—

Z hdk —Zurich University of the Arts International Office

— Useful Information for Your Stay in Zurich —

Z

INTERNATIONAL

READER

Zurich

INTERNATIONAL

READER

Zurich

ImprintPublisher: Zurich University of the Arts, International OfficeEditor: Bettina Ganz, Head of the International Office ZHdK Essay: Adrian Müller, ZürichConcept & design: unfolded, ZürichPictures: Peter Hauser, ZürichEnglish translation: Linguapool ZürichPrinted by: Druckerei Odermatt, DallenwilPDF Preview Version, May 2012

––Zurich University of the ArtsInternational OfficeAusstellungsstrasse 60PO Box8031 Zurichinternational.office@zhdk.ch+41 43 446 2058–– www.zhdk.ch––

Switzerland and Zurich

Zurich, the City of Your Dreams → 7 History → 19 Facts and Figures about Switzerland → 27 Facts and Figures about Zurich → 27 Nature and Climate → 31 Language → 31 Vocabulary → 35 Ich han en Schatz am schöne Zürisee → 39 Language Courses → 39

Useful Information Visa and Entry → 39 Travelling to Zurich → 43 Travelling in Zurich and Switzerland → 47 Living in Zurich → 51 Formalities for Registering in Switzerland → 51 Currency, Banking, Payment Methods → 53 Living costs → 57 Working in Switzerland → 57 Health Insurance → 61 Illness and Emergencies → 61 Emergency Numbers → 65 Public Holidays → 65 Shopping Guide → 65 Phone Calls → 69 Post Service → 69 TV and Radio → 73 Newspapers → 73 Electricity → 77 Water → 77 Rubbish Disposal → 77

The Pleasant Side of Life

Cultural Events and Nightlife → 81 Erasmus Student Network – ESN → 85 Trips out of Zurich → 85 Eating Out → 89

Checklist

Before Departure → 89 After Arrival in Zurich → 89 Before Leaving Zurich → 93

Final

What students say → 93

7 EN

If you pause for a moment and look through the windows of the teaching rooms, work-shops, practice rooms or corridors of the upper floors of the university buildings, you will notice that the sky over Zurich is often a light, pallid blue. That lends the city a sense of almost surreal lightness,

and even a certain detachedness. If, however, you go down the stairs and leave the buildings, you will feel the comfort even a patch of grass, a quiet street, a wide square or a small park with fountains and trees can provide, and the sense of unreal-ity and detachedness are gone. If you continue, you will come to streets with trams, busy roads and lively squares – places that are firmly rooted in reality.

Reality in Zurich is often hard, as you will see, for example, when you pay for a pizza, a cinema ticket, entry to a nightclub or a beer. You may well not be used to such prices. And then there are the rental fees for simple rooms in shared flats, which are simply disastrous. At the beginning of the 1990s, there was a sign saying «Zureich» (meaning «too rich» in German) in the fine lettering of the Swiss Railways, in white on dark blue, that came into view as the trains entered the main railway station in the Wohlgroth premises, which was occupied by squatters at that time. «Alles wird Gut» (Everything Will Turn Out Well) was also written there in bright colours.

Don't stop dreaming, because you are here and you will live with the reality of Zurich. That is not intended to alarm you. On the contrary. The reality of Zurich is incredibly diverse. You are here in the reality of the city.

Zurich is a magnificent city. A lake and river, whose water one could drink, invite you to bathe. The Üetliberg mountain is home to wild forestland not far from Zurich, while the Zürich-berg, Adlisberg and Käferberg are covered in gentle woodland. In winter the Dolderbahn and Üetlibergbahn rail lines will take

zurich,

the city of

your dream

Switzerland & Zurich

11 EN

you to a white, almost alpine wonderland, which is a sledging paradise when there is snow. Zurich also has its rituals, start-ing with Sechseläuten, the parade of Zurich guilds. Revellers engage in a middle-class booze–up starting at daytime, drinking one glass of white wine after the other, a wild ride around a massive burning woodpile as an effigy of winter in the middle of the city. After dark it turns into a massive barbecue party like none other. At midnight the inebriated and the stoned revellers strike up a fast-paced drumming duel on Bellevue. The First of May. It heralds a family celebration and unlicensed demon-stration with property damage and the same old political responses, the call for more police and for more equality. The Street parade, massive, loud, littered, peaceful. Knaben-schiessen, a chilbi (fair) in the Allmend below the Üetliberg, is traditionally a mud-bath in the autumn rain and is a match for every open-air event. Shopping frenzy in the Bahnhofsstrasse on Christmas Eve. The perfect measure of consumer stress like in every city. And then there are the facts and figures about the present and past of the city and country. About the city council, the districts, celebrities and equal rights. About the Opera House, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETH), the Grossmünster («Great Minster»), Züri-West, the Prime Tower, the Lochergut, the Swiss Mill and the business centre. About Lenin, Dadaism, the chestnut stalls, the banks, gentrification, the Weststrasse and the «Südanflug». About the Globus-Provisorium, about AJZ, about Letten, Zwingli, Tirrgel and Luxemburgerli. You will find everything on the net. Make the most of that treasure trove.

