Transport in Switzerland
Switzerland has one of the world's best public transport systems. Learn how trains, passes, and local networks make car-free living practical.
Travel Passes — Start Here
The Half-Fare card (Halbtax) is the single most impactful purchase for most Indian residents in Switzerland
Half-Fare Travelcard (Halbtax)
CHF 190/year50% discount on ALL SBB trains, trams, buses, lake boats, cable cars, and most private railways. Pays for itself in 4–5 trips. Essential for Swiss life.
Buy on SBBGA Travelcard (Generalabonnement)
CHF 3,995/year (2nd class)Unlimited travel on all Swiss public transport. Best if you commute daily between cities. Tax-deductible portion depends on canton.
Buy on SBBDay Pass (Tageskarte)
CHF 52 (with Halbtax)Unlimited travel for one day across Switzerland. Sell day passes to friends or family — community Tageskarte sharing is common.
Buy on SBBYouth Annual Pass
CHF 730/yearFull travel pass for under-25s. Includes urban transport networks. Excellent value for students.
Buy on SBBChildren Travel Free (under 6)
FreeChildren under 6 travel completely free on all Swiss public transport. Under-16s with a Junior Card travel free with a parent.
Buy on SBBLocal Transport Networks by City
Each major city has its own integrated transport network
SBB (Swiss Federal Railways)
The backbone of Swiss transport. Trains, regional buses, and lake ferries. Legendary punctuality. Book at sbb.ch or the SBB app.
ZVV – Zürcher Verkehrsverbund
Zurich's integrated transport network — trains, trams, buses, S-Bahn, Sihltal railway and lake boats. Buy zone-based tickets.
TPG – Transports Publics Genevois
Geneva trams, trolleybuses and buses. Links to CERN, UN and Geneva airport. Unireso network spans canton boundary.
BVB – Basler Verkehrs-Betriebe
Basel's trams and buses. Cross-border into France and Germany — useful for pharma hub workers.
Bernmobil
Bern city trams and buses. Connects with RegionalbusOberaargau for surrounding cantons.
TL – Transports Lausannois
Lausanne metro (M1, M2), buses and trolleybuses. M2 is one of the few driverless metro systems in Europe.
🚗 Driving in Switzerland
• Indian driving licence: Valid for 12 months after arrival. After that, you must take a full Swiss driving test — there is no licence conversion or reciprocity agreement between India and Switzerland. Contact your cantonal Strassenverkehrsamt to register for the theory and practical tests.
• Motorway vignette: CHF 40/year. Required sticker for all motorways. Buy at petrol stations, post offices or online.
• Mobility: Car-sharing platform. mobility.ch. Many Indians use this rather than owning a car.
• Road rules: Speed cameras are everywhere. 50 km/h in towns, 80 km/h on country roads, 120 km/h on motorways.