MySwissAlps.com includes andrew
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in reply to: Queries regarding Swiss Travel Pass and SBB app
Hi Komal,
I note that one of the web addresses you mention is one letter different from one that Arno mentions. It reminds me that I understand there is currently a very plausible scam using a close lookalike website of the SBB site.
Please, everyone, make sure you are on the correct SBB website when you book your tickets.
AndrewHi Sally B,
In February we were in Switzerland and I had a big birthday. My big present was a Mondaine ‘Stop2Go’ wall clock, a smaller version (25cm) of the SBB clocks seen in Swiss railway stations. Every minute the second hand pauses realistically while the minute hand moves on a minute. It cleverly checks itself every morning at 6am against internet time and so far has run well and accurately.
To address your question more directly, I bought it in the Zurich HB SBB shop for CHF299. Taking account of the poor exchange rate at the time (about 5% worse than now), the sterling amount arrived in my credit card account at about £285 or roughly the same price as the average in the UK at the time. Note that, when I had looked, UK supply was limited.
Have a good holiday next month.
AndrewHi Komal,
The ‘Blue stamp’ business started during Covid. I believe the British Authorities required the airlines to check the vaccination status of passengers entering the UK. Quite what the function is now I can’t say nor to which countries it applies. I can only speak from my experience as a British subject at the ‘D’ departure lounges. It’s many years since I departed from terminal E so I can’t say what happens there.
Other non-Schengen citizens/subjects may have different rules which the blue stamp on a boarding card now covers. As I reported, passport stamping is a thing of the past.
Hope it all goes well for you and you enjoy Switzerland – its lovely people, its wonderful scenery and its exceptionally good public transport system.
AndrewHi Komal,
You ask about recent experiences with EES.
Like Roger I am a British Subject resident in England and we are frequent visitors to Switzerland and have been for many years.
On our most recent visit we flew on 13th July to Zurich from Birmingham (BHX) landing at 11:45.
We were at Passport Control by 12:05 where the queue was quite long but, as Roger says, it was well regulated and moving slowly but steadily.
We were able to join the queue directly because we had visited in the winter and were already registered. If this is your first time with EES there are self service booths for registration on the left as you enter the hall and it takes only a few minutes, then you can join the queue if there is one.
We were on a train less than an hour after touching down on the runway.
On our return journey the Zurich Airport website recommended arriving no later than 14:40 for our scheduled flight departure at 17:10. We arrived a few minutes before that and were in the departure lounge less than an hour after stepping off the train.
At Passport control there was no queue whatsoever. I stopped only long enough to ask about stamping of my passport. “We don’t do that anymore.” was the reply.
The longest part of the whole thing was spent learning how to work the latest self-drop luggage procedure. Use your boarding card on your phone (or, as we prefer, ask your hotel to print it for you) to obtain your luggage labels and attach them to your luggage. Then advance to the conveyor belt where you scan your labels, place the bags on the belt and wander off to security or shops or whatever. You can choose between German or English instructions.
For those going to the UK flights usually depart from the ‘D’ departure lounges. The ‘D’ (or whatever) part is shown on the displays a long time before the actual gate number.
Finally, a hint if your gate number starts with a ‘D’. If you arrive there early ignore the gates and seating and walk right to the end where there’s an short escalator to gate D43. Up there it’s light and airy with good views of the airport. Details of all the gates are displayed so make sure you go back down to be early in the queue for your blue stamp. For those who don’t know about this procedure look out for the little ‘ice-cream’ stand with your flight number on it and even sometimes a member of staff to check your details and apply the stamp. Without that stamp you won’t be allowed to board.
I hope all that helps. Now I think I’ll go and lie down!
Andrew
Hi DTK Family,,
The maximum eclipse in Zermatt is said to be at about 7.15pm so I suggest, if you’re in Zermatt the day before at that time, you check the position of the sun and where direct light is reaching. That will give you good ideas of a suitable viewpoint.
Remember: DO NO LOOK DIRECTLY AT THE SUN! (Sorry about that but it has to be said)
AndrewHi Yup,
We have recently returned from our regular summer two week hotel trip to Switzerland.
This time we took only a fairly nominal sum in cash and brought all of it back home with us. We simply used a credit card for everything.
