would rather prefer creators replies than strangers
@@SabaFaizanMUA Thanks for the clarification, I got you wrong. I think with younger children and when they have taken their shoes off, people are much more tolerant. It's also common to leave toddlers on the seat with only socks on. Anyway, good travels to you and your family!
Just some of my observations about the trains in Switzerland.
"Allowing everybody to exit before boarding."
Easier said than done sometimes. You patiently wait for everybody to exit, check the door and nobody's coming, then double check, still nobody coming. OK I can board now. Three steps in and you collide with somebody who's glued to their phone, and rushing to get out because they were to engrossed on whatever is happening on Tiktok that they didn't notice the train had stopped.
"Seat reservations,"
Oh don't get me started on seat reservations. Why oh why do schools, or dual stick wielding pensioners clubs of on one of their "GA days" think it's a good idea reserve half the bloody train at 7 o'clock in the morning, leaving us regular commuters standing in the aisles and the vestibules with our noses stuck in each other's armpits. It really is not the best way to start a working day. And as for those dual stick wielding pensioners you don't want to mess them as those sticks are lethal in their highly trained hands.
"Pressing the button to open the train doors."
This is not just tourists, this is also common amongst Swiss nationals who've never been the first to enter a train, and especially those who've never been the first to exit a train. More than once have I been standing 2nd in the queue to exit a train, and the person in front of me just stands there waiting for the doors to open.
This worse amongst the younger generation, who are invariably wearing headphones that cover three quarters of their head, who as a result fail to hear your twice delivered polite "excuse", and also fail to hear your escalated and less polite "hallo", leaving you to rudely reach around them to activate the door opening control yourself. This is a lot more common on older carriages where you need to move a lever on the door to open it, and thus doesn't have a high intensity green light surrounding it to indicate "press here to open".
If caught in this situation don't expect any help form those waiting outside to open the door, as these people are following rule one - "Allowing everybody to exit before boarding.". It is therefore considered the responsibility of those inside the train to open the door. While waiting to board I personally have to admit to "assisting" those inside to open the door, although I do, however, suspect this is considered to be a breach of protocol.
A tourist trap I recently experienced was about Swiss railway (SBB) who tend to indiscriminately fine passengers who activated the Swiss pass just a little bit late with excessive fine. I was handed a 158 CHF fine ticket by the ticket controller without even asking me any question (e.g. if it was my first time). According to SSB website such a high fine should be for repeated offenders. Later, I found out the abusive habit of SBB ticket controllers from many internet groups and decided to make an in-person trip to the SBB office to complain (as the SBB tel line is always engaged). The funny thing was the staff in SBB office after hearing my case immediately and apologetically reduced my fine to 30 CHF. Instead of having time to sight-seeing, I spend a lot of my time in Switzerland complaining to SBB. This not only wasted a lot of my time but leave a really bad taste in my mouth. So watch out for this abusive action from SBB. Take care.
So sorry you had such a tough experience! In general, the staff expect all travelers to have a valid ticket or pass that follows the outlined rules and regulations. But we hope they don’t over-fine travelers!
It is not a tourist trap. It is because still a lot of swiss people drive without tickets and try to cheat the system. There are people that only buy tickets in a train, once they see a controller. And that's quite annoying for sbb, bls etc. I guess that's why there is more and more a zero tolerance mood. It's because of some swiss people 😅 and yeah, it's annoying that you had to go to a sbb office because of that. Always check the train departure time. If it departs on 10:03, then you have to swipe or 'checkin' until 10:02 then you are fine. If you do it 10:03 then there is a 50/50 chance they will let you go. After 10:03 you sadly will get a fine.
@@mujakapasa Thank you for your reply. I wonder why SBB does not adopt systems like other railway system around the world especially in South East Asia where everyone use a ticket to go through a turnstile to enter the station. Passengers don't have to worry about when to activate the ticket and there is very rare cases of abusing the system.
