Hi everyone,
1st time through Zurich. Should I exit and use the Arrivals lounge?
Where should I go if that isn't a good choice?
Flying in Business on UA then Business on LX.
Please and Thank you!
Jon

Its ZRH. With four hours, I recommend you go to the city by train and use the arrivals lounge.

I'm not sure if pax arriving on UA have access to the Arrival Lounge. According to this page you have to arrive on LX in F or C, or hold M&M Silver or Gold to use the Arrival Lounge.

http://www.swiss.com/web/EN/services...lounges#access

Well he might: if he is flying under LX flight no. on UA metal

Also Priority Pass allows entrance I believe.

Lounge Information
Airport: zurich - Airport (ZRH)
Lounge: SWISS INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES ARRIVAL LOUNGE

Location: Airside - Arrivals Hall 1, Baggage Claim Area.

Opening Hours: 05:30 - 13:00 daily.

Conditions: Children under 6 years are admitted free when accompanied by an adult - Non-smoking.

Lounge Facilities: Air Conditioning Alcohol Available Disabled Access Fax Internet/Dataport Newspapers/Magazines Available Refreshments Available Showers Available Telephone Television WiFi Available
key?

https://www.prioritypass.com/lounges/lounge-details.cfm

So what is a must do in Zurich?

In just 2.5 hours (as 1.5 hours will be eaten by transfers both way (15min each, and arriving back on time at the airport) there isn't that much time to see everything.

Depending on what you like and the weather, you could do maybe 2-3 things of the list:

-River cruise (included in the dayticket to ZRH)
-Walking the famous Bahnhofstrasse (From the Central Train station to the lake) - Shopping as much as your CreditCard goes.
-Taking one of the various funiculars in the city, like the Rigiblick or Polybahn
-Trying some food in a restaurant like the Zeughauskeller (a bit touristic, but not extremely overpriced)
-There are also some nice walkings through the old town of Zurich
-Taking a tram through the city to see more of it.
-Having a swim in the lake, or even better, in the river (Limmat) - there is the famous Lettenbad (http://www.badi-info.ch/Unterer_letten.html)

-Visiting the Landesmuseum (Swiss National Museum), next to Central Station, good when the weather is horrible. (Takes 2 hours)

-Going up Mount Uetliberg by train, have some food at the top, then walking down parts, then train back to city (That's just about possible in 2.5 hours without too much hurry)

So, if you really like to maximize your experience on a NICE summer day, I would do the following activities:

-Buy a day pass for Zone 10+21 at railway station airport, take any of the trains (Doesn't matter if S-Bahn or Intercity) to Zurich.
-Get off the station and go to the Bahnhofstrasse, walking along (Around 1.5km to the lake, last 500m you could also take the tram from Paradeplatz to B�rkliplatz), do windowshopping along Bahnhofstrasse. At Paradeplatz, the famous Spr�ngli shop/cafe is worth a visit. If you're hungry, the Zeughauskeller is also next there.
-At B�rkliplatz, catch the river boat to Station Landesmuseum/HB (back on the Limmat river, HB means central trainstation)
-Walk through Platzspitz park, then over the passenger bridge over the Limmat river, then on the right side of the river along the Limmat, to the riverbath "Unterer Letten"
-Have a relaxing swim in the river (Entrance is free, fyi)
-Take tram back to the mainstation (4 stations)

That would be doable in 2.5 hours.. if you don't like to swim, you could alternatively visit the Altstadt (old town) by a walk, but nowadays it's 20 Kebab stalls and 50 international brand cloth stores..