In the hotels, for instance, we paid for extras (such as dinner or coffees) at the time we had them. That also made budgeting easy as the credit card account showed on line, both in Swiss francs and Sterling, exactly what we had spent as the holiday progressed. Nice to have no extras on the bill to double check!
Always pay in the local currency, by the way. The choice is given on the credit card machine.
Have a happy cashless holiday.
AndrewHi Ivy,
We’ve used Swiss Travel Passes many times and never used our middle names as shown on our passports.
We’ve never had a problem with it.
Have a happy holiday in Switzerland.
AndrewHi Artim,
We haven’t stayed at either of the hotels you mention but two years ago we stayed for a few days at the ABC, just across the square from the station. We’re booked in there again this summer.
In 2024 the reception desk had a sign which said simply, “Please Do Disturb” and the hotel very much lived up to that splendid ethos.
Very nice roomy bedrooms with a coffee machine and en suite; lift to all floors and a good breakfast.
The first morning as we appeared for breakfast we were asked our room number. When we gave it the immediate response was, “Ah! Gluten free!”
It’s a modern building and the only downside was that rooms at the back overlooked a courtyard and other equally high buildings. Quiet though, with no noise from the square at the front.
Best wishes for your holiday.
Andrew
in reply to: Hiking options and towns near Zurich April 7-8
Hi Shivam,
The walk from Uetliberg to Felsenegg is indeed a lovely one and not difficult. We did it about 10 years ago and enjoyed it but be warned: the path is mostly below the top of the ridge on the side looking away from Lake Zurich and views of the lake are limited. There are wide, far reaching views to the west.
I’ve attached a photograph I took from Uetliberg on 24th February this year. We had been on a lake cruise but the visibility looked so good we jumped ship at Thalwil and took the train up ‘Zurich’s own mountain’.
AndrewAttachments:
Hi Roger,
I can beat you on one count but not the other.
During our recent skiing holiday this Briton celebrated his 80th birthday, but I’ve only been visiting Switzerland regularly (usually twice a year) since 1981 when I learnt to ski!
I would point out that our quick entry into Switzerland at Zurich Airport was unusual even for pre EES times. Our Birmingham flight normally lands just before lunchtime when passport control seems to go for its collective lunch break. The queue when leaving was bad but I have known worse. There always seems to be a queue of some sort.
At least the “Blue Stamp” is better organised than it used to be. For those who haven’t experienced it, what looks like the front of a small kiosk appears in the departure ‘lounge’ and all passengers have to present their passports and have their boarding cards stamped. Without that stamp you won’t be allowed to board. Sometimes the ‘kiosk’ displays the flight number and destination. Go up to it as soon as it appears.
AndrewHello Roger,
I was also somewhat surprised when asked to use the fingerprint scanner. I suppose it demonstrates that the system is still not fully up and running and/or not yet fully trusted by Swiss border control. Our passports were stamped in and out.
What I found difficult to accept was the apparent lack of staff to operate the system as it stands at present. I shall be interested to see what happens if/when we return in the summer.
AndrewHi everyone interested in this thread,
In contrast to our recent rapid entry to Switzerland at Zurich Airport, which I reported here, our exit experience at the same airport was not so relaxed.
When arriving by train, Check-in 3 is particularly handy especially when luggage includes skis or similar bulky items. In the past we have dropped bags there including skis. This time, because of the skis, we had to take it all to Check-in One where we were promptly dealt with.
A bigger problem lay ahead in the form of a long queue for passport control at D & B terminal.
Passengers who were not already registered for EES were being registered at the control points with fingerprints and photograph taken. Those, like us, who were already registered still had to use the fingerprint machine, have our passports scanned and the details carefully examined. The minimum time for each pre-registered person was between 30 and 40 seconds and much longer for those who had their photograph taken. Timing the proceedings at least gave me something to do!
30 seconds is not a long time and there were, I think, 7 passport control points. Unfortunately, at any one time only 2 or 3 were staffed so the queue grew steadily.
We joined the passport queue at 16:10 for a 17:10 scheduled departure but it took about 40 minutes to cover the short distance to the departure gate where boarding had already started. The aircraft left late as we waited for stragglers who, an on-board announcement told us, had been delayed at passport control.
Thankfully, we landed on time but, it seems, EES delays can still occur at Zurich and especially when passport control is not adequately staffed.
AndrewPlease note.