You will find everything in Zurich. I am tempted to describe it as the most beautiful city in Switzerland, but who am I to judge? After all, who wants to live in Zurich? There are surely more Swiss people who would prefer not to live in Zurich than to live there. And you too – perhaps you live in Baden, Uster, Weiach or Wil, in Dübendorf, Dietikon, Dürnten or Dorf, each a rich world in itself. Judge for yourself. Although Zurich is not a bicycle city, it's wonderful to cycle there. Zurich has no

15 EN

«Viennese coffeehouses», but it has places with a café vibe. Zurich is not a metropolis, but it is metropolitan at the edges, and everyone is happy that it is not a major city through and through. Zurich is a city where you can feel the stress, but it still makes room for leisure. Zurich is large in its smallness. Zurich is absurd in its oh-so-sensible, puritanical regulations.

«Zurich» or even «Switzerland» as such doesn't exist. Take a trip from one terminus to the other with Tram 3 or 7, or with Bus 33, or travel with Swiss Railways (SBB) from Basel to Chiasso, or from Geneva to Romanshorn. You, who are new to the city, need to find Zurich for yourself. You need to create the city and yourself within it. Just as you will change here, so will your unique perspective and otherness change the city and the university. Why not begin with the thread that takes you from the university and keep on spinning it through the city in a delicate web that will continue to become greater and more elaborate, taking you far beyond the city itself? This environ-ment will shape you and lift you up or let you fall.

Don't forget to dream. You are following a dream and perhaps will come to Limmatplatz, then over the Kornhausbrücke, across the river. You will look down towards Letten and then climb the hill, ever further and steeper, until you lose yourselves among the villas and find yourself standing by the edge of the forest, high over Zurich, where the allotments enjoy even more beauti-ful views than the villas, again closer to the pallid blue of the sky. Or you will follow a heavy-traffic road and will suddenly be standing on Escher-Wyss-Platz, and then go along the steep Rosengartenstrase up to Bucheggplatz – a tour of busy streets. From there you can go along the edge of the forest and up to Käferberg, so that you can again pause high over Zurich, and let your eyes roam over the houses, the glittering lake in the distance and the mountains on the horizon. Again you will be closer to unreality, and perhaps also to a feeling of lightness. Or you will go to perhaps the strangest square in Zurich, the bus station, then past the Swiss National Museum, through

19 EN

the main railway station, and into the centre, and will seek out these oases of calm in the midst of urban commerce. You will find them there too. For example, in the large station hall, when the clock strikes eleven in the morning, with the sound of a village church in Tessin, a light, dry chime that is so different from the demure bell-ringing of all the Zurich churches on Sunday morning. A chime that will perhaps open up to you one of the many unreal places that you can find in Zurich.

When you look out of the widows of the teaching rooms, work-shops, practice rooms and corridors of the upper floors of the university buildings, perhaps you will consider what you are actually doing here in Zurich. Zurich is no metropolis, and not even a capital city, but a city and a world in itself. You will live in it, shape it and make it come alive.

The formation of the Alps is the starting point, and not just from a chronological point of view. The Alps have defined and still define the feelings, thoughts and actions of the population of this small

country today. The Celtic tribe of the Helvetians was the first people living in the area that is Switzerland today of which we have written evidence. In around 400 AD, in the course of a large «migration of peoples», Germanic tribes advanced into Central, Western and Southern Europe, and the Burgundians settled in West Switzerland and in the neighbouring Burgundy. They adopted the language (Latin → French) of the Romans, and partly also their culture. The Alemanni, on the other hand, settled in the areas left free in the Mittelland (Swiss Plateau) and retained their German language and way of life. In the Middle Ages, they established the large German empires, Christendom and the feudal system (nobles, the clergy, peasants). The Old Swiss Confederacy was initially (1291) just a loose alliance of the valley communities of Central Switzerland, which wanted to defend their vested autonomy

