Day/short trips from Zurich
Apr 17th, 2005, 08:25 PM
#1
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Day/short trips from Zurich
Hi Everyone,
Can anyone suggest/recommend day trips or overnight trips from Zurich. We are thinking of traveling by train, as I understand that there are quite a few daily and hourly trains running from Zurich to other cites.
Can anyone tell me about the train from Zurich to Milan (length of time, how far, how much, etc.)? And is it too long a trip for an overnight trip?
Thanks for any and all feedback!
--Travel_chef1
Can anyone suggest/recommend day trips or overnight trips from Zurich. We are thinking of traveling by train, as I understand that there are quite a few daily and hourly trains running from Zurich to other cites.
Can anyone tell me about the train from Zurich to Milan (length of time, how far, how much, etc.)? And is it too long a trip for an overnight trip?
Thanks for any and all feedback!
--Travel_chef1
Apr 18th, 2005, 03:28 AM
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Hi travel_chef1,
The trip from Zurich to Milan will take 3h30 or 4h30 depending on the connection you choose. You can research train schedules & fares at www.rail.ch.
Here are some ideas for day trips:
Rapperswil on Lake Zurich, a very charming town with a lovely lakefront promenade, about 30-40 minutes by train. Beautiful old town with castle on a hill, giving great views over the lake.
Basel, where France, Germany, and Switzerland meet, west of Zurich, about an hour by train. Basel has a very charming pedestrian-only old town, a 12th century cathedral (built on top of a 9th century church), terrific shopping, and a famous chocolate shop on the Marktplatz.
Luzern, of course, about an hour by train. Luzern's old town, with its medieval Kornmarkt, Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz, Rathaus, Jesuitenkirche, Kapellbruecke, & Spreuerbruecke, is fascinating. A bit farther away from the old town are the Lion Monument and the Musegg Ramparts, the old town walls dating from the 1300s. In Luzern, the major attraction is the lake scenery, and the best way to see this is to take a ferry ride on the lake, which can range from a two-hour tour of the upper lake or an all-day trip to Fluelen.
An overnight trip might be to Morges (2h14 by train), to Vevey (2h30), or to Montreux (2h32), all on Lake Geneva. Morges is an absolutely charming town with a pedestrian-only main street, a lakeside park filled with stately trees, and a flowered lakeside promenade. It's a tiny town. If you want a larger city, head to Vevey, with an old town filled with antiques shops and lots of great restaurants.
Montreux is a resort city with an 11km flowred lakeside promenade that's always filled with interesting folks.
Good luck getting more info!
s
The trip from Zurich to Milan will take 3h30 or 4h30 depending on the connection you choose. You can research train schedules & fares at www.rail.ch.
Here are some ideas for day trips:
Rapperswil on Lake Zurich, a very charming town with a lovely lakefront promenade, about 30-40 minutes by train. Beautiful old town with castle on a hill, giving great views over the lake.
Basel, where France, Germany, and Switzerland meet, west of Zurich, about an hour by train. Basel has a very charming pedestrian-only old town, a 12th century cathedral (built on top of a 9th century church), terrific shopping, and a famous chocolate shop on the Marktplatz.
Luzern, of course, about an hour by train. Luzern's old town, with its medieval Kornmarkt, Weinmarkt, Hirschenplatz, Rathaus, Jesuitenkirche, Kapellbruecke, & Spreuerbruecke, is fascinating. A bit farther away from the old town are the Lion Monument and the Musegg Ramparts, the old town walls dating from the 1300s. In Luzern, the major attraction is the lake scenery, and the best way to see this is to take a ferry ride on the lake, which can range from a two-hour tour of the upper lake or an all-day trip to Fluelen.
An overnight trip might be to Morges (2h14 by train), to Vevey (2h30), or to Montreux (2h32), all on Lake Geneva. Morges is an absolutely charming town with a pedestrian-only main street, a lakeside park filled with stately trees, and a flowered lakeside promenade. It's a tiny town. If you want a larger city, head to Vevey, with an old town filled with antiques shops and lots of great restaurants.
Montreux is a resort city with an 11km flowred lakeside promenade that's always filled with interesting folks.
Good luck getting more info!
s
Apr 18th, 2005, 04:00 AM
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Swiss rail runs some excellent specials on its web site, allowing you to pay for and print out your ticket ahead of time.http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisen.htm
For example, they are currently running a Zurich to Locarno special for 9 Sf. We took advantage of the specials last year for a very cheap (14 Sf) trip to Lugano from Basel.
I would second Basel as a day trip option, also Bern and Luzern--Swandav has given you some good suggestions. Re Bern, I liked the art museum (http://www.kunstmuseumbern.ch/); the museum is fairly small but some very interesting paintings including a good selection from the Swiss painter Albert Anker.
For example, they are currently running a Zurich to Locarno special for 9 Sf. We took advantage of the specials last year for a very cheap (14 Sf) trip to Lugano from Basel.
I would second Basel as a day trip option, also Bern and Luzern--Swandav has given you some good suggestions. Re Bern, I liked the art museum (http://www.kunstmuseumbern.ch/); the museum is fairly small but some very interesting paintings including a good selection from the Swiss painter Albert Anker.
Apr 18th, 2005, 05:28 AM
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All that swanday2000 listed and here is a few more.
