Visitor information
How to get to the Automatic Control Laboratory (IfA)
These Downloaddirections (PDF, 518 KB) are downloadable as a single page PDF.
From Zurich airport:
By Taxi
Taxi is the fastest and easiest way of reaching IfA. Ask the driver to take you to Physikstrasse, which is located at the far end of Bolleystrasse. The fare is approximately 50 CHF and most taxis accept credit cards.
By Train
Trains run regularly to the main station (Hauptbahnhof) and the journey is 11 minutes. Tickets must be bought before boarding the train. There is a train/tram ticket office on the lower floor of the Airport Center. There are also ticket machines close to the elevators down to the platforms. A button on the lower right of the touchscreen will set the language to English. The fare is approximately 6.60 CHF and remains valid if you then switch to a tram to complete your journey. The external pageSBB rail timetable gives the exact departure times.
By Tram
The #10 tram line runs from the airport to Zürich city and goes directly past ETH. There are ticket machines outside the upper exit of the Airport Center, close to where the tram departs. The ticket is the same as for the train and the journey to the ETH stop takes 28 minutes. The ETH stop on line #10 is adjacent to the ETH main building (Hauptgebäude or HG). From there walk to the ETL building following the "walking route" illustrated on the map below. The route will cross Tannenstrasse and Rämistrasse and then head up the hill along Schmelzbergstrasse. Take the stairs at the end of Schmelzbergstrasse to get to Physikstrasse and the ETL building.
From Zurich main train station (Hauptbahnhof)
By Tram
The fare for a single journey (valid on any combination of train, tram and river boat) in the Zürich city zone (zone 110) is 4.40 CHF. There are ticket machines at the tram stops. A button on the lower right of the touchscreen will switch the language to English.
Two tram lines run from the Zürich main train station to the ETH central campus:
Tram #6: Recommended for going directly to IfA.
Catch this tram from the stop in Bahnhofstrasse (the street going south from the train station). Take the tram #6 in the direction of the zoo and get off at Platte (4 stops). Walk up Gloriastrasse, following the tram lines, and turn onto Sternwartstrasse. Half way along Sternwartstrasse (on the right hand side) you will find stairs and a path leading up to the ETL building.
Tram #10: Recommended for going to the ETH main building.
Catch this tram from Bahnhofplatz immediately to the south of the train station. Take the #10 tram in the direction of Oerlikon or the Airport and get off at the ETH stop (3 stops). The ETH main building is slightly south of the tram stop. From there you can also walk to IfA via Schmelzbergstrasse and the stairs at the far end.
Selection of hotels near IfA and ETH main building
Hotels
A variety of hotels near IfA and ETH main building are available to suit your needs, from budget to luxury accommodation. Please visit the
Central Plaza Hotel
Central 1, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 256 56 56
external pagewww.central.ch
Hotel Helmhaus
Schifflände 30, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 266 95 95
external pagewww.helmhaus.ch
Hotel Krone Unterstrass
Schaffhauserstrasse 1, 8006 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 360 56 56
external pagewww.hotel-krone.ch
Leonardo Boutique Hotel
Universitätstrasse 101, 8006 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 360 12 00
external pagewww.leonardo-hotels.de
Hotel Schweizerhof Zürich
Adresse: Bahnhofpl. 7, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 218 88 88
external pagewww.hotelschweizerhof.com
Sorell Hotel Rex (within 10 minutes walk from IfA)
Weinbergstrasse 92, 8006 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 360 25 25
external pagewww.sorellhotels.com/de/rex/zuerich
Sorell Hotel Zürichberg
Orellistrasse 21, 8044 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 268 35 35
external pagewww.sorellhotels.com/de/zuerichberg/zuerich
Hotel Wellenberg
Niederdorfstrasse 10, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 43 888 44 44
external pagewww.hotel-wellenberg.ch/de/
Hotel Adler
Rosengasse 10, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 266 96 96
external pagewww.hotel-adler.ch
Hotel Alexander Zürich
Niederdorfstrasse 40, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 251 82 03
external pagewww.hotel-alexander.ch
Hotel Basilea
Zähringerstrasse 25, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 256 76 00
external pagewww.hotelbasilea.ch
Hotel Bristol
Stampfenbachstrasse 34, 8006 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 258 44 44
external pagewww.hotelbristol.ch
Comfort Hotel Royal
Leonhardstrasse 6, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 266 59 59
external pagewww.comfortinn.ch
Hotel du Théâtre
Seilergraben 69, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 267 26 70
external pagewww.byfassbind.com
Hotel Florhof
Florhofgasse 4, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 250 26 26
external pagewww.hotelflorhof.ch
Plattenhof Design Hotel (within 10 minutes walk from IfA)
Plattenstrasse 26, 8032 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 251 19 10
external pagewww.plattenhof.ch/
Hotel St. Josef
Hirschengraben 64, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 250 57 57
external pagewww.st-josef.ch
Sorell Hotel Rütli
Zähringerstrasse 43, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 254 58 00
external pagewww.sorellhotels.com/de/ruetli/zuerich
Hotel Sunnehus (within 10 minutes walk from IfA)
Sonneggstrasse 17, 8006 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 250 27 27
external pagewww.hotelsunnehus.ch
Hotel Limmathof
Limmatquai 142, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 267 60 40
external pagewww.limmathof.com
Hotel Marta
Zähringerstrasse 36, 8001 Zürich
Phone: +41 44 269 95 95
external pagewww.hotelmarta.ch
More information about Zürich and Switzerland
- external pageZürich Tourism Hotelguide and reservations. List of events.
- external pageSwiss Info General Information about Switzerland.
- Information about the external pageSocial SecuritySystem in Switzerland.
external pageComparison among different health insurances. - Dual career advice for spouses of faculty members.
- external page36 hours in Zurich - New York Times travel report