FAQ about the check-in ticket

We have compiled the most frequently asked questions and answers about the check-in ticket for you below.

You can view and download a PDF version here (PDF, 251 KB).

1. Function, area of validity and offers

How does the check-in ticket work?

It’s simple: open the ZVV app and check in before the means of transport departs (swipe from left to right). Check out as soon as you arrive at your destination and disembark by swiping from right to left. The app tracks your journey and then calculates the correct ticket price. The price is automatically charged to the payment method you added in the app.

What are the benefits of the check-in/check-out (CICO) feature?

By eliminating the need to manually select a ticket before travelling, you can use public transport without any knowledge of fares or products. This is particularly useful for occasional users. However, our Travelcard holders will also benefit from the system as connecting tickets are automatically charged to their existing Travelcard.

What criteria do I need to meet to use the check-in ticket?

  • You need a mobile phone number and a valid payment method.
  • You must have a working mobile phone with a touchscreen and an up-to-date operating system (minimum requirements available from the App Store or Google Play Store) that has not been rooted or jailbroken.
  • You will need a working mobile data connection during the check-in and check-out process and throughout the trip, and sufficient battery power for the duration of the trip. We recommend that you use the check-in ticket with a data flat rate.
  • From the time of check-in and at least until check-out, the mobile phone's location services (high accuracy) must be activated. For iPhones and Android devices below Android 10, for technical reasons, it is necessary to set the location services authorisation to "always". For Android devices with Android 10 or higher, the "when using the app" authorisation is sufficient.
  • The app's access to the phone's built-in motion sensors must be enabled and the app must be allowed to send notifications (push notifications).

In what area can I travel with the check-in ticket?

You can use the check-in ticket throughout Switzerland within the area covered by the GA Travelcard (including boats).

Will my existing Travelcard or Half-Fare Travelcard be taken into account?

Yes, the travelcards and Half-Fare Travelcards listed on your SwissPass will be taken into account for journeys using the check-in ticket.

Important notice: Please note that not all Travelcards have yet been introduced throughout Switzerland. In the ZVV, the local network travelcard cannot yet be taken into account.

Can I also travel in first class with the check-in ticket?

Yes, you can also use the CICO feature to travel in first class. Remember to change your chosen class of travel before each time you check in.

The billing process will automatically take into account if first class is not available on your selected mode of transport (e.g. tram or bus). In this case, you will automatically be charged for a second class ticket, even if you selected first class when you checked in.

Are Supersaver tickets also factored into the price calculation?

No, Supersaver tickets are excluded from the check-in ticket. Supersaver tickets are subject to quota and must be purchased at least one hour before departure. As the check-in ticket allows you to check in immediately before departure, supersaver tickets are not available with the CICO feature.

Can I use the CICO feature to purchase tickets for companions, bicycles and dogs?

Yes, the check-in ticket can be used for the registered primary user and up to eight additional travellers. Dogs and bicycles can also be registered as companions. All passengers must depart and terminate at the same time and travel in the same class. The ticket price for all individual passengers will be charged to the main passenger's method of payment.

Tickets for dogs and bicycles are also optimised on the basis of the best price of the day and are limited, for example, to the price of a corresponding day ticket.

Children under the age of six do not require a ticket. If you are travelling with your child/grandchild on a Junior Card, you do not need to add them to the list of passengers.

Special information for bicycles

  • In Switzerland, between 21 March and 31 October, you need to make a reservation for your bicycles on InterCity (IC) trains. More information is available here. 
  • Some companies in the national system do not sell bicycle tickets. In this case, bike tickets must be purchased locally. This applies to the following lakes:
    • Lake Ägeri
    • Lake Biel
    • Lake Constance
    • Lake Geneva
    • Lake Greifen
    • Lake Hallwil
    • Lake Lucerne
    • Lake Zug
    • Lower Lake Constance and the Rhine
  • Local regulations generally apply to the transport of bicycles on public transport. You can find more information here. 

What special fare regulations and restrictions apply to the check-in ticket in the ZVV?

