Things to do in Zurich with kids: best attractions and family tips

Zurich is compact and stroller-friendly, and most of the family highlights sit within a 20-minute tram ride of the main station. Plan one big ticketed stop per day and fill the rest with the lake, parks and playgrounds, which cost nothing.

Zoo Zurich on the Zürichberg is the strongest single stop: a hillside site with the Masoala rainforest hall, elephants and a big playground, easily half a day. The Swiss National Museum next to the main station is the best wet-weather answer, with armour, toys and a courtyard. The lake boats from Bürkliplatz give you a cheap hour on the water, and the lidos along the lake shore have shallow entry, lawns and shade for a slow afternoon.

Almost everything here is on the ZVV tram network. Zoo Zurich sits on the Zürichberg, reached by tram 6 to the Zoo stop. The main station (Hauptbahnhof) is the hub for the Landesmuseum, all S-Bahn lines and the Winterthur trains for Technorama. Bürkliplatz, at the bottom of Bahnhofstrasse, is where the lake boats leave. The lidos and the Chinese Garden are along the lake's east and west shores, walkable from the Stadelhofen and Enge stations.

Swiss prices are high, so build the day around the free layer: lake promenades, playgrounds, the Uetliberg ridge and the lido lawns. Buy a ZVV day pass for the zone you need rather than single tickets, and check whether your Swiss Travel Pass already covers the trams, boats and the Uetliberg train. Many museums are free for children under 16, which makes a short visit worthwhile even if the kids tire quickly.

Strollers work well on trams and S-Bahn trains, and lifts exist at the main station and most big stops, though older tram stops are step-up. Family rooms and changing tables are common in museums and lidos. Tap water in Zurich is safe to drink and free from the fountains, so carry bottles rather than buying water.

For food, keep it simple: the zoo and museum cafés are fine, and the lakefront has picnic spots. Supermarket sandwiches and fruit are the cheapest option for a family lunch.

May to September is the family window: boats run most often, the lidos are open and the lake is warm enough to swim. July and August are busiest and priciest, so book zoo tickets and any hotel early. June and September give the same weather with fewer crowds.

December brings the Christmas markets and lights, which work well with kids in the early evening, but it is cold and dark by 17:00. Spring and autumn are cheaper and quieter, with the zoo and museums open year-round; lido and boat schedules shrink outside summer.

Zurich Airport is about 10–15 minutes by S-Bahn from the main station, with trains every few minutes; the airport station is under the terminal. From the main station, trams and S-Bahn reach the zoo, the lake and the museums without a car. If you are arriving from another Swiss city, the train is the default: Lucerne is about 45 minutes, Bern about an hour, Basel about an hour.

Within the city, buy ZVV tickets from machines or the app before boarding; children under 6 travel free and 6–16 pay a reduced fare. A hire car is a liability in Zurich: parking is expensive and the tram network is faster for the distances on this page.