Picky Girl's World Trip
Uetliberg: Highest Point in Zurich
Uetliberg should provide a panoramic view of Zurich, the lake, and the Alps on a clear day. I could see the city and lake, but not the Alps. Again, the weather on the mountain is unpredictable. However, it was fun to ride a train going uphill and hike to the peak for 10-15 minutes. When I reached the top of Uetliberg, I saw a gigantic steel tower, which allowed me to stand on higher than Zurich's highest point. The top of the tower was windy, but it definitely presented an exciting view of the city.
Food
You have two places to eat on Uetliberg. First, you would see a cafe when you get out of the train. Next, you would see an upscale hotel and restaurant called UTO KULM near the observation tower. I did not try either of places, because I brought my hiking snacks. In addition, UTO KULM had a formal black-tie party going on when I passed by it.
Sights and Activities
Uetliberg is a quick-and-easy hiking spot from Zurich. The top of Uetliberg provided me a panoramic view of Zurich although I barely saw the city on the way to the summit. When you reach the summit area, I suggest that you should walk up the observation tower to have a 360-degree view of Zurich. It is free to climb the tower. However, I will not suggest it for anyone who is afraid of height. I do not have acrophobia, but I tell you that I felt my heartbeat quicken when I climbed higher on the tower.
Accommodations
I did not stay a night in Uetliberg. If you really want to stay on the mountain, you would have a hotel called UTO KULM at the top of mountain.
Transportation
I heard that there were lots of hiking trails to reach the top of mountain. I also heard that a walk would take 1 hour or more. For example, it would take approximately one hour to walk to Albisguetli from the Uetliberg train station, as shown on the left photo. However, I simply used the train from Zurich Central Station (Zurich HB), which took approximately 20 minutes, and then walked for 10-15 minutes to reach the top of Uetliberg. The train ticket, which was one-way, cost 8 CHF.
Travel Tips
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I asked a hotel clerk whether I should visit Uetliberg at dusk, because I thought that the evening view might be beautiful. She told me NO, because it would be too dark to walk to the summit. She also said that I would not see much from the summit.
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You would not be able to overlook Zurich on the way to the summit. A path from the train station to the summit was heavily forested.
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I think that the second-class ticket is cost-effective. However, you could upgrade the ticket even inside the train, as long as the seat on the first-class coach is available.
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I bought the one-way ticket, because I knew I would not stay on the mountain for many hours. You can choose a ticket type based on hours that you plan to spend in Uetliberg.
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Be sure to carry a valid transportation ticket. I was asked to present my ticket several times during my trip. The penality for having no valid ticket is seriously expensive.