The Bodensee area - you can take a train (I think it was around 1 - 2 hours maybe) to Konstanz and either spend the night there and see other towns on the Lake, or just go up there for the day. Konstanz is a wonderful old town with some beautiful churches - check out the Munster - and is also a University town. Across the lake is Meersburg where the oldest castle in Europe stands, and you can take a ferry down to Lindau for the day easily!
Also consider the Rheinfalls and Stein-am-Rhein, and Schaffhausen (can do all in one day).
Links to all of the above: http://konstanz.de/ (Konstanz)
http://meersburg.de/ (Meersburg)
http://www.steinamrhein.ch/ (stein-am-rhien)
http://www.geocities.com/lim_jan_shin/Rheinfalls.htm (some good photos of the Rheinfalls) I just did a google search there were lots more of all the websites that show pictures of the various places etc...
The Bodensee area - you can take a train (I think it was around 1 - 2 hours maybe) to Konstanz and either spend the night there and see other towns on the Lake, or just go up there for the day. Konstanz is a wonderful old town with some beautiful churches - check out the Munster - and is also a University town. Across the lake is Meersburg where the oldest castle in Europe stands, and you can take a ferry down to Lindau for the day easily!
Also consider the Rheinfalls and Stein-am-Rhein, and Schaffhausen (can do all in one day).
Links to all of the above: http://konstanz.de/ (Konstanz)
http://meersburg.de/ (Meersburg)
http://www.steinamrhein.ch/ (stein-am-rhien)
http://www.geocities.com/lim_jan_shin/Rheinfalls.htm (some good photos of the Rheinfalls) I just did a google search there were lots more of all the websites that show pictures of the various places etc...
Apr 18th, 2005, 06:05 AM
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Goodmorning, did enjoy a day from Zurich to Einsiedelin was impressed with the town and the church...
Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..
www.einsiedeln.ch
Richard of LaGrange Park, Il..
www.einsiedeln.ch
Apr 18th, 2005, 04:09 PM
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More Zurich day trip possibilities--St. Gallen (nice town with textile museum, cathedral and magnificent old library worth seeing)and the Appenzell region. We did both of these and saw the Rheinfalls by train in one long day. Vaduz is also accessible if you want to go there.
Apr 18th, 2005, 05:46 PM
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Thanks so much, everyone (especially Swandav2000) for all of the GREAT suggestions! I really appreciate the time and effort. I guess with all of those great things in the Zurich area, I should leave Milan for a seperate trip to Italy on a different vacation!
With that said, may I ask what you would all suggest doing in Zurich itself? Thanks a million again!
--travel_chef1
With that said, may I ask what you would all suggest doing in Zurich itself? Thanks a million again!
--travel_chef1
Apr 20th, 2005, 05:14 PM
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In Zurich, the walking tour that leaves from the train station TI booth is a good introduction. You could start or finish this with a visit to the Swiss National Museum across the street from the train station.
Apr 23rd, 2005, 04:30 AM
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Wow, good morning. This makes one want to spend two weeks in Zurich. I hope you'll be staying in the old town between the bahnhofstrasse and the river. The only daytrip suggestion I can add is the tiny hilltop village of Regensberg near Dielsdorf (if you've got a map). J.
Apr 23rd, 2005, 04:50 AM
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I would second the idea of the train to Locarno for an overnight. Try to get a lake front room at La Palma Au Lac, which is almost adjacent to the train station (you can walk), and a BEAUTIFUL lake location. I just stayed there last Monday night!! The lake was beautiful. The shopping is excellent, and the food is awesome. You can easily WALK to everything you want to do.
I've also been to Lucerne and would suggest that day trip. Also, have enjoyed Interlaken area for the stunning scenery. I just stayed at the Beau Rivage in Interlaken about two weeks ago. Weather was sunny, cool, and the mountains were gorgeous, with snow caps, very picturesque.
Swiss trains are very clean and comfortable and ON TIME. If the schedule is for 2:04, you'd best be on the train by 2:03 because it WILL leave, with or without you. If you miss it, there will be another one in about an hour!! Travel first class for the most comfort.
You did not say where you would be staying in ZRH. Will you want to be near the Bahnhofstrasse? We just checked out of the Seidenhof two mornings ago. It is very conveniently located next to the big Jelmoli dept store, and the ATM machine is right inside the closest door!! Seidenhof will run you about $220 a night. Be prepared for ZRH prices, and prices in Switzerland as a whole. They are high.
Enjoy your trip. I LOVE Switzerland. DH and I are there at least twice a year on business.
Carol
I've also been to Lucerne and would suggest that day trip. Also, have enjoyed Interlaken area for the stunning scenery. I just stayed at the Beau Rivage in Interlaken about two weeks ago. Weather was sunny, cool, and the mountains were gorgeous, with snow caps, very picturesque.
Swiss trains are very clean and comfortable and ON TIME. If the schedule is for 2:04, you'd best be on the train by 2:03 because it WILL leave, with or without you. If you miss it, there will be another one in about an hour!! Travel first class for the most comfort.
You did not say where you would be staying in ZRH. Will you want to be near the Bahnhofstrasse? We just checked out of the Seidenhof two mornings ago. It is very conveniently located next to the big Jelmoli dept store, and the ATM machine is right inside the closest door!! Seidenhof will run you about $220 a night. Be prepared for ZRH prices, and prices in Switzerland as a whole. They are high.
Enjoy your trip. I LOVE Switzerland. DH and I are there at least twice a year on business.
Carol
