Relocating to Zurich

[LadySweet]

Hello everyone

I am relocating to Zurich next month with my husband and 7 month old baby boy and wondered if anyone could recommend a nice area to rent in? Husband will be working in the Opfikon district, is it really easy to get around Zurich by public transport or should we be thinking of a move to near his workplace?

Seefeld looks nice and we have placed our interest on a couple of apartments there, just waiting to hear back from the agent. We saw a couple of nice apartments for rent in the industrial district which said on the advert "partially red light" does someone know how red light this is? Will it be full of dodgy types or am I being paranoid?

If I can also ask here about shared washing machines? A large precentage of the properties we have been looking at online have shared washing machine, is this normal? How does this work? Is it in a basement of the building?

I have joined the expat families in zurich yahoo group but my pc has a problem with that website, I think its my internal firewall :|

Zurich looks great, very much looking forward to relocating there.

I live in Switzerland but not Zurich so can't comment that aspect. I do however know about washing machines...

Yes it's very normal to have shared washing machines generally they are in the basement and depending on the size of the building there may be more than one. Also dryers and usually hanging space to dry your clothes are also available there. The systems for managing the use of the machines vary. Sometimes you get allocated a particular day and it's the same every week (or every two weeks if you believe some horror stories). Sometimes you have to sign up for particular slots. Where we lived before there were four flats. We each had one day a week allocated to us, and the other two days (generally no laundry on Sundays) were first come, first served. And actually we did all use it on Sundays too.

It's definitely worth asking what the system is for the laundry when you view flats. Sometimes people buy washing machines for their own flats too (and generally put them in the bathroom). You can buy special slighter smaller than normal machines for this purpose if space is an issue.

Honestly though, it sounds a real hassle when you first hear about it, but you soon get used to it and learn to work with it.

hello !

Public transport is great but traffic and parking a nightmare in the city centre - I never drove in. Trains are timed to connect and run to time, trams are more easy to get on with a pushchair than they used to be. Travellign across the city isn't a big deal so you should have a wide choice of areas.

Shared Washing machine and dryer is usually in a basement room. Sometimes you are allocated specific times for use, sometimes it is free for all apart form certain times ie not 12-2pm , before 7am and after 8pm, not Sundays or Public Holidays(likewise hoovering and music). The lease will state the conditions. In our each flat had a special key to insert near the plug to activate it. I found it a hassle with small kids to go up and down so had one installed in the boiler room within the flat - we needed permission from landlord to do so ask if that is a deifite possibility before you sigh if you think it important. Similalry a satellite dish if you want one.

Prostitition is fairly accepted as are drugs and clubs/brothels can be quite blatant so I'd avoid the red light areas !

Thanks for the replies The washing machine arrangement certainly will take some getting used to I think, cant imagine how I would manage on an enforced schedule my machine is never off atm Hopefully will get an apartment with a machine inside, ironically the only ones I have seen with machines included were in the "partial red light district". Shall skip those areas though

Hi

Zurich is wonderful! We moved 2 years ago and I love it. Rented in Neu Oerlikon when DH was working in Opfikon, only 5 mins on the train or 20 on the bus to work, plus most apartments are pretty new and have their own washing machines (I insisted!). It's a newer area so not as traditionally pretty as some but definitely no red lights... and 10 mins into the centre on the train.

Seefeld is lovely, sort of the Chelsea of Zurich and you can walk to town and lake v easily, but older buildings so shared machines there I guess. Around Langstrasse is the main red light district (though tame by UK standards I think, Switzerland is a very safe country) and Hardbrucke, Zuri-West is I think more clubbing district than red light. Possibly noisy...

Trains v easy with pram, newer trams on some routes good but older ones on others means a bit of hauling around... This on hearsay as DD1 expected July - I have english friends who can tell you about English speaking playgroups and activities if you don't speak German. The expats take a bit of finding, but are a friendly bunch and stick together....

Hi Newb, I'll take a look at Neu Oerlikon, sounds as though it may suit both husband for geting to work easily and me and the wee boy for getting into town. I think we thought we would rent somewhere for 3 months initially until we got our bearings etc then take it from there. We live in a new build in Edinburgh atm, on the waterfront, so are used to being in a less pretty but convenient location

I don't speak any German at all yet so any heads up you could give me about playgroups, activities etc would be great

It is really hard to rent short term unless the company has some apartments on permanent lease for those transferring or you can sublet. Most leases run longer term or even indefinitely with fixed points to break them (usually April 1st and October 1st) with prior notice - ours was 3 months - otherwise you are liable to find someone to take it over who even then has to meet with the landlord's approval. Removal costs and final professional cleaning bill (as it has to be left spick and span to Swiss standards) can be huge too so it isn't something to take lightly . If you can negotiate this into the contract all well and good. Do you have a relocation agent who can look into some possibiliites ?

