SwissPass and 1-month GA Travelcard

MS320neo

Hello!
I’m a young adult from Portugal and this summer I’m going to spend around three weeks in Switzerland. Since it’s not the first time I visit, the ticketing system isn’t completely new to me, and so for this year I think that the best option would be the 1-month GA Travelcard for Youth.
Thanks to the brilliant help of everyone in this community, I was able to obtain the SwissPass (red card with photo) and have it shipped to my address here in my country without any issues. Some doubts still persist about the use of the travelcard, however, which I now list:

Despite not finding any information in contrary, I would like to confirm that the 1-month GA Travelcard can be purchased and used by people who don’t reside in Switzerland or neighbouring countries;
I would also like to confirm that the area of validity, extras and discounts are exactly the same as the regular GA. This mostly applies to mountain trips such as the Niesen or the Aletsch Explorer tickets, as they usually include the reduced prices for GA Travelcard holders but don’t specify if they are different for the 1-month GA. More specifically, on the SBB/Cable Car Operator webshop, is it correct to select “GA Travelcard” as the ticket reduction in these cases?
Finally, I would like to ask if the Tandem Day Pass for GA Travelcard Youth can be purchased for another youth travelling with me during some days, even though we both don’t reside in Switzerland or a neighbouring country. I would also like to confirm that no SwissPass is required for the accompanying person, and that contrary to me, they pay the full price on the mountain excursions.
Thank you very much for all the advice!

RolandP

Hello MS320neo

Welcome to the SBB Community.

Congratulations on your excellent research - very well done. I can answer all your questions with a big YES.

Despite not finding any information in contrary, I would like to confirm that the 1-month GA Travelcard can be purchased and used by people who don’t reside in Switzerland or neighbouring countries;

YES.

I would also like to confirm that the area of validity, extras and discounts are exactly the same as the regular GA. This mostly applies to mountain trips such as the Niesen or the Aletsch Explorer tickets, as they usually include the reduced prices for GA Travelcard holders but don’t specify if they are different for the 1-month GA. More specifically, on the SBB/Cable Car Operator webshop, is it correct to select “GA Travelcard” as the ticket reduction in these cases?

YES.

Finally, I would like to ask if the Tandem Day Pass for GA Travelcard Youth can be purchased for another youth travelling with me during some days, even though we both don’t reside in Switzerland or a neighbouring country.

YES.

I would also like to confirm that no SwissPass is required for the accompanying person,

YES.

and that contrary to me, they pay the full price on the mountain excursions.

YES.

Kind regards,
Roland

gfa963

RolandP
Hello, I am also trying to verify that the one month GA Travel Card can be purchased by a swiss national that does not reside in Switzerland?
Also, can we get it at any train station (airport upon arrival along with the Swiss Pass right away?
Thank you

MS320neo

Thank you very much for your response! It’s good to confirm that I will be able to use the travelcard as I intended, and that the “GA Travelcard” reduction is the correct one to select for the 1-month variant as well.

I would just like to add one last, slightly more technical question if I might. Still regarding the mountain transport tickets, I’ve noticed that it’s possible to load the discounted ticket directly onto SwissPass with some operators. In fact, I read that the card has two chips, one specifically for those operators and the other for the travelcards themselves. But what about the providers that don’t support that feature? Will I receive a QR Code to scan at the turnstiles and then present the SwissPass upon request?

RedBaron

MS320neo
With many smaller cable car operators, you get the (cardboard or paper) tickets with a magnetic strip or EAN-like barcode only on-site. Simply show your GA travelcard at the station to prove you’re eligible for discounted tickets if applicable, but don’t be surprised if the 50% discount does not apply in some cases (-> not associated in the Swiss public transport system and therefore not getting compensation money from the travelcard sales).

RolandP

Hello gfa963

Welcome to the SBB Community.
For a new question it is helpful to start a new discussion.

Your citizenship does not matter at all. As a tourist, you will not get the red SwissPass card for the 1 month travel card. You will get a travel pass instantly printed on a paper with a QR code that is scanable by the ticket inspectors. It is valid together with your physical passport or Swiss identity card,

Kind regards,
Roland