How to Use Swiss Train Ticket Machines in Switzerland – A Short and Simple Guide

In this article, I will be showing you exactly how to use the train ticket machines in Switzerland. These self service machines are located at all train stations. They operate 24 hours a day, and accept both cash and credit cards. During my holiday in the Jungfrau region, I bought all my train tickets from the machines except for one ride.

A train ticket machine in Switzerland

How to Use Train Ticket Machines in Switzerland

Step 1: Select Language

First, I selected the “English” language. The other languages available are Italian, German, and French.

Step 2: Select Destination

On the next page, I selected Interlaken Ost as my destination. If your destination is not on the list, you can press “Alternative connections” to choose a different station.

You should also note that the default start location will be the train station you are currently located at.

In this case, I was buying the ticket at Grindelwald train station, so my start location was Grindelwald.

If you want to choose a different start location, you can press “Alternative connections”.

Step 3: Select Immediate or Later Departure

If you are taking the train immediately or within the day, press “Immediate departure”. If you would like to buy a train ticket for another day, press “Later departure” and then indicate your travel date.

Step 4: Select Route

For my short journeys within the Jungfrau Region, I just selected “via direct” routes. If you are buying tickets for a long train ride, I recommend buying from the staff in the ticket office instead. They will be able to advise you on the best route.

Step 5: Select One-way or Round trip

I mostly just bought One-way tickets. You do not get discounts if you buy Round trip tickets.

Step 6: Select Seat Class

I only chose 2nd class tickets for my train rides in the Jungfrau region. Based on my experience, I can tell you there is not much difference between the 1st and 2nd class seats for the trains within this region.

Step 7: Select Number of Tickets

If you are only buying for one person, press either of the yellow buttons. I was buying tickets for the wife and me, so I pressed on “Several tickets” instead.

After that, I pressed the yellow “plus” button twice to buy two tickets. I bought the “Half-Fare card/children” tickets because I had the Swiss Half Fare Card. This meant that I could buy the tickets at half price.

Step 8: Make Payment By Cash or Credit Card

Contactless credit card payment

I checked the tickets’ details to make sure everything was correct, before paying with my credit card. It’s possible to pay with cash too.

Step 9: Print Receipt (Optional)

If you wish, you can press “Print receipt” to get a receipt for your payment.

Step 10: Collect Tickets

A short while later, my tickets were dispensed. I collected them and that was it!

Conclusion

I hope this article has shown you that it’s easy to use the train ticket machines in Switzerland. However, note that I only bought train tickets for relatively short journeys within the Jungfrau region. If you are thinking of buying tickets for long-distance journeys with multiple connections, I recommend buying from the ticketing office in the train station instead. The staff will be able to advise you on the best routes and answer any of your queries.

This article is part of our completely free and fantastic Ultimate Jungfrau Region Travel Guide. Why spend days researching when all your holiday information is simply a click away?