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Voykit pocket guide · Switzerland
Zurich
Zürich
Give Zurich 1–2 nights: old town, lake and museums on foot, then leave for the Alps. Two nights only if you add a day trip.
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and its main air gateway, on the Limmat where Lake Zurich begins. The old town, lakefront and main museums sit within a 20-minute walk of the main station, so most trips use it as a one- or two-night bookend before the mountains. It is expensive but easy: trams and trains run to the minute, and English works everywhere.
- Country
- Switzerland
- Local name
- Zürich
- Best months
- May–Sep; Dec for Christmas markets
- Avoid
- Nov (grey, wet); late Jul–Aug afternoon heat
- Stay
- 1–2 nights
Checked 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change; anything marked (check) is not confirmed.
Essentials
- Currency
- CHF
- Money
- Currency is the Swiss franc (CHF). Cards and contactless are accepted almost everywhere; euros are sometimes taken with change in francs.
- Daily spend
- Budget CHF 90–140 excl. bed · Mid CHF 150–250 excl. bed · High CHF 300+ excl. bed (estimate; check)
- SIM and data
- Swisscom, Sunrise and Salt sell prepaid SIMs (ID needed); Swisscom covers the most mountain terrain.
- Emergency
- Police 117 · Ambulance 144 · Fire 118 · European emergency number 112
- Plugs
- Types J, C · 230 V · 50 Hz · Swiss three-pin sockets are recessed: thin two-pin (type C) plugs fit, but thick German Schuko plugs do not — bring a Swiss adapter.
- Tipping
- Restaurant: Service included; round up or leave 5–10% for good service.; Café or bar: Round up.; Taxi: Round up.; Hotel: Optional; CHF 2–5 for porters.; Mountain guide: CHF 20–50 for a day, optional.
- Water
- Tap and fountain water is excellent. Restaurants usually charge for bottled water; ask for 'Hahnenwasser' / 'eau du robinet'.
- Toilets
- Station toilets cost CHF 1–2; restaurants and department stores are free for customers.
What things cost
| Item | Price |
|---|---|
| Coffee | CHF 4–6 |
| Lunch, takeaway or Migros/Coop | CHF 10–18 |
| Restaurant main course | CHF 25–45 |
| Beer: draught / supermarket can | CHF 6–9 / CHF 2–3 |
| Single tram or bus ride, zone 110 | CHF 4.60 (check) |
| Museum entry (Kunsthaus, Landesmuseum) | CHF 15–25 (check) |
| eSIM or data SIM, about a week | CHF 15–30 |
Desk estimates, checked 2026-09; check locally.
Get in
By air
- ZRH · Zurich Airport (Kloten)
- Train to Zurich HB about 10 min, every 10–15 min; single about CHF 6.80 (check)
Typical fares
- ZRH → Zurich HB, train
- about CHF 6.80, about 10 min (check)
- Zone 110 single / 24-hour ticket
- about CHF 4.60 / CHF 9 (check)
- Taxi HB → Zurich West
- CHF 25–35 (check)
Get around
ZVV trams, buses, S-Bahn and boats share one zone ticket; zone 110 covers the city. Buy in the SBB or ZVV app before boarding — spot checks carry a CHF 100 fine. A 24-hour zone 110 ticket costs the same as two single rides; the ZVV 9-UhrPass is cheaper if you start after 09:00 (not needed at weekends). The centre is walkable: HB to the lake is about 15 minutes on foot.ZVV trams, buses, S-Bahn and boats share one zone ticket; zone 110 covers the city. Buy in the SBB or ZVV app before boarding — spot checks carry a CHF 100 fine. A 24-hour zone 110 ticket costs the same as two single rides; the ZVV 9-UhrPass is cheaper if you start after 9:00 AM (not needed at weekends). The centre is walkable: HB to the lake is about 15 minutes on foot.
