Retreat Information Package

Closest airport is Zurich Airport (ZRH)

Check-In at the mountain house: 15 June 2025, 3 pm

Check-out at the mountain house: 21 June 2025, 11 AM

Suggested arrival time in Zurich Airport: book your flight to arrive at Zurich airport in the morning to noon. Do not arrive at Zurich Airport later than 1.30 PM on 15 June 2025.

It will take about two hours between the retreat home and the airport (if you don’t miss your connection) - you also need to calculate 1.5 hours to exit and enter the airport, possible delays, buy train tickets - long queues etc.

The cable car runs from 8:30 AM to 5 PM, so all participants must arrive and depart within these operating times. If you miss the cable car, you will need to book a hotel in Elm and join us the next morning.

Suggested departure time from Zurich Airport on 21 June 2025: the earliest return flight should be booked any time after 3 PM. You need to calculate 2 hours of travel time plus 2-3 hours of check-in time at the airport.

If you would like to arrive some days before the retreat and after, we recommend staying at a hotel close to Zurich airport.

Must bring: A personal single bed linen and sheet and/or a sleeping bag (pillow and wool cover provided but no sheets)

Personal towels and toiletries

Refillable water bottle/ flask for tea and water refill

Prayer mat 

A personal diary, and items you would like to explore in the afternoon

Floor cushion for you to sit on (we have chairs otherwise)

House slippers, warm clothes, shawl, thick socks

Hiking shoes and gears

Medication (getting to the pharmacy might be complicated - bring everything you need, i.e. altitude tablets)

Sun-block, sun-glasses, hat

Eye mask, earplugs if you are sound/light sensitive

Personal washing detergent (4 CHF/wash)

The meeting point is at the mountain house.

Check-in is safe on Sunday, 15 June, 2025 from 3 p.m. Whoever joins early can help us set up the place or rest, and go for a walk nearby.

Checkout is on Saturday, 21 June 2025 at 11.00 a.m.

The cable car runs from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m., so all participants must arrive and depart within this time frame.

By Public Transport: Please refer to www.sbb.ch/en for the exact timetable (SBB also has its own travel app). You can buy the ticket from an automated machine or over the counter with the itinerary will be printed out for you.

Depending on your connection, you can either take the train from Zurich airport to Zurich HB (Zurich main station Hauptbahnhof), take train S25 from Zurich HB to Schwanden, and then take the bus to Elm Talstation. 

Or you can take the train from Zurich Airport to Ziegelbrücke, then the train to Schwanden, and then the bus to Elm.

By car: Free parking at the valley station, Elm-Ämpächli wishes to be car-free. 

At Elm Talstation, please go to the group reservation counter (a cabin), tell them your name, and that you are staying at “Alpina”.

You will then receive a gondola ticket, which is valid for the entire duration of your stay.

NEW: The gondola ticket also gives you free access to public transportation (bus & trains) in the Canton of Glarus.

The ticket is valid for a week and is not replaceable; thus, keep it safe with you.

The ticket does not have to be paid as it is already paid for.

With the ticket, you can now embark on the gondola from Elm to Empächli (1400m).

From there, turn left, it’s a 2-min walk (150m) to the mountain house Alpina (see map). The Gondola ride is barrier-free. 

Luggage can be deposited before check-in and after check-out.

Ferienhaus Alpina in 8767 Elm, Alp Ämpächli, Canton Glarus

Cost: 950.- CHF (deposit 200 CHF, remaining fee 750 CHF) 

1.) either pay in full now (950 CHF)

Fee: CHF 950 =

USD $1,088

EUR: 1,028

GBP: 862

2.) or deposit 200 CHF/USD/EUR/GBP and pay the remaining fee by 15 March 2025

This retreat fee includes the course, shared accommodation and food, and free cable car transport between Elm to the retreat home. It excludes international transportation, visa fees, public transport Zurich airport to Elm Talstation (about 27 CHF one way), and travel insurance.

Note: The Futuhat Foundation's retreat fee is calculated in Swiss Francs. Other currencies to CHF fluctuate. We have settled on an estimated final fee for non-CHF currencies to make the registration easier. We cover the currency changes within 10 USD/EUR/GBP. For gaps more than 10 USD/EUR/GBP, we will ask you to pay the fluctuation gap.

