I keep thinking of little questions more and more, since we are leaving on 21st.
In France, you must 'composte' or cancel/stamp your train ticket in an orange box before boarding the train.

Is this also true for Netherlands and Switzerland? Or do you just board and show your ticket if asked by the conductor?

I'm not sure about the Netherlands, but in Switzerland you won't have to stamp your ticket. The orange stamping machines on the platforms are for "multi ride" tickets (6 rides on 1 ticket) only.

Keep in mind that one-way-tickets are valid for one day only or even for just a few hours. Return-tickets are valid for one day (short distances) or one month. If you travel a lot, consider buying a Swiss Pass (http://www.rail.ch/pv/incoming_e.htm)

By the way, when travelling in France with INTERNATIONAL tickets, you don't have to stamp them.

I have to add that it probably won't be possible tp buy your ticket from Zurich City to the airport a day in advance, because in the Zurich and around, tickets are valid for a few hours only from the moment you buy them. But it's no problem to buy the ticket before train departure at the ticket machine or at the counter.

Another option is to buy the ZURICH CARD which offers you public transport in Zurich & to the airoprt and free entry to most mueseums for SFR 15.- (24 hours) or SFR 30.- (72 hours).

At the airport, check-in counters for most flights are above the railway station, not more than 50 m to walk from the platform.

Thanks for your updates, Mathias... We will only be in Zurich for the late afternoon/evening and plan to walk the old town areas.
I will buy our morning train ticket just before. The responses to my other post gave me a comfort level to arrive at the airport about 2 hrs before the flight.
We have two other days of train travel, which prompted my question about stamping the tickets, but I see I don't need to do that.
Thanks!

When we went from Amsterdam to Brugge (and back again) I don't remember seeing any composteurs in the station, and there was no finger wagging from any of the conductors who looked at our tickets. So I guess it's not required.

You don't need to buy your tickets in advance as the automatic dispensers are good, however you can buy tickets over the counter in advance and these (just like the multi ride tickets) often have to be validated in the orange boxes, just like in France. You can tell if your ticket needs to be validated by the way it is designed. If it is a rectangle with four untouched corners (as most rectangles have!) it is fine and you just get on the train and show it if you are asked. If the ticket is again a rectangle but the writing is across the narrow part and it has a diagonal cut on the top right hand edge then you will need to validate it in the orange box. Sorry if this is a confusing reply but it is the only way I can think of to put it!

Well, there's always something, huh? I'll try to remember that! Thanks.

If you are in any doubt you can always stamp the ticket...if it wasn't necessary they won't throw you off the train. Enjoy your trip.

OK, Intrepid - I guess I'm microplanning again..!