Hi LizS, did not realise that at all about renting apartments We have made contact with a couple of rental agencies, LodgeFinder and UMS and are going to fill in their mandates this weekend. My husband is employed as a contractor so the company he will be contracting for are really just leaving us to sort out accommodation etc ourselves. It appears I have been rather naive with regards renting accommodation, and nothing I have found online on the rental webpages have suggested this so thank you for your advice

Both LodgeFinder and UMS appear to take huge commission if they find you an apartment but this seems to be the norm, and I guess really is another factor to consider if we were hoping to rent on a short term basis. Husbands contract is for 12 months anyway (hopefully longer) so its not as though it is really a requirement for the 3 month let, was just hoping to find my bearings before commiting to a year in a particular district.

We will not have time to view apartments before we arrive, the move has happened rather suddenly, so are going to have to rent blind if you know what I mean. We don't really want husband to move out there on his own either to stay in a hotel for a month or so and us to follow, would be best for us all to move together as a little family I think.

Thanks again for all your help and advice here, I really do appreciate it.

dh had some colleagues view apartments for us - I had only seen polaroids and layout of it until we got the keys. Also dh went ahead by a month as it wasn't available in time and all rather rushed. Actually it worked out ok if a bit stressful (I was pg and ds had chickenpox ). he was able to orientate himself, organise a car and so on before we arrived. We too went for 12 months.... and stayed 4 years , lol.

Happy to give you a (biased!) view on places that come up. The protocol here is that you (or the agent) views a property - if you like it then you complete an application form the next day and the landlord chooses who will get the flat.

There's usually quite a bit of competition for the nicer places, so a proactive agent is a good thing. You also need to send them copies of the work permit usually and bank statements (so much for Swiss privacy!) so they can see you are a good bet to rent to. Don't want to put you off. It's tough to find a good apartment. If there's any way you can move to temporary accommodation and find somewhere once you're here it'll be a lot easier cos then you can view, apply directly and in person and move stratighaway which they tend to like. If your DH's company can offer you a temporary flat I'd go for that, or get people actively looking on your behalf.

www.homegate.ch is one of the main sites and the agents use that as well.....

Hello We have a few on our shortlist now, have mailed the agent and will phone them tomorrow to see where we are with them Your view on our areas would be great

We have one in Kr.9-Altstetten, looks nice and own washing machine! . Another is a house in Dällikon, from the map it looks as though it is on the corner of the roads Reiweg and Bordacherstrasse. This one sounds a bit unusual though as is is described as being "in a quarter of one family houses". Do you think that means it is one huge house split into four? Its so hard to tell from the map The final one is in Stäfa, right on the water, looks beautiful but is probably smaller than what we are looking for. Dont have actual addresses for any of them, just the areas/zones.

I don't think husbands company offering us a temp flat is an option as he isnt going out there as an employee as such but a contractor, they indicated at interview stage that we would pretty much be left alone to sort out our own accommodation etc.If it comes to it he will go out there first and stay in a hotel, but hopefully it wont come to that .

Hi

Altstetten is a good area and very central to Zürich, takes about 5 mins on the train into the main station and loads of buses. It's more working / offices than it is scenic but is pleasant enough and very convenient. It's mostly UBS offices there.

Dällikon looks to be quite a way out of Zürich. To get in you have to get a bus to Regensdorf then a train - takes half an hour. It does look like a house though rather than an apartment, they might mean it's an area of single houses, so semis or detached houses which are rare here.

Stafa is partway along the lake and is probably a small, quite traditional village. Takes 25 minutes to get into the centre by train. I live in Wädenswil just across the lake from there and advantages are amazing views, right on the lake etc.but is a bit further out

Have been looking at the houses where address is known via. this site which is sort of like a Swiss Google Earth:

www.map.search.ch

Also for transport this is the official site:

sbb.ch/en

Best guage is how long it takes to get in to Zürich HB (main station or Hauptbahnhof)

Ooh, I'm quite enjoying this. Always did like a good flat hunt though....

Hi, I'm in very similar position to you, but searching nearer to Zug!! Husband's company are supposed to be helping us find somewhere but are not proving to be that proactive! I have been on the websites - like comparis.ch and homegate.ch and then feeding the information back to them to get more details and set up appointments. It is really hard if you don't speak German - which I don't!! We've managed to line up a few and are going out to view next week.... I am hoping we will have some success - but it is hard remotely! Good luck with your search and if anyone knows anything about the Zug locale then please shout!! Thanks.

Hi again

Thanks for the feedback on the areas we were looking at Newb, much appreciated. Sadly all the flats we were considering have been let to other people so our search continues, are hoping to move out on 15th April so things are getting a bit tight! I can't really believe how hard it is to find an apartment but I am trying to remain positive A few more have come up on homegate today with negotiable entry dates so I may well be back with more areas

Good luck with your search Giddybiddy, it is indeed difficult to search remotely so wishing you every success! Will be nice to get a feel for the area before you move out there

Ugh it is a real pain finding apartments here.....