As far as I can tell the current situation is that, following a fatal accident in July 2025, the Heimwehfluh Toboggan Run in Interlaken remains closed.
The authorities determined that ongoing maintenance was insufficient to meet safety standards and it is not known when the facility will resume operations.
Please check with the Heimwehfluh authorities for yourself before making a special journey.
AndrewHi everyone on this thread or interested in it.
Yesterday (23/2/26) we flew into Zurich Airport from Birmingham and, having landed 30 minutes early at about 11:20, had the fastest transit through all the entry procedures that we have experienced for several years.
As for EES, we spotted a row of unused EES registration booths on the left as we entered the Passport Control hall. A sign pointing roughly in their direction said something like “Self Service”. That was all.
If you didn’t know what to look for or weren’t expecting them you would walk straight by. They all had a rectangular green light flashing around what turned out to be where you place your passport for scanning.
After the scanning process the machine shows your passport photograph and a few of your details and asks if you are you! Once you’ve done that and the machine is satisfied another similar green light starts flashing.
This is when your fingerprints are read. NB fingers only: keep your thumb well out of the way as instructed. It all took less than a couple of minutes for two of us.
At Passport Control all was normal except no queue. No questions were asked about whether we had registered for EES or even where we were going and our passports where stamped as usual, so at least we have proof of entry.
I hope all that is helpful if you’ve been wondering or worrying about it.
I’ll report next week how we get on in the reverse direction.
AndrewHi Roger,
“And the slot only costs two francs!”
Doesn’t seem worth the cost of administering but I suppose it’s just enough to stop people booking a slot (or multiple slots) and then not using it (or only one of them).
Andrew
Thank you, Roger. What you write is beautifully stated and I agree wholeheartedly.
I shall make doubly sure that our passports are stamped on entry to Switzerland next week and on exit in March. It seems to be the only sure way of guaranteeing successful entry/exit in the summer.
AndrewIt would seem that Swiss Border Control at Zurich Airport is at fault in bypassing the E-gate for non-Schengen passengers which is, as Roger Sexton says, “a matter of concern” and worrying.
We will shortly be making our winter visit to Switzerland and I shall be watching carefully to see what happens at both entry and exit to Switzerland. I’ve no wish to be refused entry in the summer.
Good to learn that the EES registration system at Zurich Airport is working well.
AndrewHi Sandra,
I’ve one important thing to add to the above. The Trummelbach falls will not be open at the time of your visit. They are normally only open from April to October.
I can only emphasise the virtual benefits of the Swiss Travel Pass over and above the price.
We have often set out on a day’s adventures with a rough plan ‘A’and joke that we have finished on plan ‘K, subsection 3.5’, having frequently changed plans at a bus stop, railway station or pier or even on board a train, bus or boat. “Let’s get off here! There’s another train in an hour.”
Enjoy your holiday. We will be there some of the same time as you.
Andrew
in reply to: 12 days in Appenzell and Central Switzerland in July
Hello Ana,
Book a hotel of your choice in Appenzell Innerrhoden for three nights or more and, when booking, receive a free public transport ticket (2nd class) from your point of entry into Switzerland to Appenzell for your arrival and return journies. You also get the Appenzell Innerrhoden holiday card but see http://www.appenzell.ch/en/accommodation/appenzeller-holiday-card.html for more details of all the lovely free or discounted offers for public transport and entries to all sorts of things.
The town of Appenzell itself can get a bit ‘touristy’ but, as Roger says, there is often cheaper (and better) accommodation in the countryside. We have stayed a couple of times in Schwende but 7 or eight years ago. The hotel there served wonderful food and was very comfortable and friendly and you might say the train stops almost outside the hotel except it’s 30 metres lower by the roadside.
Andrew
Hi Subrata,
You should note that, usually, the trains from Interlaken Ost arrive in Luzern at 5 minutes to the hour. The same train then forms the next departure for Interlaken Ost at 6 minutes past the hour – only 11 minutes at the platform.
If you arrive on the platform in Luzern before the train arrives the electronic signs over the platforms will tell you where to find the first class seats so you can be in place and ready to board as soon as the train empties.
Sit on the right hand side of the train facing forward for the best views. The train reverses at Meiringen but stay in your seats for the best views from there to Interlaken Ost.
Enjoy your holiday.
Andrew.
