Public transport fares across Switzerland will rise by an average of 3.6 percent beginning in December, following intense negotiations between the transport industry and regulatory authorities.
Operators Push for Steep Increases
The umbrella organization Alliance Swisspass initially approved much steeper increases on March 27. Officials cited escalating expenses for energy, personnel, and materials alongside growing passenger demand.
While the industry adjusted its target downward to 3.6 percent in August, internal documents obtained by “Schweiz Heute” through freedom of information laws reveal that operators originally pushed for far harsher adjustments.
Had the transport companies prevailed, the price of a second-class general subscription (GA) would have jumped by 200 francs to reach 4195 francs. Single tickets were slated to rise by 4.39 percent, day passes by 4.2 percent, and the canine travel pass by 8.3 percent.
Regulatory Pushback and Compromise
Price Supervisor Stefan Meierhans intervened and challenged the operators, documenting sharp criticism of the proposed adjustments in the official records.
Meierhans argued that the claimed cost increases lacked mathematical justification, prompting a closed-door negotiation battle.
The resulting compromise halved the planned GA price hike and forced the SBB to commit 90 million francs toward discounted saver tickets. Even with these concessions, the cost of a second-class GA breaches the 4000-franc threshold for the first time.
New Tariffs Across Classes
First-class commuters face an even steeper adjustment, with prices climbing by 250 francs to 6770 francs starting in December.
Meanwhile, the cost of an adult half-fare card will increase by a more moderate 5 francs, marking the first tariff revision by the sector in three years.
Commuter Backlash and Cashless Shift
Public reaction in the Blick community was swift and critical. Commuters questioned the value of services amid rising costs and warned of potential shifts back to private automobiles.
The Alliance Swisspass has also faced mounting public scrutiny over a separate initiative to phase out physical tickets, coins, and paper currency across buses, trams, and trains by the end of 2029.
Implementation begins next year, with 400 new ticket machines slated to replace older models in Basel and Central Switzerland starting in 2027, requiring passengers to load fares directly onto a Swisspass or prepaid card.