historySwitzerland & Zurich

23 EN

rights against the power-hungry Habsburg counts. Whether the Swiss freedom fighter Wilhelm Tell really lived or not is contested. Regardless, he still embodies today the spirit of the Old Confederates in the minds of large swathes of the population. The Reformation (16th century) was a severe test for the country with several civil wars between the cities of the Swiss Plateau and the conservative rural areas of Central Switzerland. However, the new ideas gradually prevailed. In 1830 the canton constitutions were amended in several cantons and greater popular rights were introduced. In 1848 the federal constitution established the modern federal state. The cultural war between liberals and conservatives led to the first complete revision of the federal constitution of 1874 with the introduction of the referendum as the most important element of direct democracy. In 1891 the people's initiative was ushered in as the second main pillar of direct democracy. The eventful 19th century brought far-reaching economic and social change with industrialisation and the rapid development of transport and means of communication. The 20th century started out with great hopes of peace and prosperity, but soon such hopes were dashed by the First World War (1914 to 1918), the Russian Revolution (1917), the General Strike in Switzer-land (1918) and the Great Depression (1927). National Socialism plunged Germany and the world into the Second World War. Switzerland was one of the few countries in Europe that was largely unscathed by the war, but its restrictive refugee policy and the acceptance of Nazi gold left it morally at fault. The second half of the 20th century saw almost unchecked eco-nomic growth, which first made possible the liberal, affluent society of today, along with its dark underbelly (environmental problems, rampant individualism).

–www.geschichte-schweiz.ch, www.admin.ch

27 EN

Total area: 41,284.5 km2Population: 7.7 million, with roughly 21 % foreignersCapital: BernLanguages / Swiss: 64 % German, 20 % French, 6.5 % Italian, 0.5 % Romanian, 9 % other

Languages / Zurich: predominantly Swiss German / High GermanPolitical system: Switzerland is a federal, democratic state. It comprises 26 cantons, each with their own constitution, parliament and government (federalism). The national government consists of seven federal councils.Religion: 42 % Catholic, 35 % Protestant, 23 % other

Number of residents in the city: 385,000 with 30.5 % foreigners from 167 nationsNumber of people employed in the city: 370,000Residents of the Zurich metropolitan area: 1.9 million

Students: 43,300Part of the creative industries of Switzerland in proportion to the entire economy: 20 % (CHF 9.2 billion)Overnight hotel stays: 2.6 millionTotal area: 91.9 km2Forest area: 21.5 %Altitude: 406 metres above the sea

–www.zuerich.com–www.zvv.ch/en/tickets/tickets-and-prices/zuerich-card.html (ZürichCARD - so much pleasure for little money)–writeon.swissinfo.ch (blog about life in Switzerland)

facts and

figures about

switzerland

Switzerland & Zurich

facts and

figures aBout

Zurich

Switzerland & Zurich

31 EN

In Switzerland distinct differences in nature and landscape are condensed in a small area. Switzerland is home to part of the Alps, which stretch over almost 1,000 km from Nice to Vienna. There are hundreds of soaring peaks, with the Dufourspitze

rising to 4,633 metres above sea level. Closely connected to the Alps (60 %) are the Mittelland (Swiss Plateau) (30 %) and Jura (10 %), the other two major landscapes. Switzerland extends to the Po Valley in the south, where Mediterranean influences can be felt, and to the Black Forest in the north. All the major rivers, the Rhone, the Rhine, the Reuss and the Ticino, have their source in Gotthard, and each flows in a different direction.

Thanks to its location in the temperate zone and the fact that it extends both to the north and south of the Alps, Switzerland has an extremely varied range of climates and therefore habitats.

Zurich has a continental climate, and it can get very hot in the summer. The mercury can go above 30 degrees C and then people bathe wherever possible. In winter the weather is cold and damp, with temperatures sometimes falling as low as minus 20 C. Warm, waterproof clothing is highly recommended in such weather.

Switzerland has four national languages according to the federal constitution: German, French, Italian and Rhaeto-Romance. The linguistic areas are divided into numerous dialects. Swiss German has

the greatest variety. High German is the written language. In Zurich the people speak «Züritüütsch«. However, it is common for Swiss people to use High German when speaking with guests from abroad. If that is not the case, then do not hesitate to mention that you cannot understand the dialect. Although

Nature aNd

climateSwitzerland & Zurich

languageSwitzerland & Zurich

35 EN

Zurich is a cosmopolitan city and many people speak several languages, we recommend that you acquire some German. In addition to learning German, you will not be able to avoid getting to know a little «Züritüütsch». Here is a short and funny course in Swiss German «Schwiizertüütsch» on the Internet: www.eldrid.ch/switzerland.htm & www.idiotikon.ch

Hoi → HiGrüezi → HelloWie häsch es? → How are you?Tschüss / Adiöö → GoodbyeÄsse → Food

Trinkä → Drink Beiz → Restaurant Schoggi → Chocolate Pulee → Chicken Rüebli → Carrots Wäje → Fruit flan s Cüppli → glass of champagne Stange → small beer (barrel) s Händi → mobile telephone Poschte → to go shopping de Stutz → money Floomi → Flea market Gwafför → Hairdresser s Billet → Ticket (transport) seckle → to hurry echlii → a little gäll → isn't that so? s Liibli → T-shirt Chnüüsi → socks uf d Gass gaa → to go out Abmache → to arrange Blöffsack → Braggart es Gabaree mache → make a scene en Stei haa → have a headache

vocabularySwitzerland & Zurich

39 EN

Ich han en Schatz am schöne Zürisee,So giz e käine mee, jolo lolo liuhDrum gan ich immer gern an Zürisee,Won ich min Schatz cha xee, jolo liuu

