Purchase on account

With purchase on account, you buy travelcards, tickets and multiple-journey tickets directly via a ZVV sales channel. You will then receive an invoice from the Swiss payment service provider CembraPay AG.

When purchasing a travelcard, an individual invoice is issued for the purchase amount, but when purchasing tickets and multiple-journey tickets, a monthly invoice is issued because of the smaller amounts involved.

The minimum age for purchase on account is 18. A credit check is carried out before each purchase on account transaction. Only credit history data is relevant for the credit decision, not income data. The purchase can be completed following a successful check. From then on, the claim to the outstanding purchase price is transferred from ZVV to CembraPay AG, which then handles the entire payment and debt collection process independently. CembraPay AG’s T&Cs apply.

Why doesn’t ZVV send invoices and check payments itself?

A specialist service provider like CembraPay AG handles the entire process much more efficiently and cost-effectively. The lower costs involved in payment processing ultimately benefit the taxpayer and all ZVV passengers.

What happens if invoices are not paid (on time)?

The payment term for monthly invoices is 30 days. CembraPay sends a free payment reminder after 32 days (by email only and only if ZVV knows the email address). This is followed by two reminders for which fees are charged (CHF 20 for the first reminder by email after 32 days and CHF 30 for the second reminder by post after 45 days).

For individual invoices for travelcard purchases, CembraPay sends a free payment reminder after 21 days (only by email and only if ZVV knows the email address). This is followed by two reminders for which fees are charged (CHF 20 for the first reminder by email after 31 days and CHF 30 for the second reminder by post after 44 days).

If an annual travelcard has been purchased and no payment has been received within the set deadline following the second reminder, CembraPay will notify ZVV. In this case, ZVV is entitled to block the annual travelcard. The travelcard holder will be notified of the block by email, provided that ZVV knows the email address. The travelcard cannot be reactivated. A new travelcard will have to be purchased. The customer will still be required to pay the amount owed for using the travelcard until such time that it is blocked and this will be handed over to the Debt Collection department.

Why are reminder fees charged?

CembraPay AG incurs administrative costs as a result of late payment, which it will pass on. In this case, reminder fees are imposed on the person who causes the costs (instead of ZVV or the general public).

Is it possible to pay the invoice amount in instalments?

CembraPay AG offers its customers an option to pay individual invoices in instalments when a travelcard is purchased, independent from ZVV. At the time of paying the invoice, the customer decides whether they want to pay the full amount or whether they want to pay in instalments. CembraPay AG’s T&Cs also apply in this regard.