  • The normal ZVV 24-hour ticket will not be charged for journeys that exceed the validity of a single ticket. A ZVV calendar day pass or a ZVV connecting ticket for one calendar day will be billed on the basis of the billing period of one calendar day, which applies throughout Switzerland. Because of its limited validity, the calendar day pass is 10% cheaper than the 24-hour ticket and the 24-hour extension ticket, according to the official ZVV tariffs.
  • If it is not possible to make a direct, uninterrupted journey according to the timetable within the validity period of the network ticket, which is valid for up to two hours, the journey can be continued to the destination with a conventional ticket. In these cases, the CICO function will automatically charge the user for a calendar day ticket, as the system does not recognise that a connection is not possible in the timetable within the two hours. In this case, the user can request a review and refund from our customer service team.
  • The intended timetable is always relevant for the purchase of a ZVV 9 O'Clock Pass. For technical reasons, journeys that start on a means of transport that is scheduled to depart before 09:00. cannot be covered by the 9 O'Clock Pass, even if the actual (i.e. delayed) departure is after 09:00.
  • The in-house fares of the Polybahn, the Horgen-Meilen ferry and the Schifffahrts-Genossenschaft Greifensee are not included. The normal ZVV zone tariff, which is also accepted by these companies, will be charged for these services.

Are there any other restrictions on the use of the check-in ticket throughout Switzerland?

The standard range of public transport services is generally available with the check-in ticket. However, some special nationwide tickets and regional offers are not or not yet available with the check-in ticket. You can find the validity area of the check-in ticket here. If you have any questions, please contact our customer service at 0800 988 988 or contact@zvv.ch.

2. Checking In

What do I need to do before I check in for the first time?

Under ‘Check-in ticket’ in the menu, the app will first guide you through the registration process step by step. You will need your SwissPass customer number, your mobile number and your payment details.

How does the check-in in work?

To check in, swipe the arrow from left to right under ‘Check-in ticket’ in the menu – you now have a valid ticket, which you can view by clicking on the small blue QR code.

Please note that if no QR code appears in the app after you have checked in, your check-in was unsuccessful. In this case, you do not have a valid ticket for your journey on public transport.

When do I need to check in?

You must check in right before the start of your journey and before boarding the vehicle.

What else do I need to keep in mind when I check in?

Make sure that location services are active on your mobile phone, that your device can receive mobile data and that motion data is active. Before checking in, you should also check that the app has correctly identified your departure stop. If not, you can manually select the correct departure stop from the list of nearby stops.

What are some potential reasons for problems checking in?

Please ensure that mobile data is enabled on your phone and that location services and motion data collection are enabled.

If you are still experiencing problems, they may be caused by the following:

  • You might have automatically connected to a public Wi-Fi network that needs to be activated first (e.g. SBB-FREE, PostAuto). The quickest way to solve this problem is to deactivate your Wi-Fi or ignore the connected Wi-Fi network.
  • For underground stations (e.g. the underground train station at Löwenstrasse in Zurich), please ensure that you check in at mezzanine level, as geolocation may not function properly when underground.
  • On certain devices such as Huawei, power-saving mode greatly impairs the reception of location data for smooth journey tracking. Please deactivate this mode while you are using the check-in ticket.
  • Location services on iPhones and Android devices below Android 10 must be set to ‘Always’ while you are using the check-in ticket, otherwise your journey will not be tracked accurately. You can activate location services in your phone's app settings.   
  • Fitness and movement data must be enabled on iPhones while you are using the check-in ticket. You can activate them in your iPhone’s app settings. 
  • You may be using a virtual private network (VPN), such as My Data Manager, which blocks the check-in ticket when you use it. Add an exception for the ZVV app in your VPN or deactivate it.

What happens if I cannot check in for technical reasons?

If you are unable to check in for technical reasons, you are considered to be travelling without a valid ticket. In this case, purchase your ticket from the Ticket Shop in the app or elsewhere. Please contact customer service to resolve the issue.

I checked in by accident – will I be charged?

Once you have checked in, it only takes a few seconds to check out again. If you do not leave the first stop or location between checking in and checking out, you will not be charged for a ticket.

My app is blocked and I cannot check in. Why? What can I do?

A user can be blocked if we detect irregularities or tampering when recording rides, or if a payment was unsuccessful. You will be notified by SMS if this happens to you.

3.    Journey/Inspection

Can I transfer during my journey?

Yes, you can transfer as often and as spontaneously as you like during your journey.

What do I need to bear in mind when transferring?

You do not need to check out and check back in if there are no major interruptions when you change vehicles. The app will recognise that you have changed and automatically charge you for the correct ticket.

