Frequently asked questions

Starting January 1, 2021, extended passenger rights apply to public transport services.

If you arrive at your destination at least one hour late, you are entitled to claim compensation. The amount of compensation depends on the fare paid as well as the length of the delay. For more information and the compensation claim form, please visit https://www.swisspass.ch/passenger-rights.

In addition to the right to compensation, passengers also have other rights in the event of delays. More information on this can be found at https://www.swisspass.ch/passenger-rights.

Both monthly and annual U-Abos benefit from mutual ticket recognition. These comprise U-Abos for adults, young adutls, senior citizens and those receiving invalidity benefits, job tickets, dogs and combination Abos that include a full U-Abo, such as module subscription, Distripass (TNW and Distribus) or subscription Presto combiné TNW (TNW and SNCF).

No. These Abo subscriptions are not transferable abroad. They are only valid for those overseas routes or zones that have been authorised and then only for the holder named on the ticket. For RegioCard monthly and annual passes, the name of the holder must be written on the back.

The U-Subscription is recognised in RVL zones 1, 2 and 3. Anyone wishing to travel beyond these zones on the German side of the RVL requires a separate n RVL ticket, available from bus drivers or ticket machines. Frequent travellers can purchase multiple-journey tickets valid from network providers and use them for travel in the additional zones.

The TNW and RVL networks have many aspects in common. This has made it possible to extend the validity of their own network services. The GA, on the other hand, is a Swiss national product and is valid only within the country’s borders. Although Swiss national tickets are also valid in the TNW area and TNW tickets are also valid on long-distance trains within the TNW area, in Germany different regulations apply. Germany operates a clearer separation between local/regional and long-distance routes, and this separation also applies to ticketing. For this reason, the GA cannot be recognised in Germany in terms of alliance cooperation in the same way as the U-Abo. However, the local service, the RVL, offers a solution to the problem of cross-border GA recognition in a separate joint project between the TNW and the RVL. Both organisations will work towards this solution following the introduction of the ticket/time extension scheme.

Today's products are designed and priced according to local conditions and the respective services offered by the two organisations: TNW and RVL. The TNW product range is not always compatible with that of the RVL and pricing varies. For this reason it is necessary to have differences in validity extension conditions.

With the introduction of the triregio tariffs as of June 2018, tickets can only be purchased at the ticket machine or with the bus driver (if applicable). Multi-use tickets will be available as mobile tickets via BLT-App «Tickets». The usage of the previous multi-use tickets (2-zones) to Germany are no longer tolerated.

The tariffs are valid in the currency of the respective country. The translation of a tariff into a different currency is being calculated by the ticket machine in the respective country at a given exchange rate applied in the public transport business. Therefore, a ticket paid in Switzerland in Euro may vary from the price if the ticket is paid in Germany in Euro for the triregio single tickets.

All timetables can be retrieved by tram and bus stop on the website by bus or tram stop and can be printed, as required.

Both monthly and annual TNW subscriptions benefit from mutual subscription recognition. These are U-Abo for adults, young people, senior citizens & recipients of invalidity benefit; Jobticket; dogs as well as combination season tickets which include a full U-Abo such as Modul-Abo, Abo Presto combiné TNW (TNW and SNCF) and RegioCard Plus (TNW and RVL).

For more information, please refer to the separate page Tarif Inflex.

Halbtax and GA tickets are valid up to the Swiss border, but not to any destinations beyond. U-Abo and GA holders as well as passengers with a ticket which is valid to the border can buy a connecting ticket at ticket machines. This will take them to their destination over the border. For the return journey, passengers will need to buy a ticket in Germany, in Euros, to cover the German section of the journey back to the Swiss border.

During a trial period of two years the GA will be recognised as valid to travel in the Distribus area.

The Swiss Travel Pass is valid on all public transport systems in towns and cities marked on the map with a red/white dot. Within the TNW area, these are the cities of Basel, Dornach, Pratteln, Liestal and Rheinfelden. The card is further valid on the indicated routes on the map for the Swiss Travel Pass. This map and more information can be found in the following brochure.

With the exception of the U-Abo and cross-border tickets, all TNW tickets at the reduced price are valid in combination with the Half-Fare Travelcard.

The Northwestern Switzerland tariff network recognises accompanied children with the Children's Co-travelcard (Kinder-Mitfahrkarte). With this, if you have a single ticket, multi-use ticket (Mehrfahrtenkarte) or a U-Abo, children under the age of 16 may travel free of charge. Furthermore, if you have a Half-Fare Travelcard, single and multi-use tickets at the reduced rate can be used.

No. The discounted U-Abo for senior citizens rate is only valid on reaching the official Swiss retirement age: 64 for women and 65 for men.

No. Although the U-Abo is valid at any time and anywhere in the TNW region, it is not valid beyond the Region to France. Therefore, you could use the U-Abo to travel to the St. Johann station, but you must buy an additional ticket to go beyond the TNW network. For more information, visit the triregio Website (German).

You have to buy a class upgrade U-Abo for any month you would like this additional feature. This upgrade costs the same as a 2nd class U-Abo.

Yes, at BVB, BLT and SBB sales offices you can pay with Reka cheques. For technical reasons, however, the U-Abo as a Jobticket, AlsaPlus, Distripass and FVP U-Abo are not available at SBB outlets.

If you are registered in a municipality that is within the Northwestern Switzerland tariff network, you are registered in the network area. So, for example, if you are registered as resident in Zurich but live in the TNW region during the week are not considered as registered in the TNW network area.

If it is a non-transferable U-Abo, yes. Anyone who can present this U-Abo within a set time following an inspection is not fined, but will be required to pay an administration fee of CHF 5.

The fee will be reduced from CHF 100 to CHF 75 (fee and fare) for the first incident in the following cases:

• Missing class upgrade (on condition that you have a valid 2nd class ticket)
• Wrong zone
• Wrong route (on condition that you have a valid ticket for the same departure and destination location via another route)