15mins Transfer Time at Zuerich HB - Is it enough time?

  • 22 August 2022
  • 2 replies
  • 645 views
Amber

I want to travel from Paris to Ljubljana, and this requires a change at Zuerich HB. The transfer time is only 15 minutes, and this worries me because I have not been to the station before and do not know how often the TGB Duplex Lyria experiences delays. I am worried also because the connecting train is a night train (Euro Night), so it feels important to arrive on it promptly.

  • If you have been to Zuerich HB before, do you think 15 minutes would be long enough to transfer?
  • If you have been on the TGV Duplex Lyria before, do you think it likely for this train to arrive to Zuerich HB later than scheduled?

Alternatively, I could reserve seats to get to Zuerich HB 4 hours earlier, and explore near the station if there are any attractions nearby.

Thanks in advance!

14 minutes to change trains in Zuerich HB station

 

2 replies

C
Rank
Badge +5

I know the station well but I wouldn’t risk a 15 minute connection from the TGV to a Euronight train as there is no plan B. You’d need to ensure you’re in the front carriages arriving and that you don’t get stuck behind people with loads of luggage. There are two levels at Zurich although these trains are normally on the upper level. I don’t know about timekeeping of the TGV maybe someone else in the community does. Zuerich is a lovely city especially down by the lake. I’d take a trip on the lake or a trip up the Mountain and relax!

M
Rank
Userlevel 7
Badge +6

In general 15 mins are more than enough. Both trains are departing from the ground platforms.
I’ve already made 3 min connections from ground platforms to underground platforms (officially this connections are not published). 

BUT: Paris-Zürich is an international train and international trains are more often delayed. But France-Switzerland is way better about punctuality than Germany-Switzerland. 

I personally would risk it, as it is the last connection of the day, the train might wait for people who need the connection because later on the train has enough buffer to compensate the delay in the beginning… Just in case the train is delayed, go after Basel to the conductor and tell, that you need this connection. Then they can ask for the other train to wait.
Already had before that delayed trains waited my last connection in Switzerland (e.g. from St. Gallen to Ticino, the train in Zürich at 23 was waiting for a while and then was still in time in Bellinzona…

Edit: 4 hours can be easily spent in Zürich also - the station is right in the center. You can go for a walk to the nearby Zürichsee and have an (expensive) dinner. Depending on the day of your trip there might be also some museums open until 20.00. Kunsthaus Zürich I’d recommend.

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