What happens if my mobile phone stops working during my journey?

If your mobile phone stops working and sending data during your journey for any reason within your control (e.g. flight mode, low battery, broken phone, location services disabled, etc.), you will not be in compliance with the terms and conditions of the check-in ticket. As a result, you will not have a valid ticket. If your phone only stops working for a short time, the system will continue to run in the background on the server for a short while longer.

What happens if my phone battery dies during my journey?

As a user of the ZVV app, you are responsible for ensuring that you have enough battery power for your mobile phone during your journey. If you cannot show your ticket, you will be considered to be travelling without a valid ticket.

What happens if I deactivate location services during my journey?

The route you travel is calculated using your phone's location services. For this reason, location services must be active while using the app. If location services are deactivated, the app will display a warning and the ticket will be invalid for a short time. In this case, you will be considered to be travelling without a valid ticket.

Can I interrupt my internet connection during my journey?

No, as this may interfere with the tracking of your journey. We reserve the right to block users who do this repeatedly.

How much data is used when I use the check-in ticket?

The app sends and receives approximately 1MB of data per hour while you are checked in.

What do I need to do during a ticket inspection?

If a ticket inspection takes place during a journey, you will need to open the ticket with the machine readable code in the app (by clicking on the small blue QR code on the check-in page) and show it to the inspector. You will also need to show an official form of identification if requested to do so by the inspector.

4. Checking Out

How does checking out work?

At the end of your journey, swipe the arrow from right to left to check out. There is nothing more for you to do - we now have all the information and can charge you the correct fares for your journeys. You can see your last journey and fares in the app.

Important notice: Some Google Pixel, Huawei and Xiaomi phones have special power-saving optimisations that disable the location services needed to track your journey. Check your system settings to see if the ZVV app is a preferred app. Some power saving optimisations go as far as revoking your phone's right to use location services. This may result in the app checking you out and you travelling without a valid ticket.

Will I be reminded to checkout?

Yes. When the app detects the end of your journey, it will send you a push message reminding you to check out. These checkout alerts require the sharing of movement and fitness data and permission to send push messages. The reliability of the alerts is very high across all device types, although there are always situations where the alert is not triggered. For some device types, checkout alerts are not possible for technical reasons, e.g. iPhone 4S, HTC One M8.

I forgot to check out. What can I do?

If you forget to check out immediately after your trip, you can check out later. You will then see the tracked journey. If this means your check-out location was logged incorrectly, you can click 'Report a problem' in the menu to report that you forgot to check out. Our customer service team will review the trip and correct it if necessary.

If you completely forget to check out on the day of your journey, you will automatically be checked out at 05:00 the following day and your journey will be charged accordingly. In this case, check that the trip you have been charged for is the same trip you actually took the day before. If you notice any discrepancies, click 'Report a problem' in the menu to report them.

What is the Smart Stop feature?

The Smart Stop feature uses the motion sensors in mobile phones to remind you to check out when your journey is over. If the app detects that you are walking rather than standing or sitting in the vehicle, it will assume that you have left the vehicle and send you a reminder to check out. To enable this feature, make sure that motion and fitness data and push notifications are enabled on your phone.

Please note that we cannot guarantee that the reminder will always work correctly. It is designed to help you, but it is still your responsibility to remember to check out on time.

The app is not letting me check out even though I have reception – what can I do?

Close the app completely. Restart the app and check out. If this does not help, turn on flight mode for at least five minutes. You will then automatically be checked out at the location where you turned on flight mode. 

Alternatively, we recommend that you clear your cache. To do so, go to ‘Apps’ > ‘ZVV’ > ‘Storage’ and then ‘Clear cache’ in your mobile phone settings.

5.      Billing and Payment

How do I see the price of my journey after I have checked out?

After you have checked out, the 'Calculated price' and the 'Optimised price' are displayed in the journey overview. You can also view a summary of your journeys and fares at any time by selecting 'Show journeys' from the menu.

What is the difference between ‘Calculated Price’ and ‘Optimised Price’?

For example, if you use the check-in function to make three journeys within the same zone on the same day, each journey would cost CHF 3. However, a day ticket for the zone is only CHF 6. For the first two tickets, the 'calculated fare' and 'optimised fare' would both be CHF 6. For the third ticket, the 'calculated price' would be CHF 3, but the actual 'optimised price' would be CHF 0, because you have already reached the price of the day pass. This means that there is no additional charge as the Day Pass now covers unlimited travel in that zone for the day.