Ich han en gern vo ganzem Herze,S tät mer schüli wee,Wän ich müessti tänke,Das ich iin hüt nüme xee

I have a sweetheart at the beautiful Lake ZurichHe / she is one of a kind, la la laThat's why I always like to go to Lake ZurichWhere I can see my sweetheart, la la la

I love him / her with all my heart,It would grieve me soIf I had to thinkOf never seeing him / her again

www.klubschule.chwww.flyingteachers.com www.eb-zuerich.ch

If you are the citizen of an EU country, you do not need a visa to enter Switzerland. All you need to do is register with the relevant office after your arrival. If you are not an EU citizen, you need to apply for an entry visa at the Swiss representation in your

country. Make sure you find out the details about applying

LANGUAGE

COURSESSwitzerland & Zurich

–www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oudHc0Qclg

i han en schatz

am schöne

zürisee

Switzerland & Zurich

visa and

entryUseful Information

43 EN

for a visa well in advance (at least 3 months). Note that you must not enter the country with a tourist visa. If you do so, you will not be able to apply for a residence permit. Once you are here, you will not be able to have your tourist visa changed to a student visa. You will have to leave the country and reapply for a visa in your home country.

By train: The Zurich main railway station is located in the centre of the city. An excellent network of Intercity and fast trains connects the city on a half-hourly basis with all major Swiss cities and with daily connections to various European

metropolises (Paris, Barcelona, Milan, Rome, Vienna, Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, Amsterdam and Brussels). Over 3,000 trains pass through the station daily.

By air: Zurich Airport (Kloten Airport) is 11 km or 10 minutes by train from the Zurich city centre. A railway station is situated on the lower level of the airport. Five to ten trains travel directly to the Zurich main railway station hourly. Tickets can be pur-chased at the ticket counter or ticket machines and are valid for one hour. Travelling by taxi is very expensive in Switzerland.

By car: We would advise against arriving by car. Zurich is known for its lack of parking spaces. It is extremely time- consuming and expensive to park a car in the city.

–www.bfm.admin.ch/bfm/en/home.html (for more information about the visa obligation)–www.eda.admin.ch/eda/en/home/reps.html (Swiss representations abroad)

travelling to

ZurichUseful Information

47 EN

The public transport (ÖV) network in Switzerland is very well developed. Every last corner of the country is accessible by public transport. Anyone keen to see the country and travel from time to time should buy the Halbtax, with which you can travel half price throughout Switzer-

land on all lines of the SBB (Swiss Railways), as well as on many private and mountain trains, shipping lines and post buses. For young people aged between 16 and 25, there is also the Gleis-7-Abonnement, which entitles you to travel free of charge by train on the whole network of the SBB between 7 pm and 5 am.

The public transport network in Zurich is even denser. The Zürcher Verkehrsbund (Zurich Transport Network) offers connections in all directions, every few minutes during the day, and through-out the night at weekends. For young people aged up to 25, there are discounts on travel passes. The monthly ticket for Zone 10 (city area), the Regenbogenabonnement (rainbow pass) allows unlimited travel on buses, trams, trains, boats and cog railways (of which there are 3 in Zurich). If you head out of the city, you need to buy a ticket for the additional zones as required.

A cheap alternative is the bicycle. The city, which is partly hilly, will keep you fit. Second-hand bicycles are available in thrift stores and at the flea market. From May to October there are various bicycle rental stands, where bicycles can be hired free for a day if you leave behind a deposit.

–www.vbz.ch–www.zvv.ch–www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/aoz/de/index/shop/veloverleih/standorte.html

–www.sbb.ch–www.mapsearch.ch, www.map.search.ch/zuerich–www.map24.ch

travelling in

zurich and

Switzerland

Useful Information

51 EN

The living situation for students in Zurich may well be quite different from what you are used to. None of the campuses offer accommodation. Instead three or four students typically look for a flat together

and rent it as a shared flat («Wohngemeinschaft – WG»). For students who are new to Zurich that it can be somewhat difficult. However, many ads are published online. The Home from Home for Students in Zurich (WOKO) lets over 1,400 furnished rooms in student shared flats or student halls of residence, some of which are specifically for foreign students.

Start your search for a flat in Zurich as soon as possible. We would recommend that you reserve temporary, cheap accommodation in a youth hostel or backpacker hotel for the first days if you plan to continue your flat search once you are in Zurich. Don't forget to cancel the reservation in time, if you have already found a definite place to live from abroad.

