Honold Schoggi Tram

Information about the Honold Schoggi Tram in Zurich by Confiserie Honold.

Once a year, the Honold Schoggi-Tram (or Chocolate Tram) delights the residents of Zurich with its nostalgic presence.

On board this vintage tram, guests are treated to a cup of warm hot chocolate, followed by a small cake (this year it was a flourless almond cake, or Pain de Gênes), and a selection of handmade chocolates, all prepared by the Zurich-based chocolatier and bakery, Confiserie Honold.

Since the Confiserie Honold recently opened a store near our home, we have been buying our bread and pastries from there on an almost daily basis. This was, incidentally, also how I became aware that tickets were available for the Honold Schoggi Tram this year; in previous years, we would only find out about the trams once we saw them passing by on the streets, and then there would be a desperate rush to buy available tickets for the whole family.

The Honold Schoggi Tram runs for about 2 weeks a year in Autumn, and tickets can be purchased online from their website. The tickets tend to sell out quickly, so it’s best to get in early! The cost is also very reasonable – CHF 10 per adult and CHF 7 per child (up to age 16).

The tram departs from Bellevue and travels a scenic route along the Limmat, down Bahnhofstrasse, along Lake Zurich towards Enge, before heading towards Paradeplatz and back to Bellevue. It is a short 30 minute trip, but long enough to sample the delights from Confiserie Honold, and also long enough to keep any young children entertained 😉

The vintage tram is a delight to travel aboard, and seats are grouped around tables for 2 and 4, with two single seats. The back seat along the window can accommodate 3 people. As the tram is quite small and narrow, no prams and pets are allowed.

As predicted, our children absolutely loved the Honold Schoggi Tram. They travel almost everyday on the tram, but there was something special about being able to eat and drink on this lovely old tram. We chose to go in the late afternoon when our children would normally have afternoon tea, so they were lucky to indulge in cake and chocolates on this occasion! Except my daughter was extra hungry and ate all of my chocolates while I was busy taking photos of them! Then she wanted more and the lovely waitress was only too happy to hand out more chocolates to everyone on board.

The Honold Schoggi Tram is a really charming experience, and I would recommend it to everyone, whether locals or visitors to Zurich. Although the tram runs for only 2 weeks a year, this short window makes it a special experience, and we are already looking forward to next year’s tram ride.