What is the maximum amount I can be charged per day?

The maximum amount you can be charged per day depends on the area you are travelling in. When you travel in the ZVV network area, the maximum charge will be the cost of a day pass for all zones for one calendar day. 

In other regional transport networks, the maximum charge is the price of a day ticket for that specific region.If you are travelling throughout the area covered by your GA Travelcard in Switzerland, the maximum fare you can be charged is the cost of a first or second class day Travelcard if you have a Half-Fare Travelcard.If you do not have a Half-Fare Travelcard, there is no limit and you will be charged full price for all tickets.

Which payment methods can I use?

All major credit and debit cards, as well as Twint, Reka and the Half-Fare Travelcard PLUS are currently accepted as payment methods for the CICO feature. Logged in users can also choose to pay by invoice. The payment method can be changed in the app settings or under 'Check-in Ticket' in the menu.

My payment method was not been accepted – what can I do?

If your payment method is not accepted, your details may not be correct. Your credit card may have expired, you may have reached your limit or your card may have been cancelled. Please contact your payment provider.

When will the journeys I have taken be charged to my chosen payment method?

The app records all journeys made in a day (from the first to the last journey based on the timetable) and then calculates the fare for the day, which is charged to your payment method at around 05:00 the following day.

How do I know whether I have been charged for my journeys?

We will send a statement (a PDF file) to your email address when your payment has been made successfully.

I have been charged the wrong amount or for the wrong journey. What can I do?

Open the app and select the trip from the 'View Trips' menu. Click 'Report a problem' and fill in the form. Our customer service team will review the journey and contact you directly. If your complaint is valid, you will receive a refund. 

The fare for the day is marked as ‘Provisional’ under ‘Journeys’ in the menu. What does this mean?

Provisional' means that the fare for the day is still provisional and has not been finalised and/or payment has not been processed. This means that the amount has not yet been charged to your payment method.

Why have I not received a receipt?

If you have not received a receipt, our email may have been caught by your spam filter, or we may not have finished billing you for your trips. The latter may be the case if we need to check a trip that you have manually corrected. Please contact customer services if you do not receive a receipt after a few days.

Why can't I see details about my journeys when my payment method is ‘Invoice’?

The check-in ticket is a service provided by our partner Fairtiq. However, the monthly invoices are sent by a separate partner, Byjuno. Due to technical limitations, it is currently not possible to display trip information, such as the routes you have taken or the tickets you have purchased, on the monthly invoice. 

On your invoice, the journeys made with the check-in ticket will be marked 'ZVV/Check-in ticket'. To check these charges, we recommend that you compare them with the receipts sent to you by e-mail. If you have any questions, please contact our ZVV customer service directly and not Byjuno, which is only responsible for generating the invoices. 

How do I see an overview of my previous journeys?

Go to 'Check in ticket' in the app menu and then click on 'Show journeys' in the sub-menu. You will see a list of your past journeys.

6. Data protection

What data is collected by the CICO feature and for what purpose?

When you register, your personal data, including your mobile phone number and payment details, is stored. During your journey, the app uses motion sensors to collect your location and activity data in order to calculate your route.

Journey data collection begins when you check in and ends a few minutes after you check out.

Your data is not shared with third parties at any time and is processed and stored in accordance with Swiss data protection legislation.

Why do I need to set location services on my phone to ‘always on’ in order to use the check-in ticket?

The check-in ticket needs your location data (GPS) to correctly track your journey and charge you the correct price for your journey. If you leave the app running in the background or close it during your journey, your journey will only be tracked if location services are always on.

The check-in ticket locates you:

  • When you open the app to find your closest stop. This makes it easier to check in from your departure point
  • While you are checked in during your journey to track the route you have travelled
  • A few minutes after you check out to calculate the price based on your destination

In your mobile settings, please make sure that location services have the following permissions:

  • On iPhones: set to ‘Always’
  • On Android phones running Android 10.0 or newer: set to ‘Allow only while using the app’
  • On Android phones with an older version of Android than 10.0: set to ‘Always on’

Is my payment information safely stored on my mobile phone?

For security reasons, the payment information is not stored on your mobile phone or on the CICO system servers. The payment information is stored by the payment service provider (Datatrans AG).

Valid as of July 2023