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Dan
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VacationLover Part 1
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Chapshnell
Tzadik Nistar
@Yehuda - 1 day trip
sam28
Sam28 St Moritz Switzerland kosher Grand Hotel Kempinski
Yehudaa - 18-hour Zurich stopover


Kosher food list 2022

Zurich
HOTELS
-The Park Hyatt is fantastic and a 10 minute walk to shul.
Tram stop: Stockerstrasse

RESTAURANTS

Meat:

Florentin - Located inside he JCC https://florentin.rest/
Tram stop: Bahnhof Enge

Grill Cave

Food truck. Check website for opening hours. Burgers, sandwiches, hot dogs etc.
https://www.thegrillcave.co/


Milk/Parve:

Babi's Bagels (Bederstrasse corner Klopstockstrasse 8002 Zürich) Tram Stop "Waffenplatzstrasse"

Bakery:
Ma'Adan Bakery
Manessestrasse/Schimmelstrasse
Has delicious pastries and also sells sandwiches, salads, and some sushi.

Butcher:
Metzgerei Kol Tuv

Can preorder for pickup.
Can also deliver throughout Switzerland by post.
See website for details.

https://www.koltuv.ch/en

ATTRACTIONS
-Walk around the lake area
-Bahnhofstrasse window shopping
-Take a train to Lucerne and buy the golden ticket, included a boat ride on Lake Lucerne, cogwheel train and tram. Then take bus back to Lucerne
-When you arrive in Lucerne you can go to the tourist office to see a live view from Mount Pilatus (Or you can check online). If it's cloudy skip the cogwheel train and just take a nice boatride and explore the town, ancient bridges, and walk on top of the old city fortress walls.




Options in the Alps

Arosa: Metropol Hotel - quaint little old hotel. Not very fancy - it's like honeymooning in your grandmother's house (HT: Mrs. Moishebatchy). The food is very basic, but delicious. Mikva on premises. If skiing is your thing, the have an agreement with one of the ski places (Härtner) not to charge Metropol customers for ski rentals over Shabbos.


Need a meal on shabbes, please PM me (Chuchem). I live 15 minute walk from the hyatt, close to chabad. Zürich has no eiruv!

Major Attractions
“Please edit the wiki to add more attractions”

Central Switzerland
-Lucerne, Pilatus Offers: Cogwheel, Gondolas, Alpine Sliding, Mini Zip-line and fun area
-Titlis Offers: Gondolas, Snow Tubing, Trutti Bikes, Ice Museum, Row Boating
-Brunni Offers: Gondolas, Alpine Sliding, Stroll in Lake(!)

Jungfrau Region
-Jungfrau/jungfraujoch Click here for the Kosher hotel in Wengen / 360-degree panorama of Jungfraujoch-Top of Europe
-Grindelwald Offers: Gondolas, mega Zip-line, Trutti Bikes

Eastern Switzerland
-St. Moritz
Davos / Klosters
Arosa Click here for the Kosher Levins hotel

Southern Switzerland
-Zermatt - "Matterhorn"
-Saas-Fee Offers: Gondolas, Alpine Sliding, Mega Zip-line, Trotti Bikes, (Saas-Grund has Monster Trotteres) and on top of "Allalin" you can go Snow Tubing and Skiing even in the summer!
-Crans Montana You can email the Kosher hotel in Crans Montana Hotelmk@gmail.com  or call them at 0032485640498 or 003233011600


HalbTax Pass

A HalbTax pass (or Half Fare card) is a card designated for tourists and not for Swiss residents (officially...). The card gives you half price on all public transportation like buses, trains, trams, boats and also on "most" cable cars (attractions). There are basically 4 kinds.

1) An annual pass, the price is currently 175 francs. If i remember correctly it has a photo ID of the recipient, so double check before sharing it.
Click here for the annual pass

2) A 30 day pass, the price is currently 120 francs, it does not have a photo ID on it.
Click here or here for the 30 day pass

3) - Recommended for frequent traveling Swiss Travel Pass - you prepay a set amount per day and get unlimited for that day (plus "optional" for a fee, for 1 month including the days you chose, it is a HalbTax, even on the prepaid free days, it's only free for all transportation, on cable cars you only get half off). The price per day depends on how many days you prepay, for example if you prepay 8 days, the price per day will be about 53 francs, if you prepay 3 days the price per day will be about 73 francs. If you are 25 y/o or younger, you can get the Youth Pass which is cheaper - If you prepay 8 days  the price per day will be about 40 francs a day, if you prepay 3 days the price per day will be about 62 francs.
Click here (or here) for the prepaid pass

The card comes with a few days “you could chose your dates later”, officially when you want to use a certain day for the free day you should fill in on the pass that date, and when the first conductor comes he punches that day, but technically you can leave the date blank until the conductor comes, that way you have a chance if no conductor asks you for your card (happens quite often) you can save it for the next day :)

4) Swiss Transfer Ticket" This card costs 141 francs and is valid for 2 trips from and to the boarder or airport, for example you are traveling from the airport to Arosa and are not planning to go anywhere else or take any other transportation, with this card you will effectively pay 71 francs per way. This card is only valid for trips to and from the airport or boarder and no (long) stops allowed. Technically if you will travel one more day, the Swiss travel pass mentioned above will probably be cheaper.

