Train tickets in Suíça
Overview
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Switzerland is world-renowned for its unparalleled natural beauty and diverse cultures. And, thanks to its striking scenery, punctual rail service and smart timetabling, exploring Switzerland by train is nothing short of exquisite.
The main national rail operator in Switzerland is the state-run Swiss Federal Railways (abbreviated to CFF, SBB and FFS in French, German and Italian respectively). The best way to get full usage out of the country’s public transport network of nearly 30,000km is by using a Swiss Travel Pass.
With world-renowned punctual timetables, contemporary comfy trains and easy connections, the Swiss Travel Pass is the most straightforward way to discover Switzerland by train or ferry. Seek out stations at elevations of 3,800m, or make the most of excursions included in the pass, to more than 500 museums or a plethora of peaks, over a period of 3, 4, 8 or 15 days depending on the pass purchased.
When planning to visit Switzerland by train it is worth noting that it also enjoys excellent international links, with cross-border trains serving one or more of the country's three main rail hubs - Basel, Zurich and Geneva. All three have direct TGV trains to Paris, ICE trains to a clutch of German cities and Eurocity trains to a range of destinations in northern Italy.
Zurich has particularly good connections with Austria, with trains leaving every two hours for both Salzburg and Vienna. There is also an excellent daily direct train between Zurich and Bratislava in Slovakia. Geneva has very good links into the French TGV network, with direct daytime trains to the Rhône Valley and Paris, while Zurich has a wide choice of night train departures, with services leaving every evening for Berlin, Budapest, Graz, Györ, Hamburg, Ljubljana, Potsdam, Prague, Vienna, Villach and Zagreb.
One of the best things to do in Switzerland is to book a trip on the panoramic Bernina Express route from Chur and St Moritz to Tirano in Italy. Other classics include the Glacier Express from Zermatt to St Moritz, the GoldenPass route from Lucerne to Montreux via Interlaken, the Gotthard Panorama Express and the Luzern-Interlaken Express. These historic and captivating train journeys proffer natural highlights at every turn as you are transported on high-tech trains through Alpine valleys, past glacial lakes and other such Swiss splendours.
Popular journeys
The best train journeys in Switzerland
Trains in Switzerland
What trains can you travel with in Switzerland?
Airport train stations
Airport train stations in Switzerland
Switzerland's four main airports are in Zurich, Geneva, Bern and Basel, all of which are easily connected by train. Getting from Zurich and Geneva airports to their respective city centres by train is particularly easy, as both airports have their own train stations.
You can buy tickets from Zurich and Geneva airports to their city centres on our website, though it is worth knowing that if arriving into Geneva airport, you can claim a free Unireso public transport ticket for 80 mins from its issue time for public transport within the central Geneva area. There is a bus to the main train stations from Bern and Basel airports, which you can buy locally.
See our detailed airport guides
