First-time purchase online.

When purchasing online, the most important thing is your customer number in the format 000-000-000-0. If you have or had a SwissPass or a public transport travelcard in the last five years, you can find this number on your SwissPass card and use it to purchase your Half Fare Travelcard online.

If you used to have a travelcard but have forgotten the customer number, you can find out what it is by going to a public transport point of sale or phoning the SBB Contact Center on 0848 44 66 88 (CHF 0.08/min.).

To purchase a Half Fare Travelcard for another person online, they also need to have a customer number.

First-time purchasing online with an identity check.

If you don’t have a travelcard or a SwissPass, you can still buy your new Half Fare Travelcard online. If you are buying a travelcard for the first time, we need to verify your identity. This identity check takes place online – you will need your passport or ID card and a smartphone with a camera. You will also need a recent, high-quality, digital passport photo.

It is not possible to purchase a Half Fare Travelcard for another person online using the identity check.

First-time purchase via (online) order.

You can order a new Half Fare Travelcard online using the PDF order form on SBB.ch. To do so, fill out the PDF form on your computer, print it out and send it to us at the address given on the order form, together with the photo and the required documents. Alternatively, you can print the form out first, fill it out by hand and then send it to us. 

Purchasing at a staffed public transport point of sale.

Of course, you can also order the Half Fare Travelcard at a staffed public transport point of sale. Please bring your SwissPass (if you have one), a recent analogue or digital passport photo (can also be submitted later) and your passport/ID card.

PDF order form (to fill out on your computer or by hannd) (PDF, 653 KB)Link opens in new window. (PDF, 653 KB)

Purchasing online.

When purchasing online, you can pay by credit card, PostFinance Card, Reka Card, Byjuno monthly invoice or Twint. 

(Online) order form.

When purchasing using the order form, you have the choice of paying by credit card or invoice.

At a staffed public transport point of sale.

When purchasing at a staffed point of sale, the following payment methods are available to you: cash, vouchers, Reka Check, Reka Rail, Twint, debit or credit card (PostFinance Card, Mastercard, Visa, Reka Card, American Express, Diners or JCB).

Payment by credit card.

You can pay for your new travelcard with the following credit cards:

• Visa (incl. prepaid cards)
• MasterCard (incl. prepaid cards)
• American Express
• Diners Club International
• JCB

Please note:

• The credit card must be in the same name as the contracting party.
• The credit card will be charged once the order has been received.

Payment by PostFinance Card and by Twint.

Payment by invoice.

We will send you the invoice together with a payment slip in the post. Please note:

• Your order must be placed at least ten days before your travelcard validity begins. Otherwise your payment by invoice cannot be processed and will be returned.
• We will send you the invoice separately – i.e. not together with your SwissPass card. You must pay the invoice before the first day that your travelcard is valid, otherwise you will receive a payment reminder.

Other payment options at our points of sale.

At a point of sale, you can pay using a Maestro card, PostFinance Card, any of the credit cards listed above, Reka Checks, Reka Card, Twint, voucher or cash.

You can find information about payment options for subsequent invoices on the SwissPass website.

Requirements.

For the travelcard on the SwissPass, you need to provide a recent analogue or digital passport photo which fulfils the following criteria:

• Taken from the front.
• Eyes open and not covered.
• Plain background.
• Even lighting (no shadows).
• Clear with high contrast.
• Black and white or colour.
• Approx. size 35mm × 45mm.
• Analogue passport photo: only original prints, no scans or photos printed out on paper.
• Digital passport photo: unedited, min. image size 200 × 250 pixels; in .JPG or .JPEG format with a maximum size of 4MB.

Purchasing a Half Fare Travelcard for the first time online.

If you already have a SwissPass or used to have another public transport travelcard, we will use the same photo for your new travelcard. In this case, adults will only need to provide a new photo if the previous one was taken more than ten years ago. Children and young people under 25 will only have to do so if their previous photo was taken more than five years ago.

First-time purchasing online with an identity check.

If you are purchasing a Half Fare Travelcard for the first time and do not yet have a SwissPass or a travelcard, you can upload your digital passport photo once the purchasing process (including the identity check) is complete. 

Purchasing for the first time via the order form.

