Inquiry About Swiss Half Fare Card and Pass Usage

popo0516

Dear SBB Customer Service,

Hello,
I will arrive in Switzerland on August 25 and will be traveling with my friend until August 29. After that, I will stay in Switzerland as an exchange student for 6 months, while my friend will return to their home country.

My friend has already purchased a Swiss Travel Pass and a Saver Day Pass. I am currently considering purchasing the Swiss Half Fare Card for myself. I would appreciate your help with the following questions:

Can I purchase and use the Swiss Half Fare Card entirely online, without visiting an SBB counter?

According to the official map, it seems that some mountain railways are included in the Half Fare Card discount. Could you please confirm whether the Half Fare Card provides discounts for mountain railways?

If I buy the Half Fare Card online and set a starting date, will the discount be automatically applied when I purchase individual train or mountain railway tickets online later? Or do I need to enter my Half Fare Card details or show it each time?

Thank you very much for your support.

Best regards,
Eunjung Chang

RedBaron

popo0516
I would suggest to get the Half Fare Travelcard (1 year for 190.-) at the airport travel centre, as problems have been reported here with the identity check (SMS number) abroad. This public community is a traveler-to-traveler by the way, not sure why you thought you are addressing the customer service when starting discussion here, when the text above the red button says “connect with other travelers”…?

If you don’t trust the validity map which you obviously found (make sure to select the correct travelcard in the upper left corner), you could still look up the website of the mountain railway/cable car and check their ticket prices there: The reduced usually 50% price for children should be the same as for “half fare”, sometimes also referenced as “GA” or “Halbtax”.

As Krist already stated above, any half fare card is not required for buying tickets in advance. Instead, you need to set the correct (half fare) reduction type when entering your personal details including birthdate e.g. in the SBB Mobile app, so the app will display the reduced prices from now on.
Anyone could purchase tickets at half fare prices without a half fare card. A valid card is ONLY required while traveling with such discounted tickets during ticket controls, as a proof that you are entitled to do so. Therefore the start date of the half fare (travel)card should match the beginning of your travels.

Krist

In your case I would not buy the Swiss Half Fare Card, which is only for one month. I would get the Half Fare Travel Card. That is good for a year. The easiest way to get that is going to the SBB counter.

You do not have to wait till you have that with buying tickets. If you want to buy a Saver Day Pass with HFC reduction now, you can do so. During purchase you just say you have the card, it is not check. It is on the train that the conductor will want to see your HFC, so you have till you are in Switzerland to get it.

popo0516

RedBaron
Sorry. I didn’t know this was the communication location and asked like that! Thank you for your detailed answer.