You'll find extensive information on the most useful passes in our Rail Pass page . Many of the trains are through services to far-away destinations so you may not even have to change trains along the way. Both have four to seven trains per hour to the main downtown station during the better part of the day. Both airports have excellent signage to help you find your way. In 22 minutes from arrival of the plane at the jetway in Z rich to sitting impatiently on the train waiting for departure, we've gone through passport control, retrieved a checked bag, exited customs, bought two Swiss Passes, at another counter bought the Swiss timetable books, and made another stop to check three bags.
Geneva is similar.
There's little need to overnight near the airport for a trip back to the US since transatlantic departures frequently leave at 11 am or later. Few sites in Switzerland are beyond three train hours of the airports, including mountain villages. Baggage Checking here's usually adequate space on most trains so you can carry your luggage with you. You can check your baggage from origin to destination for CHF10 per bag and be sure it will arrive. The baggage service is impeccably reliable.