Is The Interrail Pass Switzerland Any Good For Travelers?

If you are a loyal reader of our blog, you probably noticed that educating you regarding the best public transportation ticket for your trip is an important focus. Why? Simply because it is one of the most asked questions people have in our experience.

Today, the focus is on the Interrail Pass Switzerland. Is it any good or maybe even better than the Swiss Travel Pass? I will answer this question as detailed and objectively as possible, but here is also my short answer in case you are a busy bee:)

Is The Interrail Pass Valid In Switzerland?

As already briefly touched on, interrail passes are valid on the SBB railway network for intercity trains, regional trains, and local trains, but you will need a separate ticket for buses, boats, mountain railways, etc. 

It is good to know that even though international high-speed trains usually require a mandatory seat reservation, that’s not the case if you use them for domestic routes only. What do I mean by that?

Take the Eurocity 7 train from Hamburg, Germany, to Interlaken, Switzerland. As you can see below, it operates without a seat reservation or surcharge on the Swiss rail network between Basel SBB and Interlaken. 

You can always use their free rail planner app if you are unsure whether you need a mandatory reservation.

Who Can Purchase An Interrail Pass?

Experiencing Switzerland by train is fun, but not so fun is figuring out which train pass you are eligible for: Interrail or Eurail Pass. I know there is a lot of confusion about it, so let’s clear that up once and for all. 

• The Interrail Pass is for you if you are a citizen or legal resident of a European country. This includes all countries of the European Union as well as Albania, Andorra, Belarus, Bosnia Herzegovina, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Iceland, Isle of Man, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, Russia, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine, United Kingdom, and Vatican City.
• The Eurail Pass is the alternative for people from outside Europe. 

If you have dual citizenship, it all comes down to where you actually live. Always use the passport of the country your home residence is. For example, if you have an Italian and a Canadian Passport but live in Rome, Italy, you would need an interrail pass in this scenario. 

Discounted Interrail Passes

Traveling by train with a standard adult pass is already pretty awesome, but it gets even better. There are even more discounts for certain age groups. 

• Children under four years of age are traveling utterly free of charge.
• Children aged 4 to 11 can apply for free with a child pass. The child must be accompanied by at least one person with a valid pass. A maximum of 2 children per adult is allowed. 
• A Youth pass is for travelers between 11 and 27 years old. Depending on the validity days, it is more than 50% cheaper than a regular pass. 
• The greatest discounts are for senior passes available for travelers 60+. On an 8-day one-country, you currently pay only 263 Euros instead of 393 Euros. 

One Country Pass VS Global Pass: What’s The Difference?

If Switzerland is the only country on your trip and you arrive by plane, a One-country pass is probably the best option for you. As the name indicates, it is valid only in one country of your choice. Since you are on this site, I would assume this is Switzerland;)

On the other hand, an interrail global pass is valid for public transport in 33 European countries, from Greece to Norway. This version, therefore, is very convenient for European trips. 

Like many other European kids, I extensively used an Interrail Global Pass to explore  Europe in my early twenties and then again on multiple business trips (as my goal is to avoid flights across Europe whenever possible. 

I would recommend considering an Interrail Global Pass if you visit multiple European countries on your trip or visit Switzerland with public transportation from Europe. However, the complexity of the product is a disadvantage of the Global Pass, which some travelers struggle with (but more on that later).

When Should You Consider Purchasing An Interrail Pass?

One of the most important questions is when it is time to buy a rail pass rather than buy your tickets individually. When you look at the price of the standard Swiss train tickets, the answer is pretty soon. 

Sure, if you are only in Switzerland for one day (which would be a shame, but how am I to judge you), you probably don’t need it unless you plan to travel extensively or take an extensive trip in the Swiss alps on that one day.

But for a standard 2-3 day itinerary with maybe 2-3 destinations such as Lucerne, Geneva, and Bern, for example, you are almost certainly better off when purchasing a Rail Pass. For longer trips, it is usually even more of a no-brainer.

But decide for yourself. I included the fares for standard tickets in 1st and 2nd class between some famous Swiss rail routes below so you can get an idea and a first calculation. 

Please note that all prices are in Swiss francs for a standard one-way ticket in 2024 without discount cards.

🚆Route	🎫Ticket Price 1st Class	🎫Ticket Price 2nd Class
Zurich – Interlaken West	125 CHF	73 CHF
Zurich – Zermatt	222 CHF	130 CHF
Zurich – Lucerne	46 CHF	27 CHF
Zurich – Basel	62 CHF	36 CHF
Zurich – St. Moritz	136 CHF	80 CHF

Keep in mind that cheaper ticket options are also available if you pre-book, but they reduce your flexibility and are not always available, or the purchase process is complicated, so you want to carefully weigh your options. 

