Kacee

It's going to cost you 25 CHF for a taxi to the train station. I don't know if Uber is cheaper. I suppose you could take the tram to the Hbf, but that's going to be a struggle with large bags.

JIMCHI

Well, I've checked many websites and it looks like Blacklane is the most reasonable, given that I want a fixed price. They want the equivalent of $85 which includes the tip. Thanks for all the advice all of you have given me.

BobR

While I have made the same calculations in Zurich (I took the tram), I gotta chuckle at the futility of trying to pinch pennys in Switzerland.

JIMCHI

Well, if the price of the hotel arranged car was anywhere close to that of Blacklane, I would have chosen it. But a $45 (after tip) difference is a lot, especially for a ride that takes only about 20 minutes.

speedytimmy

Another option is to take the S2 (urban train) directly from the airport to Zurich Enge. All of these are the bi-level trains with the doors at platform level. The train stops at Zurich Oerlikon, Zurich HB (main station), Zurich Wiedikon and then Zurich Enge. Travel time from the airport is 16 minutes. The cost of a three zone train ticket without any discount is CHF 6.80.

This avoids the transfer at the main station to the tram which can involve a somewhat lengthy walk. Zurich Enge to the Park Hyatt is 500 meters at most. You walk out of the station, cross the road/tram tracks and head east along Gotthardstrasse to the Park Hyatt. The walk is only marginally longer than from the Stockerstrasse tram stop.

This is my preferred option of getting to/from the Park Hyatt aside from early flights departing ZRH and then an Uber black is approximately CHF 70.

speedytimmy

Everything is relative, but I personally don't find Switzerland any more expensive than most major US or Western European cities.

This said, some good news for those staying at the Park Hyatt and trying to limit the cost of other expenses - a new Coop food store just opened last week on the corner of Bleicherweg and Beethovenstrasse (i.e., right where you get of the tram at Stockerstrasse). We missed the opening by a few days but it looks larger than the Coop nearby on Talstrasse. If you wanted to get take out food for a picnic by the lake, this would be a very convenient option.

platbrownguy

Interesting. In NYC, you can walk into a bodega and get a large, hot sandwich at lunch time for $6 or $7. In DC, you can walk into any Pret a Manger or Potbelly and get a sandwich at lunch time for $6, and maybe $3 or $4 for a small soup.

In Zurich, you'll pay CHF 25 for the sandwich and CHF 15 for the soup, and you might still be hungry. The prices of higher-end meals I don't find so bad, but CHF 10 for a hot chocolate, etc., adds up fast!

Kacee

This is just some awesome FT advice.

And you'll pay 1.5 CHF to use the toilet at the Hbf!

PortlySpartacus

...but I'll bet the bathroom is very clean

speedytimmy

This is getting off-thread because it doesn't really have anything to do with the Park Hyatt, but the reason I mentioned the Coop opened just up on Beethovenstrasse was to explain there was an option for those staying at the Park Hyatt and wanting minimize food costs in what can be otherwise perceived to be an expensive city.

If you think the average person living in Zurich pays CHF 25 for a sandwich and CHF 15 for soup on a routine basis, that is not the case. You can get yourself a freshly made hot breaded chicken breast at the Coop for CHF 3 or 4 and a Semmel (bread role) for CHF 0.80 and have your sandwich for less than CHF 5.

We ate at the Parkhuus restaurant a number of times on two recent stays and the quality is excellent, but I think our seven-year-old equally enjoyed chicken from the Coop and steaks at the Parkhuus for CHF 60.

Pickles

Well, if the CHF 10 hot chocolate is from Sprungli in Paradeplatz, I'll gladly pay that (and more)!

59Impala

Interesting to see, that people are willing to pay 700-1000 CHF at the Park Hyatt Zurich, and then moaning that a Sandwich costs 25 CHF (by the way, never seen a sandwich in the Zurich area costing 25 CHF unless maybe at the PH).

Zurich is not more expensive than some US cities, such as NYC, SFO. Or also HKG, SIN...

Kacee

Really? I don't see any "moaning."

I saw an FT member asking for advice about the most cost-effective way to get to the airport, and then some really excellent first hand-advice on a routing that most of us had never considered.

I

59Impala

agree on the first-hand advice and cost-effective airport transportation. I also did not not mention that in my remark. But there is moaning on expensive food, which is partially true, just like in other countries...
my point was the willingness to pay for an expensive room and moan about expensive food, when there are cheaper options for both.

Kacee

Were you appointed "moaning police" or is that a self-appointed position?

In any event, it's good to keep in mind that the points game enables travelers to stay at hotels they might not choose if paying cash. I think that's pretty cool.