The Saver Day Pass gives you one day of unlimited travel in Switzerland on the public transportation network. This includes trains, city trams and buses, and most boats.
You can purchase this pass up to six months in advance and is cheaper the earlier you buy it.
Budget travelers can save a lot of money using this pass, especially if you plan Swiss day trips completely covered by the pass (I have several suggestions below). We also love the convenience of needing only one ticket to visit multiple destinations during the day. Plus spontaneous travelers have maximum flexibility, since you don’t have to choose your destinations ahead of time.
Below I explain how to buy and use the pass. I also suggest the best excursions covered by the pass, so you can maximize the value.
Contents
- How much does the Saver Day Pass cost?
- Good reasons to buy a Saver Day Pass
- How to buy a Saver Day Pass
- How to use the Saver Day Pass
- Where can you travel with a SBB Saver Day Pass?
- Discounted excursions with Saver Day Pass
- 7 Free excursions with the Saver Day Pass
- Other mountains free with Saver Day Pass
- Lake cruises free with SBB Day Pass
Note: The Saver Day Pass terms and coverage may change without notice. Check SBB.ch for current info. Before purchasing a day pass, verify opening times of mountain railways and attractions on the desired travel dates to avoid disappointment.
How much does the Saver Day Pass cost?
A Saver Day Pass starts at CHF 52 for a 2nd class ticket or from CHF 29 with a Half Fare Travelcard. (1st class is also available).
You can purchase the Saver Day Pass up to six months in advance. The price increases as more tickets are sold for that particular day and it can sell out. Both Swiss residents and tourists can buy this pass.
You cannot buy a Saver Day Pass on the same day of travel. But you can buy a regular day ticket, which costs CHF 160, or CHF 80 with Half Fare Travelcard. A full price day ticket functions the same as a Saver Day Pass.
For families: For children age 6-15, purchase the Half Fare version. Under age 6 travel free. The SBB Junior Travelcard is valid when the parent travels with a Saver Day Pass.
Remember that unlike other passes, the Saver Day Pass does not include discounts on mountain railways. So if you are planning a mountain excursion, include those costs in your budget.
Good reasons to buy a Saver Day Pass
The Saver Day Pass is a great way to minimize the costs of Swiss travel, for both locals and tourists. Here are a few scenarios where we find the Saver Day Pass particularly useful.
- Anyone doing a round trip to a far away destination (over 3 hours). For long journeys, the Saver Day Pass is almost always cheaper than the regular round trip ticket
- Tourists that have a fixed travel day, e.g. from the airport to a destination like Interlaken or Zermatt. If you purchase far in advance, a saver day pass may be cheaper than a one-way ticket.
- You live in Switzerland and want to help your visitors save money on a planned day trip together.
- You haven’t chosen a destination yet or want to be spontaneous during the day. Since the Saver Day Pass covers the whole country, you can change your mind anytime before and during the day.
- You want to travel to several destinations in a single day. With a Saver Day Pass, you can go anywhere without buying separate tickets, unlike a point-to-point ticket which is tied to a particular route.
- Swiss residents that don’t travel often enough on public transportation to justify purchasing a Half Fare or GA Travelcard.
But remember the Saver Day Pass can only be used on a specific day, no refunds. So if your travel plans change or there is bad weather, you cannot use the Saver Day Pass on another day.
Swiss Travel Pass vs. Saver Day Pass
Both the Saver Day Pass and Swiss Travel Pass include unlimited travel on public transportation in all of Switzerland.
- But the Swiss Travel Pass differs in a few important ways. The Swiss Travel Pass:
- can only be purchased by tourists (non Swiss residents)
- can be purchased for 3, 4, 6, 8 or 15 days
- includes a 50% discount on most mountain excursions and free admission to 500+ museums
- children under age 16 travel free with their parent. Learn more about the Swiss Travel Pass
Supersaver Ticket vs. Saver Day Pass
When purchasing tickets on SBB.ch, you’ll often see a Supersaver Ticket option. Although Supersaver also has “saver” in the title, it’s very different from the Saver Day Pass.