All payments are non-refundable.

Paying in CHF: bank transfer

Here are the CHF account details for N-sphere Ltd.

Account holder: N-sphere Ltd

Swift/BIC: TRWIGB2LXXX

IBAN: GB06 TRWI 2308 0123 8938 75

Bank name and address: Wise Payments Limited

56 Shoreditch High Street

London

E1 6JJ

United Kingdom

Paying in USD via bank transfer:

Inside the US 

Account holder: N-sphere Ltd

ACH and Wire routing number: 026073150

Account number: 8314158361

Account type: Checking

Wise's address: 30 W. 26th Street, Sixth Floor

New York NY 10010

United States

Paying in EUR via bank transfer:

Account holder: N-sphere Ltd

BIC: TRWIBEB1XXX

IBAN: BE70 9678 9820 6525

Wise's address: Rue du Trône 100, 3rd floor

Brussels

1050

Belgium

Paying in GBP via bank transfer

Account holder: N-sphere Ltd

Sort code: 23-08-01

Account number: 23893875

IBAN: GB06 TRWI 2308 0123 8938 75

Wise's address: 56 Shoreditch High Street

London

E1 6JJ

United Kingdom

Weather: in June in Elm: https://www.accuweather.com
Buying e-Sim card in Switzerland:

https://www.traveltomtom.net/destinations/europe/switzerland/switzerland-sim-card

Currency: you can exchange Swiss francs at the airport; you can use debit and credit cards

https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-id/planning/about-switzerland/general-facts/money-and-shopping/currency/#:~:text=Please%20note%20that%20Switzerland%20remains,franc%2C%20usually%20indicated%20as%20CHF.

Barrier-free travel: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-id/planning/transport-accommodation/barrier-free-travel/

For Swiss tourism, planning source: https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-id/planning/transport-accommodation/barrier-free-travel/

Please Be Considerate, Be Kind, Be Respectful

Our intention is to grow and see opportunities for growth in every situation

Sufi time and plans sometimes change, please come with an open heart and be flexible

Come with positive energies

Team 1: carrying fresh groceries delivered to the Gondola, drop garbage, food management

Team 2: breakfast/brunch makers

Team 3: sous-chefs - cutting vegetables

Team 4: Salad makers

Team 5: Master chefs (cooking 1-2 meals)

Team 6: Bread makers

Team 7: set up table, set up food labels of the day, clean tables (after meal), close the kitchen, wiping kitchen counters and kitchen floor (while/after cooking)

Team 8: dish washing team, put clean dishes back

Team 9: cake bakers

Team 10: tea and coffee makers, prepare afternoon snacks

Team 11: cleaning bathrooms, swiping communal floors

Team 12: workshop helpers (making sure classroom is prepared)

Sign up for work team: here.

Please fill in your information on the participant list with your travel details:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RDe_c6LQibdbt7EawCt-DgB7DtxbYPSdGpJU0ApTSAU/edit?usp=sharing

We will announce a whatsapp group link, closer to time.

Please Be Considerate, Be Kind, Be Respectful

Our intention is to grow and see opportunities of growth in every situation

Sufi time and plans sometimes change, please come with an open heart and be flexible

Come with positive energies

Team 1: carrying fresh groceries delivered to the Gondola, drop garbage, food management (2)

Team 2: breakfast/brunch makers (3)

Team 3: meal preparation (cutting vegetables) (3)

Team 4: Salad makers (2)

Team 5: Master chefs (3)

Team 6: set up table, set up food labels of the day, clean tables (after meal), close the kitchen, wiping kitchen floor (4)

Team 7: dish washing team, put clean dishes back (4)

Team 9: tea and coffee makers, prepare afternoon snacks, cake makers (3)

Team 10: cleaning bathrooms, swiping communal floors (5)

Please have travel and health insurance for your own safety

Emergency SOS: 

Medical emergency and ambulance: 144
Police: 117
Fire service: 118
Tox-Zentrum: 145
European emergency no: 112

Family doctor emergency service in Glarus: 0844 55 66 55

Hospital Glarus: 055 646 33 33

Toxicological center (poisons): 145 or 044 251 51 51

REGA / Air Rescue / Alpine Rescue: 1414

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