Commuting in the Canton of Zurich: ZVV Travelcard or Half Fare Plus?
Daily commuting can be expensive, especially in the Canton of Zurich. For anyone aged between 25 and 65 who is wondering which option is best, we’ve prepared a cost comparison. We focus on the two most popular choices: the ZVV annual pass and the combination of Half Fare and single tickets, also known as Half Fare Plus.
Which choice is right for you depends heavily on your commuting pattern.
Source: ZVV zone maps
The ZVV annual pass: the choice for frequent riders
The Zurich Transport Network (ZVV) is divided into zones. For every zone you travel through, you need a valid ticket. As you rightly note, the City of Zurich (zone 110) and the City of Winterthur (zone 120) are weighted as two zones in the ZVV fare system.
Take a common example: you live in Uster (zone 131) and work in the City of Zurich (zone 110). Your daily commute passes through zones 131, 130, 121 and 110. Including the double weighting of zone 110, you need a ticket for 5 zones.
A personal annual pass for 5 zones costs in 2nd class CHF 1'922.
Benefits of the ZVV annual pass:
- Full flexibility: You can use the public transport network within your zones without limits – ideal for the daily commute, shopping, doctor visits or leisure trips.
- Maximum convenience: You never have to buy a ticket again. Once purchased, your pass is your ticket.
- Predictable costs: Annual costs are fixed. You know exactly what your mobility will cost for the whole year.
Half Fare with single tickets: the choice for flexible commuters
This option is perfect for those who work from home more often or have irregular working hours. It consists of two parts:
- The Half Fare travelcard: For CHF 190 for new subscriptions per year, you get half-price tickets throughout Switzerland.
- The single tickets: You buy a discounted ticket for each journey.
Half Fare Plus is an attractive extension of this model. It works like prepaid credit: for example, you pay in CHF 800 and receive a credit of CHF 1,000. You can use this credit to buy your tickets for one year. If the credit isn’t used up, your deposit is refunded at the end.
The big cost comparison: ZVV vs. Half Fare Plus
To make your decision easier, we calculated the annual costs for the Half Fare option based on the number of commuting days per week and the daily ticket costs.
For comparison:
- Winterthur–Zurich HB 2nd class return: CHF 13.40
- Uster–Zurich HB 2nd class return: CHF 11.20
- ZVV day pass 2nd class: CHF 17.80
- Uster–Zurich HB 1st class return: CHF 18.40
- Winterthur–Zurich HB 1st class return: CHF 22.20
- ZVV day pass 1st class: CHF 25.80
Annual total costs in CHF (incl. Half Fare), by commute days per week
| Commute days/week | Days/year | 10.00 | 11.00 | 12.00 | 13.00 | 14.00 | 15.00 | 16.00 | 17.00 | 18.00 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 day | 40 | 400.00 | 440.00 | 480.00 | 520.00 | 560.00 | 600.00 | 640.00 | 680.00 | 720.00 |
| 2 days | 82 | 820.00 | 902.00 | 984.00 | 1'066.00 | 1'148.00 | 1'230.00 | 1'312.00 | 1'394.00 | 1'476.00 |
| 3 days | 130 | 1'300.00 | 1'430.00 | 1'560.00 | 1'690.00 | 1'820.00 | 1'950.00 | 2'080.00 | 2'210.00 | 2'340.00 |
| 4 days | 180 | 1'800.00 | 1'980.00 | 2'160.00 | 2'340.00 | 2'520.00 | 2'700.00 | 2'880.00 | 3'060.00 | 3'240.00 |
| 5 days | 220 | 2'200.00 | 2'420.00 | 2'640.00 | 2'860.00 | 3'080.00 | 3'300.00 | 3'520.00 | 3'740.00 | 3'960.00 |
Note: The total costs in the table include the annual cost of the Half Fare travelcard of CHF 190. The commute days per year are estimates (e.g. 220 days for 5 days/week, based on 365 days minus weekends, public holidays, vacation and sick days).
Half Fare Plus 1000 is the best option up to CHF 1'700
Half Fare Plus 2000 is the best option up to CHF 2'600
Half Fare Plus 3000 is the best option up to CHF 3'195
The ZVV annual pass is the best option for everything above that
Conclusion of the cost comparison: The table makes it clear: the ZVV annual pass second class is almost never the financially better choice, only if you commute five days per week and spend more than CHF 14 per day. For the first class pass, the threshold is even higher.
Other factors for your decision
Financial considerations for daily commuting are important, but not everything. Also think about these points:
- Spontaneous trips: The ZVV pass gives you unlimited mobility in the zones you purchase. With Half Fare, you pay for each additional leisure trip.
- Convenience: The ZVV pass on your SwissPass means: one scan and off you go. With Half Fare, you need to buy a ticket for each trip, which can be a hassle in everyday life. Apps like EasyRide help by automating the ticket purchase.
- Travel outside the canton: For trips to other cantons, you need extra tickets in both cases. However, your Half Fare also gives you a 50% discount there, and in combination with Half Fare Plus even more.
Ultimately, the decision depends on your personal lifestyle. Will you likely commute almost daily and travel a lot within the canton? Then the ZVV annual pass is a good and financially sensible choice. If, on the other hand, you work flexibly, are often in the home office, or simply want to pay for each trip individually, then the combination of Half Fare and single tickets — possibly with Half Fare Plus — is the more flexible and cheaper solution.