Hi all,

Obviously there is traffic around Zurich, but I am wondering if there is anyone who makes the drive either into or around Zurich on a daily basis that can provide some advice/experience. My boyfriend and I are likely going to have to relocate to the Zurich region in the next couple of months and I am exploring different transportation options.

I will be working in Schaffhausen, and his work will potentially be relocating to an "undisclosed location" ...rumour has it, near Zurich (but not IN Zurich).

How busy do the highways around Zurich get at peak travel times?
7-9am, 4-7pm (I'm wondering in the case we move between Schaffhausen & Zug, for example.)

If based in say, Winterthur or Bülach, can you ACTUALLY drive to work in Zug in approximately 40 min (as suggested by googlemaps)

Does it make more sense to both commute by public transportation than for one of us to get a car and drive around Zurich?

Any advice on the region would be greatly appreciated!

Thanks!

I think the traffic from Schaffhausen towards Zurich is quite busy, especially that stretch towards Winterthur where there is a stretch of two lane road.

By train Schaffhausen - Zurich Airport for example is 45 minutes.

The commute into Zürich varies, but in general, I would advise you to stick to public transport. The issue with ZH is that the three freeways in the area all finish (or start) on the outskirts of town and that is invariably where the traffic starts to queue up, both in the morning and evening rush hours. The only bright side is that after about 9am, there is a lot less traffic than a couple of hours earlier, I find the evenings worse actually because everyone tends to leave work around the same time.

Winterthur is better if you need to access both Schaffhausen and ZH. Bülach to Schaffhausen isnt much fun as you traverse Germany.

The main bottleneck now is the Gubrist tunnel. Avoid at all costs. It is a guaranteed traffic jam in both directions during rush hour.

Unfortunately, that is exactly on the way from Winterthur to Zug. Forget it, you will suffer.

Best to live where you work. It will be 5 to 10 years before Gubrist is expanded to handle more lanes.

Winterthur to Zug in rush hour - forget it by car & rush hour starts about 6:30

Thanks for the replies .



It sounds like I should cross my fingers that he will be relocated ANYwhere but south of Zurich, if I need to go north to Schaffhausen.

Winterthur - Zh is easy by car or train in rush hour. Car is faster (door to door) but train more reliable. Train is 20 mins (s12) but then you have time at both ends to add (unless you live and work at a train station).

Winterthur - Schaffhausen easy drive, 20 mins. never tried train

Winterthur far better than Bulach for public transport ( has intercity as well as s-Bahn connections... big station.)

Re Winterthur - Zug - it's either Gubrist Tunnel (never!) or straight thru Zurich (not too bad an option believe it or not because traffic is signposted around) - either way, it's a long commute by Swiss standards.

Or live IN Zurich and travel against traffic/ by train to Schaffhausen and ???

I wouldn't hang on to the idea of commuting by car. If you are that bothered by many bodies near you, invest in a first class ticket. You will also be quite stressed by the time you arrive at work as rush hour seems to accentuate the classic bad behaviours of not indicating, being on the phone with corresponding erratic driving and tailgating. Public transport is a much better choice, you will arrive at work on time (if the train is later than 5 min, you can actually ask for a chit to prove it), already having read your paper and your coffee/tea fix sorted. Even my bosses with their allocated parking slots in the building come to work on the train.

I generally always use a car regardless as it's quicker & easier. I find it less stressful. I can get from Zurich to Geneva way earlier by car than is even possible by train. If I am late I can't even get home by train the same day. Once your used to driving a train is not fun, people coughing having to leave work at exactly the right time. Train is cheaper, however the milage tax deductions make driving a no brainer for longer journeys.