Savings day ticket for the community: Joy for travelers, gnashing of teeth for communities

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The “municipal day pass” of the public transport association Alliance Swisspass, which includes SBB, has existed for two decades: Swiss municipalities sold special, impersonal paper tickets that entitle their residents to unlimited train travel on the Swiss rail network One day GA, popularly known as municipal He called .

SBB has now modernized the popular ticket. Available as a “Community Savings Day Card” since December 11, 2023 and valid from January 1, 2024.

The discounted day ticket is available at two price levels: for 1st or 2nd class and with or without a half-fare travel card. Train journeys across Switzerland start from just 39 francs with a half-fare travel card and 2nd class. Anyone who books their ticket on short notice, ten days before the intended use time, pays a little more. For half ticket holders, it is cheaper than the municipality daily ticket. If you don’t have a half ticket card you will pay more than before.

The card is now personalized, meaning it is no longer transferable, and is also available as a mobile ticket. In addition, railway customers can buy their savings day ticket from any municipality, regardless of where they live. The card can now also be returned for a fee of ten francs, in case of illness, for example.

Not all communities participate

Municipalities sell the savings day card through the “Spartage Card Store” web application, which customers cannot access directly. There is unity throughout Switzerland.

Previously, communities had to draw their own annual quotas, getting stuck with some of them, especially during the Corona period. Since they only get paid on the product they sell, they no longer carry any financial risk.

However, the new savings day card is not liked by all communities. Many people fear too much sales and consulting effort (and the associated training effort), plus they are responsible for debt collection and receive only a small five percent commission in return. That’s why the new savings day ticket is not available everywhere.

Using this link rail passengers can see which communities are participating. According to Alliance Swisspass, around 1,000 Swiss municipalities currently operate as sales points for savings day cards.

Source :Blick