You will need to submit an original, high resolution passport photo taken recently. Your photo will be stored electronically for a maximum of ten years (or five years for children and young people under 25).

• Please write your first name and surname in block capitals on the back of the photo.
• Please attach the photo to the order form in the space indicated.

Purchasing the travelcard for the first time at a staffed point of sale.

Please bring a recent analogue or digital passport photo to the counter.

Changing your photo.

If you would like to update your photo before the 5/10 year period has elapsed, please bring a recent analogue or digital passport photo to a public transport point of sale. You can then get a new SwissPass card with the new photo for a fee of CHF 30.

Purchasing online with a SwissPass.

If you already have a SwissPass, you will need the following documents to purchase your GA Travelcard for the first time online.

• Debit or credit card (PostFinance Card, Mastercard, Visa, Reka Card, American Express, Diners or JCB), Twint. (The credit card must be in the same name as the contracting party.)
• Passport or ID card for the travelcard user and for the contracting party (for example, if you are purchasing a Half Fare Travelcard for your child as a parent or for another person). 
• When buying online, you can enter details for the following types of ID: passports and ID cards issued in Switzerland, Germany, Austria, France, Italy or Liechtenstein. 

Purchasing online with an identity check.

When purchasing with the identity check, you can only buy a Half Fare Travelcard for yourself. You require the following:

• a smartphone with a camera.
• a debit or credit card (PostFinance Card, Mastercard, Visa, Reka Card, American Express, Diners or JCB), Twint.
• a recent, high-quality, digital passport photo.
• a passport or ID card.

List of the accepted forms of IDLink opens in new window.
Questions on the identity checkLink opens in new window.

Purchasing at a public transport point of sale.

Of course, you can also order a Half Fare Travelcard at a staffed public transport point of sale. Please bring your SwissPass (if you have one), the completed order form, a recent analogue or digital passport photo and your passport/ID card. If you’re purchasing the Half Fare Travelcard for another person, please also bring the documents for the other person. 

PDF order form (to fill out on your computer or by hand) (PDF, 653 KB)Link opens in new window. (PDF, 653 KB)

Already have a SwissPass?

Your Half Fare Travelcard will be valid on the SwissPass from its first day of validity. 

This is your first SwissPass?

Your Half Fare Travelcard on the SwissPass will be delivered by post within around ten days. If you would like your new Half Fare Travelcard to be valid earlier, we can provide a temporary SwissPass. If you order online, you can print it out as a PDF. If you order using the order form, bring all your documents with you to the counter and you will receive it there.

You can find all the questions and answers about cancelling your Half Fare Travelcard on the cancellation help page.

Your Half Fare Travelcard renews automatically. 

When buying a Half Fare Travelcard you take out an indefinite contract. The advantage is that your travelcard is automatically renewed when your year-long validity period comes to an end. Your SwissPass card is valid for five years and your travelcard will be automatically renewed on this card.

We will remind you of the possible cancellation date well ahead of the automatic annual renewal. You will receive this reminder together with your annual invoice. You can also subscribe to an e-mail or SMS reminder for this cancellation date in your customer account on swisspass.chLink opens in new window..

Payment arrears.

Please note that if you do not pay your annual Half Fare Travelcard renewal fee on time, you will be in arrears without warning. At this point you can no longer cancel your Half Fare Travelcard. If you are in arrears, we can block your Half Fare Travelcard after one month of validity.

If you leave your SwissPass at home or in the office, you can display it easily in the SBB Mobile app in the Tickets & SwissPass tile (you must have a SwissPass login with a linked customer number). 

Alternatively, for a fee of CHF 5 we can issue you with a temporary card valid for two days, available at any ticket counter, upon presentation of official ID.

No problem, you can order a SwissPass replacement card for CHF 30 online at SBB.ch, via the SBB Contact Center or at a staffed public transport point of sale.

No. You cannot suspend or deposit the Half Fare Travelcard because after just a few journeys you will already have recovered the cost of the travelcard.

You can find all information about your travelcard online at swisspass.ch/loginLink opens in new window.:

• Manage your address.
• Retrieve your invoices.
• Change your login details.
• Customise how we contact you.
• Set up a cancellation reminder.
• Overview of all services on the SwissPass.

Go to help with changing your name and address

Go to help with changing your name and address