use portion of German ticket to ZRH on a later train from Zurich?

If this were in Germany, you would not be able to. SparPreis tickets are only valid for the specific train listed. I doubt that Switzerland would make any exception. You should have thought of this before you bought a specific train ticket. You could probably have built in a stopover of, say, 1 or 2 hours at Zürich HB.

Also, in Germany, you could have specified a route that uses a regional train, example of the many S-Bahn that runs from Zürich HB to the airport every few minutes. Regional trains in Germany are not train specific; you can use any other one on the same route anytime that day (actually until 10 am the following day).

However, I don't know how Switzerland honors German Rail tickets. They might be more flexible; they might be less flexible. They might let you take any S-Bahn to finish the route. You'll have to ask the conductor on the train arriving at Zürich. But, then, that train is a German ICE, so that conductor might not know. If you are going to make a stop in Zürich (town) anyway, make a quick stop at the ticket counter in the HB to find out, before getting on the train and risking a possible fine.

thank you. Should have said proposed ticket--still researching. The local trains do not offer the great fares. They are 50% more expensive. With 6 people,it adds up. I wondered b/c most Swiss trains are non-restricted. With the Sparpreis Europa Schweiz ticket on bahn.de, I cannot see the option to build in a stop over, like on other tickets.

When you first open the (English) Bahn schedule webpage, there is a link "Stopover > add intermediate stops". The rest is pretty self explanatory. You don't have to put in the colon, i.e.. you can use 200 for 2:00. Once you have schedules shown, the Stopover option disappears. You have to click in the box labelled "change", then click on the link "change other data" to get to the stopover option.

BTW, on the Zürich Metro District's website (www.ZVV.ch, it indicates that the fare to the airport (apparently by any train, S or IC, etc) is 4,30 CF per adult or 3,00 CF per child.

Edit: I think I see your problem. You have a group of 6, and when you try to select the group rate, it doesn't give you a SparPreis. What are the ages in your group.

thank you. I was able to figure it out using 5 persons and then 1 person (19 euro ticket). Kids are 15, 15, and adults. I am able to get 81 euros for 5 and 19 euros for 1 with stop over--I am happy! Do I need to buy these now for July travel, or will they be around? Also, would you recommend Freiborg, Basel, or Zurich as a 3 hr stop over to see a bit more of Europe prior to departing ZRH. We would either check our luggage at the station, or leave an adult as designated bag watcher at a cafe, etc. We will have been in Paris and Colmar. It seems Basel is a bit of a far walk from the train. I am familiar with Zurich.

"Do I need to buy these now for July travel, or will they be around?"

Savings Fare tickets are tiered by price and there are only so many tickets in each tier. When the tickets from the lowest priced tier are gone, the next ones are more expensive. I would not count on finding the same price later.

I spent a morning in Zürich and enjoyed it very much. I've only changed trains in Freiburg and Basel, so I really can't comment on them.

thank you. I think we will just build a stopover in at Zurich and if we are too tired, then just pay for an earlier tram to ZRH.

Elaine, Tickets from central Zürich (Zürich HB station) to the airport is 3 zones, cost CHF 6.60 per person (6.60 x 6 = 39.60).
These are valid on any train (you can use a tram but it is slower). Your through ticket will be valid on any train from Zürich HB to Zürich Flughafen (IC, IRE, IR, S-Bahn).
But, I must say taking a train from Kehl to Zürich to catch a flight is a very long journey. Is there any reason you didn't fly from somewhere closer, like Hamburg?

we are returning a car in Strasbourg, so Kehl is nearby. We are flying on FF miles. A nonstop from ZRH was available. When booking FF miles for a family of 6, on has to be flexible. ZRH also offered lots of convenient train connections from France either via Freiburg or Basel.

Elaine, sorry, forget that, brain storm on my part. I was thinking of Kiel, on the Baltic coast near Hamburg :-).

If you are dropping the car off in Strasbourg, there are regular (hourly-ish) InterCity trains from Strasbourg to Basel, then 2+ trains per hour from Basel to Zürich HB. That might be a better option.
Or, if you need to drop off the car in France, how about at the French half of Basel airport, then bus to Basel station (15 minutes @ CHF 4.40 per person)?
Strasbourg and Basel are both worth a few hours at least.

thank you. I was wondering about that. Strasbourg is confirmed and cannot be changed, a we got a great rate on a van. We'll spend a few hours there after we drop the car. The Bahn.de saver ticket is only 100 euros for 6 of us from Kehl with a stopover in either Basel or Zurich. We'll decide whether it's worth it to leave from Kehl or get a super saver from Basel, and use the local train to Basel earlier. How far a walk is the old part of Basel from the SBB station?

