Hi all and happy new year!

So I will be moving to Switzerland shortly and I was wondering which you would recommend:

a) Purchase the half-price travel card online, such that it will arrive in the mail at our Swiss address and in the interim we can print out a PDF card to be used immediately

b) Purchase the half-price travel card at Geneva airport (*Is this even possible? At what time would the kiosk close? Where should I go to do such a thing?)

We already got a few passport photos done.

Thanks for your help!
-Pam

Another option would be to get the half price card with VISA (which is 30 CHF cheaper) but according to the SBB website, I'd have to apply for this by mail and would not have a card which I could use immediately.

Thus, I would miss out on the savings for about a week. I read another thread from 2009 that claimed that as long as you buy the travel card back dated, you can get reimbursed for the tickets you purchased at full price after the date on the card (as long as the conductor of the train signs it, verifying your ID?). Can anyone else verify that this is true?

I'm thinking of eliminating the bit of inconvenience and just buying the card online at full price... What are your thoughts?

do it online unless you want to stand in a Q for ages at the airport

Whether you do it online or at the airport, you will get a temporary card until your official one arrives in the post. If it's for 1 year or longer, you'll need a passport photo. I don't know how you do that online, but we needed them when we applied at the train station...

For 1 year one, you will need your permit + 6 month in the country before you can have VISA facility. I don't know how online work but I got mine from HB within 20min.

you cannot get any Abo without permit. So get that done like ASAP!

We had no trouble getting a Halbtax for my dad who visited Switzerland twice within 12 months. He's not resident of Switzerland..

The main thing was an address - we submitted as 'Mr X' care of 'Mr & Mrs Y' and it was fine, even though he has a different surname to us...no problem!

I'm pretty sure they took the name and address details without needing a permit or verification of address. They linked the address on the system to their database, and issued a temporary one on the spot...

sorry, you can get one without being resident but need an address in CH. They have looked at my permit for quite some time when I apply but I am sure you can get one if you visiting if you have got friends or family here. I also find that if you use permit and if you move, SBB will be informed of the address change as well.

NOT TRUE!!!!

I do not know how often I have seen this false statement on EF.

I am a tourist, and do not even have a fixed address in Switzerland. Yet I have a three year half fare card.

The address is only needed to mail you the permanent card. I ask to pick it up at the station in the town I will be in a week after I apply (takes this long to produce the permanent card). Another option is "Poste Restante" in the town where you will be at the time.

Dear RetiredInNH - Of course you can get yours like that. You are special. The Heads of Staff of the SBB are always forewarned of your arrival through your posts on EF so they can inform all the local offices to make the necessary arrangements.



Edit: The above statement is pure invention but if RetiredInNH says you can get a half-price card without being a resident, without a fixed address in Switzerland, without a full medical certificate and complete copy of police records - well, then you most probably can. That guy knows a lot.

Sadly that didn't work for me for some reason when I moved, and my Visa bills went to the wrong address. Best thing to do is update your address yourself in the web-form on the SBB website.

Thanks for the information about the Visa card. I tried filling out the form, but I don't know if it'll fly considering I have no job in Switzerland yet and I will have just moved to the country. I didn't need a Visa card. I just wanted a cheaper deal.

So the consensus (i.e. one person's advice) is to buy online to avoid the queue? I think that's a good idea.

I got half price cards for my parents when they were here on holiday here
It did not take long at the SBB office, 15 mins max

SBB officees are open long hours, staff speak all languages

I also got this Halbtax card after being asked so many times whether I have this card...^^;;;
I was gonna get it anyway this year(2012) though. So far I used it on 4 occasions. Saved about 15chf. lol Long way to go to recover the cost ^^

Anyhow cut long story short!

I wasn't resident here for 6 months but was able to get it.

I took my passport and the permit so I cannot comment exactly whether it is neeeded for sure. But they made a copy of my permit. Said they need I.D with my address on. So I presume you probably need some thing to prove your current address in Switzerland.

And 30chf off deal are for Visa Credit card and Visa prepaid card. I chose Visa Prepaid.
Just hoping that when I book easyjet or ryanair I could use this prepaid card in order to save fee ^^v

When I applied at the station, they gave me a week valid temporary card(piece of paper) n told me that the actual card delivery would take upto 3wks. Ah, also they told me that I could renew my temporary permit at the station after expiry. But actual card was delivered within a week.

You cannot get this Visa credir or Visa prepaid over the internet. In this case, you need to print, fill the form and post or hand over at the station in person. But other form of Halbtax card you can apply online and print temporary card online.

Pambot don't worry too much about a week savings. You could get anyway a monthly pass. It is also deeply(?) discounted and this monthly pass cannot be bought with a halbtax card.

it's not the end of the world, true. If you're going to travel across country right when you get in, and money is tight, it might be worth it - but otherwise stressing yourself on the day of your arrival to a new country's probably a bad idea

I would personally just skip it that day, get a full price ticket, and go order it the next time you're at a station. You do want one though - the payback period differs depending on your commute and personal travel habits, but it almost always pays back well in excess of its cost. A 20 chf commute to work means it pays back in 3 weeks, for example.