After quizzing my new colleagues, it appears my ambition of a no-transit journey to the mountains is a difficult one to achieve, and one that most likely has to be traded off with a cycle commute.
So now I would like to throw the question to everyone: what is the easiest journey via public transport to a ski hill from Zurich, and where would the hill be?
In case I might start annoying people with my persistence, let me explain. I am, probably by genetic defect, extremely bad with public transport; I routinely get on the wrong train, miss the stop, mis-read the map, etc. Even with the rail system as good as it is, I managed to screw it up once already in the 4 days here. So naturally, I'd like to minimise my chances on missing the morning fresh tracks for the weekends.
Given my shortcomings, could people please share their favourite journeys from Zurich to the Alps? I would imagine at this point that, if I can't avoid transit, something like a long journey to the end of a line (let's also hope someone would also wake me up to throw me off the train), then a transit to the platform right outside of the train would be the next best thing. But who knows? Maybe an experienced powder-hound who's worked it out might have sympathy and share his/her tip?
Flumsenberg and Hoch Ybrig must be the easiest and decent most to reach by public transport from Zürich.
Missing them is difficult as during the ski season almost half the rail wagon you are sitting in is heading towards the slopes. Just follow the crowd. No brainer
Flumsenberg is uniquely direct door to door on the train if you get the earlier trains in the morning. www.sbb.ch . Hoch Ybrig is longer with an extra bus connection.
Or put a sign around your neck, "Wake me at XXXXXXX banhof" :-)
Ignore this post if you are "carless the jackel".
If you don't own your own skis and want to go to the same resort regularly you can ask a particular ski hire place to 'hold' your favourite ski set and use it as and when you ski for the season there at a reduced cost.
You will very quickly learn the ins ad outs of the Swiss public transport system, and by getting on a train that goes a little further then Flumserberg you will spend a lot more time actually skiing and a lot less time queing!
Other options without difficulty (ca 1.5 - 2hrs travel) include but are not limited to:
Pizol
Davos/Klosters
Arosa
Lenzerheide
There are also many smaller places in between. Believe me the queing is an issue if you value the amount of time you actually want to spend riding down rather then waiting to go up!
There are Ski Buses that run from Zurich at the weekend. They set off from a car park behind the station. This is not as flexible as train though.
There's an app for the iPhone that uses the GPS to tell you all the transport options from your current location including timetables. Not sure if you can program desitinations etc.. I'm sure someone here can elaborate.
take the train to Chur, that is the end of the line and then hop on a bus for Flims or Lenzerheide or the train for Arosa, i don't think you could miss it, Arosa is the end of the line on the train and the bus, I assume you may wake up when the driver takes his 5 minute smoke break at the end of the line.