When is a ticket considered to have been purchased in good time?

In accordance with the applicable laws and fare regulations, a ticket is considered to have been purchased in good time if the ticket purchase process has been completed in full before the actual departure of the public transport service. The same applies to automatic ticketing: the check-in process must be completed before departure.

Why is it best to purchase or activate an e-ticket or travel authorization (check-in) before boarding?

To ensure that the purchase or check-in process is completed in good time and that the ticket is valid, we recommend that you also purchase e-tickets before boarding public transport or activate the check-in. If passengers are in possession of a valid ticket or travel authorization before boarding the vehicle, they do not run the risk of not having a valid ticket when the vehicle departs.

The fare regulation stipulating that customers must be in possession of a valid ticket or travel authorization before the actual departure is enshrined in Tariff 600 throughout Switzerland (link to Alliance SwissPass fares and regulations). This regulation is binding and applies to all sales channels.

Which applies: the departure time in the timetable or the actual departure time of the means of transport?

The departure time: The purchase of the e-ticket or check-in at the automatic ticketing machine must be completed before the actual departure of the public transport service. 

Why is there no grace period of one to two minutes?

In Switzerland, the rule is that a valid ticket must be presented for travel. Accordingly, passengers should be able to rely on a uniform, nationwide and understandable regulation. However, this rule must also work in all public transport systems (local, regional, and long-distance), especially in local transport, where the travel time between two stops is often only a few minutes or even seconds. Furthermore, a grace period would lead to the same discussion, just one to two minutes later.

I was charged a surcharge because I purchased my e-ticket a few seconds too late or checked in too late. Why isn't the transport company more accommodating in such cases?

Under the current regulations, there is always a risk of being charged a surcharge if you do not have a ticket before the departure of the vehicle.

You can easily check in on your way to the stop or before boarding the vehicle. This way, you don't run the risk of checking in too late or even forgetting to check in. The automatic ticketing system uses location tracking to detect when a person starts using public transport. There is also no disadvantage to checking out later. Only the actual journey completed is charged.  

In Switzerland's open public transport system, there are generally no access barriers at stops or on vehicles that can only be passed with a valid ticket. Due to the legal requirement of “one journey, one ticket,” travelers need a uniform, simple, and therefore understandable regulation throughout Switzerland. The departure of the vehicle is a measurable factor for everyone. 

Without binding regulations, the current fare system based on fairness could be completely undermined. Of course, it is very important to the public transport industry that individual cases are handled correctly, even in a mass business such as public transport. To this end, there is a two-stage process whereby passengers can contact the back office of the respective transport company and request a review of individual cases.  

What about surcharges if the app is not working?  

The public transport industry does everything in its power to ensure that ticket apps and distribution systems function continuously. If this is not guaranteed for once, this will of course be taken into account at the latest when cases are dealt with in the back office.

There are various options available for purchasing a ticket (both analog and digital). Passengers are responsible for ensuring that they have a valid ticket or travel authorization when boarding public transport, regardless of which channel they choose to purchase their ticket. It should be noted that passengers who choose to purchase e-tickets are responsible for ensuring that their device is in working order. Differences in reliability/functionality have been identified between the various smartphone systems. However, this is the responsibility of the passengers. The e-ticket purchase process may take longer if network performance is poor. Passengers are advised to ensure that they have a valid e-ticket or travel authorization before boarding public transport.

Can inspection staff exercise leniency?

Due to time constraints and limited technical capabilities, it is usually not possible to clarify the exact circumstances conclusively on site. The primary task of inspection staff is therefore to check whether passengers are in possession of a valid ticket. If this is not the case or if the ticket cannot be presented, the inspection staff records this incident. The respective transport company decides on any leniency at a later stage. This allows the respective claim to be clarified on a case-by-case basis. This procedure also serves to ensure equal treatment of passengers, as the in-depth clarification in the back office with more information provides a better basis for determining the facts than the situation in the vehicle. This is the only way to ensure that similar cases are treated as equally as possible, while taking into account relevant differences in the facts at the time of the decision that may not have been known at the time of the ticket inspection.

Who is responsible for processing the recorded incidents?

The handling of goodwill cases is the responsibility of the individual transport companies. If a person cannot present a valid or only a partially valid ticket, this is recorded on site by the inspection staff. If initiated by the passenger, an in-depth investigation of the individual case is possible at a later stage. It is also possible to assess the circumstances of the individual case retrospectively. These investigations are carried out by the back office of the respective transport company. Subsequently, an assessment by a competent ombudsman's office is also possible.

Why can inspection staff also ask for identification in addition to a ticket?

E-tickets and travel authorizations (check-in) are personal and therefore issued in a specific name. Accordingly, it is the responsibility of the inspection staff to check the personal details on e-tickets and travel authorizations (check-in). The driving personnel may also check the travel authorization several times to prevent improper check-in and check-out. 

Weshalb muss ich eine Gebühr bezahlen, Why do I have to pay a fee if I can only show my valid e-ticket or travel authorization (check-in) after the fact?

If you had a valid e-ticket or travel authorization during a ticket inspection but were unable to present it at the time of the inspection, your personal details will be recorded by the inspection staff and you will be asked to go to a ticket office or contact the back office at a later date. If the validity of your e-ticket or travel authorization can be confirmed after the ticket inspection, you will only be charged a fee for the inconvenience. The fee is a minimal compensation for expenses (does not cover the actual expenses). If it is subsequently determined that there was no case of travel without a valid or only partially valid ticket, the recorded data will be deleted immediately.

Why is there a central information system (SynServ)? 

In Switzerland's open public transport system, there are generally no barriers at stops or on public transport that can only be passed with a valid ticket. Access is based on trust that passengers have a valid ticket or travel authorization for their journey. Nevertheless, random ticket checks are necessary on public transport. These checks reveal that a significant number of people repeatedly use public transport without a valid ticket or with only a partially valid ticket.

The purpose of recording or entering data in SynServ is to identify passengers who repeatedly fail to present a valid or only a partially valid ticket, even beyond the respective transport company. This helps to counteract repeated abuse.  

Will you still receive an entry in SynServ in cases of goodwill?

In principle, an initial entry in SynServ has no consequences whatsoever. The travel data is completely deleted after two years. The purpose of the entry in SynServ is to identify travelers who have repeatedly failed to present a valid or only partially valid ticket, even beyond the respective transport company. This helps to counteract repeated abuse.

If it is subsequently determined that there was no case of travel without a valid or partially valid ticket or no loss of revenue, the data will be deleted from SynServ.

The entry in SynServ has no effect outside the stated purpose. An entry has no influence on other areas of the recorded travelers' lives. It is therefore not a register such as the criminal or debt collection register and cannot be viewed by third parties.