steve rankin

I am taking my 11 yr. old daughter to Zurich this spring. I was shocked to find <BR>people shooting up and doing drugs in a park directly across the street from the main train station in 1992 when I was there. Is this still a problem there? I know the police attempted to shut it down after I was <BR>there. Did it work (the shut-down)? I will <BR>try to avoid this area if it is still a major (or even minor) problem.

Florence

The Zurich open air drug park has been closed for years now. It's been the shame and the laughing stock of the rest of Switzerland, and most cities have learnt what should not be done there. The drug scene has moved almost entirely indoors, and you shouldn't be inconvenienced anymore. Cooperation between the police and health officials has brought a better situation in terms of health for drug-addicts, rehabilitation and drug-related crime in the whole of Switzerland.

s

steve, <BR> <BR>Although Florence needs no support/confirmation from me, I do want to add my confirmation. An old friend of my mother lives just outside Zurich, and a few years ago she told us that that park has been cleaned up. As Florence suggests (and at least for my mother's friend), the drug use at that park was considered a blight on the Swiss national image, built largely on good health, good engineering, and good sense. <BR> <BR>s

Ed

Just as a note, the drug park was &gt;&gt;not&lt;&lt; across the street from the main trainstation (Hauptbahnhof) but the Selnau train station, now abandoned, along with the park's scene. <BR> <BR>Ed

steve

Thanks to all of you for your answers. <BR>It was also noticed that they were people doing drugs openly in the underground mall close to the same train station. I will go ahead and <BR>presume that has been "cleaned up" also <BR>Steve

Florence

As far as I know, there is some trafficking in the station's mall but no consumption. Same sad situation here in Geneva. People from ex-Yugoslavia and some West-African countries gather in the stations malls and give it a feeling of danger, although they won't inconvenience you if you're not part of the scene, and you might even not notice them. The police has an eye on them and there is almost no crime other than drug peddling. You shouldn't worry about it.