You can open an account with a passport and a work contract, if you are for the EU, coz rules are different. If you're from Oz or the USA etc then you'll already have your permit.

My personal tip here (based on experience of her indoors and I) is to go to Glattburgg UBS or Uetlihof Credit Suisse for an account - they're used to foreigners wandering in asking for bank accounts . Another UBS branch would not give me an account without my permit (which took 3 weeks +), but Glattbrugg did.

And with UBS and CS you can have all your paperwork in English, if it suits you. It is straight forward.

That's my 2 pennies worth.