Zurich day trips in early September

It is perfectly possible to sleep in Zurich and do visit most parts of Switzerland in day trips. But if you want to go in the high mountains, wou will spend a lot of time in trains and buses and not so much time in the nature. I would rather make 2-3 day excursions from Zurich. As public transport is rather expensive in Switzerland, study carefully the sites about Swiss Pass, Swiss Flexipass and Swiss half fare card: http://www.swisstravelsystem.ch/Tickets.16.0.html?&L=2#s_h_f_c

Switzerland has rougly 4 climate zones:
Midlands (Zurich, Basel, Bern, St. Gallen, etc.)
Northern side of the Alps (Gstaad, Grindelwald, Engelberg, Andermatt, Flims, Davos, etc.)
Valais (Verbier, Crans-Montana, Zermatt, Saas Fee, Lötschental, etc.)
Southern Switzerland (Airolo, Locarno, Lugano, Soglio, Poschiavo, etc.)

Valais is the driest and often warmest area (usually no snow up to 3500 metres). Weather is often beautiful in Southern Switzerland when it rains in Northern Switzerland and vice versa. So plan your trip after having consulted the very reliable Swiss weather forecast

Some travel times by train from Zurich main station:
Zermatt: 3 1/2 hours, Chamonix: 4 1/2 hours, Crans-Montana: 3 hrs, Davos 2 1/4 hrs, San Bernardino: 3 hrs, Ttilis: 3 hrs.
More: http://www.sbb.ch/en/
http://www.myswitzerland.com/es.cfm/home

Destinations, some ideas:

Steambots: Lakes of Geneva, Lucerne, Thun, Brienz.

Villages without cars: Wengen, Gimmelwald, Muerren, Zermatt, Saas Fee, Graechen, Belalp, Riederalp, Bettmeralp, Fiescheralp, Braunwald

Medieval towns:
Murten, with city walls around the whole center
Berne, with city gates, gothic cathedral, many museums, etc. UNESCO world heritage site
Gruyeres, very small, with castle and cheese diary (can be visited),
Fribourg, similar to Berne, but much smaller and less "pure"
Neuchatel, very, very small medieval centre, with castle and cathedral
Lucerne, partly well preserved city walls, covered wooden bridge, baroque churches, but many modern buildings between
Basel, gothic cathedral overlooking the Rhine river, marvellouos municipal building, many museums
Schaffhausen, medieval castle
Stein am Rhein, small medieval quarter with painted houses.
There are many other tiny medieval towns like La Neuveville, Laufenburg, etc. Have a look at www.myswitzerland com

Places not to miss in Switzerland:
scenic train Chatelard - Emosson, may be combined with the visit of the Chamonix area,
Steam train Furka Pass (until first weekend of Oct)
Entirely walled medieval town of Murten
Roman theatre and museum of Avenches
Menhirs around Grandson
Gorges de l'Areuse and Creux du Van
Watch museums at La Chaux de Fonds and Le Locle
Underground mills of Le Locle
Musical box museums at L'Auberson, Ste-Croix and Seewen SO
Celtic lake dwelling museums at Neuchatel-Hauterive and Biel/Bienne
Caves of Vallorbe, Reclere, Beatus
Medieval city of Berne and it's fine museums
Ballenberg Eco museum and nearby Aar gorges
Lucerne: historic center, Rosengart Museum (Picassos), Glacier mills, steamboats plying the lake, cog railways to Pilatus and Rigi
Baroque churches/monasteries at Solothurn, St. Urban, Einsiedeln, St. Gallen
Subtropical gardens at Brissago Islands, Isola Bella (Italy), Isola Madre (I), Villa Carlotta (I)
Engadin Valley (St. Moritz - Scuol)
Bernina railway
Mustair Monastery
Swiss National Museum at Zurich with dependances at Schwyz, Prangins, Gandria, Wildegg
Aletsch Glacier (Riederalp)
Rhine falls and historic towns of Schaffhausen (with castle) and Stein am Rhein
Medieval Gruyeres with cheese diary and nerby chocolate factory (Cailler at Broc)
etc. etc.

Budget hotels:
http://www.bnb.ch/
http://www.hotelformule1.com/gb/reservation/liste_hotels.shtml
http://www.etaphotel.com/gb/home/index.shtml
http://www.hrs.de/?client=en__NEXT
http://www.swissbackpackers.ch/
http://www.youthhostel.ch/home.html?&L=1
http://www.youthhostel.ch/index.php?id=47&user_hostels_pi1location=all&user_hostels_pi1bez=ZRH&cHash=0f6b2d2c9c
http://www.rotefabrik.ch/de/home/

For Zürich:
Hotel Biber It is a simple hostel in the middle of the old town of Zürich.
x-tra This Hotel is in the same building like the nightclub x-tra
etap A kind of McHotel with zero atmosphere. But in the middle of the clubbing area Zürich West
Youth Hostel
The youth hostel is little bit outside of down town, but as Zürich is small it don't mean so much. It is close to the lake and the Roten Fabrik

Incredible information. Thanks!!!! Again :-)

You can take the train to Buchs or Sargans in about an hour and then take a short bus ride (or walk) to Liechtenstein.