Pricing Structure Of The Interrail Pass

The very moderate prices are one of the main reasons why I personally think an Interrail Pass is even better than a Swiss Travel Pass. Let’s take a look at the exact pricing structure of each pass category below. 

Adult One-Country Pass Switzerland 

As you can see in the price overview below, the one-country pass is only available in the flex version. This means you choose the number of validity days based on your pass, but they don’t necessarily need to be consecutive.

 According to the terms and conditions, you must travel within 11 months after the purchase date and use all validity dates within one month after you choose to start your trip. 

To help you compare it with other Swiss rail passes, I calculated the prices from Euros to Swiss Francs below based on the exchange course in May 2024. You can also use this currency converter to get 100% accurate data, but the big picture should not change. 

Interrail Pass Type	2nd Class	1st Class
3-days adult pass	163 CHF	207 CHF
4-days adult pass	193 CHF	245 CHF
5-days adult pass	220 CHF	279 CHF
6-days adult pass	244 CHF	310 CHF
8-days adult pass	288 CHF	366 CHF

Now, let’s compare these prices with the Swiss equivalent, the Swiss Travel Pass. I will use the Swiss Travel Pass Flex prices to match the offer as closely as possible. 

Swiss Travel Pass Flex	2nd Class	1st Class
3-days adult pass	279 CHF	445 CHF
4-days adult pass	339 CHF	539 CHF
6-days adult pass	439 CHF	697 CHF
8-days adult pass	479 CHF	755 CHF

Youth One-Country Pass Switzerland 

Again, you are eligible for a discounted Youth Pass if you are between 12 and 27 years old. The complete pricing structure is as follows: 

Interrail Youth Pass Prices in CHF

Interrail Pass	2nd Class	1st Class
3-days youth pass	142 CHF	168 CHF
4-days youth pass	168 CHF	196 CHF
5-days youth pass	190 CHF	224 CHF
6-days youth pass	211 CHF	248 CHF
8-days youth pass	251 CHF	293 CHF

The Swiss Travel Pass also offers special prices for young adults, but you are only eligible until the magic border of your 25th birthday. 

Swiss Travel Pass	2nd Class	1st Class
3-days youth pass	197 CHF	314 CHF
4-days youth pass	240 CHF	379 CHF
6-days youth pass	287 CHF	454 CHF
8-days youth pass	311 CHF	492 CHF

Senior One-Country Pass Switzerland 

Last but not least, the Interrail senior discount for travelers 60 years or older is another stand-alone feature of the ticket. The difference can be a good 30%, as shown below. 

Here are the 2024 prices recalculated in Swiss francs: 

Interrail Pass	2nd Class	1st Class
3-days senior pass	147 CHF	187 CHF
4-days senior pass	174 CHF	220 CHF
5-days senior pass	198 CHF	252 CHF
6-days senior pass	219 CHF	279 CHF
8-days senior pass	259 CHF	330 CHF

The Swiss Travel Pass doesn’t offer any discounts for seniors, so if you are 60 or older and decide to purchase it, you must go with a regular adult pass. 

Global Interrail Adult Pass 

Prices for a global adult standard pass valid in 33 countries start at around 283 Euros or 280 CHF. There is a slight distinction in validity compared to a one-country pass. Passes with a shorter validity of up to 15 days are flexible, similar to the one-country pass. 

There are also passes with a validity between 15 days and three months for longer trips of up to three months. 

Here are the prices for the 2024 adult global passes in CHF: 

Interrail Pass	2nc Class	1st Class
4-days global adult pass	279 CHF	354 CHF
5-days global adult pass	314 CHF	399 CHF
7-days global adult pass	376 CHF	478 CHF
10-days global adult pass	441 CHF	561 CHF
15-days global adult pass	546 CHF	693 CHF

Although the prices are higher than with the one-country pass, I can tell from personal experience that it is hard to find better prices for international train travel in Europe. The price range for international tickets is also extensive and can be between 50 Euros and 500 Euros, depending on the travel date, travel class, etc. 

Global Interrail Youth Pass 

Like the other passes, here is the Interrail Global Youth Pass price breakdown. 

2024 Prices in CHF:

Interrail Pass	2nd Class	1st class
4-days global youth pass	209 CHF	265 CHF
5-days global youth pass	236 CHF	299 CHF
7-days global youth pass	282 CHF	358 CHF
10-days global youth pass	331 CHF	421 CHF
15-days global youth pass	410 CHF	520 CHF

Global Interrail Senior Pass 

Global Interrail Senior Pass Prices 2024 in CHF

Interrail Pass	2nd Class	1st Class
3-days global senior pass	250 CHF	317 CHF
4-days global senior pass	280 CHF	357 CHF
7-days senior global pass	336 CHF	428 CHF
10-days senior global pass	394 CHF	501 CHF
15-days senior global pass	489 CHF	620 CHF

Pros & Cons of the Interrail Pass

Now, I want to list the most essential pros and cons of the Interrail Pass based on my own experience and conversations with hundreds of international visitors over the years. As a native Swiss, I cannot purchase a one-country pass for my home country, Switzerland, but I have used the ticket on international trips, as described earlier. 

