Validity of a ticket on a slightly different route

Nettopi90

If I buy a point-to-point full fare ticket from Zurich Airport to Olten with a transfer in Zurich HB, can I also take a direct connection without transfer?

RolandP

Hello Nettopi90

Good day and welcome to the SBB Community.

Yes, sure, as long as it is not a Supersaver ticket you can take any connection serving the route as indicated on your ticket ane this no matter if it is served by a direct train or with intermediate changes.

Kind regards,
Roland

RedBaron

Nettopi90
Why did you mean a “slightly different route”?
Without specifiying an explicit ‘via’ detour, any listed connection between the airport and Olten is routed via Zurich HB (and stops there).

And since the issued p2p ticket is valid all day on any train on that Airport-Olten route, it doesn’t matter whether you remain seated in Zurich (provided you hopped on a direct train to Olten/Bern at the airport), or whether you spend as much time as you like at one of the regular stops and take another arbitrary train to Olten.

Krist

Note that a “via” on your ticket does not imply that your train must stop there. I know people who wanted travelled Zurich - Bern and did not take the fast IC, because that does not stop in Olten, and their ticket said “via Olten…”

Nettopi90

Thank you all for your quick answers.

It can be that my definitions of “route” and “connection” are not precise/correct, I am not sure how SBB defines them exactly.

By routes that are slightly different I mean routes between A and B that are:

direct connection without stop in C (entire journey can be made with one train only)
direct connection with stop in C (entire journey still can be made with one train only)
indirect connection with transfer in C (entire journey requires at least two trains)

I am especially interested in cases where I select a ticket for option 1 (as suggested by SBB app) but would like to get on a train described by option 2 or 3.

In my case of Zurich Airport to Olten I understand there is no option 1 available (where C is Zurich HB). In other words there is no way to go from the Airport to Olten without at least having the possibility to get out in Zurich HB.
…but this is just an example. I’d like to understand the general rule (if there is any).

Thanks 🙂

Danhiel

Hello Nettopi90

If you buy a point-to-point ticket, the only time indications are the start and the end of validity (Day 1 at 00:00 am until Day 2 at 05:00 am).

You can make a single trip between A and B via C during this period.

No specific train is mentioned on the ticket and you can choose every connection type: 1, 2 or 3.

Kind regards
Danhiel

Danhiel

Nettopi90

I found an example, this ticket is not recent, but you can find the same indications on an E-ticket:

Nettopi90

Thank you Danhiel!