Anyone staying in Switzerland for longer than three months needs a residence permit. In the city of Zurich you need to register within 8 days of your arrival with the relevant district office and apply for a residence permit. The city is divided into 8 districts, each with its own district office.

formalities for

registering in

switzerland

Useful Information

–Home from Home for Students in Zurich (WOKO): www.woko.ch–Accommodation platforms (for rooms): www.wgzimmer.ch, www.students.ch, www.housinganywhere.com –Accommodation platforms (flats): www.homegate.ch–Youth hostel: www.youthhostel.ch–Backpacker hotel: www.city-backpacker.ch–Accommodation network: www.belodged.com–ZHdK housing suggestions: www.zhdk.ch/index.php?id=wohnen–Houseswap: www.casaswap.com

living in zurichUseful Information

53 EN

If you live outside the city, you should go to the residents' registration office (Einwohnerkontrolle) of the local government. Ask your landlord or flatmates at which office you should register.

To register you will need the following documents:– Valid passport or identity card– Confirmation of your place at the Zurich University of the Arts– 2 passport photographs– Proof of sufficient financial means for your stay in Switzerland– Rental contract– Students from EU countries: European Health Insurance Card– CHF 20 to cover the administrative fee

A few weeks after registering you will receive an official letter asking you to collect your residence permit. If the residence permit expires, it can be extended. Annual costs are approx. CHF 65 (Erasmus students do not pay any fee in the Zurich canton).

The official currency is the Swiss Franc. Common abbreviations are SFR, Fr or the official banking abbreviation CHF. 1 Franc corresponds to 100 Rappen.

There are many banks in Zurich. The largest banks with several branches are UBS,

Credit Suisse, Zürcher Kantonalbank ZKB and die Post (post office). Most are open Monday to Friday from 9 am to 4.30 pm. Change bureaus can be found at all railway stations. They change 90 different currencies with good conditions. At the Zurich main railway station, the change bureau is open daily from 6.30 am to 9.30 pm.

Für die Anmeldung brauchst du folgende Dokumente:– Gültiger Pass oder Identitätskarte– Studienplatzbestätigung der ZHdK– 2 Passbilder– Nachweis über genügend finanzielle Mittel für den Aufenthalt in der Schweiz– Mietvertrag– Studierende aus EU-Ländern: European Health Insurance Card– CHF 20.– für die Gebühren

Einige Wochen nach deiner Anmeldung erhältst du ein offizielles Schreiben, welches dich auffordert, deine Aufenthaltsgeneh-migung abzuholen. Ist die Zeit der Genehmigung abgelaufen, kann sie verlängert werden. Die jährlichen Kosten betragen ca. CHF 65.–. Erasmus-Studierende bezahlen im Kanton Zürich keine Gebühren.

Die offizielle Währung ist der Schweizer Franken. Gängige Abkürzungen sind SFr., Fr. oder die offizielle Bankabkürzung CHF. 1 Franken entspricht 100 Rappen.

Banken gibt's in Zürich viele. Die grössten Häuser mit mehreren Filialen sind UBS,

Credit Suisse, Zürcher Kantonalbank ZKB und die Post. Die meisten sind von Montag bis Freitag, 9 bis 16.30 Uhr, geöffnet. Die Wechselstube Change ist in allen Bahnhöfen zu finden. Sie wechselt 90 verschiedene Währungen zu guten Konditionen. Im Zürcher Hauptbahnhof ist die Wechselstube Change täglich von 6.30 bis 21.30 Uhr geöffnet.

In der Schweiz kannst du fast überall ein Bank- oder Postkonto er- öffnen. Es kann dir dienen, um Geldüberweisungen zu empfangen und Rechnungen zu bezahlen. Die meisten Banken bieten ein

53 DE

–www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/prd/de/index/bevoelkerungsamt/personenmeldeamt/Kontakte_und_Oeffnungszeiten.html (Adressen und Öffnungszeiten der Kreisbüros der Stadt Zürich)

GELD, BANK

UND ZAHLUNGS-

METHODEN

Allerlei Nützliches

–www.stadt-zuerich.ch/content/prd/de/index/bevoelkerungsamt/personenmeldeamt/Kontakte_und_Oeffnungszeiten.html (Addresses and opening hours of the district offices of the city of Zurich)

CURRENCY,

BANKING, PAY-

MENT METHODS

Useful Information

57 EN

In Switzerland you can open a bank or post office account almost everywhere, enabling you to receive money transfers and to pay bills. Most banks offer student accounts for students aged up to 30 (UBS: «UBS Campus», Credit Suisse: «Academia», ZKB: «Bildungsplus», die Post (post office): «Ausbildungskonto»). Such accounts typically have special conditions and offer a Mastro card enabling you to withdraw money at cash machines and to pay directly in most shops. To open an account, you will need a valid passport and a copy of your registration con-firmation for the residence permit.

