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Lake Zurich, Switzerland
Steamer services run from Zurich, Switzerland's major city, along the Lake to Rapperswil, with certain sailings continuing into the "Obersee". This south-eastern part of the lake is reached by a narrow channel, with the steamers passing under the road and rail bridge linking Rapperswil with Pfaffikon. Normally only one steamer is in operation at any one time but two days a week in July and August, both are usually in operation.

The value of the two Paddle Steamers, Stadt Zurich of 1909 and Stadt Rapperswil of 1914 to the region's tourist economy is well understood and the ZSG is currently formulating plans which will see significant work done on both paddlers to imporve passenger accommodation and restaurant facilities by 2006. The last major refits were in 1989/90 and 1985/86 respectively. It is anticipated that once the work has been completed, the paddlers will see more use. In 2001, each was in service for only 64 days and were by a large margin the most lightly used units of the regular fleet.

OPERATIONAL PADDLE STEAMERS
Stadt Zurich
Stadt Rapperswil

FURTHER INFORMATION
Historical Paddlers on Lake Zurich

Steamer Comparisons
Steamer Engines - the visible crankshaft area

ZSG (Lake Zurich Shipping Company) open day at Zurich on 24th March 2012

Stadt Zurich 24 03 12 EC.jpg

The major Swiss passenger steamer operators have regular open days when the public is invited to wander round the companies' yards, workshops and many of their ships in days which act as excellent customer service opportunities.  Thanks to Enrico Crosti for these photos of PS Stadt Zurich in the yard's dry dock,where the public was able to get the rare opportunity to walk around "underneath" a paddle steamer.  Click here for more photos

LAKE ZURICH PHOTOGRAPH COLLECTION


Go to the Photograph Collection


INTERNET RESOURCES


ZSG Official Website

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Salondampfer "Stadt Rapperswil" - seit 1914
By Charlotte Kunz
Published in 1986 by Hans Rathgeb, Rapperswil / Verlag Verkehrsverein Rapperswil-Jona
ISBN 3-907758-01-0
Detailed history of the lake's last Paddle Steamer

Brief details of the vessels can be found in the following more general Swiss steamer guides:
Dampfschiffe Schweiz
Anton Raber and Peter Horlacher
1982
Verlag Dampferzeitung, Luzern, Switzerland
Brief detals in four languages including English

Paddle Steamers of the Alps
Leslie Brown and Joe McKendrick
Ferry Publications
ISBN 1-871947-19-7
Illustrated profiles of the steamers and operating areas

Sciffahrt auf den Schweizer Seen
Anton Raber
1972
Orell Fussli Verlag, Zurich
ISBN 3-280-00285-0
Illustrated round up of Swiss lake vessels, with fleet lists and sections on vessel design and engineering.

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