How to travel in Switzerland with your dog

Holidays come with their share of pleasures and disappointments. In Switzerland, it’s not easy to travel with your four-legged friend, unless you know a few tricks. It all depends on the size of your dog, your personal subscriptions and, of course, your motivation for travelling. But nothing is impossible or out of reach. Here’s a handy guide.

Introduction to travelling in Switzerland

If you want to travel in Switzerland, you need to have considerable financial means. Public transport is expensive, and prices can put tourists off. But don’t worry, there are tricks you can use to travel with peace of mind and enjoy your trip with your pet, whether by train, boat, post bus, cable car or funicular.

For those who prefer their own means of transport, there are also car hire options, but that’s not what we’re concerned with today.

How do you transport your dog on public transport in Switzerland?

This is the first question to ask. In Switzerland, if you want to travel with your dog, you have to take into account its size and the space it will take up on public transport. The fare will be different for a Chihuahua than for a Great Dane.

Despite recent laws regarding dogs as living beings with a conscience, dogs on public transport are still, unfortunately, considered as luggage. This leads to a number of absurd constraints, as you will see below.

Before taking the train or other public transport, there are certain restrictions to be aware of, depending on the size of your dog. Prices vary according to the size of your dog. Note that dogs may not be allowed on certain private lines.

Let’s take a look at the restrictions in place on Swiss trains and post buses depending on the size of the dog.

Small dogs

Small dogs, 30 cm at the withers maximum, such as corgis, can be taken with either without paying for a season ticket or ticket. The condition will be that it is put in a carrier bag or pet crate and put under your seat.

Reminder

Small dogs = free of charge
Conditions: in a travel bag or pet crate placed under the seat with nothing similar to that for larger dogs.

Medium-sized dogs

For medium-sized dogs, i.e. over 30 cm at the withers, a half-fare ticket will be required. Please note, despite the purchase of a ticket, you will need to put the dog under its seat and ensure that it does not disturb passage.

Another solution is to take out a daily dog pass for 25 francs. This can be advantageous if you are planning a “long” distance journey. For example, a return journey from Lausanne to Geneva + tram ticket will be cheaper with a day pass for dogs.

If you’re lucky, you’ll be alone in your seat, so you can make the most of the space available. But be careful not to put your pooch on the seats.

Reminder

Medium-sized dog = half-fare ticket or day pass for dog
Conditions: dog must be tucked under the seat and/or must not disturb other users.

Large dogs

There is one unknown factor here. In theory, dogs that cannot fit under a passenger seat cannot travel on public transport. Unless they remain outside the cabin, between two carriages, where bicycles are kept, it seems that they cannot be admitted.

German dog owners will either have to show understanding and take up as little space as possible so as not to block the way, or find an alternative. You can of course also phone the SBB for more detailed information.

Reminder

Large dogs = half-fare or day pass for dog
⚠️ give priority to other passengers.

If you have any questions, you can find detailed information about transporting large dogs on the dedicated page on the SBB portal.

Which subscription should I choose if I’m Swiss?

If you’re Swiss and want to take your dog with you on public transport journeys, we strongly advise you to opt for a Half-Fare travelcard + General travelcard for dogs. You’ll save on travel costs, especially if you use public transport regularly.

If it’s every day, you’ve probably already opted for the general subscription. All you have to do is do the same for your pet.

By doing so, you avoid forgetting anything.

If you don’t have a season ticket, you’ll need to look at the type of journey you want to make. If it’s a return journey, you’ll need to consider which is cheaper, a half-fare return ticket for your dog or a day pass for dogs.

If you have a smartphone, it will be easier to use the SBB application. That way, you’ll always have your tickets with you.

What should you do if you are a “foreign” tourist?

If you’re a tourist in Switzerland and don’t have a Half-Fare travelcard, you need to look at the various offers available. There are day passes, which you can usually obtain from the various tourist offices.

As far as your dog is concerned, however, this won’t change a thing.

Depending on whether or not day passes are available, it may be worthwhile turning to a car rental agency. Their advantage, when there are more than one or two people, is that you can save money. After all, a normal ticket is very expensive.

What I can advise you to do is to check the price differences between hiring a vehicle and the price of a ticket for the same journey.

There are various types of ticket that can be interesting for tourists:

• Supersaver Day Pass: its disadvantage is that you have to stick to the dates you choose and must be taken in advance. Its advantage is that it is not expensive if taken in advance _{(from 29 Swiss francs 1/2 fare – 59 Swiss francs full fare)}
• Day pass: its disadvantage is its high price if you don’t have a half-fare card. Its advantage is that it gives you complete freedom to travel and can be used over several days. _{(from 75 Swiss francs)}
• Day pass for dog: its disadvantage is that it is only available for one day. The advantage is that you can travel all day without spending more than 25 Swiss francs on your dog.

Conclusion

As you can see, as soon as you need to get around Switzerland, prices soar, especially on public transport. So it’s important to find out about the possibilities of taking your dog with you beforehand, and to prepare your stay in Switzerland carefully so that you don’t get caught out.

A day pass for your dog is undoubtedly the best solution in 90% of cases, especially when travelling back and forth from one place to another.

I can only advise you to contact a tourist office in the region where you are thinking of staying before you leave home.