Get yourself to Zürich — the sustainable way!

Coming to #IxD23? Get the lowdown on sustainable travel to Zürich

Make your journey to this year’s Interaction conference in Zürich not just enjoyable, but eco-friendly too. We’ll show you how with these insider tips. Buckle up and enjoy the ride!

So you’ve got your ticket, browsed our program to find the ideal talks and events, and are packing your favorite outfits. But what about travel? If sustainability is part of your decision-making process, we’ve got plenty of handy tips to help you choose how to get here.

Trains — the most sustainable option

Traveling by train is widely considered to be the most sustainable way to get around. Trains contribute just 0.2% of global travel emissions and help us embrace a ‘slow travel’ mindset. What better planet-friendly way to get to the #IxD23 conference in Zürich and take in the stunning scenery?

Did you know 90% of the Swiss Federal Railway is powered by hydropower? By 2025 all trains will be powered by renewables. The railway also uses the ‘green wave’ initiative to make each journey as sustainable as possible, such as altering the way the trains are driven and avoiding unnecessary stops.

Like our interaction design community, Zürich is well-connected. You can get here easily and quickly from many European cities, thanks to Switzerland’s efficient, reliable train service (we’re not just good at clocks and penknives you know). They’ll deliver you right to the heart of the city, within walking distance of the Interaction 23 opening party.

And you’ll not only find our trains running on time, you might also see amazing sights like:

• the world’s longest tunnel (Mailand-Zürich)
• the second longest river in Europe, the Rhine
• turquoise lakes
• wildflower-strewn mountain pastures
• world-famous landmarks like the Matterhorn, Alps, and Kapellbrücke (Chapel Bridge)

Take pictures of the sights, share them on your socials, and spark some instant FOMO. You can take direct trains to Zürich from many European cities and arrive on time for the welcome party:

• Munich — take the EC train at 14:55 arriving at 18:27
• Paris — take the TGV at12:19 arriving at 16:26
• Milano — take the EC train at 13:10 arriving at 16:27; or depart at 15:10 and arrive at 18:27 and go straight to the event

This clever map shows you have far you can get in just five hours, and there are longer journeys with just one change that will get you here in a day:

• Hamburg — take the ICE at 08:24 to arrive at 17:00
• Budapest — depart Budapest-Keleti at 07:40 and arrive at 18:26
• Wien — depart Wien Westbahnhof at 08:08 and arrive 16:27

Or go old-school and take an atmospheric night train, arriving rested and fresh (you can even take a shower at the station).

With your Interaction 23 ticket you get a public transport pass for Zone 110, which covers the center of the city, for the period of the conference. If you want to go beyond Zürich, look out for “Sparpreis” Tickets inside Switzerland. Buy a Swiss Travel Pass and enjoy unlimited travel on public transport, as well as free entrance to many museums. Find out train times and routes here. You can buy tickets from Raileurope, or directly from the rail operating company in your country.

If you have to go by car, share

If train travel isn’t a possibility for you and instead you’re planning to drive, check out car-sharing sites like blablacar.com, or carpoolworld.com. Once you’ve signed up, you just post your trip and other people can ask to join you, contributing to fuel costs and keeping you company. You can also look for people driving to Zürich and go as a passenger with them — in fact, our Slack has just the thing for those of you seeking a ride with a fellow #IxDconf goer. Look for car buddies in #ixd23-blablacar… conversation not mandatory.

Taking more passengers lowers your carbon footprint and travel costs — and you might make some new friends along the way.

For the intrepid (and very fit)

If hiking in beautiful countryside or racing about in lycra is your thing, why not make a trip of it and cycle or walk to Zürich? You can take the various hiking trails and Way of St. James, or ride the Rhine Cycle Route №15 or Atlantic-Black Sea Route №6.

Getting around Zürich

Once you’re here you can make use of the slick public transport, or walk or cycle to see the city up close. Zürich ranks amongst the top cities in the world for quality of life and has one of the most-used public transport systems. Why not hire an e-scooter from TIER, Lime, Bird, Bolt, Voi or Dott? Maybe even book a scooter tour here. Go here to find out more about free bikes. Visit some of our amazing sustainable stores while you’re here too, for some guilt-free shopping.

Check out your carbon footprint

If you’re still not sure how you’ll get here, try bookdifferent.com. You can calculate your carbon footprint for a planned journey, and compare accommodation against green criteria. Swiss Federal Railways also has a carbon comparison tool here.

If you have to fly you can offset your trip by purchasing carbon credits with a registered offsetting program (check some out here). And you can make any journey more sustainable with these simple tips:

• bring a reusable water bottle
• pack light
• take eco-friendly toiletries in reusable bottles
• bring snack and lunch boxes
• carry a reusable shopping bag (we love these stylish ones)

Install the Züri Mobil App, if you want to be flexible in choosing between tram, bus, bicycle, scooter or even a car. Install the SBB Mobile App to get the schedule or buy tickets if you travel beyond Zürich or install the SBB Inclusive app supporting the travel needs of blind and visually impaired persons.

And if you really love public transportation, we have a two opportunities for you. First you can dine with a speaker in the famous icon red train “Churchill” on Thursday Mar 2 (Reserve your spot!). Second you might learn about how mobility experiences are designed by visiting the SBB User Experience Architects during the Agency night (Reserve your visit!).

However you get here, we can’t wait to meet you!