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You can obsess on having a bunch of coins in your purse or pockets.
I always have a rasidue from my last trip, but replenish by buying some small items that need change.
Also, the large train stations, especially those with a McClean have coin changers near them. The frequently are in working condition.
You’ll have a treat when you see your first Swiss paper money (although it is now printed on plastic “paper”).
At many train stations and all large ones, there are luggage carts. Many are designed to go up and down escalators (a look at te bottom of the cart lets you see the “grips” …which works great unless you pile on luggage that falls off when the cart tips to go up or down an escalator. They are free at Zürich Airport, but elsewhere, you put a 2 CHF coin in a slot to free the cart from the line of availables. Then, when you are done, you plug it back into a line…they are all over the station in Zürich main station, for example, and the coin pops back out for you.
Slowpoke
Hi Emie-
The itinerary that you describe can work well in late October.
If you were gong to the Jungfrau Region, you’d run into issues described in this thread:
http://www.myswissalps.com/fo rum/topic/interlaken-2
They won’t be an issue for you, although if you plan high altitude trips, you should confirm the availability of transport, using the timetable.
http://www.myswissalps.com/ti metable
Slowpoke
Emie,
“restrooms” are also called WC (water closet). There is in Switzerland a smartphone app called “WC-Guide” which will show you where are WCs in your area.
This thing about fear of dirty toilets puzzles me a bit, I must say.
No one is forced to travel. A person concerned by dirty toilets presumely thinks “dirtier than in my own country”. If his or her country is a large one, I suggest to visit one of the many attractive places there. As for Switzerland, there are so many books, films, you-tube videos etc. that can provide the desired knowledge of the place.
Switzerland has a reputation (granted, not always deserved) of being a rather clean country. How can someone want to visit Switzerland (or any other place for that matter) without knowing basic facts puzzles me. I don’t know anything about, say, Honduras: why would I come to the idea of travellling there?
Finally, I think we should accept that travelling means to make discoveries, to have surprises. And therefore let’s not expect to know everything in advance. In Italy, you buy bus tickets at tobacco stores, in Chicago in pharmacies. In the States, you should tip at least 15 %. In Bolivia you can’t send postcards (there is no postal service). Etc. etc. Isn’t that the fun of travelling?
When I need a restroom and don’t know any, I go to a restaurant, café, bar, order a drink and go to the WC. If necessary I use toilet paper to wipe the seat.
Emie, I hope I’m not being too rude on you. I’m really more speaking in general terms (let’s welcome surprises during our trips) rather than addressing your specific concern.
Well, yes, traveling comes with surprises. However, that’s not the main joy of traveling for everyone. I think this is a matter of travel styles, which can vary a lot. Some people just go, and don’t plan much in advance. They prefer to have the maximum number of surprises I guess, which is fine 🙂 Others prepare each and every detail. Or they focus on specific details, like the cleanliness of toilets. It’s all ok as far as I am concerned. No question is too detailed I think. Whether we can answer it all is a different matter. The nice thing is, if we share toilet information here, there is no doubt in my mind that someone else will stumble upon this thread in the future and finds it handy!
Thanks everyone for humoring me regarding the “facilities”. This preoccupation with a bathroom/toilet/WC extends to the US as well. Just a quirk of mine as a lady who consumes an inordinate amount of water 🙂 Hopefully, this information will be useful to someone else as Arno mentioned. I am looking forward to seeing and trying new adventures. In any case, it’s all good and now I am onto tackling the train situation!Appreciate the heads up on having coins handy Slowpoke – I have a feeling my husband may need to tighten his belt a notch!
I would second several comments, but also state that in general, we tend in the US to assume there will be toilets available. I second the comment about making sure you have plenty of coins (1 and 2 Swiss franc coins). We found we really needed these. We actually came back to the US with several of the Swiss franc bills—which are truly beautiful—but we had to purposely save back a coin of each denomination, otherwise they would all have been spent. The coins were invaluable. I also second the comment about discovering as you go, but I also agree with finding out as much as you can ahead of time. I found that no matter how much I tried to research ahead of time, there was still PLENTY of adventure and discovering. We couldn’t possibly know everything we needed to. Unless you go on a guided tour, where you are paying someone to know everything, you will always have an element of the unknown. Happy travels, and may the amount of unknown not be so great that it causes extreme anxiety!
Less so today than a few years ago, but 20 rappen coins (20 cents) come in handy, too.
If you use luggage lockers, 5, 2, 1 CHF coins are useful, but they usually accept 1/2 CHF coins, too.
Slowpoke
Thank you to all of the above. It has been delightful reading each and everyone’s comments and I understand Emie’s preoccupation with toilets. I have a similar situation, not for myself but for my husband who is in a wheelchair and finding accessible toilets is usually even harder (let alone a clean one).
While in the UK we had a key to all accessible toilets as well as a book that listed all of the toilets. I believe Switzerland has a similar key system, though obtaining the key is a little more difficult.
Popping into a cafe or similar to buy a drink and use their facilities is usually not quite that simple, with tables or chairs in the way or doors too narrow for the wheelchair to fit through, nevertheless, we usually manage one way or another.
Still, it will be all part of our adventure and hopefully we will still be smiling at the end of October after 3 weeks of travelling. 😃
Hi Carrie-
<<“Popping into a cafe or similar to buy a drink and use their facilities is usually not quite that simple, with tables or chairs in the way or doors too narrow for the wheelchair to fit through, nevertheless, we usually manage one way or another.”>>
Can he walk a few feet?
Slowpoke
Hi Slowpoke,
Unable to stand or walk so I usually have to do a lot of research re accommodation, transport and facilities.
Carrie.
By the way, here’s the website associated with the app that Snowman mentioned: http://www.wc-guide.ch/eng. There’s a filter to show disabled toilets only.
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