@@awaw20062006 Yes, that would be a great idea. But due to politics this will likely never happen in Switzerland. To many different train and public transport associations in here. Some are better organised than others. And when it comes to who pays the new train stations, there is always a mix between the Confederation of Switzerland and the cantons. And since we have 26 of them and everyone acts differently, it's amazing that it actually works somehow the way it is now :D
They fine everyone like that. It shouldn‘t be allowed, but it is. If you use an app, you need to activate it before you get on, otherwise they will fine you. Activating while the train etc gets moving won‘t do (sadly)
Go to Paleo, Montreux and Lausanne!
We’ve been to Montreux and Lausanne a few times, just haven’t been able to film there yet! We’ve actually been all over this country, but haven’t had the capacity to film everywhere…one day 🙃
Well guys map.. u r right. We wanted to go and see Oltschibachfall. Our map took us all the way up in residential area. I was kept on saying to my husband its wrong and he goes map is telling us. He never listened when we ended up to a no way😂😂😂
Uh oh! Yeah you can’t trust Google maps to drive you the right way here!
THANK YOU
You’re so welcome 😊
DON'T leave backpacks on the top shelf on any train. We were at stop in Cologne, Germany and a thief nonchalantly grabbed my wife's bag and walked off the train. Luckily I saw him and I had to jump off the train and grab it back, and I could've gotten stuck there if the doors had closed while I was off.
So sad that these things happen. We're glad you got the backpack back and made it back on your train in time!!
What city do you live in ?
actually you can save money when booking tickets in advance
For sure! We cover the topic of Supersaver tickets pretty extensively in other resources. But we wanted to help simplify things for travelers by letting them know that the price of standard tickets don't change as the travel dates get closer. Thanks for highlighting this just in case!
When walking don't forget to put one leg before the other!
Ha, great advice!!
Switzerland got the most perfect public transport system in the world. Mostly all your advices are for rude, uneducated tourists. And by the way all stations have machines to sell tickets very simple to use and you can pay with debit and credit cards, swiss francs and euro.
Hi there! Sometimes when you haven't traveled to other countries before, it's easy to make these mistakes, even if you aren't trying to be rude. That's why we wanted to help :)
Half of these are like "don't be selfish" and apply to anywhere in the world. e.g. "let people get off the train first" or "don't block seats with your backpack" It's wild that this even has to be mentioned. But I also fear that the people who need to know this are not the ones watching this video.
You're right that general courtesy goes a long way - anywhere in the world! These "mistakes" are based on years of traveling here and observing tourists in general, so these unfortunately do happen. We hope this video helps prepare travelers before their trip!
@@AplinsintheAlps i've been binging your videos for the last couple of days in preparation of our own tours. You've been so helpful!
We're so glad we can help!!
As a swiss I can confirm that, for most people, it is ok to put your feet on the seat if you're wearing socks, but old people won't like it and technically it's against houserules.
Thanks for clarifying for us!
The first points are just not observed in Switzerland at all
Instead of purchasing a guide, you can ask at a customer service center, tourist office or do your own research.
You can certainly ask for help in the tourist office, although we've found that they have some standard recommendations which are not always the best value for the traveler. (Such as the Swiss Travel Pass, which is great for trips across the country but not as affordable for trips in the mountains). However, there are SO many questions about transportation that we answer in our guide, including step by step photo tutorials for the SBB app!
Not true - super saver tickets.
Don’t ride on a 1st class train carriage if your ticket clearly says 2nd class. 😂
This seems obvious to people used to riding public transportation, but tourists make this mistake ALL the time! We personally see it regularly (and we live near Interlaken). I think some people genuinely don't realize there are even multiple classes available!
Mistake number one: Not learning some basic manners before travelling in Switzerland.
Some are basic manners but there are SO many people that do not have experience using trains. It never hurts to help fellow travelers out!
Nothing special/typical to Switzerland
Just some common sense/planning wisely
We do hope this advice feels like common sense! But unfortunately these mistakes are things we witness travelers doing daily in this region - which is why we made this video!