Elaine,
Basel Old town is a bit of a walk from the station (Basel SBB). It is easier to get a tram (4 stops). If you are arriving from Germany your train will stop first at Basel Badischer Bahnhof, then Basel SBB where you change for Swiss trains.
See the city website here: https://www.basel.com/en/Media/Attractions/Basel-Old-Town
Me, I could plan out the perfect circuit to show you the Minster, and the lovely old town in a few hours. It is full of lovely old streets where you just can't tell what century you are in: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f6/11-11-24-basel-by-ralfr-075.jpg
360° picture of Minster square here: http://www.frank-brexel.de/album/Panorama_Muensterplatz_Basel_b4.jpg

Elaine,

your original (no stopover) connection had a change of trains in Basel at the Basel Badischer Bahnhof (the German Rail station in Basel), not Basel SBB (the Swiss Rail station). Both ICEs stop at both Basel Bad Bf and SBB, so you could change either place. However, the train change at Bad is 13 min and at SBB is only 10 min.

Incidently, both trains stop on the same track in Freiburg (about 10 minutes apart. That would be the most convenient place to change.

If you take the original connection and add a stopover of 2 hrs at Basel SBB, it will keep you on the same ICE from Offenburg to Basel SBB - no change at Badischer Bf.

Chris, now I see that it is a 3 zone connection from Zürich HB to ZRH. The zone map on ZVV.ch shows the two zones are adjacent (ergo a 2 zone connection). It's only if you notice the asterisks on the Zürich HB zone that you see the zone is considered two zones, ergo the connection is 3 zones. ZVV only gives the fare for 1-2 and 3 zone connections, but doesn't say how many zones the HB to ZRH connection is. SBB does say it is a three zone connection but doesn't give the fare

thanks to everyone. unless someone in my clan really want to say they have been to Germany, I think we are just going to get a Swiss super saver at 30 days out from Basel to ZRH for early evening to leave our options open. A bit more $, adding in the local French train to Basel, but lots more flex for when/where we go that day, as we just need to get to airport hotel that night. thanks, again, Elaine

Elaine, Lee,
Intercity trains (IC, ICE) on the Rhine valley route from Germany to Switzerland call at both Basel Badischer Bahnhof and Basel SBB. Some terminate at Basel SBB, others continue on to Swiss destinations (Interlaken, Zürich). Trains to Swiss destinations all start from Basel SBB. If you are coming from Germany by IC or ICE and heading to Zürich, it will either by a through train, or you change at Basel SBB (Elaine doesn't say which train she is coming in on, so I don't know which it is). There is never a connection at Basel Badischer Bahnhof, unless you are heading to Germany.

If you decide to spend time in Basel (a few hours or overnight), you could get off at Basel Badischer Bahnhof, work you way through the city centre, and pick up you onward train at Basel SBB, on the opposite side of the city. Once you are on Swiss Railways (which start at Basel SBB), your ticket is valid for any train.

Once you are on Swiss Railways (which start at Basel SBB), your ticket is valid for any train.
so, would a Swiss super saver ticket would be good on an earlier/later train from Basel SBB to ZRH?

Elaine, sorry, no. A Supersaver ticket is specific. I was referring to your original option of getting a through ticket from somewhere in Germany to Zürich. The "full price" 2nd class ticket from Basel SBB to Zürich HB is CHF 33.00. Supersaver tickets (Sparpreis) are only available on some trains, and have prices up to 50% off, but are for specific trains and most be purchased in advance.
You can look up times and prices on www.sbb.ch

Since you have two 15-year olds with you, they will travel in Switzerland at half price until they turn 16.
The 22.80 CHF fares were available for all the Basel-Zurich Airport Connections on the day I looked at (June 9), but you have to pick one when you buy the ticket and be on that train, otherwise the ticket is invalid. Apparently the price comes to the half fare for the Basel-Zurich Hbf portion(16.50) plus 6.30 full fare for the Zurich-Zurich airport portion.
So 4 adults X 22.80 CHF and 2 children (under 16) X 11.40 CHF comes to 114 CHF.
Recapping, there are 7 trains between 14:30 and 19:37 available at that price, but you have to pick one and live with it. Or travel with full flexibility for the full fare price of 38 CHF per adult and 19 CHF per child for a total of 190 CHF.