European Rail Travel - purchasing swiss train tickets on the train

Prior to Dec. 11, 2011, (except for trains with the picture of an "eye", you could purchase tickets (from the conductor) on the train--the trains with an "eye" levied a 60SF (or more) fine)--now all trains require that a passenger be in possession of a valid ticket before boarding. One can still upgrade though.

This must be aimed at Gasterbeiter & Tourists!!

I can't believe any Swiss person would EVER travel on a train without a ticket:D

Dave

ps I've a daughter, son-in-law & 3 grandkids living in Zurich & I still remember their reaction when we were running late for an S-Bahn train & I suggested buying the ticket at the other end. To them, it was much more acceptable to miss the train than to risk getting caught & getting a "criminal record" as well as the fine!!

Lovely country and nice people but they're brought up to be MOST lawabiding from a very early age

The fine/extra fee for purchasing a ticket on long-haul trains is now 90 CHF. Probably best to get one either from a ticket office or a ticket machine in advance:D. The ticket machines speak English and take credit cards.
Note there are Apps which allow you to purchase electronic tickets and store them on your smartphone (definitely exists for iOS and Android). However, you really want to have completed the purchase before the train starts moving - there was a story of someone who got checked whilst making the purchase and he ended up paying the fine.
On local trains, you don't have a choice, you must have a ticket. However, I doubt this will get you a criminal record, at least not the first time.

According to son-in-law the fine does go on your record. Obviously not like an armed robbery sentence would but still there for potential employers to see if they wish to look (& we all know how meticulous the Swiss are). So, as the threads on skipping the country with unpaid speeding fines suggest, best not to do it in the first place.

I could understand applying this (new) rule to Swiss (who should presumably know better), but to tourists, I find this a bit draconian.
Tourists arriving from another country could easily be in a situation similar to mine, and to have to pay a 90SF fine, would sour my vacation as well as my opinion of Switzerland.]

According to son-in-law the fine does go on your record. Obviously not like an armed robbery sentence would but still there for potential employers to see if they wish to look (& we all know how meticulous the Swiss are). So, as the threads on skipping the country with unpaid speeding fines suggest, best not to do it in the first place.

Your details are recorded by the SBB/CFF, as the supplement/fine increases for repeat offences. You are not subject to criminal procedings unless you do this persistently.

I kidded my son in law about this and he sent the following reply:

Yes, the rules got tougher. The SBB have already earned enough in the first month since this came into force, so that they consider not raising prices this year...


Even better - if you now block a seat on packed commuter trains with your bag, you have to buy a ticket for it. :)

You have to admire the Swiss - that's a neat way of balancing the budget>

Dave

I kidded my son in law about this and he sent the following reply:

Yes, the rules got tougher. The SBB have already earned enough in the first month since this came into force, so that they consider not raising prices this year...


Even better - if you now block a seat on packed commuter trains with your bag, you have to buy a ticket for it. :)

You have to admire the Swiss - that's a neat way of balancing the budget>

Dave
Do they tack on a fine for not having a ticket for seat luggage also?:D:D:D

Prior to Dec. 11, 2011, (except for trains with the picture of an "eye", you could purchase tickets (from the conductor) on the train--the trains with an "eye" levied a 60SF (or more) fine)--now all trains require that a passenger be in possession of a valid ticket before boarding. One can still upgrade though.

This is now slightly confusing, as you have the "eye" (regional, no ticket sales on board whatsoever) and the "eye" (IC/IR, some ticket sales on board in limited circumstances).

Really not sure why they didn't just make them both the same.

Neil

This is now slightly confusing, as you have the "eye" (regional, no ticket sales on board whatsoever) and the "eye" (IC/IR, some ticket sales on board in limited circumstances).

Really not sure why they didn't just make them both the same.

Neil

I haven't been to Switz. since the change in rules. From my recollection the regional trains assessed a fine of 60SF. From another post in this thread the mainline routes charge 90SF, maybe the difference. When I go there in mid Feb. I'll see how the signs read.

This is now slightly confusing, as you have the "eye" (regional, no ticket sales on board whatsoever) and the "eye" (IC/IR, some ticket sales on board in limited circumstances).