Costs: Ticket for all transport combined is around 12 CHF

Wow!!!!^^^^
That is a great set of suggestions.
So a train ticket with return will only be 12 CHF?
I think I will go on the walk-tram journey you suggest.
Cheers!
I've emailed your post to me for reference

http://www.zvv.ch/de/tickets/tickets...elbillett.html

It's 12.80 CHF

It its valid 24 hours (so theoretically, someone else could use it afterwards)

You'll need a Tageskarte (day pass) , to Zurich (Zone 10 and 21, but the maschine will automatically select this, just say a ticket to Zurich, 1 adult, full fare, 2nd class. There are plenty of maschines on the level just above the railways. They accept all kind of major cards. (Needs PIN, I heard that some American cards still don't have PIN, I think those aren't accepted but you could buy at the booth in that case)

Now for the timing of the boats, check on zvv.ch - they do drive frequently, but with a quite tight schedule as yours, you'll better know beforehand.

Example of time table and a bit more detailed as you seem interested in it:

You'll be arriving at ZRH at 8.05am (I think that's the only direct IAD-ZRH connection?) - with baggage checked through and in C, you should be in the landside at 25min after that. Head to the trainstation which is right under the airport (easy signage) - buy a ticket - take the 8.40 Intercity to Zurich Mainstation. Arriving 8.51 there. (Don't worry if you miss it, in the next 10 minutes there would be 3 more trains to Zurich)

Walk from Main station to Paradeplatz, 10 minutes walking distance



as it's just around 9am, the shops will be open/opening up. Good timing

Maybe get some sweet breakfast at Spr�ngli (you can see it on the map, just next to the "destination")

At Paradeplatz after stocking up on sweets, "shortcut" to the lake (station B�rkliplatz) by taking any of the following tram lines for 2 stations (end destinations included, so you won't take them in the wrong direction): 2 Tiefenbrunnen, 8 Klusplatz, 9 Hirzenbach, 11 Rehalp

There is a tram literally every minute with so many lines driving to B�rkliplatz, so no need to check times. You should reach around 9.30-9.45 here.

Now there is a problem.. it really depends if you're on a Saturday/Sunday or on a weekday, as the river cruise during weekdays will only start at noon. Plus, swimming/relaxing at the river so early in the morning might be a bit fresh unless you really catch a hot day.. so, better to stroll around the old town.

Here is a small map: Get off the tram at B�rkliplatz just as suggested, but then cross the bridge over the river (very nice view to the Alps if weather allows)



Afterwards, turn left, into the small roads of old Zurich. It will go up and down a bit, and you should reach the Grossm�nster, the most famous church of Zurich. Pass by it, and you'll walk through the "Niederd�rfli", the old Zurich town. Lots of shops nowadays, but nice houses. There is a Migros (supermarket) on the way, it's on the map (Migros M Z�rich) - if you want to get a non-overpriced chocolate souvenir, get it here. Also, they do sell some ready-to-eat food/drinks if you get hungry without the ridiculous costs that most other shops do charge.

Walking distance is approx. 20 minutes, but you might take a bit longer when watching buildings/people/scenery. But it shouldn't take more than double of that. With a quick check on the supermarket, at max. 45 minutes. You should reaching Central before 10.30am for sure.

If you're ok with time, make sure to check out the Polybahn. Right next when exiting "Niederd�rfli" at Central station, there will be a building called Polybahn. Enter it, and you'll find a small funicular. Take it up and immediately down again (it's included in your ticket too) - 5 minutes.



For the way back to the Airport, two ways. If you're tight on time, head back over the bridge and take the next train to the airport. However close the distances are, this will take you approx 10 minutes of walking, and another 10 minutes of trainride (plus the waiting, even if there are many connections) - so it will take around 30 minutes from the time you're at Central.

The second way, and that will really show you around, will be taking the newly finished tram line to the Airport. It's taking 33 minutes (so not much more than above) and it will show you around much more.

