While public transport in Switzerland is a fast and efficient way to get you and your pet from A to B, some may be confused as to whether their furry friend needs their own ticket. Here’s what owners need to know about riding the train with their pets.
With public transport tickets in Switzerland costing a pretty penny, many may be wondering whether they need to double the cost of their journey and pay for a pass for their pets. In February 2025, passengers speaking to Blick argued that it is a lottery whether ticket inspectors require pets to be paid for or not on services between Swiss cities.
Luckily, the rules on bringing pets on trains in Switzerland are actually strictly controlled by Alliance SwissPass - the official regulator. Here’s what they have to say:
As a rule, small dogs, cats, rabbits, birds and other smaller domesticated animals can travel for free on Swiss trains. The pet is considered small if it is less than 30 centimetres tall when measured at the withers - the tallest point on the animal’s back.
However, smaller pets must be transported in an animal-friendly container, box or basket in order to travel for free. If it is let out to roam the carriage, it must have a ticket. The boxes themselves must also be stowed out of the way of passengers, typically under seats.
Naturally, ticket inspectors do not spend their time with tape measures sizing up all the pets in the carriage, so it is up to passengers to act in the spirit of the rules - having a Great Dane sit down in an IKEA bag, doesn’t count.
Guide and assistance dogs of all sizes travel for free across the network.
If a dog is of a certain size or is not carried in a cage or container, it must have its own ticket. On short journeys cheaper than 25 francs, dogs can be covered by purchasing a regular half-fare (halbtax,1 / 2) ticket.
On journeys where a half-fare ticket is more than 25 francs, it is most economical to purchase a 25-franc Day Card for dogs. This allows the dog to travel across the whole network for one day in both first and second class, provided their human has a valid ticket - dogs cannot sit in restaurant or dining cars, with the exception of guide dogs.
If you expect to take your four-legged friend on more rail journeys, a Monthly Dog Pass can be bought for 60 francs, while a Yearly Dog Pass can be secured for 350 francs. These tickets are available online, at attended ticket counters and automated ticket machines. The passes are loaded on your personal SwissPass, so be sure to have it with you on your mobile phone or wallet when travelling.
However, dogs are not allowed on the furniture even if they have a valid ticket: freely roaming canines must be sat down on the floor of the train, out of the way of customers.
Thumb image credit: Michael Derrer Fuchs / Shutterstock.com