Travel to Switzerland
 

I'm accompanying my husband to Switzerland in early Feb. He'll be committed to work most days, but I'll be free to explore. First, will I be able to access any local ski areas via public transport and will this be something that an over 50 intermediate skier should undertake by herself? If yes, what destination would you recommend. Secondly, is it appropriate to wear a fur coat in Zurich? I know the temperature dictates it, but does the culture as well?

You will fit right in if you wear your fur coat on the Bahnhofstrasse in Zurich.

If fact, I wouldn't go into Sprungli without one. You will need a Bergdorf Goodman sable, Miss Thing, to protect yourself from the cold stares of the ice queens eating their chocolate tortes at the tables around you.

Be prepared, sweetie darling, the price tags in the shops on the Bahnhofstrasse would give even Mark Zuckerberg the shivers.

The Very Popular Pepper

Engelberg is probably the nearest place where you can go skiing.

It takes less than 2 hours with public transports, you have to change train once in Lucerne.

http://www.engelberg.ch

Have a nice trip!

Flumserberg should be the closest.
In winter, you can take suburban train line S2 from downtown Zurich in 1 hour to the slopes. (not all S2 trains go there, check timetable)
http://www.flumserberg.ch/winter/en/home/default.htm

And VP Pepper is NOT joking about fur coats!

Thanks....other than lunch on Bahnhofstrasse with the well-heeled I plan on spending my time elsewhere. Thanks all for the advise. Especially regarding Flumserberg which sounds especially suited to my needs!

Greuzi!

Well, if you want to lunch with people who could give Ivana Trump an inferiority complex, head the the Baur au Lac at the end of the Bahnhofstrasse.

These gals carry their Cartier and Prada shopping bags like body armor.

Tschuss,
Pepper

Einselden is a short train trip from Zurich and is one of Europe's primo pilgrimage meccas - so a monumental church, monastery or nunnery, etc.

Another check question regarding tipping...unexpected by cab drivers? Really? What are the customs regarding tipping in Switzerland?

A german business man sneaks into a swiss bank and sidles up to the counter. "Pst, I have here a million dollars".

The clerk says, "do not worry sir, poverty is not a reason for embarassement".

Now did you get the fur coat the way the fox did?

Tipping..
Most of my Swiss colleagues give tips in moderation and in a quite random pattern.
It is never required as in co-funding a 20pct share of someone else's salary.
It reflects your satisfaction with the quality of service, not that a service had been rendered in the first place.

As a rule of thumb, people would round up to the next Franken or something that comes close to 10 percent.
If your dinner was 47 Franken, and when service was good, it would be okay to give a 3 Franken tip.
Calculating an exact 10pct amount, i.e. pay CHF 51.70 would be considered too obsessively "correct".

There are many occasions where people either over-tip or don't tip at all, esp. with petty amounts, e.g. a coffee for 3.50. It would not matter if you gave the exact amount or 4 CHF.

In your case with the cabby, I would consider a tip if he was helpful with luggage and had a pleasant and clean vehicle.
But again, the fare will probably among the highest you paid anyway which reflects the salary level of Switzerland. Round up again, add 1-2 CHF.. but don't get too hung up on this matter.

If you are flying into Zurich and staying in the city there is NO REASON to take a taxi into town. Take the train. It goes right from the airport (flughafen) to Zurich Bahnhof.

Everyone takes the train or takes a tram. Very few people take taxis in Zurich.

What hotel are you staying at in Zurich, schatzi?

Tschuss,
Pepper