Zürich bus stops - must one 'book' the stop?

Complaints Corner
1
I am quite angry at a bus driver who missed my stop...

When I got up and (in my broken German) asked him why he said I should have booked it and got up earlier...

I am pregnant and thus always get up last minute to avoid losing balance and I told him it was not a stop to be booked so he should have stopped... He rudely replied he doe snot have to stop if people do not book stops!

Does anyone know if this is true? In Geneva normally it says on the bus stop if it is a stop to be booked otherwise buses have to stop at every stop.

Would love to know regulations so I can complain better next time

Cheers,

C

2
As far as i know when we have travelled by bus we always have to press the button on the bus to let the bus driver know we want to get off at the next stop. In the Uk the bus just used to stop at every stop

3
By Booked, I take it you mean pressing the halt/stop button.

This is a must here in Luzern, otherwise the bus won't stop unless there's somebody waitng at the stop.

Not good if you fall asleep on the night bus.

4
Make a complaint to ZVV . You know the route and the time, so they'll be able to identify the driver for "reeducation".

But you do need to hit the button ahead of time.

5
Not in London - bus drivers think stopping is a sign of weakness regardless of whether the bell has been rung or a queue is standing at the stop.

6
Yeah, I also know the bus number, but if it was indeed my error in not booking then I do not want to complain... I could alswys complain about driver rudeness but that goes into everyday service person rudeness in Zurich in my book

I was not aware I had to hit the button ahead of the stop or the bus owld not stop... new learning...

Thanks for the answer

C

7
You definitely have to book the stop, or the bus will not make the stop if noone is waiting.

It is probably written in the vehicle, but then again, it's only in german.

So definitely keep it in mind next time

8
He's right. I wouldn't bother writing to complain.

dave

Disgusted-of-one-stop-further-than-I-should-be

9
Buses and trams stop at every stop in the Cities.

On the villages you have to "book" the stop, clicking on the button before the driver reaches the stop.

10
It depends on the bus driver, I think...

Many buses I have travelled in always stop and go at each stop.

But then I have also seen cases when the driver forgot to stop even though the stop was booked

....the stop booker was damn p****d

11

trams yes, buses no ... at least in Bern.

12
Not in Zurich, (at least not on bus 75), if there is nobody waiting and nobody hits the stop button, they don't stop.

13
Not in St.Gallen

14
St. Gallen is a village

15
Erm..... the last i looked it was a town , and we have to press the button to stop. well ok btw i do not really use the bus that much, but i did use it last week to get home from the football so that`s how i know

16
Not in Luzern either.

17
I've been on a bus here when the driver didn't 'forget the stop', he forgot where was he was supposed to be going and turned right into the main road instead of left up the hill.

I went to the front of the bus and asked him if, perhaps, he wasn't supposed to be going up to the Winterberg - 'Oh! yes, so I was'. So he turned back at the next opportunity and took me up to the Winterberg, a little later than usual, but safe and sound.

Another reason for learning the local language folks! The driver understands your politely phrased Swiss German question immediately and you don't land up back down at the railway station which is where you came from.

18
You have to push the button where I live too, out near Rapperswil.

What I love is the way that the drivers seem to be under the impression they are driving a hot-rod, and not a 20 tonne bus. I have seen ballistic grannies and their shoppng flying towards the front windscreen a number of times as Herr Meier has lobbed the anchor out the window to land at the bus stop. (Hence the foam covered one-way bar at the front of the aisle?)

Having trouble stopping in the snow? Bounce off the curb at the bus stop a few times and surprise the waiting passengers!

Cheers

Jim

19
Reminds me of a bus driver in England. A new conductor (do they still have them?) was waiting till folk sat down to signal to the driver to continue the journey. The driver called out -"You just let them on. I'll sit 'em down!"

20
The Postauto in canton Zurich definitely don't stop everywhere without demand, and I've found that this true for some of the smaller VBZ busses in the city too.

The big busses now have about ten stop buttons anyway* and if the smaller ones don't, I'd ask the bus driver to stop at the bus stop in question. Sorry, I can't give more advice.

* We moderators know our red buttons