Zurich has a very high standard of living, but it comes at a price. Living costs are relatively high in Switzerland, especially in Zurich. You should reckon with at least CHF 1,500 per month, depending on

individual needs. Rental fees for flats and rooms in shared flats, in particular, are very expensive because of the short supply. It is possible to reduce daily spending somewhat by shopping at the flea markets, Zurich thrift stores and second hand shops, of which there are many. They are all listed on the Internet: www.nichtneu.ch

Depending on the nationality international students can work up to 15 hours a week during the academic semester and 42 hours a week during semester holidays.Please note that any form of employment is subject to students holding an official

work permit. Please contact the Office for Economy and Labour of the Zurich canton for details: www.awa.zh.ch

–Vacancies are best found online: www.marktplatz.ethz.ch, www.arbeitsvermittlung.unizh.ch,www.jobpilot.ch, www.jobs.ch, www.monster.ch, www.students.ch, www.telejob.ch

LIVING COSTSUseful Information

WORKING IN

SWITZERLANDUseful Information

61 EN

Anyone living for longer than three months in Switzerland is required by law to have health insurance. If you have health insur-ance in your home country, check whether it covers the basic insurance obligation in Switzerland. If that is the case, bring a

European Health Insurance Card, E111 form or confirmation of your insurance cover with you to Switzerland.

If your insurance cover is not sufficient, you will need to take out supplementary insurance. If you do not have any health insurance cover, you will need to take out insurance. That is possible in Switzerland, but it is very expensive. In any case, insurance confirmation is always necessary, because other-wise you will be compulsorily insured at your own cost.

In the case of an accident or illness, you can contact the Emergency Medical Service at any time. The «Ärztefon» is the official medical emergency call line of the city of Zurich and the surrounding areas. The staff is available around the clock,

puts you in contact with emergency doctors and pharmacists and advises on medical questions. The service is free of charge.

–For detailed information see:www.zhdk.ch/fileadmin/data_zhdk/studium/Versicherungen/Krankenkasse/Merkblatt_Krankenversicherung_d.pdfwww.zhdk.ch/fileadmin/data_zhdk/International_Office/Krankassenangebot_CSS_E.pdf (Offer of low-cost health insurance for international students)

–Emergency Medical Service Ärztefon around the clock daily: +41 44 421 2121, www.aerztefon.ch–Emergency doctor around the clock daily: Neumühlequai 38, Zürich, +41 44 360 4444–Permanence medical station daily from 7 am to 10 pm: at the Zurich main railway station, +41 44 215 4444, www.permanence.ch–Bellevue Pharmacy, around the clock daily: Theaterstrasse 14, Zürich, +41 44 266 6222–Bahnhofapotheke (Railway station pharmacy), daily from 7 am to midnight: at the Zurich main railway station, +41 44 225 4242

health

insuranceUseful Information

illness and

emergenciesUseful Information

65 EN

Police: 117Fire department: 118Ambulance: 144Toxicological institute (for poisoning emergencies): 145Roadside assistance service: 140

Psychological hotline – die dargebotene Hand (a Hand Extended): 143

January: 1 New Year's Day, 2 BerchtoldstagMarch / April: Good Friday, Easter Monday, Sechseläuten (2nd or 3rd Monday in April) May / June: 1 May Labour Day, Ascension Day, Whit Monday

August: 1 August National HolidaySeptember: Knabenschiessen (2nd or 3rd Monday in September)December: 24 – 26 December Christmas

Migros and Coop are the two largest supermarket chains in Switzerland. They both have low-budget product lines for daily consumption that are nevertheless of good quality (Migros Budget / Coop Prix

Garantie). Migros is cheaper, but does not sell any alcohol or tobacco products. Aldi, Denner and Lidl are additional discount stores, but the products they sell are often somewhat lesser quality. In Zurich food shops are open from Monday to Friday from 8 am to 6.30 pm and on Saturday from 8 am to 4 pm. In the city centre almost all shops are open Monday to Saturday from 9 am to 8 pm. The Coop Bahnhofbrücke at the Zurich main railway station offers a very large selection and is open Monday to Saturday from 7 am to 10 pm.

Flowers, fresh vegetables and fruits are available at the markets on Bürkliplatz and Helvetiaplatz (Tuesday / Friday),

emergency

numbersUseful Information

public HolidaysUseful Information

shopping guideUseful Information

69 EN

in Örlikon and on Lindenplatz (Wednesday / Saturday). Delicacies from all over the world can be found at the Wednes-day market in the large hall of the main railway station.

It is possible to reduce daily spending somewhat by shopping at the flea markets, Zurich thrift stores and second hand shops, of which there are many. They are all listed on the Internet: www.nichtneu.ch

In recent years, many Swiss designers have established them-selves with their labels and workshops in the Zurich districts 4 and 5. The large department stores Globus, Jelmoli, Manor and St. Annahof are located around Bahnhofstrasse and on Bellevue. Dotted between them are the shops of international brands (H&M, Esprit, Bodum, Bally, Bata, Versace, Prada etc.). Zurich has a large shopping selection, mostly with steep prices.

