sfoeuroflyer

Frankly, why stay at a plastic airport hotel at all?????? It is so easy and fast to go into town on the train and there are much nicer hotels close to the train station.

craz

simple enough, " I have a 10 hour overnight layover in ZRH coming up this may, travelling with wife and two kids. Arriving 10pm and departing 9am following morning. " By the time the OP gets out of the term and gets a tkt and rides into town settles in the room, theres no time to do anything but go to sleep, and with a 9am flight theyd have to be heading back apx 7am again no time to do anything

Im arriving @ 8:30pm and wont go into the city (OK will be back in ZRH for 5 nights end of May) but even if I wouldnt be back there after a 4+hr flight I really only want to take a shower and hit the sack. Now if I was arriving say at 4-6 pm then Id probably stay in town since there would be time to do or see something. But it doesnt pay when I would 1st settle in @ 10pm, rather go to sleep

chris63

chris63

worldclubber

sfoeuroflyer

I fly in and out of Zurich multiple times a year and use the train to and from the airport. The train ride takes between 5 and 10 minutes depending (varies as some trains make more than one stop between the main station and the airport). Trains run approx every 10 minutes. From my hotel located near Rennweg (which runs off the Bahnhofstrasse) counting the time to walk to the station, select a train, take the train, walk to check in area 1, go through security, go through immigration, take the small little train from A to E, go up the elevator to the Senator Lounge in E takes me between 40-45 minutes TOTAL. From the airport Hilton for sure one would have to wait for a shuttle van. Just guessing but I imagine there would be at least a 10 minute wait for the van and 10 minutes in the van. So I still find the town solution completely viable and quite fast particularly if one stays at the Schweizerhof Hotel just across the street from the station.

chris63

moeman982

I recently had an overnight layover at Zurich and stayed at the Hilton, but with the OP's timing I would agree with the recommendations to stay at the Radisson. At the time of arrival of the OP the shuttle runs every 30 mins so they could end up with a near hour wait. The transfer itself is relatively quick. The shuttle to the airport in the morning is every 20 minutes but takes slightly longer as it stops at the sister apartment building. The shuttle drops off past the F check in area so there is a little walk back to the lounge.

craz

Have you done it with family in tow? Was it so easy the 1st time you did it?

I can tell you I used to visit a friend who lived off the S10 line. What a nightmare the 1st time after getting into the main station to find my way, and the idiot(me) didnt take notice of the platform I arrived on or connected to. Took alot more time then I thought and almost missed my afternoon flight. Of cause after doing it a few times now its easy, however my friend just moved and now I need the S4. the only good thing is I believe its the same platforms since they share alot of the same line. Even better I believe Tram 13 will drop me even closer then the S4 and thats available right outside the main station

That said even @ 45 min each way that means 1 1/2 hrs less sleeping and if you cant get bags checked all the way thru then dragging them along, with the Rad you simply place them on a free cart and push it almost all the way to The Rads lobby and usually there are carts there for the return way as well

worldclubber

Nick Art

worldclubber

craz

Dont forget the cost which is 6.80CHF per adult and depending on the ages of the kids either 6.80 o 3.40 each way , I doubt the cost of a hotel close to the Station will be much cheaper after adding in the cost of the train, and youd be paying in order to end up with less time sleeping.

It would be different if a person had say a 20 hr layover with tons of daylight included or wasnt planning on sleeping and wasnt gonna spring for a hotel. But anytime Im arriving late and leaving very early its an airport hotel for me even if its my 1st time to that City, unless there will be sufficent time to actually see something

vj_rama

We had visited Zurich 2 years ago and spent a week there (absolutely loved Old Town!)

If we had a different schedule, I would have definitely made arrangements for a hotel in the city close to some good fondue!!

tajee165