The Supersaver Ticket is a discounted one-way ticket for a specific connection on a specific day and time. You cannot use it for any other train that same day and no refunds. These tickets can be heavily discounted, especially if you buy them far in advance. But they are very inflexible and usually not a good idea unless you are 100% sure you will be on that exact train.
How to buy a Saver Day Pass
You can buy a Saver Day Pass on SBB.ch or the SBB Mobile app, not at a SBB ticket office or automated machine.
Day Pass Calendar
We usually purchase a Saver Day Pass on SBB.ch. Here you can browse a calendar, showing the current day pass price for each day for the next 6 months (to see the calendar, click the Purchase Online button). Prices may increase at any time, so don’t delay if you want to lock in a particularly low price.
The calendar is helpful if you are just looking for a cheap ticket and are flexible on your travel day. This is a quick way to buy a ticket for a specific day, but aren’t sure yet where you might go.
Day Pass option during ticket purchase
When purchasing round trip tickets on SBB.ch or the SBB Mobile App, you will often see the Saver Day Pass option with the price difference to other ticket options. In the example below, I searched for a round trip ticket from Zurich to Geneva. In this case, a day pass costs CHF 57 less than a Point-to-Point ticket. In some cases, the day pass will cost more than the Point-to-Point ticket.
Important: Do not confuse the Saver Day Pass with the Supersaver Ticket, which is only valid on a specific train connection on that day and time.
How to use the Saver Day Pass
If you have a Swiss Pass account (typical for Swiss residents), the Saver Day Pass will be saved to your account and will be linked to your SBB Mobile App and Swiss Pass card. You can optionally print out the Saver Day Pass with the QR Code.
If you purchased the Saver Day Pass with a guest account, you can print the Saver Day Pass with the QR Code.
If you are asked for a ticket while traveling, show your Saver Day Pass QR code on the printed ticket or SBB Mobile App. For mountain excursions, you may need to show your Saver Day Pass at the ticket window to get a voucher for the mountain railway.
Where can you travel with a SBB Saver Day Pass?
The Area of Validity map on SBB.ch shows the exact connections covered by the Saver Day Pass.
In general, it covers everything in the cities and lowlands like trains, trams, public buses, as well as some boats and cable cars that service alpine villages. The SBB Saver Day pass is valid for one day of travel in this network, ending at 5:00am the following day.
Before purchasing a day pass, double check the validity for your desired route. Also verify opening times of mountains and attractions you plan to visit to avoid disappointment.
Note that some boats, mountain buses, and mountain railways do not appear on this map since they are privately owned are not covered by any passes.
Discounted excursions with Saver Day Pass
Unlike the Swiss Travel Pass and GA Travelcards, the Saver Day Pass does not give a 50% discount on mountain railways. However, SBB Railaway offers discounts on various excursions (mountains, museums, etc.) if you travel there by public transportation. See SBB Railaway offers.
When booking a SBB Railaway offer, choose “Individual journey not including public transport” since you are using the Saver Day Pass to travel to the destination.
In some cases, you may have to select the “Discount Card” option when booking, as shown below in an one example from 2023.
In this case, you would select “Day Ticket” as your discount card.
In some cases, you may be asked to show your Saver Day Pass at the destination to verify your discounted entry price to the attraction.
7 Free excursions with the Saver Day Pass
Here are my favorite outings to do with a Saver Day Pass, particularly when I’m hosting visitors and we need to stick to a tight budget.
Note: Remember that some mountain transport closes for breaks between summer and winter season. So verify that the mountain transport is open before starting your journey.
1. Mt Rigi Classic Round Trip from Lucerne
Mt. Rigi is one of the few mountains that is fully covered by the Saver Day Pass. So this is a good choice to limit extra costs for your day.
Take a train to Lucerne. Directly in front of the train station, you’ll find the dock, where you can catch a boat to Vitznau. Then a cogwheel mountain train to Rigi Kulm where you’ll have fabulous panorama views of the Lake Lucerne region.
You can optionally hike partway down the mountain. Then a cable car back to the lake and boat back to Lucerne.
Learn more about the Rigi Classic Round Trip.
