Swiss Travel Pass

• Q. What is the 7:00 pm rule?

  A. Overnight train journeys departing after 7:00pm and arriving after 4:00am without any change of train will count as one travel day. The date of arrival should be recorded on your rail pass.

  Overnight train journeys departing after 7:00pm that arrive or involve a connection between midnight - 4am count as two travel days on your rail pass.

• Q. Can I change seats after the train departs?

  A. You may check with the conductor once your train departs to see if there are any other available seating options.
  Please note that you should stay in the same class of service as your ticket or you may incur a surcharge.

  If you change seats and the seat you move to is reserved by another traveller, they will have priority.

• Q. Will my luggage be safe, accessible, and in my line of sight throughout the duration of my trip?

  A. Your luggage will either be safely above you in a luggage rack, or at the end of your train car. These are the designated locations for luggage storage. You will be able to access your bags as needed.

  You are responsible for your luggage. The railways will assume no responsibility in case of loss or theft of baggage carried on board.

  Be sure to have luggage tags with your name and contact information securely attached in case you leave anything behind.

• Q. Can I bring my bike on board?

  A. In general, bicycles can be taken with you as carry-on luggage, free of charge on just about any national or international train- if you put it in a bike bag. In the bike bag, the wheels, pedals and handlebars must be removed.

  In addition, many European trains allow bikes in a special bike compartment for free or a small fee. If there is a fee, it’s typically about 5-15 Euros per journey. Bikes are typically permitted on local & regional trains in most countries, at least outside peak travel hours.

  Many inter-city trains also allow bikes, however not in Spain. And in France only a few French TGVs allow bikes that aren’t in a bike bag. Some TGV-Lyria trains between Paris & Switzerland also allow bikes. Paris-Madrid & Paris-Barcelona night trains only allow bikes if they’re in a bike bag and if you & your fellow travellers occupy the entire sleeper compartment. Overnight Thello sleeper trains & daytime TGV trains between Paris & Italy only allow bikes in a bike bag. Thalys trains between Paris, Brussels, Amsterdam & Cologne only allow bikes in bike bags. Long-distance trains into Eastern Europe such as Cologne-Moscow, Bucharest-Istanbul or Budapest-Sofia only allow bikes in bike bags, primarily because these trains don’t have luggage compartments.

  Lastly, some trains, primarily in the UK, will require advance reservations for bicycles. These reservations will need to be made locally at the station.

• Q. What is the Rail Protection Plan™?

  A. We offer an exclusive Rail Protection Plan™ that gives you the flexibility to change your train ticket, rail pass, reservation, and select activities with no questions asked. You’ll also be protected in the event of a railroad strike for train tickets, and in the case of loss or theft of paper tickets, rail passes, city passes or tours.

  The Rail Protection Plan™ may be added to your booking on the delivery page after adding the products to your itinerary or any time prior to final payment being applied to your booking. (Select city passes and tours are excluded from coverage). The Rail Protection Plan™ fee is non-refundable and non-exchangeable. View the detailed terms and conditions of the Rail Protection Plan™ coverage.

• Q. Who should I contact to book travel for a group of 10 or more people?

  A. For groups of 10 or more traveling together please fill out our Group Department form for assistance. If you know what you’re looking for, you can also request a quote online from our Group Department.

• Q. Do I need to book a rail pass for everyone in my traveling party, including children and infants?

  A. You will need to book a rail pass for each adult and child. In the case of a saver pass, it’s one rail pass with each traveller’s name listed on the pass. Some rail passes offer free child discounts, the children need to be added to the rail pass at the time of booking, there will be no charge incurred for them, however. While a child under 4 years of age and sharing a seat with an adult does not need to book a rail pass. If the child will occupy his/her own seat, a rail pass must be purchased for them, as well as a reservation when needed.

• Q. Is there onboard medical help in case of emergency?

  A. Currently most trains do not carry emergency medical equipment. In case of a medical emergency, conductors on board will radio ahead to the next stop so that help will be ready and waiting.

• Q. Does taking an overnight train mean using 2 travel days on my rail pass?

  A. If you travel on a direct overnight train departing after 7:00pm and arriving after 4:00am, it’s only necessary to enter the date of arrival in the travel calendar, thereby using only one travel day. If you travel on an overnight train that departs after 7:00pm but has a change of trains or arrives before 4:00am, you will be required to enter both the date of departure and arrival in the travel calendar, using two travel days of your rail pass.

• Q. Can I share my rail pass with others (family, friends, or charity)?

  A. No. Rail passes are strictly personal and non-transferable. A rail pass is valid only upon presentation of a passport. Therefore the name(s) printed on the rail pass must match the traveller’s identification.

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