Make sure to order your pass a few weeks before leaving, it takes about 1-3 weeks for the pass to arrive. But you can always buy it in the Airport, though you might have to wait in line and also if you want to buy the Youth pass (for 25 y/o or younger) they might ask you for proof...

There is also a family pass if you travel with a large family, I am not familiar with that.


Fast Baggage
There is a service via SBB, They deliver your luggage for you!! For example you are traveling from ZRH to Arosa, you don't want to be busy Shlepping around your luggage, You can check in your luggage in the airport and they (SBB) will deliver it to the train station in Arosa. This service is available "from and to" most train stations in Switzerland. You can ask about the Fast Baggage by any train station or read here or here

You can even buy a tag that you put on the luggage before checking in your luggage in any airport (i.e. JFK) and Rail Europe will take your luggage from the airplane in Switzerland and deliver it either to your hotel or to the train station in the city you're going to.  Read about Flight Luggage Here




PS. When doing research and getting to a website in German, just add /en (after .ch) to translate to English.
And Hey, Don't forget to write a TR ;)

Sample Itinerary for 9 hour stopover on Swiss flight from TLV to U.S. that lands at 810 and takes off around 5
Copied from @cholent:
Here it is: landed in zrh, crazy line for entering country but moved pretty quickly, about half an hour. Picked up sim in the airport. Rented car through Priceline from europecar. Drove to Titlis, stunning scenery along drive. Missed a turnoff because I couldn't get Waze to talk and I was trying to do some stuff online while we were driving, added half an hour to get there, but the stunning scenery made it worthwhile. Got there, parked, you pay at the entrance if you're going to park for more than an hour. Paid, took the cable car. Got off at there halfway station by mistake, gorgeous lake. Went back on and back up to the top. It was somewhat cloudy which was a pity. Suspension bridge was fun but no view because of the clouds. Took the ice flyer to the other peak, then went sledding down the hill, lots of fun. No tubing because there wasn't enough snow. We didn't have enough time for the ice cave because of the extra time driving there and we weren't sure where it was anyway. Made some new Israeli friends and took the cable car down with them. Got back to the airport, returning the car took less than five minutes, getting through the airport took a little longer so we didn't have time for showers at the lounge. It was amazing all around, I would definitely recommend

« Last edited by yyzzrh on October 20, 2022, 01:16:48 PM »

Author Topic: Switzerland Master Thread  (Read 604230 times)

Offline macbook

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1100 on: January 03, 2016, 04:55:31 PM »
You cab get your luggage shipped straight from the train station to your final destination. It's about 40 franc a suitcase iirc
its a lot less around $15 and you can do it from the airport

Offline Yisroel klein

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1101 on: January 03, 2016, 05:01:01 PM »
any ideas on what to do from zurich? does it pay to go out to the alps?

Online yelped

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1102 on: January 03, 2016, 05:41:01 PM »
its a lot less around $15 and you can do it from the airport
Thanks. I didn't remember the price exactly. But you do it from the train station in the airport, correct?

Offline macbook

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1103 on: January 03, 2016, 05:57:16 PM »
Thanks. I didn't remember the price exactly. But you do it from the train station in the airport, correct?
no you can do it from the airport that your leaving from,if your flying swiss air i think it works from anywhere,
if your not flying swiss u can check their website which airlines they work with

Offline Chaim#1

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1104 on: January 03, 2016, 10:17:11 PM »
I am going to Switzerland for two days I want to know.....
1. is there any way of getting cheap train tickets?
2. Whats included in the hotel prices?
3. is there anything to do at night

Offline Chaim#1

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1105 on: January 04, 2016, 12:18:54 PM »
are there any other kosher hotels except Levin?

Offline em0616

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1106 on: January 04, 2016, 01:53:06 PM »
1&2. Yes, it is still worth it for a visit to Lucerne, even if it's just for an afternoon visit.

3. Driving in Switzerland is easy, and their are signs everywhere. However, if
you are from outside Europe, do learn the driving regulations of Switzerland.
The fines for speeding, parking, disobeying traffic laws can cost you a small fortune.

Most of the available parking in the cities are Blue Zones as well as White Zones:
    Blue Zones: Parking from Monday till Saturday from 8 am until 6 pm is free of charge for an hour with the blue parking disc (including EU parking disc). Whereby the arrival time is to be inserted to the next half hour. Also parking between 12pm and 1:30pm is free in blue zone.
    White zones: These are chargeable, numbered, and located near a parking meter.

-- RIGHT OF WAY - Trams always have priority. Buses have priority when leaving a bus stop.

-- If you cross the solid white line, (e.g. making a u-turn) the fine would be over 500 CHF.


I just speed read most of this thread and hoping the experts can answer a few questions.

