Swiss Travel Pass - Is it Worth It?

The Swiss Travel Pass (STP) is a convenient rail pass for tourists in Switzerland.

For a set number of days, it includes unlimited public transportation throughout Switzerland.

It also include a 25-50% discount on mountain railways and free museums.

➡️ Buy via GetYourGuide or SwissActivities

Cost 2026

When to book the Swiss Travel Pass

You can purchase the STP shortly before your trip. It does not sell out. If you purchase via GetYourGuide (linked above), they allow cancellation up to 3 days before your trip.

Children and the pass

Add the children during booking to get the free Swiss Family Card for each child age 15 and under. Then they travel for free on public transport and mountain transport with you.

Children under 6 travel free, no pass needed.

How to use the pass

Most trains, buses, trams, and boats are included in the pass. When in doubt, check the Validity Map .

In most cases, you just get on without showing a ticket. When asked for a ticket, show the STP code and Swiss Family Card for each person traveling in your group. They will scan the codes to ensure they are valid.

Mountain discounts with the pass

The STP gives you a 25-50% discount on many mountain railways (cable car, gondola, mountain train, funicular).

To get the discount, you need to show the STP when purchasing the ticket.

For online tickets, sometimes you can select the STP as your "discount card". If you don't see that option, best to purchase in person.

Some mountains are free with STP, like Rigi, Mürren, Stanserhorn. See full list.

Not all mountains are covered by the pass, so check the Validity Map and destination website to verify the discount.

Should you get the STP?

Convenience

One of the main benefits of the pass is that it saves you hassle of buying individual tickets for every journey. You don't have to worry about buying the correct tickets.

You can just hop on and off most any train, bus, tram, and boat in Switzerland which are covered by the pass. Many people find this benefit alone worth buying the pass.

Saving money

You can buy the pass for 3-15 days, with your "per day" cost decreasing the more days you purchase. For example, a 4 day pass works out to about CHF 70/day. But a 8 day pass, works out to about 50/day.

When deciding to purchase a STP, we find it helpful to compare regular ticket prices to the STP. Here are some sample full price train fares between popular Swiss cities (2023 prices):

• Zurich to Lucerne one way - CHF 25

• Zurich Airport to Interlaken one way - CHF 74

• Geneva to Interlaken one way - CHF 92

• Zurich to Zermatt one way - CHF 125

As you can see, the STP saves you money for the longer distance journeys.

How to maximize value

We find that the pass is most valuable when you purchase it for at least 6 days and use it in the following scenarios:

• you are spending only 1-2 days in multiple regions throughout Switzerland

• you want to visit mountains with expensive cable cars (Jungfraujoch, Pilatus, Titlis)

• you need a flexible itinerary where you can easily change plans and not be stuck with pre-booked tickets

For example, this pass would be great if you were spending 1-2 days each in Luzern, Jungfrau Region, and Zermatt.

When to not buy the Swiss Travel Pass

The STP is not the best choice for some travel itineraries. For example, if you are doing a ski holiday in one location, like Zermatt or Jungfrau Region, you do not need the STP. Instead, just buy individual one way tickets on each end of your trip.

If you are renting a car, you do not need the Swiss Travel Pass. Although it gives discounts on mountain railways, you are usually better off paying individually for those cable cars.

Still not sure? Learn more in my article: Should you buy a Swiss Travel Pass?

➡️ Buy via GetYourGuide or SwissActivities

Note: This is an affiliate link, which means I may earn a small commission, at no cost to you, for qualifying purchases. Thanks for your support!