Originally Posted by pacer142

Or, if you plan to come back within a year, buy an annual half-price pass for not much more. You'll need a passport photo (might be two). You can have it sent to the station itself for pickup if you have no Swiss address but are around long enough. (Wouldn't advise doing this if you can't pick it up when it is ready)

They give you a temporary one at the time valid for I think a month while they are doing the proper one.