3 Days in/from Zurich

Hi,

I will be in Zurich for 3 days in mid-April, and looking at looking the following:

Day 1: Zurich, including a trip to Uetliberg for an birdeye view of Zurich!
Day 2: Lucerne + Mt. Pilatus/Titlis/Rigis?
Day 3: Schaffhausen, Rhine falls and Stein-am-Rhein or should I do Bern?

For Day 2, I can't decide between which one to choose between the three. Any advise? As I am there during April, I understand some of the cogwheel railway might not be running?
For Day 3, which will be more worthwhile? I understand that the boats are not available during April, so how do I get to Stein-am-Rhein?

Thanks in advance!
Cheers
spear

The boats from Schaffhaussen to Stein am Rhein - Konstanz will run on Saturdays, Sundays, Good Friday and Easter Monday.
http://www.urh.ch/fileadmin/redakteur/Dokumente_2011/04._Fahrplaene_Preise/Taschenfahrplan_2011_web.pdf
Trains every 30 minutes between
Schaffhausen - Stein am Rhein
Kreuzlingen/Konstanz - Stein am Rhein
and every hour between
Winterthur - Stein am Rhein
http://www.schaffhauserland.ch/en/index.cfm
http://www.berninfo.com/en/page.cfm/Bernerleben

The Pilatus cog railway doesn't run in April. You can get there from Kriens/Lucerne by cableway (gondola), but' it's not the same experience.

Rigi (oldest cog railway of the world, views over the lakes, hiking) and Titlis (glacier, view to the mountains of Bernes Oberland) can be reached without any problem.

BTW: 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

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

Thanks neckervd!

Looks like we should be heading to Mt. Titlis!
For the one day pass in winter (CHF 60), it says that it is valid on all lifts and cable cars throughout Engelberg-Titlis. Can I confirm that it includes the TITLIS ROTAIR and Ice Flyer?

I have another question on ZurichCARD. Can we choose when to activate the ZurichCARD, says for specific 24 hours, or it will be activated once we get them? How is it activated?

For a day trip to Schaffhausen, Rheinfall and Stein am Rhein, what is the best approach?

1) Train from Zurich to Schaffhausen
2) Bus from Schaffhausen to Rheinfall and back
3) Boat from Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein
4) Train from Stein am Rhein back to Schaffhausen
5) Train from Schaffhausen back to Zurich

Should I do the boat trip upstream (Schaffhausen to Stein am Rhein), or downstream (Stein am Rhein to Schaffhausen)?
Is there any direct train between Zurich and Stein am Rhein?

Thanks!
cheers
spear

Have a look at the timetable: http://www.sbb.ch/en/
There is a train stop at Rheinfall, called SCHLOSS LAUFEN AM RHEINFALL, many trains of the Winterthur - Schaffhausen line stop there.
Zurich - Stein am Rhein, about every 30 minutes, once via Schaffhausen, once via Winterthur. Train change at either Schaffhausen or Winterthur with immediate connection.
Bus Schaffhausen - Rheinfall:
http://www.vbsh.ch/
http://www.vbsh.ch/images/downloads/fpl/Netzplan_VBSH_2011.pdf

Thanks much neckervd!

Understand that Sunday in Switzerland means alot of shops are closed. Does these apply to tourist spots too?
Will Sunday in Schaffhausen, Rheinfall and Stein am Rhein be like a dead town?

Zurich cards can be validated by the 'date stamp' machines at train stations, ie. you only activate it just before you get on your first train.

Shops are closed, except a few (mostly food and souvenirs) shops in and around railway stations. All restaurants are open. Rheinfall, Munot fortress, old town of Schaffhausen and Stein am Rhein are tourist destinations; there will be more people on weekends than during the week.
The weather will be fine at least until next Wednesday, with temperatures up to 22 degrees centigrade. That means, that many people will be in the streets, have lunch in street and garden restaurants, etc.

Thanks all! Looks like I am all set to go. =)

cheers!
spear