I will be staying at the Hotel Seehof near the Opera House. I plan to take the train from the airport to the Hauptbahnhof. How far is it from there to the hotel or how many minutes walking time? Is it a walkable diatance with a carry-on suitcase with wheels or should we take the bus? Where is the bus station in relation to the train station.? Or is there a train station closer to the Opera House?
Thank you. Linda98
P.S. Cicerone, I printed out your list of favorite restaurants. Thanks.

Do NOT take the train to Hautbanhof, take it to the Stadelhofen station. This station is across the plaza from the Opera House, if you can write back with the exact address, I can give you more precise walking directions from the Opera House or the Stadelhofen station, as I live quite close.

There are five train stations in Zurich: Hautbanhof, Enge, Wiedkon, Tiefenbrunnen and Stadelhofen. Trains run quite often from the airport to Stadelhofen and do not require a train change. On the timetables at the aiport, look for “Zurich Stadelhofen” or just “Stadelhofen.”

I meant to say the exact address of the hotel, so I can search the cross streets.

I meant to mention in my last posts that trains from the airport to Stadelhofen take between 15-25 minutes, most have a stop at the Hautbanhof first, but if you are on a direct train, you don’t have to change. I was also wrong in saying you never need to change trains, some trains to Stadelhofen DO require a change at the Hautbanhof, but there are frequent direct trains which don’t require a change. I just checked the rail.ch schedule and see that the direct trains run at every half hour at 02 and 32 past each hour (from 6 am to 11 pm, if you are arriving very late at night or before 5 am or so in the morning, you will need to change at the Hautbanhof). I would actually wait at the airport and take a direct train, as with luggage you don’t want to be changing trains. The fare is the same as to the Hautbanhof assuming you don’t have a Eurail pass or Swissrail discount card.

OK, I looked up your hotel and to walk there from the Zurich Stadelhofen train station:

1. When you get off the train, you will be on the street level but will be on the opposite side of the tracks from where you need to be to get to the hotel. Take the pedestrian walkway down and under the train tracks, after the underpass, you will have a choice of going to the right up a long flight of stairs, or to the left up an escalator or long flight of stairs, signs may say “Track 1”. Either way will take you up to the street level.

2. Once you on the street level, with the tracks to your back, look for the plaza in front of you, there is a fountain in the middle. (There are some tram tracks in front of the plaza and along the sides). Walk down the street in front of you which runs along the left side of the plaza, i.e., keeping the fountain on your right. This street is Falkenstrasse. The name of the street may be on a sign on the first building on Falkenstrase up above your direct sightline between the ground floor and the first floor. It may be abbrivieted as “Falken str”

3. At the end of the 2nd block (you will pass a little pedestrian-only alley called Hufgasse on your left which is the first “block”), Falkenstrasse intersects with Seefeldstrasse. There are no cars here, only tram tracks. Turn left onto Seefeldstrasse.

4. Take Seefeldstrasse for one block to the intersection with Seehofstrasse. (At the intersection of Seefeldstrasse and Seehofstrasse, the street intersecting from the left is actually called Othmarstrasse, but it becomes Seehofstrasse after it crosses Seefeldstrasse.)

5. Go right onto Seehofstrasse, the hotel is about 2/3rds of the way down the street on your right.

Sounds complicated, but it is not and should take you literally 5 minutes to do the walk. If you get lost, just stop and ask someone, the level of English in Zurich is excellent. The street is pronounced roughly “Say hoff strass sa”. You want number 11, which is “elf” in German.

I don’t know the hotel, but this is a nice location, and should be quiet at night. You are about a block from the lake. The good casual restaurant called Tibits which I mentioned in another post is at the corner of Seefeldstrasse and Seehofstrasse, so is very convenient for you. Same with the excellent and cheap (for Zurich) bratwurst stand which is at the Bellevue tram stop.

One restaurant close to you which I did not mention is Twelve Apostles, very good food mostly Swiss and European dishes, good wine list. Middle range expensive (but this is Zurich so it is rather relative. . .) Their bar is also fun.

Twelve Apostles
Seefeldstrasse 5
8008 Zürich
Tel: +41 44 252 52 12
Website: www.12apostel.ch

Another good place for Asian food that is not outrageously expensive is Tiffins, further down Seefeldstrasse away from the Opera House:

Seefeldstrasse 61
8008 Zürich
Tel: +41 44 382 18 88

You can eat-in or do take away.

Cicerone, Thank you so very, very much! I appreciate your being so extremely helpful and precise in your directions. After a long flight to Zurich, your directions will make it so much easier to arrive at the Hotel Seehof. Also, thanks for the additional restaurant recommendations. I am resting a lot easier now that you gave me such terrific instructions. Thank you again!

Yes, anal retentive is my middle name...so I appreciate the preciseness of the Swiss.

One correctio to my directions, the signs to look for when exiting the basement level at Stadelhofen station is "Gleis 1" not "Track 1". The word for "Track" in German is "Gleis"

Cicerone, My husband & I are back in California from a great vacation including the 2 full days in Zurich & 2 weeks in Mallorca. We were watching the weather in Zurich & were worried about rain but the weather cleared for our 2 day visit & a lot of people were enjoying the sunshine in the sidewalk cafes. Loved our time in Zurich. Your directions to the Seehof were great! The Stadelhofen station is SO convient to the hotel! You have no idea how pleasant you made our brief stay in Zurich. Wonderful, clean, prompt train service in Zurich is highly recommended. Zurich is a lovely city for walking and seeing the sights. We ejoyed strolling the parts of Zurich you mentioned as your favorites in another posting: charming shops off the St. Peter's square & Lindenhof & Neiderdodrf. Without your usggestions, I know we would not have enjoyed Zurich as much as we did.

We enjoyed 3 restaurants and the Bratwurst stand you listed: Brasserie Rest. Lipp, Rest. Bierhalle Kropf, and Tidbits. All were wonderful!

Thanks again for being so generous with your help & suggestions. Although Mallorca was our ultimate vacation destination, we are so glad we stopped in charming Zurich. We're certain we hit a great many of the best spots in Zurich with your help.

Regarding the Seehof, it was has immaculate, modern rooms and a wonderful breakfast included. The people at the front desk were extremely helpful. The location was great. It is a small hotel with only 16 rooms. I would stay there again.