Off to work in Zurich

[ChrisMCoupe]

I posted this in P&P before realising there was a forum dedicated to Switzerland

Basically I am shortly off to work in Zurich, but without ever being to CH I would love to know things like, cost of living, places to live in and outside Zurich, things to see and do in the area etc.

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

Thanks.

[abels]

Hi Chris,

For prices etc, take a look at this website Comparis

It will give you ideas on prices for flats, health insurances etc. PM me if you need any help or fancy meeting up for a beer in Zürich.

[AndrewD]

Chris, ask on englishforum.ch I think there are a lot of people from Zurich on there. But don't talk too much about cars, there are also some people on there who don't have a lot of imagination

[RainerM]

Hallo Andrew
"about cars, there are also some people on there who don't have a lot of imagination"
How very true :-))
Regards to your little family out of a pile of snow:-((
Rainer& Dot

for our UK friend Chris :
Have a look here:
http://www.switzerland-4you.com/faq.htm
Have a good start.
R&D

[AndrewD]

Hi Rainer, all the best to you and Dot from a still-snowy Oberaegeri!

[Whitean3]

I have to echo AndrewD's thoughts on the English Forum. Excellent for most daily life issues etc., but don't go mentioning that you have petrol in your veins or you'll be castigated! (Did anyone read Canadian_Dude's complaint thread about getting stopped by the Police as he had a Tubi exhaust (dealer fitted) on his Maserati? I felt for the guy, and that's before everyone waded in to flame him for being the spawn of Satan...)

[smilerbaker]

Hi, We live just outside Zurich, and I have just left the place your going to work at (which dept you going to?)

anyway ask away! www.homegate.ch for appartments, Zurich itself is really expensive for renting but any of the towns / villages just outside are quite a bit cheaper.

[smilerbaker]

Do you know where they are putting you up to start with? normally Oerlikon in the swiss star appartment, which are f**king horrible, right next to the main train line (on a bend) so its always noisy, and hot, if this is the case then ask them to move you NOW!! they do have some other apartments near by.

The ones you DON'T want to be in are the block of flats, about 12 stories (I can see them from my office but I aint counting the floors)

I had the 'pleasure' of staying in them for the first few weeks I was here, never again!

Lots of brits at UBS so you should be ok, if you want a mobile phone then bring one from the uk, you wont get a contract phone out here but you can get a pay as you go sim card (Yello are the cheapest for international calls) you'll need to take your passport with you else they wont sell you one (there is a mobile phone shop in the shopping centre in Oerlikon)

[ChrisMCoupe]

Thanks for the replies, all very helpful, I will certainly use the english forum.

Smilerbaker: Very helpful posts, and yes I have been pointed towards these 'luxery' furnished Swiss star apartments and had actually considered them for the first couple of weeks, but they are now firmly crossed off the list I'm a contractor at UBS so I wont be getting put up at all, so having to find somewhere myself, preferably before I go in just over 2 weeks. Staying just outside Zurich doesnt worry me as i've been told the transport links are very good.

[smilerbaker]

ChrisMCoupe said:

Thanks for the replies, all very helpful, I will certainly use the english forum.

Smilerbaker: Very helpful posts, and yes I have been pointed towards these 'luxery' furnished Swiss star apartments and had actually considered them for the first couple of weeks, but they are now firmly crossed off the list I'm a contractor at UBS so I wont be getting put up at all, so having to find somewhere myself, preferably before I go in just over 2 weeks. Staying just outside Zurich doesnt worry me as i've been told the transport links are very good.

if you need a place in a hurry then you'll end up in one of the serviced appartments, eg swiss star, just make sure its not the 13 stories (I counted them from the train) one in oerlikon, the others aren't too bad, all ikea specials mind.

anywhere with or near a train station and you'll be fine

[RossMac]

ChrisMCoupe said:

Thanks for the replies, all very helpful, I will certainly use the english forum.

Smilerbaker: Very helpful posts, and yes I have been pointed towards these 'luxery' furnished Swiss star apartments and had actually considered them for the first couple of weeks, but they are now firmly crossed off the list I'm a contractor at UBS so I wont be getting put up at all, so having to find somewhere myself, preferably before I go in just over 2 weeks. Staying just outside Zurich doesnt worry me as i've been told the transport links are very good.

rail transport is excellent and far cheaper than the UK

[ChrisMCoupe]

Well it seems a long time ago since I started this thread, so thought it best I gave a quick update. The start date was delayed in the end, so have only just got out to Zurich, flew over today and just got set up in my apartment.

First impressions are very good... clean, efficient, friendly all the things you expect, so thats reassuring. Obviously until I start working over here on Monday it's rather daunting being alone in a foriegn country, but will spend this weekend getting to know the city a little better.

I'm actually staying near the lake in Bellariastrasse, near Billoweg tram station, seems a nice location and close enough to the city centre.

