In an attempt to prove that we do more than ski, here's a post about Zurich. We live in Wollishofen, which is a residential neighborhood on Zurich’s Silver coast. This refers to the Northeast facing, cold side of the lake. The Southwest facing side of the lake is called the Golden Coast. There are some days that I look longingly at the afternoon sun on the other side of the lake after we have already descended into shade, but it normally doesn’t bother me. The weather sucks everywhere; there's nowhere in Zurich that compares to California Sunshine. Wollishofen is nestled between Zurichsee and the Sihl River, which does not run into the Zurichsee, but forms a confluence with the Limmat river, which joins the Rhine somewhere down river. We live on Albisstrasse; let me show you around!

Transit Stations

Butzenstrasse is our local stop. In the direction of Zurich, you can take the 70, 184, or 185 bus to the Wollishofen Train Station. You can also take the 7 tram, which takes you to Zurich Enge and Zurich HB. Enge is my stop for work, and HB (stands for Haubtbahnhoff) is the main train station where not only can you take a train to anywhere, there is also shopping. In the other direction, the buses take you to Adliswil or Kilchberg. All these routes are part of Zurich’s transit network called the VBZ or Zuri Linie.

Wollishofen Train Station is our closest SBB train station, which is a stop along the corridor between Zurich and Zug. This is how we primarily get into the mountains.

The Grocery Store

Coop is across the street from our apartment, and because of its proximity, that is where we go. I am now a loyal Supercard owner and made my primary language French to make me feel trilingual. A lot of the grocery stores here are 2 stories with people movers with an angle of a magic carpet for carts. Speaking of carts, you need to insert a coin into the cart to detach it from the others, which you get back at the end.

The grocery store has been a place that makes me feel like I'm integrating. In November, every grocery trip was a Herculean task to decode what object of food we were trying to buy with Google Translate camera at the ready, remembering to weigh and sticker your produce before getting to checkout (if you forget you get shamed), having your American credit card be shamefully rejected when tapping and having to use your chip and signing your receipt while the store clerk makes it clear that you are asking a lot. Now, I’m a veteran. I pay for groceries with TWINT (UBS's online banking app) and I can successfully locate most things that I am looking for without staring hopelessly at a sea of yogurt praying that I don’t buy a dairy free variety again!

The two highlights of the grocery store are the bread and cheese section. These are marvels putting even a Whole Foods to shame. There is a backroom where the Cheesemonger resides and will cut you a piece of a full wheel. There’s the bloomy rind section, blue section, fondue and raclette, and the young cheeses.

The other grocery chains are Migros and Aldi, which are also close by as well as the specialty cheese shop (Chäs und Brot) and the Butcher. In general, food is really expensive here, but the quality of the produce is high.

Trail access

There are great neighborhood trails for running and walking. Entlisbergwald is a little forest with nice gravel trails overlooking the Sihl river. There are packs of toddlers in onesie puffy outfits strolling around in pairs in the morning for Forest School. There is an excellent running/bike path that follows the Sihl from downtown to Sihlbrugg for 20k. You can also cross the Sihl on a walker’s path and get some serious vert climbing to the top of Uetliberg. Additionally, you can go down to Zurichsee and run along the pedestrian path on the lake. I thought I was really going to miss Tahoe Donner Trail System, but we really spoiled here too!

Waste

Zurich’s waste and recycling program is complex and thorough, and makes you feel good that waste is disposed of properly! Trash bags are really expensive (1.70 CHF/35 L bag), this certainly incentivizes us to throw away less and stuff these to the brim. We share a dumpster with a few apartment buildings on the street. 

Recycling is still a bit perplexing. Paper and cardboard are picked up every other Monday from outside our apartment. Paper must be tied with string. I have heard stories that if you do this wrong you will be fined, so I listen to the rules!

You bring plastic bottles, other PET plastic, white/green/brown glass, metal, nespresso containers, engine oils, and lightbulbs to the Coop where you separate it to its correct container. There are some plastics, like for salad greens or cookie containers, that fall into an unknown category. So I put them in with the dairy plastics hoping one day someone will validate or chastise me so I can officially know.

Once a month, the Cargo tram comes to the neighborhood, where you can throw away bulk items that don’t fall in any category, like styrofoam, crappy furniture, engine parts, used clothes, anything up to 100 kg. Usable items like clothes go to charities. But you have to bring it via foot or bike! Also monthly, the e-tram comes to pick up any old electronics. They literally park an empty train car at the end of the 7 line and people get in line to fill her up! 

Tram Point

Albisstrasse is starting to feel like home, and I’m really excited for more folks to visit. I made a map of Zurich with points of interest. The Albisstrasse layer is our local neighborhood!