Really not sure why they didn't just make them both the same.

Neil

No, that's not correct. There is no ticket sale on IC/IR in any case. You have to buy a ticket for regional (ZVV) and IC/IR trains before you board the train. You were able to buy a ticket on IC/IR trains until December 11, but this rule is not longer valid. If you don't have a ticket on an IC/IR train and you get caught you have to pay a 90 CHFR fine plus the ticket price. However I suppose the train crew will be more tolerant for international visitors.

By the way, there is an App for the IPhone, its called "SBB". You are able to buy a train ticket with this app.

I assume that means that all stations now have ticket machines? Or does the "seek out the conductor immediately" rule still apply?

I assume that means that all stations now have ticket machines? Or does the "seek out the conductor immediately" rule still apply?

I haven't seen any station without a ticket machine in the last few years. Especially when IC/IR trains are serving the station.

However, I am sure that you can speak with the conductor when you boarded the train from a train station without a ticket machine. Just make sure that there was no ticket machine.

No, that's not correct. There is no ticket sale on IC/IR in any case. You have to buy a ticket for regional (ZVV) and IC/IR trains before you board the train. You were able to buy a ticket on IC/IR trains until December 11, but this rule is not longer valid. If you don't have a ticket on an IC/IR train and you get caught you have to pay a 90 CHFR fine plus the ticket price. However I suppose the train crew will be more tolerant for international visitors.

No need to suspect - this is stated on the leaflet I picked up about it.

The other stated exception is that upgrading to First Class on board is still permitted. This is explicitly not the case for regional services.

There might have been a third one.

Put those together, and that is to me "ticket sale on board in limited circumstances".

Neil

No need to suspect - this is stated on the leaflet I picked up about it.

The other stated exception is that upgrading to First Class on board is still permitted. This is explicitly not the case for regional services.

There might have been a third one.

Put those together, and that is to me "ticket sale on board in limited circumstances".

Neil


Yes, you can upgrade to First Class on the train. But you still need a second class ticket to make an upgrade.

Yes, you can upgrade to First Class on the train. But you still need a second class ticket to make an upgrade.

We are talking semantics to some extent. But my point regarding the difference between one "eye" and the other *is* valid, and arguing semantics is devaluing it.

If you upgrade to first class from second class, you get a small piece of paper for having done so. This is a "ticket", subclass "surclassement"/"Klassenwechsel". The fact that it isn't valid for travel on its own doesn't make it any less of a "ticket". In the UK, for instance, there are tickets which are not valid without a reservation which is issued on a separate ticket.

If you are a clueless tourist, you may be let off the fine and sold, umm, a ticket.

If you have accidentally boarded the wrong train (this is the third one) you won't be fined. No suggestion in the leaflet of what if anything you will be charged to end up back in the right place.

The first two of these at least are "ticket sales in limited circumstances". One circumstance is wishing to upgrade to first class. The other circumstance is having made a mistake as a clueless tourist.

None of these, as I understand it, are possible on regional trains - certainly not first class upgrades - my understanding is that there is no discretion whatsoever. So the two schemes differ.

Neil

I'm in Switz. now and have ridden several 'mainline' trains--none of them have a sign warning that fines can be assessed for ticketless travel. (The commuter type trains all have warnings (with the picture of an 'eye')--in first class the warning extends to riding with a 2nd class ticket.

[QUOTE=nrr;18042746]I'm in Switz. now and have ridden several 'mainline' trains--none of them have a sign warning that fines can be assessed for ticketless travel.

The little yellow eye has appeared by the doors, however.

Neil

[QUOTE=nrr;18042746]I'm in Switz. now and have ridden several 'mainline' trains--none of them have a sign warning that fines can be assessed for ticketless travel.

The little yellow eye has appeared by the doors, however.

Neil

But tourists probably would have NO idea what the "eye" means.

[QUOTE=pacer142;18049205]

But tourists probably would have NO idea what the "eye" means.

True, nor would they know what Selbstkontrolle/Autocontrole meant, particularly where about half those threatening looking yellow signs on regional trains translate it incorrectly into English as "Self-check area", which is meaningless, rather than what the other half do which is "Penalty Fares Area" which means something to English people.

