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@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 604373 times)

Offline RockaHocka

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1760 on: August 15, 2017, 10:45:20 AM »
Are there any kosher Swiss chocolate factories that have a tour that's worth going to? Any info in general about the "best" Swiss chocolate to try?

Offline RockaHocka

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1761 on: August 15, 2017, 01:13:36 PM »
I have taken the train and would highly recommend this, it is a pretty nice ride, plane will take you a bit less then 6 hours considering to / from the airport.
I know this is about 3 months ago - but do you remember if you took the "Panoramic" train (I believe it's called the Bernina) or if the regular train had the great views as well?

Offline Saulius

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1762 on: August 15, 2017, 04:11:27 PM »
Are there any kosher Swiss chocolate factories that have a tour that's worth going to? Any info in general about the "best" Swiss chocolate to try?

There aren't any kosher Swiss chocolate factories. The kosher company leases a factory for a few weeks, kashers the chocolate equipment, and makes a production run, and outputs enough stock for an entire season.

Offline RockaHocka

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1763 on: August 15, 2017, 04:12:36 PM »
There aren't any kosher Swiss chocolate factories. The kosher company leases a factory for a few weeks, kashers the chocolate equipment, and makes a production run, and outputs enough stock for an entire season.
Thanks - any factories that have non CY chocolate? Or any worth going even without getting to taste?

Offline henche

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1764 on: August 15, 2017, 04:13:27 PM »
Thanks - any factories that have non CY chocolate? Or any worth going even without getting to taste?

In Switzerland, non-CY=treif

Offline Saulius

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1765 on: August 15, 2017, 04:37:21 PM »
In Switzerland, non-CY=treif

There are kosher lists for Switzerland that include non-Cholov Yisroel.  See: http://www.icz.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Kaschrutliste_20170802.pdf

Note: The Swiss government's inspection of dairy facilities is rigorous. An entire factory was totally shut down because the government inspectors found a small leak in the bathroom.

Also, note the standards of Cholov Yisroel in Europe, might not be the same as in Israel and in the USA. -- In USA and Israel, any cow that has the Left Displaced Abomasum surgical procedure is removed from the cholov yisroel farm. Also, in Europe, milk comes from dozens of small private farms, not one large company, so the mashgichim are not necessarily present during the entire milking process but are roaming from farm to farm, making multiple brief visits.

Also with reference to Displaced Abomasum see:  http://yudelstake.blogspot.com/2016/07/cholov-stam-cholov-akum-cholov-treife.html

Offline Moshe123

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1766 on: August 15, 2017, 07:00:06 PM »
You're there now? Send pics or TR, please.

Yes.

I'm usually too lazy for that. However, people can use it.
Saas-Fee is really amazing in every aspect.

Online yelped

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1767 on: August 15, 2017, 08:57:09 PM »
Yes.

I'm usually too lazy for that. However, people can use it.
Saas-Fee is really amazing in every aspect.
At least a couple of pics? Please? :)

Offline Moshe123

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1768 on: August 15, 2017, 10:02:50 PM »
At least a couple of pics? Please? :)

There's a baby in them?

Offline Berenstein Bear

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1769 on: August 16, 2017, 10:52:05 AM »
just came back from Saas Fee. Gorgeous! Have one Swiss Travel Pass Flexi & one Youth (same). Each have one day of unlimited travel. I was never asked for ID. Anyone have experience selling? Any buyers?

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1770 on: August 16, 2017, 11:13:36 AM »
just came back from Saas Fee. Gorgeous! Have one Swiss Travel Pass Flexi & one Youth (same). Each have one day of unlimited travel. I was never asked for ID. Anyone have experience selling? Any buyers?
No doubt about that, but if you look at the listings on ricardo, on the pictures of the Tageskarte themselves it's printed in bold, Kein Zwischenhandel. It's prohibited. Just because others are doing it, doesn't give it a heter.
It's prohibited to resell them. Posting this on a public forum is a chillul hashem.

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Offline henche

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1772 on: August 16, 2017, 11:29:21 AM »
just came back from Saas Fee. Gorgeous! Have one Swiss Travel Pass Flexi & one Youth (same). Each have one day of unlimited travel. I was never asked for ID. Anyone have experience selling? Any buyers?

Can that be done on a 9 hour layover in Zurich on Swiss? (@Freddie notice I called the airline by the country its from)

Offline Berenstein Bear

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1773 on: August 16, 2017, 11:34:12 AM »
Can that be done on a 9 hour layover in Zurich on Swiss? (@Freddie notice I called the airline by the country its from)
Saas Fee?

Offline henche

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1774 on: August 16, 2017, 11:35:50 AM »

Offline Saulius

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1775 on: August 16, 2017, 11:39:50 AM »


True, but I was posting with reference to Tageskarte Gemeinde. But do note, the Swiss Travel Pass - the purchaser has their name, passport#, and country of residence filled out on them, and if it comes that a ticket inspector does ask for ID, it will be quite unpleasant.

Note: On some trains in Switzerland, even tickets are rarely checked -- it's an honor system -- but if caught, it's quite unpleasant. (I have forgotten my Halbtax (half-price card) before....)

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1776 on: August 16, 2017, 11:56:56 AM »
http://www.secretflying.com/posts/swiss-hotel-tells-jews-shower-using-swimming-pool/

Yes, that's already old news that went viral yesterday.

Many of the Jewish guests that stayed there have so far reported that they were treated very well there in the past. Now, all too often, I see
people going into the mikvah without taking a shower first, despite every mikvah says one must take a shower first. I am not defending the hotel, but everybody has to know that if you are dressed as a member of the tribe, you stand out, and everything you do gets scrutinized, and that's why one has to be extremely careful. - And people in Switzerland are quite careful about their outward appearance... Till the Beatles came around, it was unheard of not being cleanly shaven.  And I know yekkies that regularly iron their shoelaces.

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Offline Berenstein Bear

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1778 on: August 16, 2017, 12:15:06 PM »

Thanks. I was wondering if it was okay- didn't see anywhere that not. I appreciate the clarification.

Offline Berenstein Bear

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Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #1779 on: August 16, 2017, 12:16:38 PM »
Is that a place?
Yes. But don't see how its possible in that amount of time. Nor is it worth the hassle. it is a beautiful place to stay for a week minimum. 3+ hours from ZRH