Public Transportation in Switzerland

From the moment I told people "we are moving to Switzerland", everyone that I know who has been there has said "oh, the trains are GREAT!  It is so easy to move around!  You won't need a car".

To them, after just completing a ten day house hunting trip in Switzerland, I say "you must not be traveling with three children and a double stroller".

If you are mobile, without young children, then yes, the public transports options are AMAZING!!!

However, I found it extremely stressful to use the trains.

I have a double stroller for my two youngest, ages 2 years and 9 months.  The second seat is below the main seat, which makes it a little easier.  If I had a side by side double stroller...forget about it.  That would be impossible to get on a train.

Some of the trains are handicap/stroller accessible, when you can just roll right onto the train, from the platform.

Other trains two steps up to get on the train.  They may have a handicap sign next to one of the train doors.  However, the steps do not turn into a ramp with the push of a button.  Apparently you need to be able to pick up your double stroller (or wheelchair) and carry it up.  And, if you cannot be this yourself, you are supposed to ask for assistance from a railway employee...  The handicap sign on the train door just indicates that there is enough room in that cabin to park your stroller or wheelchair.

Luckily, my husband and I were able to each pick up an end of the stroller.  But, I was still stressed about timing.  The trains are only in the stations for a few minutes.  They are very timely and do not wait.  So, it was very stressful to find the door with the handicap sign, get the stroller aboard and reassure our walking six year old that she wouldn't get left (on or off the train) without us.

My stress level was especially high as once we landed at the Zurich airport, we were to take the train from there to Schaffhausen.  My husband bought the tickets.  We were on the platform 10 minutes early.  Our train arrived 8 minutes late.  And, as we were trying to carry out luggage, car seats, carry on bags and three children into the train...the train left the station.  Not a good start to our trip (especially as the airline had forgotten to put our stroller on the flight!).  Double whammy!

From there, we had to lug our stuff back upstairs into the airport and find a taxi.  $250 francs later, plus the $50 train tickets we didn't get to use, we made it to Schaffhausen...where our realtor was waiting to show us homes!