Topic Wiki

Trip Reports
Dan
Yungerman
chucksterace
VacationLover Part 1
VacationLover Part 2
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 604043 times)

Offline kivabb

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2010
  • Posts: 747
  • Total likes: 84
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #60 on: June 16, 2010, 10:17:19 PM »
Is the business lounge in Zurich anything special on SWISS? I would have a 10:30 PM flight to TLV arriving 3:30 AM. This would be after a 36 hour stopover to see the Alps and a 10 trip to Zurich.

At that point I could use a nice lounge to pass out till my flight takes off. 3 1/2 hour flight to TLV arriving at 3:30 AM will do wonders for my jet lag.

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #61 on: June 16, 2010, 10:39:47 PM »
Is the business lounge in Zurich anything special on SWISS? I would have a 10:30 PM flight to TLV arriving 3:30 AM. This would be after a 36 hour stopover to see the Alps and a 10 trip to Zurich.

At that point I could use a nice lounge to pass out till my flight takes off. 3 1/2 hour flight to TLV arriving at 3:30 AM will do wonders for my jet lag.
The LX business lounge in ZRH is nice, but it's extremely far from the TLV gates.
There's a generic airport lounge that's closer.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline SuperFlyer

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 9351
  • Total likes: 414
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #62 on: June 17, 2010, 04:14:47 AM »
Little correction Dan.

Long hauls, including TLV depart from terminal E (which I made from the lounge in A, in a record of 5 mins sharp till the gate !), but is usually a good half an hour away.

Now the best business and *A G lounge is in the terminal A (you get there when entering ZRH airport coming from outside, or from european flights.

So if you are coming in the airport, either from GVA by plane, or from outside, you are very close to the Terminal A lounge (not the First lounge, unless you are flying first).
At the reception you can ask them for a shower.

For some reason I always get shower number 4 of the ladies side... (Don't worry its private rooms, and if not for the fact that the mens showers are accessed via the men toilet, I believe that wouldn't even differentiate)

Offline chuchem

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 2323
  • Total likes: 30
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #63 on: June 17, 2010, 08:10:39 AM »
Superflyer, i think thats what dan said. There is a big * and swiss lounge at the airside center. Thats between terminal a and b.
That terminal is before security and the train taking you to terminal e. If you are lucky it takes 5 min, if not it can take 30 and since gates close 15 min before deprture, that means you have to leave the lounge 45 min before to be save
There is another lounge in e. Its not run by swiss but swiss business and first passengers have access. Its not as nice and has no showers, but its after security, so you can stay there until 20 min before the flight. If you dont need a shower and want to relax without leaving early take that one.

Offline SuperFlyer

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 9351
  • Total likes: 414
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #64 on: June 17, 2010, 08:19:58 AM »
Superflyer, i think thats what dan said. There is a big * and swiss lounge at the airside center. Thats between terminal a and b.
That terminal is before security and the train taking you to terminal e. If you are lucky it takes 5 min, if not it can take 30 and since gates close 15 min before deprture, that means you have to leave the lounge 45 min before to be save
There is another lounge in e. Its not run by swiss but swiss business and first passengers have access. Its not as nice and has no showers, but its after security, so you can stay there until 20 min before the flight. If you dont need a shower and want to relax without leaving early take that one.

how is that different from what I said?

the E terminal lounge is a waste of time.

Offline SuperFlyer

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 9351
  • Total likes: 414
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #65 on: June 17, 2010, 08:21:12 AM »
The LX business lounge in ZRH is nice, but it's extremely far from the TLV gates.
There's a generic airport lounge that's closer.

Is true when coming from a long haul and connecting to a long haul.

Offline kivabb

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Silver Elite
  • *****
  • Join Date: Mar 2010
  • Posts: 747
  • Total likes: 84
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #66 on: June 17, 2010, 10:14:58 AM »
The LX business lounge in ZRH is nice, but it's extremely far from the TLV gates.
There's a generic airport lounge that's closer.

Is this one after security? Any idea what it's called or I just ask after security?

Offline SuperFlyer

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 9351
  • Total likes: 414
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #67 on: June 17, 2010, 10:26:21 AM »
Well if coming from outside the airport, and using the regular police checkpoint (without going up the stairs), you either follow the swiss business lounge signs, or move towards the x-ray machines (you will see the transfer/ticketing desk on your right).
Going towards the x-ray machines, stay on the left side of the hall (next to the smokers lounge), and then when possible, turn left (almost U-turn), and take the escalator.
On top of the escalator, you continue straight for some 40 yards/meters, and its on your left.

