Zurich....hostel vs pension

[omaann]

Hello there,
I have been a lurker on this board for FOREVER. Only post when I have something useful to say...since when I go to Europe, I stay with family so don't have to worry about accommedations, etc. Well, I am graduating college May 2007 and am planning a summer trip to see my family in Bremen Germany.....but I am planning to fly to Zurich...stay 4 or 5 nights and see some of Switzerland....then train to Bremen.

I am torn between a single room at a place near the center of town for $75 (not including breakfast and w/shared bath)a night or a hostel that is a 10 minute bus ride from the center of town for $35 a night (including breakfast and linens). I would really like to save the $ and meet other travelers....maybe have someone to have a drink with in the evening or visit a nightclub....My real fear about not having my own room is the safety of my few valuables while I sleep or shower.....I see nothing on the website that says lockers are available. The hostel I am looking into is the Jugendherberge Zürich.

I know someone on this board can help me figure this out....

Love to travel,
Oma Ann

[madamtrashheap]

Moin moin Oma Ann!

Hatte keine Ahnung, dass jemand anders Bremen so gut kennt!

Right, not sure why you are spending so many nights in Zurich (or is this just overnight then off to somewhere else?) as it's not the prettiest of places to spend all of your time in Switzerland. However, I'd suggest saving the Francs and staying in the hostel outside town - unless you were keen on the nightlife. If you're just staying one night in Zurich, then choice is yours (there are pros and cons to both). You could then head to Luzern, Gimmelwald (yes Jules!) or even around Lugano if you wanted to go that far south. You could even end up in Bern (gorgeous) at the end of the 4-5 days and catch the overnight (7-8hrs) train from there to Bremen.

See what you decide and let us know. Viel Spass! ;D

[me]

Grüß Gott, Oma!

this doesn't deal with the subject at hand, but how sure are you that the train is how you wish to go from Zürich to Bremen? (€115 from Konstanz, a German city just north of Zürich, to Bremen)

that train is 8+ hours! there's an 80 min Air Berlin flight from Zürich to Hamburg (€31, including tax) with a bus transfer from Hamburg's airport to the main train station, and a train to Bremen. (about 2 hours and €22)

so, flying + train costs less than half as much and takes less than half the time. unless you particularly enjoy the extra hours on the train & paying twice as much, a flight here is an option to think about.

oh, if you go elsewhere is der Schweitz, there are flights to Hamburg from Basel & Genf, too.

- d

[omaann]

Thank you madamtrashheap for encouraging the hostel. I had almost talked myself out of it due to the lack of privacy and concern for security. Yes, I am using Zurich as a base and plan to travel to Lucern, Grindelwald, Interlaken and the Jungfrau. What other places I visit along the will be decided on the spur of the moment.
Day of arrival, I plan to aquaint myself with the area of the hostel.
First full day - take a city tour, maybe even a bike tour and or a walking tour. I like to see every nook and cranny
Second Day - bus/train tour to Jungfraujoch
Third Day - Luzern
Fourth day...head to Bremen.

Thank you David, I will check out the flights versus the train. I figured I would get a train pass to get me around in Switzerland but then decided on a 2 country pass for 5 days. I have researched further and it would probably be cheaper to do point to point and then fly to Bremen. Thanks for the links.

[madamtrashheap]

Just a thought omaann, the places in Switzerland that you listed as visiting are all quite close to each other, so it might be worth basing yourself in one of those places instead of travelling to and from Zurich. Maybe you could start in Zurich (in the hostel!), then travel to Interlaken etc to stay for a few days, then on to Luzern then back to Zurich or Basel before heading to Bremen.

See how that works for you.