switzerland travel
Nov 16th, 2007, 06:37 AM
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switzerland travel
we will be flying in to zurich and need to get to st moritz that day. Has anyone done the train travel and transfers to get there? It is too far in advance to check on web site
Nov 16th, 2007, 06:44 AM
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The train from Zürich Airport to St. Moritz runs every hour and takes 3:45 with two changes.
www.sbb.ch
www.sbb.ch
Nov 20th, 2007, 09:22 PM
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As noted above, just use an earlier date on the website so you can see the journey time and connections. The actual route does not change, the departure time of the trains may change by a few minutes by your travel date, just check again a day or so before you journey. The website will also give you the tracks the trains will arrive and depart on, which will help with your transfers. On the rail.ch website, be sure to put in 'Zurich airport" as your starting point.
You can buy tickets on line and have them mailed to you, see the rail.ch website for info; however, it is very easy to just buy the tickets at the railway station in the airport. (You also may want a Swiss Pass, I don't know what your plans are in St Moritz, but some type of Rail Pass may be useful to you in getting around and it also offers discounts on cable cars, do some reading on this on the rail.ch website.)
The airport train station is a short walk from the arrivals hall, it depends on which hall you arrive into, just follow signs for “Bahnhof” or “Railway”. Once you enter the train station area, ticket windows are one level down, trains depart two levels down. All train personnel speak English. You can use a credit card to buy your ticket. You can take luggage carts on the escalators all the way down to the tracks (a bit unnerving until you get used to it, just remember to let go of the handle so the brakes lock).
You will have to change trains at the main train station in Zurich (the Hautbahhof) and again in Chur. Trains run into Zurich abut every 10 minutes, therefore, if you want to see anything of Zurich or have a meal there, you can take any train going to Zurich HB and then connect there to a later train going to St Moritz. (Currently, trains depart for St Moritz from Zurich main station every hour at 37 minutes past the hour. You can take any of these trains. ) The journey into Zurich takes about 10 minutes. There are luggage lockers and a manned luggage room at the Zurich train station where you can keep you luggage while you see the city. (You will need coins for the luggage lockers, they take Euros or Swiss Francs.) There are also showers in the basement area where you can take a shower and change clothes from your overnight flight for a very reasonable fee, it’s called “McClean” or something similar.
There is a food service cart on the train, it's rather limited (good for drinks), so I would buy something in the station, there are a few places and there is a Lindt/Sprungli chocolate shop as well to stock up for the journey. There is also a dining car on day trains between Zurich and Chur. From Chur, the little red Rhatische Bahn cars may have a dining car attached.
It's a very lovely train ride, especially past the suburbs of Zurich. From Chur, I would sit on the right side of the cars from Chur, as you will get slightly better views when going up the very beautiful Bergun valley.
If you have a good bit of luggage and don't want to handle it yourself on the trains (esp skis which can be a pain), you can send your luggage on by itself using Swiss Rail’s "Fast Baggage" transport service. You would just drop it off at the baggage counter in the Airport rail station, and it will follow in 8-24 hours, depending on when your flight arrives into Zurich Airport. (If you hand the bags in by 9 am they guarantee delivery by 6 pm that day.) Hotels in St Moritz will generally go collect it for free from the train station when it arrives. This is quite inexpensive and easy, the only small drawback would be if your luggage takes longer than you planned to arrive. Take a look at http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...isegepaeck.htm or just rail.ch and click on “Travel” then “Fast Baggage”
If you are flying certain carriers, you can also use the Fly/Rail program which means you check your bags in at your US airport and then they are delivered right to St Moritz, you don’t even have to pick them up at the airport (or take them through Customs. I know Swiss Air and Lufthansa participates in this and some other non-US airlines, take a look at http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...il-baggage.htm.
You can buy tickets on line and have them mailed to you, see the rail.ch website for info; however, it is very easy to just buy the tickets at the railway station in the airport. (You also may want a Swiss Pass, I don't know what your plans are in St Moritz, but some type of Rail Pass may be useful to you in getting around and it also offers discounts on cable cars, do some reading on this on the rail.ch website.)
The airport train station is a short walk from the arrivals hall, it depends on which hall you arrive into, just follow signs for “Bahnhof” or “Railway”. Once you enter the train station area, ticket windows are one level down, trains depart two levels down. All train personnel speak English. You can use a credit card to buy your ticket. You can take luggage carts on the escalators all the way down to the tracks (a bit unnerving until you get used to it, just remember to let go of the handle so the brakes lock).
You will have to change trains at the main train station in Zurich (the Hautbahhof) and again in Chur. Trains run into Zurich abut every 10 minutes, therefore, if you want to see anything of Zurich or have a meal there, you can take any train going to Zurich HB and then connect there to a later train going to St Moritz. (Currently, trains depart for St Moritz from Zurich main station every hour at 37 minutes past the hour. You can take any of these trains. ) The journey into Zurich takes about 10 minutes. There are luggage lockers and a manned luggage room at the Zurich train station where you can keep you luggage while you see the city. (You will need coins for the luggage lockers, they take Euros or Swiss Francs.) There are also showers in the basement area where you can take a shower and change clothes from your overnight flight for a very reasonable fee, it’s called “McClean” or something similar.
