KayF

Hi, my sister and her family have arrived in Paris, having been advised by the contact centre at Swiss Rail they can buy the Half Fare Card in France (for travel in Switzerland later in their trip).

She has now been told (at Gare Lyon) that they cannot buy it in France. This is a problem.

Can anyone offer advice?

Thanks,
Kay

PalenQ

The Swiss Half-Fare Card to my knowledge can only be bought at stations in Switzerland

If it is sold in France it would be at the Gare Saint Lazare where the SNCF or French Railways International Ticket Window is and where you can buy several types of railpasses for other countries.

Otherwise cop a PREM fare Paris to Lausanne or Geneva and just buy the Half-Fare card at the stations there

A Swiss Pass of some type is often a better deal than the Half-Fare Card IMO - you can buy these also at stations. The difference in price between the Half-Fare Card and a 3-day Swiss Saver Flexipass is not all that much. Investigate the Swiss Pass - perhaps you have but often folks automatically think that's the best when it may well not be. A Swiss Pass also gives free entry to over 400 museums - many at about $20 a crack. With the Swiss Flexipass you get three days of unlimited travel in a one-month period and between the first and last day of unlimited travel you do get 50% off, just like the Half-Fare Card on virtually everything that moves in Switzerland except cows (not everything that moos). For understanding lots about these passes i always recommend three fine sites - www.swisstravelsystem.com that links you to scenic trains, the Swiss rail site for ticket prices to compare the 1/2 Fare Card with the Pass in value and also has prices for half-fare card (CHF 99 i believe) and Swiss Passes. Passes are significantly cheaper if bought in the U.S. - not possible for you and that could make the half-fare card more viable when you compare it to Swiss Pass prices bought in Switzerland vs those bought in the States. Two other sites that give tons of objective info on Swiss trains and passes, half-fare, etc. are www.ricksteves.com and www.budgeteuropetravel.com.

KayF

Thanks PalenQ.

The pass is for my sister and her family. They will be travelling from Avignon to Lauterbrunnen, early next week, and will not have time to hop off the train at Geneva to get the pass. Though, thinking about it, they might have to, and wait for a later train.

Do you know if a conductor on the train from Avignon to Lauterbrunnen would sell them the Half Fare Card?

She did already go to the SNCF ticket window at Gare Lyon where she was told they don't sell them in France (even though she was told the opposite while still at home in Australia.

Thanks
Kay

PalenQ

I would think there is no chance the SNCF conductor would have these passes to sell - my impression is that they are only sold in Switzerland at stations.

You could try a travel agent in Avignon on a long shot they may sell them

But i think you can buy them at www.sbb.ch and have them mailed to Avignon - not sure

and since there are trains hourly from Geneva to Bern and Interlaken it is easy to hop off the train - you will no doubt have to chance in Geneva anyway and then just take the next of the hourly (or more) trains - no real hassle and put angst to rest IMO - Passes are sold along with Half-Fare Cards at any ticket window i believe.

swandav2000

Hi KayF,

This is what the Swiss rail site (SBB) says about buying passes in France:

Auprès des guichets internationaux des grandes gares SNCF et agences de voyage agréées par la SNCF

Basically any large SNCF station or travel agencies who work with SNCF.

I would e-mail the SBB (www.rail.ch) and ask to be certain; then I would print out the reply and take it with me to the SNCF.

Good luck!

s

PalenQ

But is the Swiss Card a pass? Does not sound like a pass.

KayF

That is exactly what I am wondering - can you buy Swiss passes in France but not the Half Fare Card?

I think my sister will have to break her journey in Geneva and buy the Half Fare Card then get the next train. Or, get a different pass in France, if possible.

Thanks so much for everyone's help.
Kay

PalenQ

I think most travel agents in France would sell Swiss Passes as well as the International Offices in SNCF stations, like at the Gare Saint-Lazare where i know for a fact they have been sold in the past at least

swandav2000

The Half Fare Card is gaining in popularity and use. It used to be available, of course, but not mentioned on most SBB pages. It is now. It is one of the many items offered by the SBB, such as Swiss Pass, Swiss Transfer Ticket, Swiss Card, etc. I am sure that any vendor selling the Pass will also sell the HFC, TT, SC, etc. The only exception to this is the TT.

