How To Download & Use The Switzerland Train Map 2025
The official Swiss train map, created by the national railway carrier SBB, is a highly valuable tool for creating a solid game plan when planning a trip through the country.
The detailed map does far more than showcase the entire train network, including scenic trains (Bernina Express, Glacier Express, for instance) and private railway companies. It also gives an overview of all Swiss train stations and determines which rail pass is valid for a specific route, etc.
And let’s not forget it is also a much cooler and more unique souvenir than just the standard Swiss chocolate:) After all, Switzerland is famous for its public transportation system for a reason! 92.5 % of all trains in Switzerland operate on time, according to official statistics.
Okay, okay. I’ll admit it is controversial, but let’s go back to the Swiss train map. In this article, I will show you how to use it (and actually make the most of it), but first, I need to review how to access it.
๐ The official Swiss Train Map 2025 is published by the national Swiss railway company SBB and is accessible as a physical copy or as an online version.
๐Private companies like the Swiss Travel System also offer great train maps, especially for download in PDF format.
๐ The main advantage of the SBB online train map is the great customization filters, so you really can find what you need.
How To Access The Official Switzerland Train Map 2025
There are two ways to access the official Swiss rail map: You can purchase a physical version online or at an SBB travel center in most major Swiss city’s train stations. The other alternative is to access it online, which is free.
I will cover both options in detail in a second, but let me just add that the official network map isn’t the only Swiss railway map you can find online.
Ticket retailers such as Trainline.com and Swiss Travel System (the actual company behind the Swiss Travel Pass) also have their version of train maps for Switzerland.
If you’re planning to download a comprehensive map of Switzerland’s train system in a convenient PDF format, I honestly find these alternatives more user-friendly. You can download a great map in PDF format here.
The downside is that this map is not at all interactive or customizable. Although it will probably do its job and help plan train routes, but I would recommend sticking with the official online version for travelers with more nuanced needs.
What you can do there is set different filters depending on your needs. Some of the most relevant filters include:
- The ability to search for a specific train line, train station, or destination and view detailed information such as interactive station maps, timetables, etc.
- View the punctuality of specific train connections in real time
- Check the area of validity for all major train passes
- View local fare network maps
- Find interactive information for people with reduced mobility
- View all international train connections & much more
Order A Physical Train Map Of Switzerland Online
Let’s cover step-by-step how you can order a physical copy of the official Swiss train map 2024 online. It might not be very modern, but it has its pros (and cons), and I know for a fact that many Swiss locals actually appreciate this analog option.
Pros of a physical map
Cons of a physical map
1) Add Map To Shopping Cart
Access the Swiss railway company webshop and select the quantity you like to order. Then click “add to shopping cart”.
2) Continue To Check-out
After you have confirmed your shopping cart, you have the option to proceed to check out as a guest or log in with your Swiss Pass account if you have one (most likely not; please don’t confuse it with a Swiss Travel Pass login)
3) Enter Personal Details
The second last step is actually to enter a shipping address in Switzerland or Lichtenstein. If you don’t have a permanent address in one of these countries, purchasing the map from an SBB travel center during your stay instead is the best option.
4) Enter Payment Details
Select your preferred payment method from different credit card options, such as Postfinance or Twint. On the right-hand side, you will also see a total breakdown of the costs, or you can redeem a discount code if you have one.
After the payment, you will receive an email confirmation immediately, and the shipping usually takes around 3-5 business days.
Access The Interactive Swiss Train Map Online
The free version to access the map online is via this link. What makes it so great, in my opinion, is that you can set filters, as I already mentioned briefly earlier.
You also have complete flexibility; if you need the network map for the entire country, you can have that, but the map also allows you to zoom into a specific region in more detail.
When you have customized your train map, the website makes it easy to download as a PDF or JPG or send it to your email.
Here are some options for how to do that:
- In the navigation menu with the filters, scroll to the bottom and open the “share” subfolder. From there, you can either send your map via email or link or save it as a picture.