There is a food service cart on the train, it's rather limited (good for drinks), so I would buy something in the station, there are a few places and there is a Lindt/Sprungli chocolate shop as well to stock up for the journey. There is also a dining car on day trains between Zurich and Chur. From Chur, the little red Rhatische Bahn cars may have a dining car attached.
It's a very lovely train ride, especially past the suburbs of Zurich. From Chur, I would sit on the right side of the cars from Chur, as you will get slightly better views when going up the very beautiful Bergun valley.
If you have a good bit of luggage and don't want to handle it yourself on the trains (esp skis which can be a pain), you can send your luggage on by itself using Swiss Rail’s "Fast Baggage" transport service. You would just drop it off at the baggage counter in the Airport rail station, and it will follow in 8-24 hours, depending on when your flight arrives into Zurich Airport. (If you hand the bags in by 9 am they guarantee delivery by 6 pm that day.) Hotels in St Moritz will generally go collect it for free from the train station when it arrives. This is quite inexpensive and easy, the only small drawback would be if your luggage takes longer than you planned to arrive. Take a look at http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...isegepaeck.htm or just rail.ch and click on “Travel” then “Fast Baggage”
If you are flying certain carriers, you can also use the Fly/Rail program which means you check your bags in at your US airport and then they are delivered right to St Moritz, you don’t even have to pick them up at the airport (or take them through Customs. I know Swiss Air and Lufthansa participates in this and some other non-US airlines, take a look at http://mct.sbb.ch/mct/en/reisemarkt/...il-baggage.htm.
Sep 28th, 2008, 12:53 PM
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this is very helpful, but alas outdated. any one with recent experiences going to st. moritz from zurich? what are my chances of booking a hotel room this late in st. moritz for jan 1-3? thanks in advance!
Sep 28th, 2008, 01:06 PM
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Hi SUMMAGOLD,
The basic information is still accurate. Just use the Swiss rail site (easier to type, same site, is www.rail.ch) and input
From Zurich airport
To St Moritz
Date use the European format of day.month.year
Time use the 24-hour clock
You'll get all the information you need. If the schedule for your travel time is not yet loaded, just use an earlier date; the schedule won't be much different.
Not sure of the difficulty of booking a hotel. You can book by date at this link:
http://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/en/re.../rm44.buchen/#
Have fun!
s
The basic information is still accurate. Just use the Swiss rail site (easier to type, same site, is www.rail.ch) and input
From Zurich airport
To St Moritz
Date use the European format of day.month.year
Time use the 24-hour clock
You'll get all the information you need. If the schedule for your travel time is not yet loaded, just use an earlier date; the schedule won't be much different.
Not sure of the difficulty of booking a hotel. You can book by date at this link:
http://www.engadin.stmoritz.ch/en/re.../rm44.buchen/#
Have fun!
s
Sep 28th, 2008, 01:39 PM
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Hi again,
Actally, I personally didn't care for St. Moritz itself. The architecture is too modern and city/bland for my taste. I spent a week in the town of Zuoz and liked it; I also liked the town of Pontresina a lot. But my friend, who travels to this area quite a lot, favors the towns of Sils & Silvaplana, both on lakes.
St. Moritz is pretty small, though. I'm sure that whereever you stay, you'll be able to get around quite easily. If I were forced to stay there, I think I'd choose the 3-star Waldhaus-am-See, which sits just below the train station and right at the lake. Here's a link:
http://www.waldhaus-am-see.ch/was/home/
Have fun!
s
Actally, I personally didn't care for St. Moritz itself. The architecture is too modern and city/bland for my taste. I spent a week in the town of Zuoz and liked it; I also liked the town of Pontresina a lot. But my friend, who travels to this area quite a lot, favors the towns of Sils & Silvaplana, both on lakes.
St. Moritz is pretty small, though. I'm sure that whereever you stay, you'll be able to get around quite easily. If I were forced to stay there, I think I'd choose the 3-star Waldhaus-am-See, which sits just below the train station and right at the lake. Here's a link:
http://www.waldhaus-am-see.ch/was/home/
Have fun!
s
Sep 28th, 2008, 03:35 PM
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If you were forced to stay there, S? Ah the torture! I remember riding bikes around that little lake trying to figure out how to get to the main bike path!
I imagine it would be lovely in January.
I imagine it would be lovely in January.
Sep 29th, 2008, 04:16 AM
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Hey Gss!!
Yeh, I bet you remember leading me and my lost self around, ha! Those are some of my very BEST travel memories. I continue to suggest that folks rent a bike and cycle the Valley or just around the lakes. What a wonderful few days!
Great to see you popping up!!!!
s
Yeh, I bet you remember leading me and my lost self around, ha! Those are some of my very BEST travel memories. I continue to suggest that folks rent a bike and cycle the Valley or just around the lakes. What a wonderful few days!
Great to see you popping up!!!!
s
