Living in Bauma Zurich: A Comparison with Sternenberg

I grew up in the neighboring village of Sternenberg, which today is politically united with Bauma in the Tssthal Valley. Growing up in a remote village like Sternenberg made me a healthier person who is strongly attached to nature and the countryside. Sternenberg is also the highest village in the canton of Zurich, standing at 875 meters above sea level.

Similarities and Differences

Bauma is similar in many ways to Sternenberg but situated in a valley while Sternenberg is in the hills. In the winter, Sternenberg gets a bit more snow, and both towns organize ski racing competitions for their schools every year. Bauma has the advantage of having local banks, supermarkets, bakeries, restaurants, and a few other shops. Sternenberg, on the other hand, has just two restaurants: Sternen and Sunnebad, with the latter being a Christian rehab therapy centre.

Population and Accessibility

Bauma's population is about 12 times larger than Sternenberg, with nearly 5000 inhabitants compared to Sternenberg's 360 in 2016. If you live in Bauma, you can get by without owning a car, even though the countryside makes it easier to visit or drive to other rural villages like:
Sternenberg, Gsch, Schindel, Gfel, Steinen, or Dussnang in the canton of St. Gallen. A train service connects Bauma with Winterthur every 30 minutes, and a bus service connects it with Wetzikon, which in turn connects to the S-Bahn for Zurich.

Zurich Main station takes approximately 54 minutes by bus and train via Wetzikon with an additional 10 minutes due to travel via Winterthur.

Sternenberg, however, requires a car in any situation, particularly in the winter when unpredictable snowfall can make maintaining a car with 4-wheel drive essential.

Education and Lifestyle

The school in Sternenberg is only a primary school, but it is small enough to keep bullying and other issues at bay, including drugs or illegal sharing of cell-phones. For high school, students in Sternenberg typically go to Bauma or Wila, depending on which side of the hill they live on. The family has the ultimate decision in this matter.

Living in Sternenberg means being closer to nature, closer to farming, and having their own ski-lift in the winter. It is also a crime-free zone, and residents can buy many farming products from local farmers in the village. On the other hand, living in Bauma means more traffic and easy access to all your needs within walking or short driving distance.

Travel Between Sternenberg and Bauma: It takes about 15 minutes to drive from Bauma to Sternenberg, but relying on the bus service, which runs only 7 times a day, is not recommended for commuting.

To learn more about these charming Swiss villages, you can visit the following links:

I hope that this article has been a good help to you, Tom.