2 day bike passes or one for carrying cargo bikes on a train

Sviat

We have an UrbanArrow Family Cargo Bike, which I like to occasionally take out of Zürich for some bike touring with my 5 year old son. I know that these bikes, as well as other oversized ones with length over 2m, are only allowed on RE and S-bahn trains, so I plan my trip legs accordingly.

My question is in the number of bike passes I should purchase, as I recently was ticket controlled on S-bahn and told by the lady that I should have two bike passes, as the bike is big enough to be counted as 2 separate bicycles. I can’t find proof of that statement in the policy online. The best match that I found so far is in “Help with bike reservations and transport in Switzerland / Buying bike tickets / What Ticket do I need for a tandem?”, which simply states that I should have a ticket, nothing about having two.

Could someone please confirm that it is indeed a documented policy?

Thanks,
Sviat

RolandP

Hello Sviat

Ticket inspectors perform the ticket check based on Tarif 600 and subsequent tariffs, which are the official tariffs for public transportation in Switzerland. They are accessible to the public / customers. The bicycle transportation is handled in T600, chapter 7.

https://www.allianceswisspass.ch/de/asp/Downloads?download=2666#page28

It is true, oversized bicycles required two tickets. However, this rule has been lifted and now, special bicycles only need 1 ticket as well. On the other hand, the transportation on SBB trains is only allowed on S and RE trains. This restriction is unchanged.

Kind regards,
Roland

Sviat

Thank you so much, Roland! Yes, chapter 7.5 states it clearly:

7.5 Special bike
7.5.1 Special bicycles are bicycles that are longer than 2 meters (usually tandems, recumbent bicycles and cargo bicycles) as well as single-seater tricycles. The transport companies define individually whether and under what conditions the self- loading of special bicycles is permitted. Only one bicycle ticket is required for the permitted self-loading of special bicycles.