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price 2026: CHF 131/adult from Lucerne
2. Day trip to Jungfrau Region
A fantastic use of the Saver Day Pass would be a day trip from Zurich or Lucerne to the Jungfrau Region. The train ride to Interlaken is almost as impressive as the Jungfrau region itself, passing many beautiful lakes and mountains.
For the most scenic journey, make sure to travel through Luzern – Meiringen – Interlaken Ost – Lauterbrunnen, not connecting via Bern. On the way home, you can travel instead through Bern, which is faster.
If you want to minimize extra costs while in the Jungfrau Region, this scenic loop to Mürren and Gimmelwald is completely covered by the day pass. Starting in Lauterbrunnen, you ride a cable car up to Grütschalp. Then transfer to the mountain train to Mürren, a short but spectacular journey.
You can wander the Mürren village and optionally hike, perhaps to Gimmelwald. Then a cable car down to the valley and bus back to Lauterbrunnen. If you have time, it’s a short and free walk to the Staubbach Falls on the edge of the village.
If you want more, there are lots of add-ons for an extra fee, like the Allmendhübel funicular to alpine playground, Trümmelbach Falls or Schilthorn Peak Experience.
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price 2026: round trip about CHF 48.40/adult from Interlaken, CHF 194.40 from Zürich
3. Stanserhorn
Stanserhorn is a tall mountain near Lucerne with gorgeous views of lakes and mountains in all directions. To reach the top, you start with a vintage funicular train.
Then a special cable car where you can stand on open air roof to the top of the mountain at 1898m. At the top, there is a short path to wander to different viewpoints, a restaurant, picnic areas, and a marmot enclosure.
Learn more about Stanserhorn
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price 2026: CHF 82/adult for round trip on mountain railways
4. Rochers de Naye near Montreux
This mountain rises high above Lake Geneva with views of both the Swiss and French alps. From Montreux, you ride a vintage cogwheel train up the mountain to Rochers de Naye.
At the top, you can enjoy the views from a safely fenced observation deck, wander along the cliffs, visit an alpine flower garden, eat at the restaurant, and make friends with the resident marmots.
Learn more about Rochers de Naye
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price 2026: CHF 72.80/adult round trip from Montreux
5. Scenic Train Journey from Zurich
The Premium Panorama trains are a great way to see Switzerland, with extra large windows, reserved seats, dining cars and minimal connections. But they can be expensive and seats often sell out in summer. Plus these
However, you can travel many of the same routes on regular trains, all on a discounted Saver Day Pass. Here’s a gorgeous train tour that starts and ends in Zurich, traveling part of the Glacier Express and Gotthard Panorama Express routes.
Sample timeline:
- Zürich to Chur 8:38 – 9:52
- Chur to Disentis 9:55 – 11:09
- Disentis to Andermatt 11:15 – 12:21
- Walk around Andermatt & have lunch (90 mins)
- Andermatt to Göschenen 13:50 – 14:06
- Göschenen to Zürich 14:09 – 15:55
The loop takes about 8 hours, with a 90 min break in Andermatt where you can wander the village and get lunch. The entire journey is included in the Saver Day Pass. You may want to purchase a 1st class day pass for a bit more comfortable ride.
You pass by many beautiful lakes, rivers and mountains along the way. Below is one of the scenes you’ll pass by, the Walensee and Churfirsten mountain range.
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price (2026): CHF 137.60
For extra credit, you could even add on a mountain train ride by stopping at Arth-Goldau (on the train from Göschenen to Zürich) and ride the cogwheel train up to Rigi Kulm (also free with Saver Day Pass). Then back down to Arth Goldau and train back to Zürich.
6. Day trip to Lugano & lake cruise
Lugano in southern Switzerland is popular for it’s Mediterranean vibe, with delicious Italian food and more sun and warmer temps than other parts of Switzerland.
A day trip there by car can be a nightmare with long traffic backups at the at the St. Gotthard tunnel. But by train, its a dream with fast direct trains from both Zurich and Lucerne.
Boat rides on Lake Lugano are covered by the Saver Day Pass. So we suggest doing the Golden Tour, which stops in Morcote, “most beautiful village in Swizerland” according to many.