For calls inside Switzerland, first dial 0 + the area code. For international calls, dial 00 + the international country code. Various operators offer monthly subscriptions or prepaid cards. The largest company,

which is state-owned, is Swisscom. It is worth comparing current offers. The website www.comparis.ch is recommended for that purpose. For consultation and offers, visit one of the 8 Mobile-zone shops.

Switzerland has a public post service called «die Post», with branches in almost all villages, towns and cities. The post offices are usually open between 7.30 am and 6 pm (Monday to Friday) and from

–www.kreislauf4und5.ch, www.zuerich.com/en/Visitor/Experience/Shopping.html, www.montagsmarkt.ch

–www.mobilezone.ch–www.swisscom.ch

phone callsUseful Information

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9 am to 12 pm (Saturday). The main post office (Sihlpost) at the main railway station, Kasernenstrasse 95, is open from 6.30 am to 10.30 pm (Monday to Friday), from 6.30 am to 8 pm (Saturday) and from 10 am to 10.30 pm (Sunday) www.post.ch.

In addition to the state television broad-casters SF (German), TSR (French) and TSI (Italian), there are also some private broadcasters. It is possible to receive most foreign TV channels via the various digital

TV providers. If you own a radio set, television or a computer with Internet access, you are required to pay monthly radio and / or television fees in Switzerland, which are charged by Billag. and to actively register www.billag.ch. If you fail to do so, you could be fined up to CHF 5,000. In shared flats the fee is paid collectively. If you are renting a room, ask whether the household is already registered or not. Provider for TV reception via the internet: www.zattoo.com

Newspapers in all languages and from many countries are available at the large newspaper kiosks at the railway station. The «Neue Zürcher Zeitung» (NZZ) is probably the best-known newspaper and

is popular with banks and companies because of its business section. It also has an appealing magazine section («Feuilleton») with in-depth articles about current cultural events. The «Tages- anzeiger», abbreviated to «Tagi», is the newspaper that best informs about events in and around the city with its Thursday insert «Züritipp». You can also pick up the «Züritipp» throughout the week at the tourist information office in the main railway station. In the mornings and evenings free newspapers are barely distributed before they can be found lying around as rubbish.

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If you bring electronic equipment with you, make sure that the voltage and frequency of your appliance is compatible with that of the Swiss electricity network (voltage: 230 V, frequency: 50 Hz). The sockets have

either two pins or three pins: CEE 7 / 16, standardised European plug or SEV 1011. Adaptors can be purchased everywhere in electronic shops and large supermarkets.

In Switzerland good, clean water is a matter of course, rather than a luxury. You can drink the water from taps in flats, public buildings and the city's fountains without any hesitation. The quality is always very

good. The Swiss lakes and rivers are also clean everywhere and suitable for bathing.

Rubbish is separated. Glass, paper, card- board, metal, wood, batteries, PET, textiles and aluminium are collected separately free of charge. What remains can be collected in a rubbish bag called the «Zürisack». Zürisacks are available at

supermarkets at the cash desks and you need to ask for them. They are not all that cheap. You have to pay a surcharge per bag according to the «polluter pays» principle. You should not use other rubbish bags, as these will not be taken away by the rubbish disposal service. Zürisacks, paper and cardboard are collected, but you must take the other rubbish to the desig-nated disposal sites. Ask your landlord or flatmates about the nearest disposal sites.

electricityUseful Information

WaterUseful Information

rubbish

disposalUseful Information

–www.erz.ch (Disposal and Recycling Zürich)

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Zurich's cultural life is varied and im-mensely rich. In addition to the renowned, traditional institutions such as the Opern-haus (Opera House), Schauspielhaus (Playhouse), Tonhalle (Concert Hall) and Kunsthaus (Art Museum), there are also

countless theatres, music restaurants, cultural clubs, dance houses, trendy bars, culture factories and concert halls of all sizes, and above all, a considerable number of media, design, theatre, music, dance and art festivals. The list of art galleries is long and dotted with household names. The Zurich University of the Arts alone offers over 1,000 events yearly: theatre perfor-mances, concerts, exhibitions, lectures, podium events, films etc.

In addition, there is a multitude of restaurants, bars, clubs and discos and a wide range of films showing at the count-less cinemas in Zurich. The many cinemas that offer films in the original language with German and French subtitles are particularly popular. The cinema (Filmstelle) of the Students' Association of ETH (VSETH) screens good films at low prices.

Information about current events and leisure activities can be found in Züritipp. This cultural guide with editorial contributions is published as an insert in the Thursday edition of Tagesan-zeiger. The Züritipp is available throughout the week from the Zurich tourism office in the main railway station or online at www.zueritipp.ch

Ron Orp's mail connects you and brings the gems of everyday life to your inbox – inspiring and surprising. Tips about concerts, art, parties, food and drink, shopping, media, jobs, people, conversations, projects, special offers, flats and everything else going on in the city.

