Hi,

I am coming to Zurich and nearby area for a week. I am living in a hotel in Zurich for which I have to take Tram 13 from Zurich Bahnhofstrasse/HB stop.

Zurich being a new city and also being concious of the language issue, I wanted to be sure how I reach the tram stop once I get down from the train in Zurich HB station. Google earth, google map results left me bit confused.

Can any one please help me with a direction? which exit I have to take from the station (as I trust like here in UK.. it would have multiple exits) and what landmark I need to follow and then after I exit from the station, how do I reach the tram stop?

Also, I may need to catch trains from ZURICH HB SZU station. I read somewhere it is the same place as ZURICH HB and I have to go one level down via escalator? Is that correct?

ask someone at the station to point you in the right direction. it's hard to explain.

HTH. Enjoy your visit!

Life is just one big adventure - be daring, and follow your nose ....... and use your long-lost ancient tracking skills, powers of observation, with a pinch of initiative.

[how did we ever survive before there were help forums?]

we ask at the information desk , that is located on the main concourse and they speak very good English. There are different levels at HB and it can be confusing. I am not even sure where tram 13 going from. The train from airport usually comes into platform 23/24.. so go up one level. Then look for the ticket sign and follow it to the main concourse, the information point is by the big overhead timeboard. Ask there for direction.

Have fun!

Thanks all for the help - really aprpeciate it. I still remember getting lost in Gare du Nord - Paris for direction to Eurostar departure and just barely managed to trace it in time.

Timow - I guess human race also survived when there was no transport system

Just for once, my sympathy really goes out to the OP. I think most railway stations were planned with the prime aim of getting folk lost. It's not that they are not enough signs - there are so many signs pointing left, right, up down that one gets dizzy even thinking about them. And the steps one needs to get to the correct platform are hidden behind a pillar or a large advert, the trains are divided into S-Bahn and 'longer distance' trains so that by the time you have found the right train and the right platform, your connection is already departing.

And if, on some lonely station there are no stairs, only one track and one platform, the button you need to press to get the train to stop is cunningly placed so that if it is a nice warm day and the waiting room door is ajar, it is practically hidden behind it so you don't see it. What you DO see, a short time later, is your train travelling cheerfully on its way without you!
Been there, done that, Gontenbad, Appenzellerland!

Hi
Welcome to the City...
Answering to your question, HB is a very big station, even bigger than your Garo-Du-Nord, Paris. You have to use two stage elevators/ escalators come upto the tram line/road. You can ask anybody about the Main Entrance, or the Shopping Malls/Arcades/Shops.

The tram stops would be in opposite the Main entrance, In front of the shops.

Complete drivel - GdN has 44 platforms v HB's paltry 26.

Have you actually beën to Zurich HB? Since when do you HAVE TO use elevators/ esculators? ZHB is at ground level! It's only platforms 1-2 and 21-24 (none of which have IC or IR trains) that are below ground!

I found it very easy on my first visit and with no German.

The routes are all colour coded. Route 13 has yellow numbers on signs.

ZVV route map

From the main concourse take the entance at the end furthest from the platforms, across the large hall. Bahnhofquai stop is right in front of you. Check which side you need to be for the direction you are heading.

...and to add to the nice plan in the previous post:

Plan of the Zürich Main Station

Tram Stops - this is very crafty. If it still works, you can see when the next trams go from the various stops.

most of the train coming into ZHB from airport terminated at 21-24...

Here's a picture of the main level of the Zurich HB - a very useful landmark I always arrange to meet incoming visitors at is below the big blue sign where it shows all departures from the station. It is also near a huge huge clock:



1. Once you arrive in from the airport go up the escalators - that will be the floor below the main one.

2. The next floor will be confusing. You will see lots of shops, mini cafes, CD shops etc. You aint there yet. The trick is to look for escalators that will lead you up to approx platforms 8-12 - which are on the main floor.

3. Once up there, look out for a huge clock and that blue sign. Pretty hard to miss.

4. There will be exists everywhere. The nearest exit to Tram 13 will be nearest to the Burger king exit, which is the Bahnhofquai stop.

You dont need to take the tram from the Bahnhofstrasse shop. You just need to get the right direction to where the tram is going (for Tram 13, its Frankental or Albisgutli), hop on it and look out for your stop.

To get to this stop, walk away from the train tracks. Exit the station and cross the road. There will be 2 stops opposite each other both with Tram 13. Which direction you need to take, will depend on the stop you want to drop off at.

Here's the list of stops that Tram 13 goes on:
http://www.stadt-zuerich.ch/vbz/en/i...timetable.html

To figure out which direction, all you need to do is to use Bahnhofstrasse stop as a guide. If your stop more towards the Frankental end, then obviously you'll have to take Tram 13 heading towards Frankental

You'll be fine. Just ask for help if you're lost.

No they don't. Only the S2 all the others are IC or IR and are at street level