Or perhaps the Classic or Grotti Tour, which visit several tiny “Grotto” villages along the lake, including Gandria, which many consider the most charming of the bunch. See Lake Lugano tours and timetables.
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price (2026): CHF 156.80 as a day trip from Zurich
If you also want to visit mountains tops near Lugano, we suggest San Salvatore or Monte Generoso. These are discounted with Half Fare, but not the Saver Day Pass.
7. Day trip to Ascona-Locarno & lake cruise to Brissago Islands
Another nice Ticino day trip is to Ascona-Locarno, which is on the shores of Lago Maggiore. The town centers and lakeside boardwalks are lovely to wander.
Since the lake ferries are included in the Saver Day Pass, we suggest cruising to the Brissago Islands, which is a large botanical park spread across two islands (small fee to enter the park).
Cost with Saver Day Pass: FREE!
Cost full price (2026): CHF 142.40 as a day trip from Zurich
If you also want to visit mountains tops near Lucarno, we suggest Cardada-Cimetta. It is discounted with Half Fare, but not the Saver Day Pass.
Other mountains free with Saver Day Pass
The following mountains have one or more mountain lifts that are free with the Saver Day Pass. Most of these cable cars/mountain trains take you to the alpine village, but not to the mountain tops. These are considered “public transportation” and therefore covered by the pass.
Zürich region:
Felsenegg: cable car from Adliswil to Felsenegg
Central Switzerland:
Mt. Rigi: mountain trains from Arth-Goldau or Vitznau and Kräbel–Rigi Scheidegg cable car
Klewenalp & Stockhütte
Wirzweli: cable car from Dallenwil to Wirzweli
Niederrickenbach: cable car from Dallenwil to Niederrickenbach
Stoos: funicular train or cable car to Stoos village (does not include chair lifts for ridge trail)
Engelberg Ristis: cable car from valley to Ristis middle station
Jungfrau region:
Stechelberg–Mürren
Stechelberg-Gimmelwald-Mürren
Lauterbrunnen–Grütschalp cable car
Grütschalp–Mürren mountain train
Berner Oberland:
Niederhorn: funicular from Beatenbucht to Beatenberg middle station
Hasliberg: cable car from Meiringen to Hasliberg Reuti middle station
Eastern Switzerland:
Flumserberg: cable car from Unterterzen to Tannenboden
Braunwald: funicular to Braunwald village.
Western Switzerland:
Rochers-de-Naye mountain train from Montreux
Valais, southern Switzerland:
Riederalp: cable car from valley to Riederalp alpine village
Lake cruises free with SBB Day Pass
The Saver Day Pass, SBB Day Pass and GA pass also cover boat rides on these lakes. This just covers basic transportation, not special themed cruises, like dinner cruises, which cost extra.
Eastern Switzerland:
Zürichsee
Greifensee (half-fare discount)
Hallwilersee
Zugersee
Bodensee (only the Swiss side, not German side)
Lake Lucerne region
Vierwaldstättersee (aka Lake Lucerne)
Berner Oberland:
Thunersee & Brienzersee
Western Switzerland:
Lake Geneva (see my friend Hana’s post about cruising on this lake)
Murtensee, Bielersee & Lac de Neuchâtel
Ticino:
Lago di Lugano
Lago Maggiore (only the Swiss side, not Italian side)
26 responses
Hi Tanya. Congratulations on your website. Very well written and detailed. It helped me a lot in deciding whether to buy the Day Pass. I will be staying 4 nights in Switzerland, but I will only have 1 full day with longer tours and this pass came in very handy to have the flexibility of schedules that I need. I will go from Zurich to Geneva, stopping in Interlaken (I will take the route you mentioned to see the lakes) and Grindelwald. Unfortunately I will not have time to visit the Jungfraujoch mountain, but I will try, if I have time, to go to a lower one. One question: I did not find any discounts for the climb to Mount First or Mount Eiger via cable car from Grindelwald. Do you know if the Saver Day Pass gives any discounts for these cable cars? I thank you very much in advance and wish you much success.
