SBB Train Tickets and Timetables

SBB stands for ‘Swiss Federal Railways’, the national railway company of Switzerland – it’s also called CFF (Chemins de Fers Fédéraux Suisses) and FFS (Ferrovie Federali Svizzere) in France and Italy respectively. Not only does SBB cover the main train routes across Switzerland, it also connects some rail lines in Germany, Italy and France.

Connecting major Swiss cities like Geneva, Bern, Zurich and Basel as well as the country’s airports, SBB provides a modern and extensive rail network, making the train the best mode of transport to discover Switzerland and take in its breath-taking views between mountains, lakes and hills.

Want to know more about the Swiss train system? Check out our dedicated page about trains in Switzerland and discover the most popular destinations, including the most scenic routes served by Glacier Express and Bernina Express.

SBB provide different kinds of trains with modern design and technology:

• InterCity (IC) and InterCity Tilting Train (ICN) – These are long-distance high-speed trains that can reach up to 200 km/h and connect major cities. They usually provide a First and Second Class (where you can find a Family Area) and come with a restaurant car, as well as plenty of room for bikes and wheelchairs. Despite being equipped with all amenities for a long-distance journey, IC and ICN trains can be quite crowded at peak times as they’re often used by commuters.
• EuroCity (EC) – These are high-speed trains that can also reach speeds of up to 200 km/h. Used mainly on international routes, they offer the same onboard services as IC and ICN trains.
• InterRegio (IR) – These are long-distance double-decked trains connecting Swiss regions and stopping at only a few selected stations. They’re usually equipped with a restaurant car, air conditioning and space for bikes.
• RegioExpress (RE) – This is a regional train that stops at a few stations in a specific region. Most RE trains operate on shorter routes than IR trains.
• S-Bahn (S) – This type of train connects all stations in the urban areas of Aargau, Basel, Lausanne, Geneva, Lucerne, Schaffhausen, Zurich, Zug and Sion.
• Regio (R) – This is a regional train stopping at all stations in a specific urban area and covers all zones that are not served by S-Bahn.

SBB Standard tickets

Standard tickets are one-way or return tickets you can buy either online or at the ticket office. If you buy them online, you won’t be able to make any change to your booking and you’ll have to travel on the date you selected. If you buy them at the ticket office, instead, you can decide when you want to travel – just remember that one-way tickets are valid for one day only, while tickets for a route that is longer than 115 km can be used within 10 days.

SBB Supersaver

Supersaver tickets are SBB’s cheapest fare – they can get you up to a 70% discount on the price of a Standard ticket. These tickets are only available online and can’t be modified nor refunded. In general, the earlier you book, the more likely you’ll find Supersaver tickets – you need to make your booking at least 30 days before your travel date.

SBB City ticket

In addition to the train journey you booked, this train ticket also includes a one-day pass for public transport at the city you’re travelling from or your destination city. The City ticket is valid for one day – you can buy it either online or at the station. If you want to use public transport in both cities, you can get a City-City ticket, which is only available online.

SBB Multiple-journey ticket

With this ticket type you’re entitled to six one-way trips on a given route – Geneva to Lausanne, for instance. The multiple-journey ticket is also perfect for a group of six people travelling together.

You can buy your ticket online, but if you’re travelling on a regional train you’ll need to validate it – the ticket will be valid for 4 hours. In case of a long-distance trip, the ticket is valid from the moment it’s validated until 05:00 the following day.

SBB Saver Day Pass

The Saver Day Pass is a one-day Travel Pass offered by SBB and gives you unlimited travel at any time and anywhere in Switzerland. The earlier you book, the more you’ll save. This Pass is valid to travel in both First and Second Class but it’s non-refundable and non-exchangeable.

SBB train schedule (Fahrplan)