Uster

Uster is a city near Zurich, Switzerland. Uster lies 350m above sea level, so it is just in the winter snow.

Get in

By train

The 1 station of Uster is part of the ZVV S-Bahn network. The following lines pass through Uster:

• S5 from Zug (1 h 5 min) via Zurich main station (15 min), and from Pfäffikon SZ (30 min) via Rapperswil (20 min), two hourly trains.
• S9 from Schaffhausen (1 h 20 min) via Zurich main station (20 min) and ending in Uster, two hourly trains.
• S14 from Affoltern am Albis via Zurich main station (23 min), and from Wetzikon and Hinwil, two hourly trains.
• S15 from Niederweningen via Zurich main station (15 min), and from Rapperswil (20 min), two hourly trains.

All those lines operate roughly from 5:30 to 00:00.

For transport from Zurich airport, there is at least one change required. Either take a train from the airport to Zurich main station and switch there to the S-Bahn to Uster or take the Glatttalbahn (light rail line 12) to Wallisellen and switch to S14 service there. It's not even much slower and saves you Fr. 4 on a full ticket. (Connecting over Zurich main station is Fr. 10.80, over Wallisellen is Fr. 6.80)

On Friday and Saturday nights, the special night services SN5 and SN9 stop in Uster.

By car

Uster is the temporary end point of the A53 motorway, after the construction has been stalled by lengthy legal battles over clearing peatland. Coming from the A1 from either Zürich or Winterthur, the A53 forks of at Brütisellen. To get to Uster, you can take either exit Uster West, Uster Nord or drive until the end of the motorway in the east of Uster. It takes around 30 minutes from the airport near Zürich to Uster by car, or around Fr. 60-70 by taxi.

By boat

There is a boat service on the Greifensee as well, connecting Maur with Uster. The direct "commuter" boat drives all year around if weather permits.

Get around

Uster train station is located next to the bus depot. Although there is only one train stop in the city of Uster, the buses are also a part of ZVV network and travel throughout the city. A taxi stand is also located next to the train station, although Swiss taxis are some of the most expensive in the world.

See

Uster lies between two lakes. They are called "Greifensee" and "Pfaeffikersee". Greifensee is the bigger one. When the sun is shining the rim of the lake is full of people, above all on bicycles and rollerblades.

• 1 Uster Castle (Schloss Uster), Schlossweg 1, ☏ +41 44 944 72 35. July-October Su 14:00-17:00. This medieval castle is today used as a school. Nevertheless it can be visited on Sunday afternoons. (updated Jan 2017)
• 2 Model railway collection Uster, Industriestrasse 1, ☏ +41 77 408 86 00. First Saturday of the month 14:00-17:00. This collection includes one big model in 0 gauge as well as a variety of vehicles in different gauges. It is located on the second floor of a roundhouse. Fr. 5/3. (updated Mar 2017)

Do

• 1 Greifenseelauf, greifenseelauf@markusryffels.ch. Third Saturday in September. A yearly half-marathon around the Greifensee lake. (updated Mar 2017)

Eat

There is a McDonald's next to the train station. Other affordable options are?

• 1 Peking Garden, Bankstrasse 7, ☏ +41 44 940 13 54, uster@peking-garden.ch. European Chinese food, good value for money. Over lunch, several menus for as little as Fr. 10 including drinks. Dinner Fr. 15-20. (updated Feb 2017)
• 2 Han Mongolian Barbecue, Zentrum Brunnenhof, Industriestrasse 10a, ☏ +41 44 942 00 55. Mongolian-style restaurant, you may pick from several meats and add vegetables and sauces which are the freshly prepared for you. Special lunch menus for Fr. 17.50, dinner with all-you-can-eat for Fr. 44. (updated Feb 2017)

Sleep

• 1 Hotel Ochsen, Zentralstrasse 23, ☏ +41 43 399 18 18, mailbox@ochsen-uster.ch. From Fr. 125/165 for single/double.. (updated Feb 2017)
• 2 Camp site Waldhof. Quiet and idyllic campsite. 

Nearby

1 Greifensee is a nearby town on the shore of a lake of the same name. The lake is a conservation area and quite untouched.

Go next

• With 8 hourly trains towards Zurich, it is an obvious choice for continuing your trip.
• In the other direction head to Rapperswil in Eastern Switzerland or Pfäffikon SZ in Central Switzerland.