See and do
Known for
- Old town (Altstadt) and Bahnhofstrasse
- Lake Zurich swimming and boat trips
- Kunsthaus and the Landesmuseum
- Swiss banking and ETH Zurich
Day trips
| Where | How | Time |
|---|---|---|
| Rapperswil | ZSG lake boat from Bürkliplatz, about 2 h; S-Bahn back in about 40 min | About 2 h by boat |
| Uetliberg | S10 S-Bahn from HB to Uetliberg, about 25 min, then a short walk | About 40 min |
| Winterthur | S-Bahn or IC from HB, 20–30 min | About 30 min |
| Baden | S-Bahn or IR from HB, about 15–25 min | About 30 min |
| Lucerne | IR or IC from HB, about 45–50 min | About 1 h |
| Zug | IR from HB, about 25–30 min | About 40 min |
Sleep
- Old town (Altstadt / Niederdorf)
- Walk to the lake, Kunsthaus and station; quietest rooms face courtyards.
- Around Zurich HB and Bahnhofstrasse
- Best for one night with bags: station, tram hub and Sunday shops on the doorstep.
- Zurich West (Zürich West)
- Former industrial quarter, 10 min by tram from HB; cheaper rooms, bars and clubs.
- Seefeld / lakefront
- Quiet, pricier; 10–15 min by tram to the centre, best for swimming in summer.
Phrase card
| English | Say or show |
|---|---|
| Hello | GrüeziGRUE-tsi |
| Thank you | Merci vielmalMER-si FEEL-mal |
| Excuse me / Sorry | Exgüsiex-GUE-si |
| How much is it? | Was koschtet das?vas KOSCH-tet das |
| Can I pay by card? | Cha ich mit Karte zahle?kha ikh mit KAR-te TSA-le |
| Where is the toilet? | Wo isch d Toilette?vo ish d toy-LET-te |
Etiquette, safety and scams
Etiquette
- Greeting: Handshake; three cheek kisses among friends; avoid: Skipping the greeting in shops
- Punctuality: Be exactly on time; avoid: Running for the train expecting it to wait
- Language: Greet in the local language, then ask for English; avoid: Speaking German in Geneva as a default
- Quiet: Low voices in trains; quiet carriages are marked; avoid: Speakerphone calls
- Money: Keep financial talk discreet; avoid: Asking people's salaries
- Recycling: Separate PET, glass and cans; avoid: Leaving rubbish in hotel or flat bins unsorted
Scams and watch-outs
- Buy and validate your ticket before boarding; inspectors fine CHF 100 on the spot.
- Most shops and supermarkets close on Sunday — the HB underground mall and station shops stay open.
- Card and mobile payment are near-universal; keep a little cash for small kiosks.
- Lake and river swimming is legal and popular: use the marked Badis, not the boat lanes.
- Cycling on pavements is banned and cyclists are fined for running lights.
One of Europe's safest big cities; the real risks are pickpockets around HB and Bahnhofstrasse, tram and bike traffic, and cold water in the lake outside summer.
One and two days
No timed day plan for Zurich yet. Suggested stay: 1–2 nights. Build a day from the list below, mornings for the big sight.
- Old town (Altstadt) and Bahnhofstrasse
- Lake Zurich swimming and boat trips
- Kunsthaus and the Landesmuseum
- Swiss banking and ETH Zurich
Sources
Written by Voykit; facts cross-checked against these sources, last desk check 2026-09. Prices, hours and rules change: check on the day.
- Zurich Tourism: www.zuerich.com/en
- City of Zurich: www.stadt-zuerich.ch/
- ZVV — Zurich transport network: www.zvv.ch/zvv/en/home.html
- SBB — Swiss Federal Railways: www.sbb.ch/en
- Zurich Airport: www.zurich-airport.com/
- Wikivoyage: Zurich, revision 5329603 (CC BY-SA 4.0): en.wikivoyage.org/w/index.php?oldid=5329603
Pocket card
Cut along the border and keep it in your wallet. Show the local-script lines to a driver.
ZurichZürich
Bitte zu däre Adrässe
To this address, please
My hotel (write the name and address in the local script)
The US has a consulate in Zurich; most other countries keep embassies in Bern (check addresses).
Swiss German is spoken, not standard German; English is widely understood in the centre.
Voykit · checked 2026-09
Printed from Voykit (/zurich). Written by Voykit; checked 2026-09. Estimates only: confirm prices, hours and entry rules on the day.