So glad you found my website helpful in planning your trip. Sorry I’m so late in replying. Typically the Saver Day Pass does not give a discount on mountain railways and it does not on Grindelwald First. Check the area validity map to see what’s covered. Make sure to choose “Saver Day Pass” in the drop down so you only see validity for that pass and not the GA pass. https://www.sbb.ch/en/tickets-offers/travelcards/area-validity-map.html
Hi does the saver pass cover harder kulm lookout? or do i have to purchase a separate ticket in going up there?
The Saver Day Pass does not include the Harder Kulm funicular, nor does it give a discount on that ticket. You’ll need to purchase that ticket separately.
Hi, Tanya,
Your website has been very helpful for planning my trip to Lucerne. I have a saver day day pass for Friday, May 3rd. Original plan was to go up to Mt Rigi for hiking but the weather does not look good. So instead we want to go to Lauterbrunnen from Lucerne. From what I understand is the journey is covered by saver day pass. At Lauterbrunnen we want to walk the valley to see waterfalls and then go up to Murren. From Lauterbrunnen to Grutschalp (cable car) is covered and then we will transfer to mountain train to Murren that is also covered. Which way coming down from Murren is covered by saver day pass? via cable car to Stechelberg ? Or do we need to come down the same route? Thank you so much!
Sorry I’m late in responding. I hope you had a nice day. The Lauterbrunnen-Grutschalp cable car, Mürren BLM mountain train, and the Stechelberg-Gimmelwald-Mürren cable cars are all covered by the Saver Day Pass.
Hi Tanya.
If I have the Saver Day Pass, and I want to go to Lauterbrunnen & Wengen. Is it free for the train ticket from Bern to Lauterbrunnen & bus to Wengen ( and back to Bern) ?
Thank you
Hi Maria, The Saver Day Pass covers all public transportation. It would cover the train between Bern and Lauterbrunnen as well as the mountain train from Lauterbrunnen to Wengen, which is considered public transportation. It would cover the return journey on these same connections. Have fun!
Does the train from Zurich to Innsbruck is included in Saver Day pass? Or I have to purchase a ticket separately?
The Saver Day Pass only includes train inside Switzerland. You would need to purchase a ticket from the border of Switzerland to Innsbruck in Austria.
Hello,
Can I use a Saver Day Pass to ride the Bernina express form Tirano to St. Moritz? I already have the seat reservation. but I need to buy the train ticket.
Hi Maggie, my understanding is that you can use the Swiss Travel Pass for the train ticket on the Bernina Express. But I suggest contacting the vendor that sold you the seat reservation to verify this.
Hello, is the saver day pass included FREE for cable car up to Grütschalp and mountain train to Mürren ?
Hi Connie. If you purchase a Saver Day Pass, it includes the Grütschalp cable car and the Mürren BLM mountain train to Mürren and the cable car from Mürren down to Stechelberg and the bus back to Lauterbrunnen. It’s a great value.
Can you use the saver day pass on golden pass?
We want to go from montreux
You can, but you also need a seat reservation that you’ll need to pay extra for.
Very helpful, useful specially for first timer traveler. May I ask, : The Saver Day pass is just for one day, but I will be there in switzerland for 3 days, so therefore, I need to buy 3 days tickets Saver Day pass.. Am I right? If yes, is that the same price?
You could get three Saver Day Passes, one for each day of your travel. Or you may prefer the Swiss Travel Pass, which you could purchase for 3 days. The Swiss Travel Pass gives you discounts on many mountain railways, unlike the Saver Day Pass which is more limited.
Stanserhorn Cabrio funicular and cable car are 100% free with GA! Thank you
Thanks for the tip! I’ve updated the post to include this as a suggested day trip.
Do I have the same discount with “Saver day pass” as with SBB Day Pass?
The Saver Day Pass is exactly the same 1 day SBB Day Pass. You can just buy it cheaper in advance.
Very nice overview! Thank you very much not only for this post but for the whole blog. It has been a valuable source of information and inspiration for our trips from Zurich since we have moved to Switzerland. And just to share our experience – Rochers-de-Naye near Montreux is also free with SBB/Gemeinde/Coop Tageskarte.
Great tip, thanks! I just went there for the Santa house and definitely want to go back in summer.
Thanks so much! This took a work and is very much appreciated!
Glad you like it!