My ever-so- patient husband who agrees, somewhat reluctantly, to accompany me to Ikea, finally lost it yesterday.

The traffic getting to Ikea Spreitenbach was horrendous for a Friday early afternoon, and when we entered the underground parking lot (outside was full even though it was raining heavily) there was not a spot to be found. There were traffic guards all over the place so we asked one what was going on. He informed us that it was holiday in central Switzerland. Looking at the car licence plates it looked as though half the population of Luzern and Obwald came to Ikea. There were also many cars from Zug, Glarus and Nidwald.

It was impossible to find a spot though having been issued a ticket from the machine theoretically there should have been one. I would have done another tour of the parking lot in search of a spot but DH said "FORGET IT", I am not staying. He pointed out what it must be like inside the store. For someone with "Boxing Day" shopping experience, crowds have never bothered me. The quest for the ultimate bargain is like a mission....I rise to the challenge. Obviously men, not all, but my better half, has a different take on this.

So we paid 1 franc for parking, which annoyed me a lot as most parking garages have a 5 minute grace period so if you leave immediately you don`t pay.

Was there nothing else to do on a holiday in these cantons but go to Ikea? Does this explain the decline in growth rate of the population in Switzerland? Is this the only place to take kids on a holiday though I wonder how the kids activity center/child car could have coped with these numbers? I guess they must have had to turn kids away.

My husband maintained that as the Swiss are quite vigilant about being home for dinner, we would be better off heading off to Ikea later that evening, so that is what we did, under 20 minutes to get there, no problem finding parking, and the store was not terribly busy. The invasion was over.

So, in short, be warned, check the holidays before venturing to Ikea on a weekday.

Go early on a Saturday morning, 30 mins before they open - they even give out free coffee while you wait .

I hope that DH does not mean Dickhead, he sounds like a smart man to me.

Yes, DH - darling husband, is quite clever. Afterall, he had the good sense to marry me

Thanks for the tip. I saw the sign for that yesterday, along with the 1.95 chf breakfast special, which includes coffee. Monday to Friday coffee is free with a family card. That includes free refills.

Not only was yesterday a holiday, but it's also the last weekday before school starts, and it was raining. Since various groups have been submitting protest after protest the Ikea in Rothenburg hasn't even laid a foundation, so the Ikea in Spreitenbach is the nearest one for the people of Luzern. The Ikea Spreitenbach advertises heavily in the Luzern Bahnhof

Word of warning for 1st May. You may not want to go shopping in Luzern, when all the shops are closed in Zürich. The whole town fills up with cars bearing ZH license plates.

We actually went shopping in downtown Zürich and were pleasantly surprised how uncrowded it was compared to our normal Saturday shopping. I guess everyone was as Glatt or Ikea.

More like daring husband, if he sets foot on Ikea ground. I hate shopping... But your husband has to partly blame himself for the suggestion to go shopping late. Let this thread be a warning for other shopaholics (greetings from the Language Corner).

I am convinced that Ikea stores are deliberately designed to cause confusion, panic and psychological stress, in order to break down the defences of the customers so they lose all sense of reason and buy useless items of furniture and decor called SLAG, NONCE or TURNIP, with the aesthetic qualities of a paisley moose and the durability of a celery stick.

No windows, no clear plan, too much Scandinaviosity. It's all done on purpose, I tell you!

LOl @ the above. I am an IKEA fan so I guess I have been well and truly sucked in!

Once I sat in a traffic jam for two hours trying to get out of the car park at an Ikea in Hanover, Germany. They were upgrading the car park and had cleverly blocked off so many lanes/exits that people were trying to escape and enter via the same routes. It was so bad that the management had to call the police in to sort the traffic out. Didn't put me off going back again...needless to say...

The next such day will be on 8th December 2008. The Catholic cantons celebrate "Mary's Immaculate Conception". So they and our friendly neighbors in Southern Germany rush over to Zurich for their Christmas shopping. Roads and shops will be packed.

For a list of Swiss holidays:
http://www.feiertagskalender.ch/inde...klasse=5&hl=de

I put myself through school working Saturdays at Ikea and can only recommend you never, ever, ever go to Ikea on a Saturday, no matter what. Weekdays are good, the mornings are best but even the evenings can be fairly quiet. If you must go on a Saturday, go between 11 and 12 when all the families are in the restaurant loading up on meatballs and hot dogs for lunch.

PS Dougal's Breakfast's right - Ikea is made to obfuscate. The floor plan is meant to trap you in and force you through all the departments. I wasted my first work break there because I got lost and couldn't find the staff canteen .

What annoyed me about the Ikea at Spreitenbach is that you have to pay for the parking at all!! Isn't it good enough that I've spent a small fortune on flatpack furniture which won't fit into my mobility car, now you want to charge me for visiting your store!

You gotta know the shortcuts

I'm with Dougie. I avoid Ikea at all costs except in case of dire emergency. My stress levels in that shop go through the roof as I wind my way through an endless maze of garish and ugly furniture which, however cheap, still seems overpriced for what you get.

Most of my trips to Scandinavian furniture hell have been at the bequest and command of an evil girlfriend. And then people wonder why I stay single!

When I go to Spreitenbach, I normally enter through the checkouts and don't need to lose 24 minutes of my life going around the furniture.

Ever the advocate of quick back-door action........

Once you've visited Ikea a few times you become very adept at spotting their furniture in other people's houses and I've noticed that its a lot more popular here than in the UK. I guess its because Pfister and Conforoma are at two very opposite ends of the quality and price spectrum leaving very little in between.

I'd place Interio in between. I find their furniture far more stylish and higher quality than Ikea and they are not that much more expensive.

I much prefer shopping a Fly to IKEA. Maybe a little downmarket but at least they can deliver at a specified time.

Cheers,
Nick

Don't blame IKEA, blame the environmentalists. Parkingspaces is a very hot potato in Switzerland and I am sure IKEA would be delighed to have you park for free and shop day and night if they were allowed.