other than sleep on a bench.
Coming back from Ibiza in late Sept I have a 15 hour tie over - 21:35 to 12:55 +1, Sat night to Sun morning.(Swiss Air)
I suppose if I leave the area I would have to go through security again.
Need rent-a-cot... :)
entertainment?
Any ideas? Never been there.
Thanks!
EDIT: just found this - may help a lot
https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/zurich-airport-guide.htm
I would budget for a hotel, have a nice dinner, take a stroll, have a good nights sleep, a hearty breakfast and head back to the airport by 10 the next morning. We slept at a hotel near the airport recently for a morning flight and had a good experience. We didn’t feel the need to stay in Zurich as we’ve visited it before and our flight was much earlier than yours.
EDIT: we stayed in Kloten at the Hotel Welcome Inn which is rated #1 for value on TA. There is a bakery across the street and a great restaurant attached to the hotel. We didn’t spend much time in Kloten but we got a good, relatively inexpensive for Switzerland, hotel for one night. They had a free airport shuttle but you had to sign up for it.
Thanks! That sounds like a good idea.
Mona, where do I buy a tram ticket at Zurich airport to take the 10 or 12 a couple stops to Unterriet? Is there a vending machine at the airport where I catch the tram? (possibly Ibis Budget Zurich Airport on Fluhoffstrasse)
Yes, there are several vending machines. The trains leave from an underground station right at the main hall, the tram stop is just outside the main terminal building (50m walk, literally just cross the arrivals access internal road).
Thanks!!!!
Thanks all - done.
Beautiful pics!!!
Yeah, Switzerland... sorry...
That's a nice idea but I don't do mornings. Next time I do this I will be more likely to spend a few days at a stop. Never thought of that. But this is my first trip and I'm in my 70's so I think that would be too tight for me to pull off - too risky.
I also think we will be a lot past the Covid lull by late Sept, so while it won't be back full, it will be busy. I am watching youtube videos of folks going through ZRH so I will have a much better idea of what it is and how to navigate it. I will come in from Ibiza (Schengen)( at 21:35) so likely E, and going out to US so likely A. At least I think that's how it works, but seeing even a couple videos takes most of the mystery away and so it will be a relaxing process.
I did think about roughing it but I was warned that it was cold. I looked at the transit hotel, but for the price I think I will relax at a hotel a mile away (Movenpik), eat a leisurely b'fast and hotel shuttle back to the airport to wander level 2 a bit.
But def thanks for your ideas (and the pics!!) as it has opened my eyes to ideas when traveling, which I hope to do at least once a year. Now it's all new, but so quickly we learn, and the more's fun!
Spend the night in the tourist zone and have a good time. We stayed for cheap at the City Backpacker-Hostel Biber.
luftmensch, I am beginning to change my ideas on this, in large part due to your post. I have communicated with transit hotel and will see what they have - thinking of splashing water on my face at 7AM and catching a train to HB and doing a few hour walk around there. Up bahnhofstrass and into the old city and around - should be great fun. Many thanks!!! I saw a great route in another post here. Easy!!!
luftmensch, your idea wins - with encouragement from KGC in another thread. I got a hotel about 200meters from HB in old city, and will get up early and indeed get an easy 3-4 hours walkabout. Many thanks!!! (I found that it's a 30 min walk from transit hotel to SBB ticket counter which is wasted time in the morning, so canceled that.)
I think if it were me I would go to Lake Zurich and take a boat cruise on the lake.. And I agree with the post recommending the Uetliberg. The view is awesome, especially if you climb the tower.
You could take a 30 minute train ride to the very cute town of stein am Rhein. Very easy to get on train at Zurich airport. The small town can be seen in a few hours--beautiful church and. the highllight is a fully restored and furnished old farmhouse in the center of the town. We bought sandwiches and had lunch on a bench that was near the Rhine and offered a great view.
Thanks all but I get in to ZRH at about 10PM so it's hotel and stacking Z's for most of it. Then I will wander through the old city in the early AM.