Going to be stopping in Zurich in a few weeks from Wednesday at 11AM through sunday at 4PM. Rough plan is to go skiing on Thursday/Friday and stay shabbas somewhere in the alps (probably St Moritz). Not sure though what to do on Wed afternoon and Sunday.

1) Is Lucerne still worth it if the cogwheel is closed until march and I'll be in the alps so presumably will have really nice views there too?
2) If it is still worth it,  is wed afternoon enough time to do Lucerne? 
3) No matter what we do on wed/sun, we'll have our luggage with us which will be pretty annoying. Would it make more sense to rent a car so that we can keep our luggage in the car? How hard is it for a non swiss speaking person to drive in switzerland?

Offline em0616

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1107 on: January 04, 2016, 02:05:38 PM »
1. Train tickets are expensive, but frequent visitors and residents have half card, that gives 50% of all
rail travel for a year (costs about 175 CHF/year) or GA card (3655 CHF) that gives unlimited travel.

2. Hotels in Switzerland are expensive. Price of labor in Switzerland is extremely expensive. If you
want to save, book a self-catering chalet or flat.

3. The Swiss cities are usually dead at nights. Shops close early, and "noise" between 12:30 and 2 pm
and between 10 pm and 6 am is strictly prohibited. People that live in older apartments, (bad sound
insulation) usually do not take showers or flush the toilet after 10pm

I am going to Switzerland for two days I want to know.....
1. is there any way of getting cheap train tickets?
2. Whats included in the hotel prices?
3. is there anything to do at night

Offline MC

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1108 on: January 04, 2016, 02:08:01 PM »
3. The Swiss cities are usually dead at nights. Shops close early, and "noise" between 12:30 and 2 pm
and between 10 pm and 6 am is strictly prohibited. People that live in older apartments, (bad sound
insulation) usually do not take showers or flush the toilet after 10pm
I remember having to remove my shoes after 9pm in my grandparents' old apartment in Basel so as not to disturb the downstairs neighbors...

Offline em0616

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1109 on: January 04, 2016, 02:11:44 PM »
Hotel Mirabeau in Crans is kosher in the Winter till about mid April.

are there any other kosher hotels except Levin?

Offline em0616

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1110 on: January 04, 2016, 02:57:02 PM »
Definitely Lucerne.

Luzern has much more interesting landscapes and things to do.

From Luzern, you can ascend the nearby peaks (Rigi, Pilatus, Titlis), visit lakeside villages (Weggis, Vitznau), and cruise along on the lake system. You can also visit Engelberg.

Here are some sites to explore:

www.luzern.org

www.lakelucerne.ch

www.rigi.ch

www.pilatus.ch

www.titlis.ch

www.engelberg.ch

where is it better to stay zurich or lucerne? where is a must on a 1 day visit?

Offline em0616

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1111 on: January 04, 2016, 03:18:43 PM »
UTO KULM Hotel  - http://www.utokulm.ch/en/  -

You would need good visibility and take a look on google maps, search for Uetliberg, and click on Photos,
for a sample of your view.

any hotels in zurich with mountain views?

Offline Yisroel klein

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1112 on: January 04, 2016, 04:13:57 PM »
Definitely Lucerne.

Luzern has much more interesting landscapes and things to do.

From Luzern, you can ascend the nearby peaks (Rigi, Pilatus, Titlis), visit lakeside villages (Weggis, Vitznau), and cruise along on the lake system. You can also visit Engelberg.

Here are some sites to explore:

www.luzern.org

www.lakelucerne.ch

www.rigi.ch

www.pilatus.ch

www.titlis.ch

www.engelberg.ch

thanx whats with the food situation in lucerne?

Offline DMYD

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1113 on: January 04, 2016, 04:31:56 PM »
The Swiss cities are usually dead at nights. Shops close early, and "noise" between 12:30 and 2 pm
and between 10 pm and 6 am is strictly prohibited. People that live in older apartments, (bad sound
insulation) usually do not take showers or flush the toilet after 10pm
Anywhere nice in Zurich I guess just walk around at night?

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1114 on: January 04, 2016, 04:34:51 PM »
Anywhere nice in Zurich I guess just walk around at night?

Bahnoffstrasse for stores.. Or maybe walk by Zurich Lake..

Offline DMYD

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1115 on: January 04, 2016, 04:39:58 PM »
Bahnoffstrasse for stores.. Or maybe walk by Zurich Lake..
How far is it from The Park Hyatt?

Offline Chapshnell

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1116 on: January 04, 2016, 05:24:03 PM »
How far is it from The Park Hyatt?

Both are not far, trams go everywhere anyways

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1117 on: January 04, 2016, 05:53:11 PM »
Both are not far, trams go everywhere anyways
And also close to the kosher restaurant?

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1118 on: January 04, 2016, 06:11:11 PM »
And also close to the kosher restaurant?

no

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1119 on: January 04, 2016, 06:24:18 PM »
no
And from ZRH? I'm landing from TLV @ 7:15 pm till what time are these restaurants open?