[Idyllchat] Re: Switzerland

[Sonny Culverhouse]

Stefan,

Each year it seems that you come to ldyll-chat and make your general 
announcement of how well your transportation system works, what to expect, 
to look out for, etc.

I just want to thank you, particularly on behalf of new untourists, for 
continuing to make us all feel at home as we plan trips to your great, 
beautiful and so clean country.  And I agree, your transportation system is 
truly one that causes us Americans to feel envious; at least, I do.  Happy 
railing!               .................sonny in Virginia

At 03:57 PM 11/4/2006 +0000, st.gretener at bluewin.ch wrote:
>Hi Andrew,
>
>Welcome to IdyllChat! I believe that you are already quite exited
>to travel to Switzerland next summer.
>
>My name is Stefan, I'm a native Swiss, living in Olten
>(Switzerland). I'm with SBB (Switzerland's main railroad company) for
>already more than 10 years. I started as a passenger agent at smaller
>railroad stations (it was the time when I came in touch with Idyll
>Tours), now I'm railroad traffic controller.
>
>I guess I have some answers on your questions:
>
>Switzerland's network of public transportation is said to be
>world's best. Between about 7am to about 8pm you have at least one
>point to point connection per hour. And you can reach nearly every
>town or point of interest by public transportation. Depending on your
>connection, you have to change trains on a station on the way. The
>departure times are every hour at the same minute, so you don't need
>to take a timetable in your pocket, theoretically. The connections
>between trains, busses and other means of public transportation are
>well-timed, so you should generally not wait more than 10 minutes. Of
>course there are some exceptions in timetables, especially before
>7am, after 8pm and on Saturdays and Sundays.
>You can check timetables online at: http://fahrplan.sbb.
>ch/bin/query.exe/en
>
>The use of public transportation is easy, and after a few days you
>will feel like at home. Because of the high number of trains and
>busses, you should always check, if you are getting on the right
>train/bus. At bigger stations, the direction of the train and the
>next stops are indicated on platform displays. On busses, the
>direction is always indicated on the front. Same on local trains,
>some fast trains have displays next to every door.
>If you feel unsafe, whether you are in the right train or not, ask
>train staff or other passengers. Train staff speaks English in
>general. Switzerland has four official languages, so we first learn
>an other official language in school. But most Swiss speak at least a
>little English. It may helps, when you can show a printout of your
>timetable or when you have a sheet of paper and a pen with you to
>write down your destination.
>
>There are a lot of things and places that are worth to visit when
>you are in Switzerland, many of them would also be interesting for
>your grandparents. Tell me, what you are specially interested in, and
>I can give you some advice.
>
>Greetings from Switzerland,
>Stefan
>
>_______________________________________________