I guess one consolation is that if you don't have anywhere fixed by the time you're here, you'll be able to see them in person, see something you definitely like then be ready to move in straight away, which is an advantage in your favour here - as you've seen it all moves pretty quickly.

To keep spirits up, I can tell you that spring has definitely arrived here. All the cafes have their outside tables and it was beautiful yesterday, we had drinks by the lake in T-shirts and it seems everyone was out walking with their families. Today we're going for the first picnic of the year....determined to have both a paddle and an icecream....

PS Giddybiddy, I don't know Zug that well, but understand the whole area is a good one to live in, lowest taxes in Switzerland and one of the highest concentrations of millionaires. Old town of Zug is beautiful, also English shop is there (only place in Switzerland you can get orange squash - after a couple of yesrs this becomes important lol) Lots of expats, one of the international schools is there. Oh, and apparently the lake there is very flat - DH wakeboards there most weekends in summer, hence my intimate knowledge of the coffee shops!

Oooooo sounds wonderful Newb I really can't wait to arrive and settle in and start enjoying living there. It does seem a real family friendly place; husband commutes for hours a day atm so will be really nice to all spend some quality time together with the sunshine and cafe culture an added bonus

Thats true enough about being able to see apartments if we don't find one before 15th, we have found a company that do business lets short term and they look nice, so if worst comes to worst we can rent one of those in the meantime

Zug sounds lovely Giddybiddy.

Hope you had a great day paddling Newb

Off this afternoon, so wish me luck! We'er got 6 to see after frantic internet searching so just hope that one of them is right!! Hope sun is still shining...... What date are you moving over LadySweet? If youhave to short term let at least you'd be able to research where you want to live properly - Google Maps are all very well but not the same as being there... What's your German like?..... Mind is very basic so that will be interesting.

Good luck . Are you tied to Zug for any reason . You can be in one of many areas and yet still have a short commute for office and schools.

Good Luck Giddybiddy, hope your trip is a success We are moving over on 15th April, so not long at all

I speak no German at all, husband said most people he met spoke English when he was in Zurich for the interview so hoping to get by with English at first and learn the language as we go

hello, we are moving to zurich too, just after easter and will be living fairly near the red light district(not for work purposes..). Our dd is 15 months so would be very interested to hear about play groups etc. My german is also non-existent..apparently sprachwelten has an on-site creche...good luck with the move

You might want to familiarise yourselves with the forthcoming bank holidays, (Easter, May 1st , Ascension Day, Whit etc) and ad hoc days such as Sechselauten in Zurich on 20th April. Banks, schools, shops, businesses etc will usually close down, so you won't be able to move in over those dates or do washing, gardening or clean the car but there are parades and activities to enjoy. The religious holidays vary from one canton to another, Zug will differ to Zurich ans so on.

Ahh thanks for this Lizs. Husband was actually given start date of 20th April so will get him to double check he does actually have to go in on that date . We have just had word this morning about a flat with a move in date of May 1st (my birthday too incidentally, nice to hear they have a big parade ) so if that looks as though it will proceed I shall ask if we could move in slightly earlier (hopefully not later). Flat is in Binzallee which looks central and not too far from the lake or the forest, although it is hard to approximate how far things are on a map of a City you have never visited .

Big parade is on 20th, there may be a kids parade on the Sunday before too, but not 1st although you may find local events called chilbi with fairground rides and barbecues on 1st. For some in Zurich, 20th will be a full day off, others half a day .

I wouldn't say you're within walking distance of the lake there but somewhere near Triemi where the large hospital is , in which case it and the top of the Uetliberg (nice playground and walks with great views over the lake and Zurich) are easily reached by tram/train

Update: still definitely summer here. Have just cranked up (or down?) the aircon in the office. And many ice-creams have been eaten LadySweet you're pretty close in Binzallee to Sihlcity, v nice, new shopping centre, reckon 10 mins on foot. I'd guess about 25 mins from the lake as well, if there's a path under the motorway somewhere....

PS Everything here shuts on a Sunday as well, except the shops at the airport and main station. You'll come to love and appreciate it, I promise!

Sounds like a nice area. We have submitted our application form and are just waiting to hear back now, fingers crossed. Rent is for 6 months but that will give us time to get our bearings and find somewhere else.

I am so looking forward to moving out there, we will stay in a hotel for first 2 weeks unless the landlord lets us move in early - probably unlikely but I am an optimist

at everything being closed on a Sunday. Will be nice and peaceful though I'm sure

Update; we have been offered the apartment in Binzallee and they have agreed to let us move in early Am so happy

If I may ask another question, the landlord requires us to set up a bank account for the deposit for the rent. How do we go about this, what do we do? Just set up a Swiss bank account and pop the deposit in there or is there more to it?

Thanks so much for all your help so far, there should soon be an end to my questions (hopefully;).