Inspections

What happens during an inspection if you are travelling without a valid ticket? Below is some information on frequently asked questions. For more information, please use the links below to the full applicable fares.

You must check that you have a valid ticket before boarding. On vehicles where the driver sells tickets, the ticket must be purchased when boarding. Tickets for validation must be stamped at the ticket machine or immediately after boarding at the validation machine on the bus.

For inspection purposes, all passengers without a valid ticket will be registered with their name, home address, date of birth and place of residence. The receipt or payment request from the inspection is valid as a ticket for one hour in all ZVV zones. The right to file a criminal complaint is generally reserved. As of the third incident within a period of two years, a criminal complaint will be filed with the police.

Forgotten Travelpass

If a passenger who has forgotten their valid personal ZVV, Z-Pass, General or Half-Fare Travelpass is caught during a ticket inspection, they have the option of presenting their valid pass in person at a ZVV sales point within 10 days of the inspection, together with the payment request. In this case, only a handling fee of CHF 5 will be charged. If the subscription is not presented at a sales point within 10 days, a processing fee of CHF 30 will be charged for subsequent clarification at the collection centre. Photocopies of tickets will not be accepted.

Children and young people

Children up to 5.99 years of age travel free without a ticket. Children from 6 to 15.99 pay the reduced fare. The Junior Network Pass entitles children from 6 to 15.99 to travel when accompanied by a parent. The Junior Network Pass is valid for children from 6 to 15.99 years of age accompanied by an adult who holds a valid ticket.

Travelling without a valid ticket

Travellers without a valid ticket must pay the full fine. However, a reduced fine is payable by those who:

  • can present a national 1st or 2nd class ticket that is valid between at least two stops on the route travelled.
  • can present a 1st or 2nd class ticket from the relevant or an adjacent tariff or transport association when checked, which is valid for at least part of the route (including any short-distance and local network tariffs).

If the validity of a ticket has been exceeded by less than half at the time of inspection, only the reduced fare supplement will be payable. This only applies to tickets that are valid for less than one calendar day, e.g. combined tickets or multiple-journey tickets with a validity of 4 hours, and that do not have any other defect (e.g. partial invalidity).

Travelling with a partially valid ticket

A reduced fine will also be charged if a ticket is valid for the entire journey but meets one of the following conditions:

  • Incorrect class
  • Ticket for the wrong customer group (e.g. ticket at a reduced price without entitlement)
  • Route change or different route (but same departure and destination stop, or departure and destination zone; different, direct and comparable route)
  • Wrong choice of transport on part of the route (e.g. route ticket Bern–Zurich Enge via Zurich HB, part of the route in Zurich is covered by tram instead of train)

If none of these conditions are met, the full surcharge must be paid.

Further Information

The ZVV guidelines on ticket inspection and the tariff regulations on charges can be found here: