From buses and trains to trams and boats, there are many forms of public transport in Switzerland. The alpine nation boasts a diverse and well-connected public transport system, which can get you to almost every corner of the country in a matter of hours.
Switzerland is considered to have the best public transport network in Europe, according to the Railway Performance Index.
There are five railway companies in Switzerland, with SBB - the Swiss Federal Railways, a state-owned company - being the largest. Many use public transport every day to get to work and get around. Each council (Gemeinde) has the opportunity to fund local transport services through the tax system, which usually leads to every town having at least a bus connection to a nearby station.
Many cities in Switzerland have a fully integrated transport system, with the country connected by several Intercity lines to Germany, France, Austria and Italy.
Switzerland has many different forms of public transport that allow for fast and efficient journeys. Although there are several companies that operate in Switzerland, they all unite under a joint timetable. This means that all trains and bus services will be able to connect with one another and you only need a single ticket, regardless of what type of transportation you use.
Intercity trains are train services that connect the major cities. They are fast services that only stop at large rail centres or at airports. There are 10 Intercity routes that go across Switzerland, with some going further to Stuttgart and other cities in Germany. On timetables, they will be marked with an IC, ICN if it is a tilting train or EC - Eurocity services typically serve routes between international destinations and Switzerland.
You can store large luggage on these services and check your bags in if you book in advance. Talk to the information centre at a large city station for more information.
Interregional (InterRegio) trains are services that travel between two to three cantons. They travel at the same speed as Intercity trains but stop at large regional centres as well as cities. The services can be booked in advance, and you can use the luggage service if you book ahead.
Regional express and regional trains (RegioExpress and Regio trains) in Switzerland are local trains that travel between large cities within a canton that do not need an Intercity connection. These services only stop at medium to large centres on a route that is less frequently used.
Regional express trains are also the trains that are used to access most ski resorts in Switzerland as many of the alpine rail networks use RE services. You can only use the luggage service on certain routes on the network, such as between Zurich and Schaffhausen.
The S-Bahn or commuter trains are trains that are used by mass transit systems to connect small towns to larger cities. In Canton Zurich alone, there are over 23 different rail routes that connect small communities with the heart of the city. S-Bahns typically stop at every station and are extremely regular, with around four trains an hour on each route. Many S-Bahns also connect regional centres, the difference being that they stop at every station.
Trams and trolleybuses can usually be found in major cities and are integral to getting around. Many tram networks span a large area of the city and can be dramatically faster than driving. In cities without trams, trolleybuses usually take a similar role. Each tram has a set route and can have up to 12 services each hour.
Buses are an integral part of the Swiss transport network. Practically every small town or village in Switzerland will have a bus route to the nearest station. The buses are timed so that they connect with at least one S-Bahn rail service an hour.
Many tickets also permit you to take any boat service that is in the area you have paid for. Boat services are essential in order to travel across lakes in Switzerland. Many communities are isolated with only the boat as a means of transport. Boat services in cities are slower than other forms of transport but can be an excellent way to see the city or to have a relaxed lunch on the water.
Extra services are rail and tram services that are additional to the original timetable. In most cases, these occur when there are large concerts or sporting events on. It is not recommended to use these services if you are not attending the event, as the atmosphere may be busier and livelier than on a regular service.
In addition to trains, buses, trams and boats, SBB also cooperates with a range of partners to provide a network of rental bikes across Switzerland. Bikes can be hired just for the day, or long-term as an alternative to buying a bicycle. The schemes that cooperate with SBB are:
You can find your closest public bike rental location on the SBB website.
Looking for your closest train station? On the SBB website you can browse a list of all the stations in Switzerland, search by your location, and toggle between a list and map view.
Lost something on a train or at a station in Switzerland? SBB operates an online lost and found service. Simply submit a loss report, entering a description of your item. The system will then bring up items in the database that match your lost item. If no matches are found, SBB will keep looking and let you know if and when your lost item turns up.
Note that you have to pay a reclaim fee to collect your item. This is 20 Swiss francs, or 10 francs if you have a Half Fare Travelcard, or 5 francs if you have a GA Travelcard.