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #68 on: June 17, 2010, 01:44:33 PM »
Is this one after security? Any idea what it's called or I just ask after security?
The LX lounge is between A-B which is before the train, customs, and security for terminal E (TLV gates)

It took quite a while to get to the lounge in terminal E.  The only good thing about the E lounge was I was able to fill up 2 water bottles for the flight post security.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline chuchem

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 2323
  • Total likes: 30
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #69 on: June 17, 2010, 02:17:12 PM »
Botto, line

If you need to shower or have alot of time go to the swiss lounge at airside (bet. A-B)

If you dont need to shower, dont have a lot of time or want to relax before the flight without having to go through security again, go to the longe in E

By the way I dont think E lounge gives access to *gold when flying Economy

Dan, I think we should move all lounge comments (incl mine) to a diffrent thread, since people want to read here about Switzerland and dont want to go through 20 posts about airport lounges in Zuerich


Offline SuperFlyer

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *********
  • Join Date: Jul 2009
  • Posts: 9351
  • Total likes: 414
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #70 on: June 17, 2010, 02:19:33 PM »
Botto, line

If you need to shower or have alot of time go to the swiss lounge at airside (bet. A-B)

If you dont need to shower, dont have a lot of time or want to relax before the flight without having to go through security again, go to the longe in E

By the way I dont think E lounge gives access to *gold when flying Economy

Dan, I think we should move all lounge comments (incl mine) to a diffrent thread, since people want to read here about Switzerland and dont want to go through 20 posts about airport lounges in Zuerich



senators have access, *a gold, Im not sure.

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #71 on: June 17, 2010, 02:25:28 PM »
*G has access to both lounges regardless of class.
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline chuchem

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 2323
  • Total likes: 30
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #72 on: June 17, 2010, 02:42:32 PM »
Dan, what do you say to this?

Dan, I think we should move all lounge comments (incl mine) to a diffrent thread, since people want to read here about Switzerland and dont want to go through 20 posts about airport lounges in Zuerich

Offline rm

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 146
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #73 on: July 05, 2010, 02:27:17 PM »
im gonna have a 6 and half hour stop over in Madrid in Aug. Is there much to see in 6 hours?

Offline Dan

  • Administrator
  • Dansdeals Lifetime 50K Diamond Elite
  • **********
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 67598
  • Total likes: 16909
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 16442
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Location: CLE
  • Programs: UA GS, AA EXP, DL Dirt, Hyatt Glob, Fairmont Lifetime Plat, DD Diamond, Blocked By @NeriaKraus
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #74 on: July 05, 2010, 02:30:14 PM »
im gonna have a 6 and half hour stop over in Madrid in Aug. Is there much to see in 6 hours?
Why are posting in the Switzerland thread then?
Save your time, I don't answer PM. Post it in the forum and a dedicated DDF'er will get back to you as soon as possible.

Offline chuchem

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 2323
  • Total likes: 30
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 1
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #75 on: July 05, 2010, 04:41:41 PM »
He propably thinks Madrid is in Switzerland. Some americans knowledge of geography is.....
But dont worry Tokyo is next to Paris and Brussel is the Capitol of Berlin

Offline steve2

  • Dansdeals Lifetime Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: Jun 2009
  • Posts: 2077
  • Total likes: 8
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
  • Location: outside some Club
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #76 on: July 06, 2010, 01:00:57 PM »
 this is great to know Madrid,Spain is in Switzerland that means no probleming having to exchange any money into Euros as I have plenty and wont need any Swiss francs if I dont leave Madrid

Offline rm

  • Dansdeals Gold Elite
  • ***
  • Join Date: Nov 2009
  • Posts: 146
  • Total likes: 0
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #77 on: July 06, 2010, 11:47:40 PM »
I thought there was a post saying uve combined the two topics?!?!?!

Offline moe

  • Dansdeals Platinum Elite + Lifetime Gold Elite
  • ******
  • Join Date: Nov 2008
  • Posts: 776
  • Total likes: 4
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #78 on: July 14, 2010, 01:14:19 PM »
Anyone know if there is any "chain" hotel in Geneva that would get me a good deal? I will be there as a stop over for the night of july 28th. The SPG wilson tempts me, but def not gonna pay that much...!

Offline moish

  • Dansdeals Lifetime 10K Presidential Platinum Elite
  • *******
  • Join Date: May 2008
  • Posts: 10006
  • Total likes: 297
  • DansDeals.com Hat Tips 0
  • Gender: Male
    • View Profile
  • Programs: AA LT Plat, Avis, SPG Plat
Re: Switzerland Master Thread
« Reply #79 on: July 14, 2010, 06:48:09 PM »
just do priceline