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Killing time in Zurich airport

  • 30-06-2005 4:27pm
    #1
    davros
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭


    I'll be spending about 8 hours in Zurich airport later in the summer on the way to Asia (and 2 hours on the way back). I've never been in that airport (or Switzerland, for that matter) so I was wondering if there are any decent distractions there.

    Are there any bargains in the shops - would it be a good place to buy a watch, say? Any other ways to kill a few hours... plane-watching, people-watching...?

    I don't have a word of German either. Is that a disadvantage?

    Thanks!


Comments

  • #2
    Culchie
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,047 ✭✭✭Culchie


    I got Stuck in Zurich once, waiting for a connecting flight from Ethiopia to London, and flight was delayed arriving.

    There was a steel band also waiting to catch flight to carnival in London.
    There was a bar .... there was music .... there was some craic ..... and there was one hell of a hangover next day.

    Best flight journey I was ever on !!


    Anyways to answer your question, not much in Zurich airport, unless you get as lucky as I did.

    All the Swiss speak English really, so no bother there.

    With that amount of time, I'm sure you'd be able to go into town and take an open top bus tour or something to pass the time?


  • #3
    Tom Dunne
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 23,212 ✭✭✭✭Tom Dunne


    Culchie wrote:
    With that amount of time, I'm sure you'd be able to go into town and take an open top bus tour or something to pass the time?

    Trust me - stay in the airport. I was ther earlier on this year and to be honest, there isn't too much to the city. Unless you really want to stretch your legs and grab a bite to eat.

    Have to say, though, the people are lovely.


  • #4
    DadaKopf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,731 ✭✭✭DadaKopf


    WHY ON EARTH WOULD YOU STAY IN AN AIRPORT IF THERE'S ANY CHANCE TO GET OUT OF IT!?

    I've already lived in an airport - 24 hours in Stanstead. Never again.

    Zurich is a lovely city and well serviced by public transport if memory serves. Busy and bustling with an old centre.


  • #5
    davros
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭davros


    Interesting and useful replies, thanks.

    To answer DadaKopf's question, I'm not sure how much time is enough time to get out, do something useful and get back. I'd have to factor in immigration, customs, waiting time for train/bus x2, journey time x2 and a security check, all unknown quantities for me.

    I was a bit surprised that the airport is not offering a city tour for transit passengers. I've seen that somewhere else and if anyone can organise that to suit a tight time schedule, it would be the Swiss.

    At other times when I've been stuck in an airport, I've paid to get into a business lounge. Snacks, showers, comfy chairs, reading material... can be very pleasant.

    Great story about the steel band :D


  • #6
    DadaKopf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,731 ✭✭✭DadaKopf


    Hi, I'm sorry I can't offer any more constructive advice, but if it was a toss up between having even an hour's lunch in Zurich city centre and maybe having a quick walk around versus seeing nothing but the overpriced confines of a a really boring, expensive airport, I'd head into town. Here's one thing to do if you're so inclined - go to the James Joyce bar (the bar whose guts were ripped outta the Shelbourne and stuffed into an ugly office block. No atmosphere, but maybe worth being able to say you did it! Or visit his grave (fluntern).

    What am I thinking? I actually flew to Zurich to get to Innsbruck by train once and, browsing some airport website, I just remembered there's a huge train station directly below Terminal B (only 2 terminals) serving the city and the continent. I don't think getting in and out will be a problem :).

    Check your ticket times and check fodors. Seems like there's a street called Bahnhofstrasse, which would imply you can get a train directly into the poshest part of Zurich. I think I've seen it. You're in for a treat :).


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  • #7
    davros
    Closed Accounts Posts: 857 ✭✭✭davros


    I completely forgot about the Joyce connection...

    I was getting all enthusiastic about your suggestion when I realised I'll be there on a Sunday. A little bit of web research tells me that all shops are shut by law on a Sunday (except in the airport and train station). Even the James Joyce Pub is closed on a Sunday. Sounds like the city would be a ghost town. Even worse, I won't arrive in Zurich until 14:40 so it would be getting on for Sunday evening by the time I got anywhere.

    Yeah, I think I'll have to save the city centre for another time. :(


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