Switzerland Information
Joined: 21 Oct 2006
Posts: 18
Home Country: switzerland
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 Posted: Wed Nov 01, 2006 6:41 am Post subject: GETTING AROUND IN SWITZERLAND |
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GETTING AROUND IN SWITZERLAND
AIR
Switzerland does not have an abundance of airports, partly because of the alpine terrain and partly due to the Swiss peoples' own resistance to having planes disturb their peace and quiet. To compensate, Switzerland has one of Europe's best railway systems, linking every major city in the country. This is particularly advantageous for cities such as Bern, the capital; it relies almost exclusively on rail transport to Zurich, Geneva, and Basel for air connections to the rest of the world.
If you want to fly within Switzerland, or from Switzerland to one of about 30 regional cities in Austria, Italy, Germany, or France, Swiss (tel. 0848/85-2000; www.swiss.com), a domestic airline, schedules flights from and to Basel and Amsterdam, Geneva and London, and Lugano and Geneva.
Main Airports
Zürich (ZRH) (Kloten) (website: www.zurich-airport.com) is 11km (7 miles) from the city (travel time – 20 minutes). To/from the airport: Trains run every 10 to 15 minutes from under Terminal B. Regional and night buses are available. Passengers arriving in Switzerland by air can purchase a special Fly-Rail Luggage ticket from their airport of departure which will enable them to have their luggage delivered directly to a Swiss railway station. With the Fly-Rail Baggage service, passengers leaving Switzerland can check their bags in at the railway station up to 24 hours before their flight. Taxis to the city are available (travel time – 15-30 minutes). Facilities: Duty free shops, restaurants/bars, banks, bureau de change, nursery and car rental.
Geneva (GVA) (website: www.gva.ch) is 5km (3 miles) north of the city. To/from the city: Taxis to the city are available. There is a regular train service to Geneva Cornavin Station (travel time – six minutes). The no. 10 bus runs from the airport to the city centre.
Bern (BRN) (Belp) is 9km (5.5 miles) southeast of the city (travel time – 20-30 minutes). To/from the airport: Bus services are available to Bern station. A rail service runs from Bern to Zürich Airport. Taxis are also available.
Basel (BSL) (Basel-Mulhouse) is 12km (7 miles) from the city. To/from the airport: A bus runs to Basle SBB Luftreisebüro. Taxis are also available.
ROAD
Traffic drives on the right. Road quality is generally good. Many mountain roads are winding and narrow, and often closed in heavy winter conditions; otherwise chains and snow tires may be necessary. Rail is often more efficient than driving.
Bus: Postal motor coaches (website: www.post.ch) provide a service to even the remotest villages, but under the integrated national transport policy, few long-distance coaches are allowed to operate.
Taxi: All taxis have meters for short and long trips, although it is advisable to agree the fare for longer distances out of town.
Car hire: Available in all towns from hotels and airports and at all manned rail stations. All major European companies are represented.
Regulations: The minimum driving age is 18. Seat belts are obligatory and children under 12 years must travel in the back of the car. Dipped headlights are compulsory during the day. Drink-driving fines are heavy. Speed limits: 80kph (50mph) on country lanes; max 120kph (75mph), min 60kph (37mph) on motorways; and 50kph (31mph) in towns.
Motorway tax (vignette): An annual road tax of CHF40 is levied on all cars and motorbikes using Swiss motorways. An additional fee of CHF40 applies to trailers and caravans. The vignette (sticker) is valid between 1 December of the year preceding and 31 January of the one following the year printed on the vignette. These permits, which are available at border crossings, are valid for multiple re-entry into Switzerland within the duration of the licensed period. To avoid hold-ups at the frontier, however, it is advisable to purchase the vignette in advance: call the Swiss Travel Centre (tel: (00800) 1002 0030) for more details. Documentation: A national driving license is sufficient. Green Card insurance is advised – ordinary domestic insurance policies are valid but do not provide full cover. The Green Card tops the cover up to the level provided by the visitor’s domestic policy.
URBAN TRANPORTATION
Highly efficient and integrated urban public transport systems serve as a model for other countries. There are tramways and light rail services in Basle, Bern, Geneva, Neuchâtel and Zürich. These and a further dozen cities also have trolleybuses. Fares systems are generally automated with machines issuing single or multiple tickets at the roadside. Tickets are also available at enquiry offices. Fares are generally zonal. There is a day ticket for travel in one or more Swiss cities on any given day at a standard fare. Taxis are widely available and drivers expect a 15 per cent tip.
RAIL
Rail transport is particularly well developed in Switzerland, with excellent services provided by Schweizerische Bundesbahnen (SBB) (website: www.sbb.ch) and many other operators. Use of the Swiss Pass is a superb way to view the scenery, although mainline services are geared to the needs of the hurried business traveller. Trains run at least hourly from the major centres and there is a country-wide timetable of regular services. There are dining cars on many trains, and snacks and refreshments are widely available. Independent railways, such as the Rhätische Bahn in the Grisons and the Berner-Oberland-Bahn, provide services in certain parts of the country. The SBB has introduced specialized cars for disabled people using wheelchairs. Facilities include a lift for wheelchairs, a specially adapted WC and radios adapted for people with hearing difficulties.
There are also a large number of mountain railways which are sometimes the only means of access to winter resorts. Some of these are attractions in their own right: the Gornergrat-Bahn in Zermatt is one of the oldest mountain railways and climbs to a height of over 3000m above sea level, offering a spectacular panorama of the Matterhorn and surrounding mountains.
BOATS
In the summer, passenger boats sail on Switzerland's major lakes and rivers. More than 100 boats, with accommodations for 60,000 passengers, operate on the lakes and along stretches of the Rhine and the Aare; most of them have dining. Evening trips, with music and dancing, are also quite popular. The old paddle-steamers on the lakes of Brienz, Geneva, Lucerne, and Zurich, dating from before World War I, are particularly attractive and romantic.
Remember that your Swiss Pass or Swiss Card (half-fare travel card) entitles you to unlimited travel on lake steamers. |
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