A few questions for any other Zurich locals:

1. Where is it best to do food shopping?
2. What are the gym facilities like in the City and any recommendations?
3. Any restuarant/bar recommendations?

Oh and if there are any meets in the area count me in, although im car-less over here, which is going to be tough to cope with

[smilerbaker]

welcome

I guess now you have found out shops are shut on sundays except in the train stations.

Food shopping, you have 2 main choices coop or migros, both roughly the same except one sells booze the other doesn't, and one is alligned to coke and the other pepsi, just in case your looking for sprite or 7up for your pimms (lemonade is called citro - after 4 years I only found that out a few weeks ago)

there are cheaper smaller supermarkets around eg denner and aldi, an aldi has recently opened in our village, and its waaaay cheaper then the big 2 supermarkets, quality doen't appear any different, although you do have even less choice then the big 2.

ETA as for bars, aviod the irish bar (paddy o'reilly (paddys)I think its called now, used to be the noble dubliner) its a dive! about as far from an irish bar as you can possibly get, but for some weird reason the bank workers love the place?!?!?!

Edited by smilerbaker on Monday 17th August 09:00

[chandrew]

At the slightly more expensive side of food shopping some Manors have a supermarket. Don't know one in Zurich but if you're travelling around it's good to know. Sort of Waitrose level with very good local produce (IMHO)

Both Globus and Jemoli have supermarkets in their basements. Very expensive but worth knowing as they often have stuff that you can't get elsewhere. Quality is high.

Both Coop and Migros have home delivery. Not Tesco-level but very worthwhile if you don't have a car for stocking up on the heavy stuff. We use Coop and they'll deliver upto 9pm including Saturday. I find they can often come 30 mins before your timeslot - just be warned.

The real gems for food shopping are the markets. When I was working in Zurich I'd visit the market at Burkliplatz on Tuesday and Friday morning. Some great fresh food especially if you stick to local products and you'll see what is in season. The meat stand is one of the best places to get good lamb or poultry and there is a stand selling wild mushrooms. We got all the fresh stuff at the market and then used Coop home delivery for the rest.

Coop is OK for wine. They have a sale in October, about the same time as the wine-fest in Zurich, where they give 20% off. We stock up on good wines for the cellar at this time. Bordeauxs can be the same price in swissies as you'd pay in pounds in the UK. Don't forget to try the local wines, especially those from the Valais and Ticino. There's a food / wine 'school' called laughing lemon who do I good evening on Swiss wines.

[UltimaCH]

For those who like Marmite I find the stuff at the Coop. I even manged to convince my village grocery (yes that kind of shop still exists.....) to stock the stuff. Amazing because it seems that other people have catched on to the appealing taste and buy the product

Edited by UltimaCH on Monday 17th August 15:27

[BernB]

Good effort with the Marmite!

For Sunday shopping (if you don’t fancy going to Zurich main station), there’s a Migros in Bahnhof Enge, and a BP garage on Mythen-Quai (just over the tracks from Wollishofen train station). Good for bread, milk and other essentials. Like petrol

The coop in Wollishofen isn’t bad, open ‘til 8pm during the week, and just started selling a few beers from St. Peters brewery. (Please don’t buy them all!)
There’s also a new-ish Irish pub (The Shamrock), again in Wollishofen, right next to the tram stop at the end of line 7 – Not been yet myself, but it’s supposed to be good, with a quiz on Sunday evenings. Certainly looks better than the “South End” pub that was there before…

Gyms – Meh. Get out and enjoy the fresh air !

[ChrisMCoupe]

Thanks again for the welcomes and tips. I found that my local Migros metro was pretty rubbish for everything, but went to the one near sihlcity last night and was far better, although still can't find decent bread anywhere! Are small bakeries better for this?

Regarding pubs, i've not ventured to Paddy's yet, although did watch the football in the Nelson over the weekend and seemed pretty friendly. I've also heard that the Oliver Twist isn't bad so will be in there this weekend for a couple.

One week into Zurich life and I can see why so many people don't go back to the UK!

[abels]

ChrisMCoupe said:

Thanks again for the welcomes and tips. I found that my local Migros metro was pretty rubbish for everything, but went to the one near sihlcity last night and was far better, although still can't find decent bread anywhere! Are small bakeries better for this?

Regarding pubs, i've not ventured to Paddy's yet, although did watch the football in the Nelson over the weekend and seemed pretty friendly. I've also heard that the Oliver Twist isn't bad so will be in there this weekend for a couple.

One week into Zurich life and I can see why so many people don't go back to the UK!

Welcome Chris. You heading into the Nelsons tonight? I think I will be heading there for Happy Hour.

[ChrisMCoupe]

Not tonight sorry, possibly tomorrow, although i've yet to find out what the general consensus is with work mates for friday night drinking and where.

I've noticed we work in the same industry, where in Zurich are you working?

[abels]

ChrisMCoupe said:

I've noticed we work in the same industry, where in Zurich are you working?

The competing Bank to yours