–www.zhdk.ch/index.php?id=agenda

–www.filmstelle.ch

–www.kulturinfo.ch, www.guide.local.ch, www.events.ch, www.museen-zuerich.ch, www.tom-brain.ch,www.students.ch, www.usgang.ch, www.zuerich.ch, www.ronorp.ch/zuerich, www.restkultur.ch

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The Erasmus Student Network is a Europe-wide student organisation with over 350 branches in 34 countries. The aim of the organisation is to provide students with local support during their exchange semester and to promote their social and personal integration. ESN Zurich would

like to help international students to feel at home at soon as possible in Zurich, to enjoy their time here and to familiarise themselves with the local cultural life. To that end, it organises numerous events such as parties, excursions, tours, buddy programmes, provides information and is also there if you are in trouble.

Thanks to its central location in Switzer-land, Zurich is an ideal starting point for trips in every direction. Other Swiss cities worth seeing like Bern, Basel, Chur, Lucerne, Schaffhausen, Solothurn and St. Gallen as well as the somewhat more

distant Lausanne, Locarno, Lugano and even Geneva, are also easily accessible for day trips. There are also regular train con-nections to the mountains. Swiss Railways (SBB) has various special offers each month (Monatshits). That makes it cheaper to travel to one of the viewpoint mountains of the north ridge of the Alps (Säntis, Pilatis, Rigi, Titlis, Jungfraujoch). In winter there are also offers including daily skiing tickets and accom-modation. The northern foothills of the Alps can be reached quickly from Zurich and provide wonderful landscapes for hik-ing, cycling tours and mountain lake swimming.

–zurich.esn.ch

–www.zuerich.com, www.myswitzerland.com, www.sbb.ch, www.wandersite.ch, www.veloland.ch, www.railaway.ch

trips out of

ZurichThe Pleasant Side of Life

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If you would like to eat in a restaurant, you should reckon with at least CHF 15 for a lunchtime set meal. That includes a salad or soup and the daily special. In the evening it is more expensive. There are

countless restaurants in Zurich with cuisines from all over the world. The tip is essentially included in the price, but it is also usual to tip when paying, depending on your satisfaction with the service and food.

º Valid passport, ID cardº Visa (for students from non-EU / EFTA countries)º Confirmation of place at universityº Health insurance card (students from EU countries)

º Written confirmation of health insurance cover by your health insurance fund, including a detailed list of all insurance benefits (students from non-EU countries)º Proof of liability insurance (if available)º Sufficient cash (deposit for a room, tickets etc.)º Bank statement to prove sufficient financial means, grant confirmationº Passport photoº Specialities and information material from home country

º Registration at the universityº Registration at the residents' registration office (within 8 days of entering the country)

eating outThe Pleasant Side of Life

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º Termination of rental contract in sufficient timeº De-registration with the residents' registration office

Final remarks by students from a selection of reports written at the end of their studies in Zurich

«This stay in Zurich, attending Zürcher Hochschule der Künste has been one of

the most memorable stays i've ever had. Although some of the Swiss ways are similar to the Japanese, the city its self, simple beautiful and spectacular, gave me a whole new perspective of how life should be.» Emilee Taura, Kyoto

«Zurich is a city full of sunshine and passion. I love here very much.» Yuejun Deng, Hangzhou

«I find Zürich to be a very interesting city and the school to be a very relevant element in a place where art and creativity is highly regarded and floursihing.» Michael Roloff, Kolding

«Experiencing an alphorn player during my morning jogging is one of the unforgettable moments that I am thankful for because it is a unique feature of life in a city like Zurich.» Bettina Bühr, Berlin

«I had a great time here in Zürich and the ZHDK. I improved my German, learned a lot of new people and enjoyed every minute of Zürich and its beauty.» Ellen van den Munckhof, Rotterdam

«I really had the most incredible time on my Erasmus experience, met so many amazing people and have valuable connections

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for my future career. Really, it made this year the best one so far!» Stephen Maguire, Dublin

«In general as a city, and place to live, i LOVE LOVE Zurich! It is amazing and beautiful, and everyone has been oh so vey kind and welcoming to me. It has been and extremely positive experience, and i will most certainly try to come back in the future!!!» Bianca Guthrie, Vancouver

«Overall my stay here in your wonderful country has been a memorable time. I always have it in my heart and my soul. Thank You!» Annika Brandt, Helsinki

«It was a really great experience and i cant wait for the next opportunity that our roads with meet again.» Amir Avraham, Jerusalem

«Choosing Zurich for my erasmus has been the greatest professional decision of my life.» Eduardo Ibora, Barcelona

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