Switzerland is a beautiful country with many places that people love to visit. From sites like Matterhorn on the high mountain peak or the Chillon castle near lake Chillon or even Interlaken, the land between Lake Thun and Lake Brienz. To travel from one location to another at a lower price, one would choose to take public transport. Be it intercity travels or inter-district travels, and you have the facility to use multiple public transport options. If you are new to Switzerland, this list will help you get a gist of getting around the city.
While this article helps you with the Public transport facilities, it is worth reviewing other mandates as well. While health insurance is a must if you are in Switzerland, the country offers many cheap health insurance options.
Table of Contents
Types of Public transport in Switzerland :
Trains :
Trains are a widespread choice for Switzerland as it is very convenient and comfortable. There are around 1700+ train stations in Switzerland. There are two types of tickets for trains that you can buy from SBB ticket machines before boarding trains. Two types of visas are first-class and second-class tickets. There are five train services provided in Switzerland.
Intercity [IC]: intercity trains are long-distance trains that connect the major cities and hubs. Therefore they do not stop at all stops. They are very comfortable as they have inbuilt restaurants and amenities for long journeys. Some trains have quiet zones for their passengers.
InterRegio [IR]: inter-regional trains are trains that travel between cities. They are like an intercity but without amenities like restaurants.
RegioExpress [RE]: these trains are faster regional lines, as they do not stop at all stops, making them quicker and more convenient.
S-Bhan: these lines cover urban areas in Switzerland. They travel short routes to the immediate surroundings. It is convenient for working and college students.
Regio[R]: these lines travel through all regions and make a stop at each one of them. These trains operate every hour or half-hour.
International trains: as the name suggests, these trains travel internationally from Switzerland. Most are one-way trips, i.e., no stops in between. The train travels from Switzerland to Australia, France, Germany, and Italy.
Buses:
Buses are a means of transport many prefer for short distances, but some people might use them for longer journeys according to prices. College students like traveling by bus rather than train as it is a pocket-friendly option for them. There are over 800+ routes to choose from, and different buses take different ways, making it convenient for the public. Ticket prices and fare zones differ according to the area. One can get the ticket from the ticket machines before boarding the bus, but one can always buy a ticket on board if they do not have a ticket machine nearby. There are three bus services in Switzerland:
National buses: Travel from one state to another, making long journeys.
International buses: These buses travel internationally from Switzerland and are not a very convenient way to travel as it is time-consuming and exhausting.
Regional Buses: Regional buses make stops in all regions and travel throughout the urban city, picking and dropping people according to their comfort.
Boats:
There are about 7000 lakes in Switzerland. Their many purposes include being used as reservoirs and for navigation. These lakes are natural or artificial, but they are a part of Switzerland and significant tourist attractions. The Rhine Lake, mainly used for transportation, comprises nearly 66 lakes. Except for The Rhine, 12 other navigable lakes transport goods and people. Artificial canals like the Interlaken ship canal, Nidau Buren canal, and Thun Ship Canal also transport Switzerland.
Trams:
There were many different trams in Switzerland throughout the years, like the horse tram, steam tram, and air compressed trams used before the introduction of the electric trams. Tram tickets were sold according to the system zones and distance traveled. There are around 1896 tram systems that operate in Switzerland, and some prime examples of successful installations are Basel, Bern, Bex, Geneva, Lausanne, and Zurich.
Ticket Options for the transport facilities:
There are different types of tickets to choose from when boarding any public transport. It might sound simple when one goes to the counter for a single one-way ticket where they only choose from first-class and second-class tickets. But there are things that daily travelers need to remember often like to bring in dogs and bikes; you need to buy another ticket. There are Day cards for tourists valid for 24 hours and Track7 or Seven25 cards that give half price on passes for anyone under 25. With this information, one can always figure out a way to travel through Switzerland without any troubles. Once you get hold of the prices and the timings, it’s a piece of cake to find your way home.