What will it hurt to send an e-mail??? I've asked SBB a few questions, and their replies are always timely and thorough.

s

PalenQ

Raileurope, part owned by the Swiss Railways, sells Swiss Passes, Swiss Transfer Tickets, Swiss Cards but does not sell the Half-Fare Card, which no one in the U.S. sells i believe as it is not part of the package the Swiss Railways makes available for sales abroad, or at least thru their subsidiary RailEurope - the portal for Swiss Passes, etc. in the U.S.

I did not know Swiss Transfer Tickets were sold in Switzerland or on sbb.ch so this is new and maybe half-fare cards will be sold someday thru RE but they are not now - France i do not know

swandav2000

It may not be sold by Raileurope, but it IS sold by www.swisstravelsystem.com, and mailed to the U.S. This is a recent development, maybe in the past six months. I bet Raileurope will add the HFC to their menu quite soon.

s

swandav2000

So you see, you can buy the HFC outside of Switzerland! I have bought it online a few times and once had it sent to me in Germany. I know of some people who had it mailed to them in the U.S. through the swisstravelsystem site.

Yes, I did get the TT wrong; I reversed it. It is the only one not available for sale in the country.

s

KayF

You are right Swandav, I have sent off an email to SBB querying this. I just hope they reply quickly.

Kay

swandav2000

KayF, I do hope it works out with an easy solution for your sister!

s

PalenQ

thanks for the info re SHC being sent to U.S. Is there a mailing fee

I can still can see no reason for buying before Switzerland except in KayF's case and even then they have to change trains in Geneva anyway and it takes a few minutes typically to buy one

And even if you have the Half-Fare Card in hand you will still have to get off the train in Geneva to buy the Half-Fare ticket onwards from there - you will still have to go to the same ticket window where you would buy the HFC just to buy with the card a HF ticket - right?

So only once you are in Switzerland at a rail station can you buy a half-fare ticket - i can't see a French conductor or ticket window selling you a half-fare ticket for the Swiss portion but maybe it is - doubtful

I just cannot see any reason for buying the HFC before getting to Switzerland - esp if you have to pay mailing fee

What am i missing as to why KayF or anyone needs to buy the card ahead of time - won't they still have to go to the ticket window in Geneva before continuing on with their travel?

A Swiss Pass however can be activated on the train if the train is coming from another country - by the conductor - i do not think this would work with Geneva since it's only a few miles inside the border and it's also considered i think a French train station - but would be coming into Switzerland from say Paris, Germany, etc.

swandav2000

Hi again PalQ,

I needed one in Germany because my travel into Switzerland originated in Germany (where I was renting an apartment for a month), and I was in the same situation as KayF's sister -- I didn't want to interrupt my journey and haul my stuff off the train.

In that case, I had bought my tickets online, not at any station. But I don't know why a SNCF agent would not sell a half-fare ticket. It's not the agent's problem if you are buying one without a valid HFC; it is only the conductor's problem. If you don't have the HFC in time for the conductor on the train, then it becomes a problem. I have bought tickets on bahn.de with a 25% discount, and they never asked if I was eligible for the discount. Of course, the conductor did. Folks buy half-fare tickets for Switzerland from Germany all the time. Don't know why SNCF would be any different.

s

PalenQ

s - that does indeed make sense and thus wanting to have the HFC in hand

thanks

KayF

I had a reply bright and early this morning from SBB - the Swiss Rail people. It says:

'Thank you for your e-mail.

It is correct you can buy the ticket only in Switzerland.

-> Information on the Half-Fare offer is on the following web page:
www.rail.ch/half-fare '

So thank you very much to all you helpful people, this forum is wonderful.

My sister texted to say they will buy the Half Fare Card in Geneva and then catch a later train than planned.

Best wishes everyone,
Kay

Cowboy1968

Maybe there is a difference in procedures between the "real" HFC (which is a One (or more) Year Pass) and the 1 month HFC - which is aimed at tourists.

The first pass will also be sold at major railway stations outside CH, while the 1 month HFC is (according to the website) only sold in CH, and at <b>travel agencies</b> in the rest of Europe.

swandav2000

Hi KayF,

I'm so sorry you got this bad news from the SBB. I sure wish it had been better!

s