Altstetten (Zürich) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Altstetten
Quarter
Altstetten as seen from Käferberg-Waidberg
The quarter of Altstetten in Zürich
Country	Switzerland
Canton	Zürich
City	Zürich
District	9

Altstetten is a lively part of the city of Zürich in Switzerland. It is located in District 9 of the city. Altstetten used to be its own town. But in 1934, it became a part of Zürich.

History of Altstetten

Altstetten was first mentioned in old writings in 1249. At that time, people talked about "upper Altstetten" and "lower Altstetten." Digs have found very old remains here. These include items from the late Bronze Age (around 1000-800 BC). They also found parts of a Roman villa, which was a large Roman country house.

Railways and Trams Arrive

In 1847, something big happened for Altstetten. The Swiss Northern Railway opened Switzerland's first railway line. This line connected Zürich and Baden. It passed right through Altstetten, and a train station was built here. Over time, this became a very important train route. It connected Zürich to northern and western Switzerland.

Later, in 1864, a second train line was added. This line went to Zug through Affoltern am Albis. It joined the first line just west of the Altstetten station. In 1907, the Swiss Federal Railway took over both lines. They also opened a large workshop in Altstetten.

In 1900, an electric tramway started running through Altstetten. This tram connected Altstetten to Zürich's city trams. The tram line then continued further west to other towns. In 1931, Zürich's city tram company took over this line. By the late 1950s, the line was shortened. Today, it is part of Zürich's city tram route 2.

Becoming Part of Zürich

The area that was once the independent town of Altstetten joined the city of Zürich in 1934. Another nearby town, Albisrieden, also joined Zürich at the same time. Together, Altstetten and Albisrieden now form District 9 of the city.

From 1967 to 1992, a well-known priest named Ernst Sieber worked in Altstetten. He was the local parish priest until he retired.

Transportation in Altstetten

Altstetten railway station is a very important place for travel. It's like a hub where many different types of transport meet. These include the Zürich S-Bahn (which is like a local train system), Zürich trams, Zürich trolleybuses, and Zürich buses.

Train and Tram Connections

The station is served by several S-Bahn lines. These include S5, S11, S12, S14, S19, and S42. These trains offer frequent trips to Zürich Hauptbahnhof, which is Zürich's main train station. The ride takes only a few minutes.

Tram route 4 has a stop on the northern side of the station. Trolleybus route 31 passes by the south side of the station. Many bus routes also serve the station. Some stop on the south side, while others end their journey on the north side.

About 1.25 km (0.78 mi) south of the station, tram route 2 runs along the main Badenerstrasse street. This tram connects with several bus routes at the Lindenplatz stop. Further west, tram route 2 ends at Farbhof. Here, you can connect to trolleybus 31 and other bus routes.

Future Transport Plans

There are plans to build a new light rail line called the Limmattalbahn. This new line will connect Altstetten station with towns further west. It will follow a route similar to the old tramway that closed a long time ago. Parts of this new line are planned to open by 2020. It will connect to the city tram system at Altstetten station. There is also a chance that city trams might extend their service onto this new line.

Images for kids

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  Bond of the Politischen Gemeinde Altstetten, issued 20. March 1910

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  Aerial view (1965)

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  Alstetten station at sundown