Taking a train from Lucerne to Zurich airport

RRhine24

Hi all,
It’ll our first time taking a SBB train, sadly to leave from Lucerne to the airport. After doing some research, also with a wonderful help from the Astoria hotel staff, we known a specific train & timing to book, e.g. IR75 with one transfer to Zurich HB.

SBB website is detailed enough with maps to show when we need to transfer from one track/platform to another. However, being new to travel with train, I could ask those experienced anything to watch for, or to pay attention to?

Many thanks!

RolandP

Hello RRhine24

This year, the direct trains from Lucerne to Zurich Airport are only running as far as Zurich HB. This is due to construction works.

However, changing trains at Zurich HB is an easy task.

You will arrive on track 3 to 10, and your connecting train will most likely leave from track 33 or 34, which are both underground (2 floors down). There are several escalators on all platforms that allow access from to platforms 31 to 34. Just follow the blue signs “Gleis”, it is all very well sign-posted.

Kind regards,
Roland

RRhine24

RolandP, you certainly “own” this, as we arrive from Track 9 to transfer to Track 33 to go to Zurich HB, before arriving at the airport on Track 1 (not sure why it “becomes” Track 1 though).

Perhaps you can “reverse engineer” or decode which train it is, from the above info?!😉 Btw, I still have not figured out the acronym HB from Zurich HB, is it like metropolitain Zurich? and IR associated with the train number? International Rail?
Thanks!
Dave

RedBaron

Apologies if mentioning something possibly too obvious, but anyway:
Make sure to board the correct coach class (1st or 2nd) according to your purchased ticket. Just watch for the big “1” or “2” numbers identifying the coach class on or just next to the coach doors. The location of the 1st and 2nd class coaches is also displayed as a schematic together with the train number and departure time on the blue displays above the platform before departure.

RedBaron

“HB” = Hauptbahnhof = Main Station
IR = InterRegio. That’s almost the same as an InterCity (IC) train in terms of not stopping at every (minor) station along the way and thus saving travel time. An IR will just stop slightly more often than an IC on the same route, also serving some “medium-sized” stations which an IC would skip.

RRhine24

Wonderful! For a newbie (train rider like me, also becoming a … geezer), I need all the help I can get! Now I wonder if the friendly members in this community can extend their help to railway station at the Zurich airport? There is an interactive map - https://www.flughafen-zuerich.ch/en/passengers/practical/guidance/interactive-map, but I am not sure which Terminal to go to, other than the Departure Gate E, going home to Toronto, Canada. The interactive map only shows Check-in 1, 2 and 3, not sure how they relate to Terminal A, D/E and C? Just wondering. I am sure I’ll find out when being there, just want to gather as much info as I can beforehand!

RolandP

Hello RRhine24

Do not bother with terminals, etc.

From the train station’s platform, use the escalators to get one floor up. Then simply follow the signs “Check-in 2”. The check-in for Air Canada is there.

After check-in, follow gates E. It is all well sign-posted, also at the airport. Otherwise, ask your check-in agent where to go. In order to go to Gates E, you will have to take the Sky Metro which is airside, after the security check. It’s a two minutes ride.

https://www.flughafen-zuerich.ch/en/passengers/fly/flightinformation/airlines/canada

Kind regards,
Roland

RRhine24

RolandP, I learned a new word: Reihen means Line, n’est pas? 😉
As seen from your Air Canada’s link: Desks at Check-in 2, Line 4, the corresponding info from the Interactive map shows Check-in 2 Reihen 4!
I suppose the interactive map wants to encourage me to “think” a bit, in order to exercise the hippocampus area of my brain! ☺
Thanks again,
Dave

RolandP

RRhine24

Yes, Reihen means line or row. At Zurich Airport, they say ‘Row 4’.

Best wishes,
Roland

Say hi to Canada; I worked & studied English in Vancouver.