What Other Travelers Say About The Interrail Pass

As mentioned, an Interrail is, without a doubt, the cheapest rail pass for traveling in Switzerland. Still, that’s not always the case for some other European countries, especially in Eastern Europe, where the general price level is lower. 

I found an interesting thread on Reddit, raising that question. 

As another user then points out correctly, it all comes down to the time of booking, the travel date, the countries you plan to visit, etc. Sometimes, national or private railway companies run promotions with particularly low fares, but they are usually unavailable on popular travel dates and during the high season. 

Unfortunately, since the global pass combines 33 European countries, the handling tends to be more complex and requires some planning. If you don’t want that, you can always go with the One-country Pass as an easy and simple alternative. 

On Trustpilot, they rated it 3.5 out of five stars. Yet again, 99% of neutral or negative feedback is due to the complexity of the product on international trips, and it doesn’t affect the Interrail One-Country pass. 

Although I personally only had positive experiences traveling in Europe with the Interrail Pass, I still wanted to bring this to your attention so you can make your own informed decision; in my opinion, the Interrail Global Pass is a good product, although it requires some planning effort. 

Additional Perks & Benefits Of The Interrail Pass in Switzerland

But now, back in Switzerland, the Interrail Pass covers train travel and offers a few additional perks and discounts for pass holders. 

Aare Seeland mobil

In addition to the discounts on mountain railways, an Interrail Pass also makes you eligible for a 50% discount on boat tickets on these stunning Swiss lakes. 

• Lake Constance Shipping Company
• Bielersee Shipping Company
• Lake Geneva Navigation Company
• Lakes of Neuchâtel and Morat Navigation Company
• Lake Lucerne Navigation Company
• Lake Constance and Rhine Navigation Company
• Lake Zurich Navigation Company

How To Purchase An Interrail Pass? 

Purchasing an Interrail Pass is almost as easy as one-two-three and literally took me no more than three minutes. 

1) Select your Pass

Depending on your travel plans, select the suitable travel Pass for you from the Interrail.eu website. I am using a 4-day Interrail Global Pass for my example. Once you have added all required passes to your cart, click “go to checkout”. 

2) Adjust the order details

After that, review your order and adjust your order details. You can choose your preferred delivery method (e-mail or paper version) here and also change the pass cancellation needs if required. Then click go to traveler details. 

3) Sign up for an account or log in

If it’s your first time purchasing an Interrail Pass, you must make an account by opening your details, such as Name (as in your passport!), e-mail address, and password. 

4) Complete the Payment and receive your travel documents

The last step is simply completing the Payment with a credit card or via PayPal. You should receive a confirmation e-mail immediately after the purchase. 

Alternative Rail Passes In Switzerland

A few alternatives to an Interrail Pass are worth considering if you are not convinced yet. 

Swiss Travel Pass

The most obvious alternative would be the Swiss Travel Pass. It is the most comparable Swiss rail pass with comparable benefits and was invented by the Swiss tourism marketing organization. Although it is convenient, the pricing structure is slightly higher in general. Still, you also get free entrance to 500 museums and additional discounts on dozens of leisure activities and mountain excursions. 

Individual Tickets

Individual tickets cover everything from point-to-point tickets to day passes and safer tickets. Depending on how many tickets you estimate to purchase and the travel distance, you can combine them with a Swiss half-fare card or not. 

If you buy saver passes or tickets (limited availability) and combine them, you have the best chances for an unbeatable cheap trip. The downside is that it requires a lot of preparation and planning to pull it off. 

Swiss Half-fare Card

The Swiss half-fare card offers a budget-friendly option, providing a 50% discount on trains, boats, buses, and mountain railways. Tailored for tourists, the monthly half-fare card is priced at just 120 CHF, offering excellent value. Easily buy it as a guest on the Swiss railway website and have it conveniently delivered to your email or phone.

Conclusion: Interrail Pass Is A Great Rail Pass For Switzerland

In conclusion, the Interrail Pass is a great solution for traveling within Switzerland and is generally considerably cheaper than other rail passes with similar benefits. The one-country pass for Switzerland is especially perfect for exploring Switzerland and is recommended by me. 

For international train trips across Europe as part of your trip to and from Switzerland, the Global Pass can be a great solution. However, it requires some planning and preparation to familiarize yourself with the slightly different requirements in each country. Alternatively, you can always purchase single international tickets on sites like trainline.com.