If you have kids under 16 and you’re planning a Europe trip, Switzerland is worth putting near the top of the list, mostly because of how its transit pricing works for families. With three kids aged 8, 6, and 4, we spent days moving around Switzerland without ever paying a transport fare for any of them.
1. Buy a Swiss Travel Pass
Figure: The official SBB website, one of two trusted platforms for buying a Swiss Travel Pass.
The Swiss Travel Pass covers the country’s entire public transport network, trains, buses, trams, and funiculars, and it works as your ticket from the moment you land, whether that’s Zurich, Geneva, or another major Swiss airport, straight into the city.
Two platforms are reliable for buying it, and the ticket gets emailed instantly after payment:
- The official SBB website or app: sbb.ch
- swissrailways.com
Figure: A booking form on Swiss Railways, where children aged 6 to 15 need to be added by name.
While booking on either site, the rule is simple:
- Traveling with a child aged 6 to 15: add their name to the purchase form to get their Swiss Family Card.
- Traveling with a child aged 0 to 5: skip the form entirely, they travel free without any card.
In our case, that meant entering Abbie (8) and Andy (6) into the booking, while Molly (4) didn’t need to be added at all. The site tallies the order automatically, charging for 2 adults and CHF 0 for Abbie and Andy. Their names still go into the form despite being free, since that’s what generates their Swiss Family Card barcode.
2. Activate the Swiss Family Card
Figure: A valid ticket PDF, the format worth saving and printing before departure.
Once payment is complete, the seller emails a set of barcode tickets. For our family of four ticket-holders, that meant four separate barcodes: one for each parent, one for Abbie, one for Andy.
Save these PDFs carefully, both digitally and printed. A printed copy matters if your phone dies mid-trip and there’s no outlet in sight.
3. Using the Pass While Traveling
Once the pass is active, it works across local trains, InterCity trains, local buses, and intercity buses. There are no ticket gates at stations or stops, and you can sit wherever you like within your ticket class. Conductors come through periodically to check the barcode ticket rather than checking at a gate.
For trains specifically, make sure you board and sit in the carriage matching your class: carriage 1 for first class, carriage 2 for second class.
| Child’s Age | Ticket | Swiss Family Card |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 | Free | Not needed |
| 6–15 | Free | Required |
| 16 and up | Paid | Not applicable |
How the Family Card System Works
- Parent buys a Swiss Travel Pass.
- Children aged 6 to 15 are added at booking.
- The system automatically issues a Swiss Family Card.
- The child receives a free ticket linked to the parent’s journey.
- At any check, just show each person’s barcode.
Mistakes to Avoid
- Not adding a child aged 6 to 15 by name during purchase.
- Assuming all children travel free automatically, without the right documentation.
- Boarding the wrong train class.
- Keeping tickets only in email without downloading the PDF.
- Running out of phone battery right when a conductor checks.
Tips From Our Experience
Figure: A printed backup of the pass, useful if a phone battery dies mid-journey.
- Keep every barcode in one dedicated folder on your phone so they’re easy to pull up during checks.
- Download the PDF tickets before departure so they still open without an internet connection.
- Bring printed copies as backup in case a phone battery runs out.
- Head straight to the carriage matching your ticket class when boarding, so there’s no need to switch cars during a check.
- Don’t rely on the Swiss Pass QR code in Google Wallet. It often fails to scan for conductors, the QR code in the original PDF ticket is still the most reliable version to have on hand.
