Hello, I am an exchange student who is living in Switzerland. My friend is coming for a weekend from Denmark and he will be arriving around noon on Thursday Dec 12 and leaving early morning on Sunday Dec 15. We will be taking the Glacier express and he will also require transport to and from the airports. I already have the half fare card that I will be using. I recommended him to buy the 3 day travel pass, as it includes the Glacier express, and I believe it will be cheaper than purchasing tickets individually. My question was how the validity of the passes work. So namely: 1. Is it possible for him to activate it around 1pm on Thursday, and have it valid until 1pm on Sunday? 2. If the above is not possible, is it okay if he gets on a train at 10pm on Saturday (last day of travel pass), and takes it until around 1-2am to the Geneva Airport? I would also be happy to hear about other (cheap) ways to travel around Switzerland for a foreigner in 3 days, as he will mainly just need to take a train from Zurich to Chur (airport), Chur to Zermatt (Glacier Express), Zermatt to Geneva (airport), and maybe some intercity metro or busses. We will also not be making use of the free museum entry of the travel pass. I really appreciate any help on this topic!

@"CanadianSwiss"#p110535 With the exception of the 24h tickets in the ZVV regional fare network, all other "day" based tickets or passes are always relating to full calendar days. Which for such days means valid from midnight to 5am the other morning (total 29h validity). Therefore while your 1st numbered question won't work, the 2nd one would be fine (until Sun 5am). Not sure which "half fare card" exactly you already have, but the [Swiss Half Fare Card](https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/tickets/guests-abroad/swiss-halffare-card.html) is the 1-month version available only for foreign residents for 120.- (as opposed to the [Half Fare Travelcard](https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/travelcards/half-fare-travelcard.html) aka "Halbtaxabo" for residents: 1 year for 190.-). However with your travel plans, I guess the SHFC along with half fare tickets would roughly cost the same as the 3-day STP. Check it out in detail if you like.

When is the travel pass valid

CanadianSwiss

Hello, I am an exchange student who is living in Switzerland. My friend is coming for a weekend from Denmark and he will be arriving around noon on Thursday Dec 12 and leaving early morning on Sunday Dec 15.

We will be taking the Glacier express and he will also require transport to and from the airports. I already have the half fare card that I will be using. I recommended him to buy the 3 day travel pass, as it includes the Glacier express, and I believe it will be cheaper than purchasing tickets individually.

My question was how the validity of the passes work. So namely:

Is it possible for him to activate it around 1pm on Thursday, and have it valid until 1pm on Sunday?
If the above is not possible, is it okay if he gets on a train at 10pm on Saturday (last day of travel pass), and takes it until around 1-2am to the Geneva Airport?

I would also be happy to hear about other (cheap) ways to travel around Switzerland for a foreigner in 3 days, as he will mainly just need to take a train from Zurich to Chur (airport), Chur to Zermatt (Glacier Express), Zermatt to Geneva (airport), and maybe some intercity metro or busses. We will also not be making use of the free museum entry of the travel pass.

I really appreciate any help on this topic!

RedBaron

CanadianSwiss
With the exception of the 24h tickets in the ZVV regional fare network, all other “day” based tickets or passes are always relating to full calendar days. Which for such days means valid from midnight to 5am the other morning (total 29h validity).
Therefore while your 1st numbered question won’t work, the 2nd one would be fine (until Sun 5am).

Not sure which “half fare card” exactly you already have, but the Swiss Half Fare Card is the 1-month version available only for foreign residents for 120.- (as opposed to the Half Fare Travelcard aka “Halbtaxabo” for residents: 1 year for 190.-).
However with your travel plans, I guess the SHFC along with half fare tickets would roughly cost the same as the 3-day STP. Check it out in detail if you like.