Take tram number 10 towards Flughafen/Airport. Attention, only every second Tram is driving the far, but there will be one every 15 minutes. From Central, they're driving .01/.16/.31/.46 every hour, but make sure to check the exact timetable on the day you're here. (Example is MON-FRI only)

As we assumed you hit Central by 10.30, you can either take the 10.31 Tram then, or take the Polybahn funicular up the hill and then connect at ETH/Universit�tsspital which is 2 stations more into the direction of the airport (it's actually a shortcut, the funicular is faster up the hill than the tramline) or take the funicular both ways and connect to the 10.46 tram (or if you arrive earlier, still the 10.31)

Anyway, you should reach the airport at 11.04 with the earlier, and 11.19 with the later tram. Don't know when your flight to London will be leaving exactly, but if it's exactly 4 hours, then both should be fine. (If it's a bit more than 4 hours, the later one wouldn't be a stretch, otherwise I would take the first one just to not risk anything, as England is outside of Schengen it might take a few more minutes, but ZRH is very fast and efficent airport)

Well hope that helped, and enjoy your (very short) time in Z�rich.

Thank you for such detailed information, as i printed this out for our day trip in Zurich, you are great!! We arrive at 11:40am and depart from ZRH at 22:45.

Yes, thanks a ton for the great suggestions! We arrive around 8am and leave around 8pm so we will have a full day to explore the city.

If your not an Ambassador you should be
Cheers!

Wow! Lots of great ideas! My situation is a bit different - I have a huge layover, about 16 hours, on a Sunday, and it's going to be in February. Anything changes (besides the swimming in the river!) that I might want to consider?

Generally, in winter, it might be a nice day with +8C, sun, and you enjoy outside, or freezing cold, windy, feeling like -15C, and you'll definitely not want to spend much time outside. So, if the weather is nice, you can still do some outside activities, while most shopping will be closed on a Sunday, the Supermarkets/Shops in the Main Railway Station are still open. Restaurants of course too. Besides that, much less people on a Sunday in Zurich Downtown. There will be even some of the big ships travelling on Lake Zurich (starting from B�rkliplatz) - if the weather is good, this is a nice option, there are short roundtrips which don't cost an arm and a leg. Besides that, there is couple other nice stuff to do in winter outdoor, like taking the cable up to Felsenegg, which could be combined taking a train to Adliswil. Often, when it's cold and grey "down" around Lake Zurich, the hills up Uetliberg/Felsenegg are a nice place to go, with sun and snow. For such a trip, you could buy a day card for the whole Kanton Zurich / ZVV 9-o'clock pass, it's 24 CHF full fare for adults, so not that much more than the ticket just for Zurich itself, and it includes all public transport within Kanton Zurich and the lake area. (Rapperswil, if you take the boat for the big 3-4 hour trip)

Another idea is going for a outdoor hot Spring, like the one in Zurzach.

Anyway, those for the good weather ideas in winter.. if it's cold, wet, grey, there isn't really that much to do on a sunday. Well, museums are open, and there are plenty of them, plus there are many cinemas in Switzerland (but overpriced!) which are running movies in English (German&french subs only) - but that won't kill 16 hours, and most museums will make you feeling tired after a few hours.. one idea, where you can still take a swim on a crap day would be to visit the recently opened Thermalbad Z�rich: http://www.thermalbad-zuerich.ch/

I've never been there, but it sounds pretty cool, you can bath within an old beer brewing cellar (as well as outside) and it's still half-affordable with 32 CHF.. (Switzerland is expensive) - other things, if you like water rides, obviously the Alpamare in Pf�ffikon SZ, even more expensive and no Thermal bath but rather a huge amount of rapid rides.. there is some relaxing part as well, but it's mostly for teenagers, kind of a 6-flags in water.

If you want some "hot" indoor water/swimming combination, maybe going to Water World Wallisellen might be a good alternative. Huge 50m pool, some jumping areas, one 75m run (which is not too bad ) and much more affordable at 7 CHF - it's a well-run public bath with a lot of attractions, and even in winter without the outdoor part still pretty big.

Of course, if you are really adventurous, you could also catch a train to the mountains, rent some ski's or sledges, and go have fun.. those things I've suggested are those you could take in the close neighbourhood of Zurich under all circumstances (for example, if there is a lot of snow, there is a sledge run right into Zurich, but this depends of course on the amount of snow available..)

Psssst! This is where I always go, exactly because it is not crowded! Don't you talk about this little gem here in public!