[Anonymous]

4 February 2023 at 3:57:52 #829008

Hello All,

We visit Zurich for first time. Please help us with train advice.

We arrive at Zurich airport at 6:30am morning. We have 1 full day in Zurich. We would like to take train from Zurich to see beautiful scenery view and come back to Zurich in afternoon or early evening. We were told that we could take train from Zurich – Sargans – Buchs – Rorschach – St Gallen – Winterthur – Zurich.

Basically we just love to sit on train and see the beautiful scenery view and come back same day. Destination is not important.

Does this route have beautiful scenery view? Is it possible to do in one day come back in afternoon/evening? What train should we take?

If anyone has great knowledge, please help us with as much information as possible. We thank you and appreciate your advice.

Thank you!!!

Tung

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[Anna]

Reply 1 of 10 • 4 February 2023 at 12:37:57 #950526

Hi Tung,

If you have a tight schedule, I recommend travelling on the Voralpen Express. The route is explained in detail here: http://www.myswissalps.com/voralpenexpress/gettingthere

There are also various scenic train options you can do as a day trip from Zurich. Have a look at some options here: http://www.myswissalps.com/activities/scenictrips/train

For more sightseeing options in Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities

Regards,

Anna

[User]

Reply 2 of 10 • 4 February 2023 at 13:50:56 #950527

Hi Anna:

Thank you for your advice. We have never been to Zurich so please forgive if we ask too many questions.

For the Voralpen Express, from what station in Zurich to what station? Do we have to change train? How many hours for the whole journey and come back (we prefer 5-6 hours for the whole trip including coming back)?

If the Voralpen Express is longer train, then do you know any trip that would be 5-6 hours including coming back with scenery view? If yes, please advise from what station in Zurich to what station, please.

Sorry we ask a lot, but please help us. Thank you!!!

Tung

[Anna]

Reply 3 of 10 • 4 February 2023 at 17:52:55 #950528

Hi Tung,

If you are just interested in a round trip from Zurich by train, you can try the following route:

1. Zurich to Lucerne by regular train (45 mins) – there are regular services between the two cities. The trains leave from the main station (Zurich HB)

2. Lucerne to St Gallen by Voralpen Express (roughly 2 hrs)

3. St Gallen to Zurich via Schaffhausen (roughly 2.5 hours)

All in all, this whole trip can take up to 6 hours.

Alternatively you can plan a day trip to any destination such as Interlaken or Lugano and enjoy the scenic views from the train. With the fast train, you can make a return trip in 5-6 hours.

You can use the timetable to plan your journey: http://www.myswissalps.com/timetable

Hope this gives you something to start with.

Regards,

Anna

[User]

Reply 4 of 10 • 5 February 2023 at 3:58:12 #950529

Hi Anna:

Thank you very much for your advice.

If we just take train from Zurich to Lucerne and Lucerne back to Zurich, does this train/route have beautiful scenery view?

Also, do you know if Lucerne train station is close to any scenery views that we can visit quickly then go back right away?

Thank you Anna and all moderatos, readers.

Tung

[User]

Reply 5 of 10 • 5 February 2023 at 15:33:11 #950530

Hello Tung,

The train trip from Zurich to Lucerne is not too long, as per Anna, around 45 minutes. Here you would experience seeing Zurich lake and the villages dotted along. It’s for sure pretty and on a clear day, you can see the mountains in the distance 🙂

After reaching Lucerne, a visit to Mount Pilatus is doable as a day trip or you could consider the city walk in Lucerne itself. This walk takes around two hours to complete. More details here :

• https://www.myswissalps.com/pilatus
• https://www.myswissalps.com/lucerne

I hope this helps, feel free to reach out with any further questions.

Kind regards,

Yolanda

[Annika]

Reply 6 of 10 • 6 February 2023 at 11:57:25 #950531

A visit to Lucerne would certainly be a good option for just one day from Zurich. The city walk described by Yolanda can be found here: http://www.myswissalps.com/hiking/lucerne.

The train routes mentioned by Anna are all good options. To add one more: you could consider traveling via the Emmental (“Emmen Valley”) and Bern when getting from Zurich to Lucerne (or the other way around). The Emmental is very pretty, with rolling green hills and small traditional villages. This route is significantly longer than a direct connection though. A direct single journey between Zurich and Lucerne takes 40 to 50 minutes, the option via the Emmental takes about 3 hours. If you want details for this route, enter one of the villages in the Emmental (such as Entlebuch or Langnau) as via-station in the timetable provided by Anna.

[User]

Reply 7 of 10 • 8 February 2023 at 4:30:26 #950532

Thank you both Anna and Yolanda for your help and advice. I think we will go with only one train Zurich to Lucerne and back to Zurich (the 50 minutes one-way train).

Could I ask if that train has pre-assigned seat or everybody just gets on and sits whereever is available?

From the airport, do you know what train to take to the main Zurich train station?

We are so excite. If you could tell us more what we would see on the train from Zurich to Lucerne, that would be great.

Thank you so much!

Tung

[User]

Reply 8 of 10 • 8 February 2023 at 11:27:16 #950533

Zurich – Luzern is a fairly ordinary line – just traveling that line both ways is not a ‘super scenic’ day out. It is the Luzern end that is interesting and seeing that needs more planning. You can just travel that route and look around Luzern, but once you see the lake at Luzern you might be disappointed if you have not organised a boat trip or other activity.

You can take any train Zurich Flughafen – Zurich HB (main station), or wait for the direct Zurich Flughafen – Luzern trains which run twice per hour (routes IR13 or IR75)

[User]

Reply 9 of 10 • 8 February 2023 at 12:45:10 #950534

Hello 1960man,

Thank you for your candid advice. We have never been to Zurich before. Our flight arrives 6:15am (early morning), so technically we have a full-day.

We have two plans. Could you and moderators please advise which plan would be ideal?

Plan 1: Take a train from Zurich to Lucerne then quicky come back to Zurich. In the afternoon, take a half-day Zurich City Tour that moderators recommended.

Plan 2: Take a train from Zurich to some place then come back late afternoon and NOT doing the half-day Zurich City Tour.

This is our first time so we are thinking of going with plan 1. However, as you and others moderators mentioned, the Zurich – Lucerne train is not ‘sceneric view’ train, so we have few questions, please.

1/. Is plan 1 still better OR should we go with plan 2 instead?

2/. If plan 1 is good, could you recommend any other destination different from Lucerne, that we can take and come back quickly for the half-day Zurich City Tour at 1pm in the afternoon? If the round-trip is around 4-4.5 hours, that would be great.

Thank you and all moderators for your help!

Tung

[User]

Reply 10 of 10 • 8 February 2023 at 16:46:18 #950535

Hello Tung,

I appreciate it can feel very overwhelming when advice is coming from all angles.

I think the train journey to Lucerne is quite pretty, on a clear day, you can definitely enjoy the mountain scenery in the distance, as well as the villages along the lake. Yes, there are more spectacular views here in Switzerland but for a day trip from Zurich, Lucerne is within reach and very doable and worth a visit, combined with the city walk there. Of course, it depends on your own specific interests. Some do not like walking around,some prefer a boat cruise and vice versa. Both possible in Zurich or Lucerne.

• https://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakezurich
• http://www.myswissalps.com/boatlakelucerne

Within Zurich itself, for views, a train trip up to the Uetliberg could be an option, Uetliberg is approximately 30 minutes away from Zurich main station. On a clear day, the views are very picturesque. More information can be found here. https://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/activities . Thereon, you could still easily have a tour around Zurich in the afternoon or even head to Lucerne.

Kind regards,

Yolanda