But when I am a tourist I generally consider it the default that you have to buy a ticket before boarding a train. A sensible tourist will assume that default.

That said, quiet stations in the UK are unhelpful in that regard, as you do buy on the train if there is no ticket office/machine, but there is often no big sign saying to do so. So some might think you *have* to buy in advance.

That said, SBB, unlike many other places, have stated that on IC/ICN/IR trains there will be discretion for confused tourists - that's in the leaflet about it.

Neil

Regarding credit cards ... American cc's DO NOT work in the machines.

Regarding credit cards ... American cc's DO NOT work in the machines.

require chip and pin, but dont some american ccs offer that as option now?

i actually got a fraud alert on my amex plat
not sure if it was just the machine fail, or going to ticket office shortly thereafter, and CHF280 amount

Caught a train from GVA airport station the other day and the conductor announced in French, English and German, before the train moved off, the need for all passengers to have a ticket. They actually even checked the tickets between GVA airport and GVA town, which they previously never used to do. I doubt they could have checked the whole train as the ride is only 5 minutes, so maybe I was just lucky to get checked.

Caught a train from GVA airport station the other day and the conductor announced in French, English and German, before the train moved off, the need for all passengers to have a ticket. They actually even checked the tickets between GVA airport and GVA town, which they previously never used to do. I doubt they could have checked the whole train as the ride is only 5 minutes, so maybe I was just lucky to get checked.
I've had tickets checked between Interlaken Ost and Interlaken West--less than a 5 minute ride.

They actually even checked the tickets between GVA airport and GVA town, which they previously never used to do. I doubt they could have checked the whole train as the ride is only 5 minutes, so maybe I was just lucky to get checked.

That. I do that journey every week and have *never* been checked between the airport and the city in either direction.

I suspect it was a one-off "blitz" - but a fairly pointless one as it's free in that direction anyway (if you take a ticket from the machine in baggage claim).

Neil

99% sure my ticket was checked shortly after departing GVA airport

but i dont recall when it was checking on the return

was in first

99% sure my ticket was checked shortly after departing GVA airport

but i dont recall when it was checking on the return

was in first

Aha, maybe they do check first class because the free tickets are second class.

Wasn't checked (in second) this morning until just after leaving Geneva itself.

Neil

but a fairly pointless one as it's free in that direction anyway (if you take a ticket from the machine in baggage claim).

Neil

which is exactly what I presented to the conductor. Of course not all the passengers in the train are air passengers, so the others would require normal tickets.

which is exactly what I presented to the conductor. Of course not all the passengers in the train are air passengers, so the others would require normal tickets.

In my experience the great majority are. Locals are more likely to use the adjacent Cointrin station, I'd think.

Neil

What's the point of this new rule? I can see it is necessary for the local/regional trains where their are no conductors so the fine is necessary to deter fare evasion, but otherwise every train is still going to have conductors who I assume are still going to be carrying around with them their red ticket machines.

What's the point of this new rule? I can see it is necessary for the local/regional trains where their are no conductors so the fine is necessary to deter fare evasion, but otherwise every train is still going to have conductors who I assume are still going to be carrying around with them their red ticket machines.

Take a journey between Fribourg and Bern which is a relatively short ride. Particularly during rush hours, there's no way a conductor can go through the whole train and check tickets. There was evidence of increasing abuse of the system with people "deciding" to purchase tickets on the train and getting away with paying nothing.

What's the point of this new rule? I can see it is necessary for the local/regional trains where their are no conductors so the fine is necessary to deter fare evasion, but otherwise every train is still going to have conductors who I assume are still going to be carrying around with them their red ticket machines.

It saves the conductors time, so they can check more tickets.:)

What's the point of this new rule? I can see it is necessary for the local/regional trains where their are no conductors so the fine is necessary to deter fare evasion, but otherwise every train is still going to have conductors who I assume are still going to be carrying around with them their red ticket machines.

A lot of IC trains are running through stations that aren't far away, like Zürich Airport - Zürich HB, or Zürich Airport - Winterthur. The chances are good that you won't see a conductor during this short train ride.