Half-fare card?
 

Do I have to purchase the Half-Fare Card in the US before we leave for Switzerland or can we buy it at the airport or somewhere in Switzerland. We are flying into Zurich on Sept 23, 2006.

Thanks for your help!!!

I bought mine at the train station at the airport. No problem.

I think I found my answer. I saw another post that asked the same question and the answer was YES I can purchase the Half-Fare card in Switzerland. YEA!!!!!!!!!

Now - If that is wrong, please let me know.

We were posting at the same time, but you are correct, it can be bought there. When you arrive at the airport and collect your bags, head directly to the train station and you can buy your half fare card. Once on the train, the conductor will come around asking to see your ticket. When s/he sees that you bought a half fare ticket, s/he will want to see your half fare card, so be sure to have it handy.

Thanks! But, confused? Will she/he want to see my half-card even if I've showed he/she my half-card? Do you mean passport? Or something else?

> Will she/he want to see my half-card even if I've showed he/she my half-card?

?

P_M wrote 1.half fare TICKET and 2. half fare card. In order to justify 1/2 ticket, you have to show half fare CARD.

That's on the train with the conductor. When you buy the ticket, you don't need to show your half fare CARD. Just ask for a half fare ticket and they will sell it to you.

I purchased and used the half-fare card this past May. Bring a copy of your passport with you. When you purchase the card, they will put it in a plastic folding pouch so when you open the pouch, the 1/2 card is on one side, and the passport copy is on the other.

Not all train stations will sell you the 1/2 fare card, just the major ones. The one in the Zurich airport will be your best bet when you get off the airplane.

When you purchase your 1/2 fare ticket, you will have to show your card. Some look at it very closely, and some don't.

I kept mine and my wife's 1/2 fare cards in an inside zipper pocket of my windbreaker. My experience was only about 10-15% of the time did the conductor on the train/boat ask to see my 1/2 fare card along with my ticket once I was on board.

So technically, you will have to show your 1/2 fare card when you purchase your ticket, and also when you use your ticket. This will cut down on the fraud of buying tickets for others. ((b))

Hi All,

Budman says: "So technically, you will have to show your 1/2 fare card when you purchase your ticket . . ."

Like kappa, I didn't find this to be the case. The ticket agents didn't care if I had the HFC; they just sold me the ticket I asked for (in fact, most times I used a machine to buy tickets).

It was the conductor who cared if I had paid the right fare for the journey, and they're who *always* asked to see my HFC. After a while, I just put the ticket & the HFC together and gave them both to the conductor at the same time.

But all this is incidental. You'll have a blast!

s

I always purchased my 1/2 fare from a "real person" and I guess out of ignorance I showed the 1/2 fare card when I made the purchase, and they all looked at it before they sold me the ticket.

Only once on the 6 boat trips we took did the conductor ask to see my 1/2 fare card when they asked for my tickets.

So, I guess one would be better off <b>not</b> purchasing the 1/2 fare card, ask/purchase 1/2 fare tickets, and pay the difference if confronted? ((b))

No, no, I don't think so. The conductor *always* asked to see my HFC on the train/boat. And anyway, I would not myself nor advocate trying to cheat the system.

s

You must have had an entirely difference experience than I had. Either way, I would always have had my 1/2 fare card on me.

I was just saying that, tongue in cheek. :-) ((b))

Yes, you can buy the half fare card at the Z&uuml;rich airport as others have said.

The train station is in the airport. Many trains stop at the airport, so it is possible to travel to several major destinations in Switzerland without changing trains at the main station in Z&uuml;rich.

The airport buildings themselves can be a little confusing, but once you get the idea that there are two buildings with multiple layers, I think it becomes a little clearer.

There are plenty of elevators and escalators to get you around.

As for showing the half fare card, I was in Switzerland from August 28th until September 9. When buying a ticket, I automatically presented my Swiss Card.
On the train, sometimes the conductor asked for it, sometimes he (or she) did not.

I noticed that on the trains of the Berner Oberlandbahn, the conductors were more likely to ask to see my Swiss Card than on SBB trains.

Oh I get it . . . there is a CARD and a TICKET. Got ya!! Thank you all so much. I was thinking that the card was the ticket - DUH!!! :)

I live in Geneva and have bought ticket obviously countless times from real persons and from machines. Never been asked to show my half fare card at the moment of ticket purchase. Not from the person and of course not from the machine. Only the difference is my card is plastic, valid for 3 years with my photo printed like a driver's licence or ID card here.

On the train the conductor always (nerver say never but this is usaully the case) ask for 1/2 card if you have a half fare ticket (and if you are not a child under 16. Half fare ticket is in fact the children's ticket). If you have not got half fare card, you will not only pay the difference but also a surcharge, small though.

Now being a long term half fare card holder, I could forget my HFC at home. In that case, I pay the difference on the train, the conductor will sign on the ticket and later you can bring it to the station with your HFC and they will refund you the difference you paid, probably minus surcharge. I did it long time ago so I don't know if it works this way now.

&gt; As for showing the half fare card, I was in Switzerland from August 28th until September 9. When buying a ticket, I automatically presented my Swiss Card.

Bob Brown, but Half fare card (short term one for foreing tourists) and Swiss Card aren't the same, are they?

I have another question . . . what about buying a Day Card (90chf 1st class and 56chf 2nd class) on days that we'll do a lot of 'moving' around.

Hi again,

I've looked at buying a Day Card before, but usually find that it's cheaper to just buy the half-fare ticket. I've never had a journey so long that it would be cheaper to buy the Day Card.

s

&gt; what about buying a Day Card (90chf 1st class and 56chf 2nd class) on days that we'll do a lot of 'moving' around.

It is a good idea, but to utilise the day card you still need to have a valid half-fare card. For longer return trips done in a day, it is cheaper than buying a ticket. For example, a day trip Z&uuml;rich to Lausanne and back would cost you over 65 Fr r/t with a half-fare card - in this case a day card is better.

And I have to absolutely agree with Swandav - nobody checks your HFC when you buy tickets (as you mostly get them from a machine, there would be no point in checking it - except maybe the ticket agent wanted to make sure you don't embarrass yourself by presenting a run-out or otherwise invalid HFC). On the other side almost always the ticket controller in the train will ask you for the HFC along with the ticket...

Interesting reading, but can someone spare a minute to explain what a HFC is? ie, how much and how many trips do you need to make to make it worth while?
We will be catching a train from the Zurich airport to the main railstation. Then DH will be training to Fruenfeld at least one day. Then training to Singen(Germany). And maybe one day site seeing, so may use trains and or trams.
Any thoughts on if it would be worth while for us.
Thanks.

A HFC gives you a discount of 50% on all modes of transport in Switzerland (less than 50% on very short trips though) and costs 99 Fr for one month, per person. You can look up the prices for your planned trips on www.sbb.ch (Pricing only for trips wholly within Switzerland) with and without a HFC and see whether you would save enough money to justify a HFC.
A day card for the city of Z&uuml;rich costs 7,60 without and 5,60 with HFC.