- Alternatively, you can also download it as a PDF on your device. Simply click on the download icon on the right-hand side, select the format (A3 or A4), and click “export PDF.”
How To Use The Online Map To Plan Your Switzerland Itinerary
Now, let’s examine some of these customization options and how they can help you explore Switzerland by train. There is a massive variety of things you can potentially do, but the following functions are especially helpful to plan your journey and make the most from the train map.
Search For Specific Train Lines, Train Stations, Or Destinations
The first filter I want to introduce to you is my favorite option for finding compact information about Swiss cities and railway lines on a high level. You can search for train stations, as well as routes.
In our example, let’s search for the picturesque city of Lugano in southern Switzerland. First, select “Network map passenger traffic” and activate to view station plans and bus routes, then enter Lugano in the search bar.
What is now shown is a map with the train station highlighted. On the right-hand side, you can now see information such as an interactive station map, a timetable to find connections to get to Lugano, and coordinates and departure times for the following trains. Here, you can find all high-speed trains, intercity trains, and interregio trains scheduled to depart from Lugano and their respective destinations.
When I wrote this article on a Wednesday evening in June, I discovered that a few of the trains currently run with a delay between 16 and 59 minutes. The train map updates this information in real-time.
View The Punctuality Of Specific Train Connections In Real-Time
We briefly touched on the point about discovering delays in real-time above. But that’s not all. When you select punctuality in the menu, you can view trains, buses, trams, and everything in between in real-time.
Let’s change location and pull up the Geneva map this time. As you can see, each dot represents a public transport connection. Routes shown in green are on time, and yellow dots stand for trains or buses with a delay of three minutes or less.
If you click on one dot, that specific connection’s timetable and current status will appear. For example, the IR90 train heading towards Geneva Airport is perfectly on time at the moment.
Check The Area Of Validity For All Major Train Passes
The following filter is perfect if you are unsure if the train ticket or rail pass you purchased is valid for a specific route or if a surcharge applies. You can check train connections as well as other means of public transport, such as boats or mountain railways.
View Local Fare Network Maps
Without a rail pass, chances are you will also have to buy a ticket for local public transport at one point or another. With this next function, you can check the validity of local public transport tickets.
Let’s say, for example, that you purchased a local city ticket in Zurich that is valid for ZVV zone 110. Can you actually use this ticket to take the public transport to the airport?
The answer is no, you can’t since the airport is outside the ZVV110 zone. To have a valid ticket, you would need to add ZVV zone 112 to your ticket.
Find Interactive Information For People With Reduced Mobility
Accessibility for people with reduced mobility is an increasingly important topic. Unfortunately, despite the Disability Discrimination Act stipulating that Swiss public transportation should be barrier-free by the end of 2023, there is still a long way to go.
There are still train stations and train types, which make independent traveling for people in wheelchairs or with reduced mobility challenging at times, especially in smaller train stations.
The online train map allows you to easily check the accessibility for people with reduced mobility at all train stations in Switzerland. Stations marked in green are equipped for autonomous use.
View All International Train Connections & Much More
Last but certainly not least, Switzerland’s location in the heart of Europe can benefit you. As you might know, I am a huge fan of European train travel, for example, with an Interrail / Eurail Pass.
Conclusion: A Great Tool To Plan Your Train Journey & Route
The one perfect train map doesn’t exist, but depending on your requirements and needs, a train map is a great tool to plan a trip across the country or even just a good souvenir.
Switzerland’s stunning nature and vibrant cities make it the perfect country to explore with public transportation. The online map offers a variety of tools to assist you in your planning process and personalize your train map.
Did you enjoy reading this article?๐
On average, the research, writing, editing, and fact-checking of one article takes us 10-15 hours. Coffee makes us not only go faster, but we will also do our best to prioritize any article pitch YOU want to read about on our site.
Thank you for your support of our mission of creating the best expert-vetted travel guides while keeping our site banner ads free forever.
FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to a list of the most Frequently Asked Questions.