Imagine living in a village so distinct it was once separate from Zurich. That village is Altstetten. Today, Altstetten is a vibrant quarter in Zurich’s District 9. It wasn’t always part of the city. Altstetten only became integrated in 1934.
Let’s journey back in time. The first mention of Altstetten was in 1249. Back then, people distinguished between “in Altstettin superiori” and “in villa Altstetin Inferiori”. Even earlier, excavations revealed traces of the late Bronze Age. Imagine people living here around 1000-800 BC. Roman villa remains were also unearthed here. Altstetten has a rich history spanning millennia.
Now, picture Switzerland’s first domestic railway line opening in 1847. This line ran between Zurich and Baden. Altstetten got its own station. This railway line became vital. It linked Zurich with northern and western Switzerland. A second line appeared in 1864. It connected to Zug via Affoltern am Albis. The Swiss Federal Railway opened a workshop in Altstetten in 1907. Altstetten became a significant railway hub.
Envision an interurban electric tramway arriving in 1900. This was the Limmattal tramway. It connected Altstetten to Zurich’s city trams. The connection point was at Letzigraben. The tramway extended beyond Altstetten. It reached Schlieren, Dietikon, and Weiningen. The Städtische Strassenbahn Zürich took over the line in 1931. By then, the line only went as far as Schlieren. In the late 1950s, the line was shortened again. It stopped at Farbhof in western Altstetten. Today, it’s part of tram route 2.
Altstetten has transformed over the years. It evolved from a municipality to a Zurich quarter. It is joined with Albisrieden. Together they form district 9 of the city. In 1967 Ernst Sieber became the parish priest of Zürich-Altstetten. He served there until his retirement as pastor in 1992.
Consider Zurich Altstetten railway station. It’s a key transport hub. Zurich S-Bahn, trams, trolleybuses, and buses all meet here. Several S-Bahn lines serve the station. These are S5, S11, S12, S14, S19, and S42. They provide frequent services to Zurich Hauptbahnhof. The ride takes just a few minutes. Tram route 4 has a terminus on the station’s north side. Trolleybus route 31 passes the south side. Numerous bus routes also serve the station.
Think about the Limmattal light rail line that opened recently. It links Altstetten station to communities further west. This follows a similar route to the old Limmattal-Strassenbahn. Altstetten continues to evolve as a vital and connected part of Zurich.