General travelcard: the increase stops at a hundred francs

The general travelcard will rise by less than had been announced. Alliance Swisspass revised the increase downwards after talks with the Price Supervisor. The new fares take effect on 13 December 2026.

For adults in second class the increase will be 100 francs, against the 200 initially announced. In first class the rise falls from 330 to 250 francs. The adult half-fare card goes up by 5 francs. Cards for children, young people and families face no increase or only minimal adjustments.

Across all fares, the average adjustment falls from 3.9% to 3.6%.

Who covers the difference

Alliance Swisspass justifies the rise by inflation and by higher costs for staff, energy, materials and maintenance. These are items that weigh on a service whose costs are largely fixed.

The Price Supervisor's intervention reduces the share paid by travellers. It does not, however, reduce the costs the company says it must cover. The question therefore remains open of how the difference will be closed, whether through internal savings or through other revenue.

In 2027 the Swiss Federal Railways plan to hand out 90 million francs in discounts across the reduced-price ticket categories. That is a substantial sum, decided while the financial sustainability of the fare system is under discussion.

The precedent is known. This is the second national adjustment since 2023. The last increase was three years ago and averaged 3.7%. On that occasion too the Price Supervisor intervened, cutting an initial proposal of 4.3%.

In Ticino the general travelcard is widely used by commuters and students travelling beyond the Gotthard. A contained increase eases the budget of these households, but it does not explain how the system intends to carry its own rising costs over time.