Swiss Public Transportation System
See Switzerland by Train, Postal Bus, Boat, and Mountain Cable Car
Apr 29, 2008
Switzerland is famous for its excellent public transportation system. Despite the geographical problems posed by having most of the country covered by the Alps, Swiss engineers have built tunnels, bridges, amazing road passes, and numerous cable cars to bring most of the country within relatively easy reach to the average traveler.
The Swiss Public Transportation System
Swiss trains are very comfortable and generally run on time. Where trains do not go, the extensive Swiss postal buses take over. Boats, mountain railways, and cable cars are essential for many tourist excursions but nonetheless mostly considered an integral part of the Swiss public transportation system.
The Swiss public transportation system is impressive. The largest and best-known operator is the Swiss Federal Railways (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen SBB / Chemins de fer fédéraux suisses CFF) but over 300 independent companies are involved in providing mass transit throughout the country. Around 23,000 stations and bus stops are scattered along Switzerland’s 5,000 km (3125 miles) of railway lines, 1,000 km (625 miles) of mountain train tracks, and over 13,000 km (8125 miles) of roads served by yellow postal and other inter-city buses.
Tickets for Public Transportation in Switzerland
Despite the high number of operators, the pricing and ticketing system is fairly well integrated. It is usually possible to buy tickets through to the final destination in a single transaction even if a combination of public and private operators is used.
Tickets are easiest bought from train stations, where travel agents are often available to sell fully integrated cheap packages to sights that include transportation tickets and admission fees. Simple tickets can be bought online or from vending machines. Tickets may also be bought from the drivers of the yellow postal buses (Postauto / Car Postal) traveling between cities but usually not on municipal buses and trams that run within cities.
- Traveling with small children? The first or last cars of double-decker Swiss Inter-City trains have special play areas on the second level with space for buggies, strollers, and bicycles on the lower level. These trains also have quiet sections where cell phone use and passenger created noise are banned.
Train Traveling Times between Major Swiss Cities
Swiss trains between major cities run frequently – often a few times per hour – and generally may be boarded without seat reservations. Although Swiss trains are usually not as fast as their German and French counterparts – even on the routes where French TGV or German ICE trains are used – travel times are fairly short especially in the flatter parts of Switzerland to the north of the Alps.
The fastest train connections between major Swiss cities are for example:
- Basel to Zurich – 0h53
- Zurich to Bern – 0h55
- Basel to Bern – 0h55
- Bern to Geneva – 1h46
- Basel to Geneva – 2h37
- Zurich to Geneva – 2h43
- Zurich to Lugano – 2h54
- Bern to Lugano – 4h01
- Geneva to Lugano – 5h53
Reservations are usually not essential on Swiss trains although a good idea when traveling long distance or during busy periods. However, on some heavily promoted scenic tourist routes such as the Glacier and Bernina Express, surcharges are added to normal fares and reservations essential.
- Switzerland’s public transportation system can be relatively expensive but many discounted tickets and passes are available to both local residents and foreign travelers. The Swiss Pass is a comprehensive transportation pass popular with foreign tourists to Switzerland.
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