Zuerich

Introduction

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and the capital of the canton of Zurich, set in north-central Switzerland at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. It serves as a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic, and both Zurich Airport and the city's main railway station are the largest and busiest in the country.

Before you go

Zurich is Switzerland's biggest city and the cultural centre of German-speaking Switzerland, though Bern is the national capital. It sits where Lake Zurich meets the river Limmat, in the north of the country, and its main station and airport make it the part of Switzerland many visitors see first. The city is clean, efficient and cosmopolitan, drawing people and companies from across Switzerland and beyond, which means you'll hear many languages alongside Swiss German. It can be expensive, but high wages and a high standard of living explain why locals accept the prices. Note that most shops and supermarkets close on Sundays, so plan your shopping for Saturday.

Expect a four-season central European climate: winters hover around zero, so snow may linger or melt away, while summers are warm, sometimes hot, and the nearby mountains stay noticeably cooler with snow well into spring. For formal speech and writing, locals use Swiss Standard German, close to standard German, while the Zurich dialect dominates among Swiss German dialects and is hard for non-Swiss to follow; English is widely spoken, at least among young people and businesspeople. Zurich is relatively safe, but keep an eye on your belongings around the main train station, where thieves are known to operate, and never leave bags unattended. Along the lakefront, drunk young people sometimes try to pick fights, so don't rise to provocation. Public transport is very safe and needs no special precautions, but cycling downtown is best left to those experienced with tram tracks, trams and buses.

Getting there

Zurich Airport (ZRH) sits in the community of Kloten, about ten minutes by train from the main station. Trains run roughly every ten to fifteen minutes during the day, less often at early and late hours, and several bus lines also connect the airport to the surrounding region, including Winterthur. Tram 10 from the city terminates at the airport; it is slow, but can be quicker door to door for some destinations in Zurich. Most major airlines serve Zurich, with flag-carrier Swiss the biggest player and the widest range of connections. Most large hotels run shuttle buses from the airport, with stops a short walk to the right from Terminal 1 arrivals. Because of noise-reduction and approach restrictions, airport costs are high, and most no-frills airlines instead fly to Basel, an hour away by train.

Regular trains to and from other Swiss and European cities use Zürich HB, the main station at the end of Bahnhofstrasse, with easy access to mass transit. It is served by the local S-Bahn and by InterCity connections across Switzerland, Italy, Germany's IC and ICE, France's TGV Lyria and Austria's Railjet, with some direct services reaching as far as Budapest. Zurich links to the high-speed networks of neighbouring countries, and while the sleeper network has shrunk, ÖBB Nightjets still connect Austria and Germany with Zurich, and non-nightjet sleeper trains run from Prague and Budapest. International buses arrive at the Sihlquai station, two blocks from the main station near the confluence of the Sihl and Limmat, mainly on Flixbus and BlaBlaCar routes. Overnight Twiliner buses, based in Zurich, use seats that fold flat into a bunk. You can also arrive by boat on the lake from Rapperswil or Horgen, though this is a leisure service with only a couple of trips a day.

Getting around

Zurich's public transport is run by the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV) and is known for being efficient, clean and safe. The network covers the whole canton and reaches into neighbouring regions, using trams, buses, S-Bahn suburban trains, cable cars and boats. The system is divided into fare zones; a ticket for zone 110, which covers the city proper, will suffice for most travellers. Your ticket gives you access to all modes of transport within the selected zones, at any time of day or night. You must buy and validate your ticket before boarding, or you risk a fine if inspectors spot-check. Buy tickets from a vending machine before boarding or from a kiosk in a major train station; the machines are in German, English, French and Italian. The machine may suggest several routes, so pick the cheapest one, and never choose the "All zones" option unless you actually intend to pass through eight or more zones. Timetables and tickets for Switzerland are on sbb.ch or the SBB Mobile app, which needs a working internet connection, or use the ZVV timetable app or the ZVV-Tickets app. The free Wemlin app gives you offline timetable information and network maps for the canton, useful if you want to avoid data roaming. The EasyRide function of the SBB Mobile app lets you check in to rides and calculates the cheapest ticket charge at the end of the day; check in before the departure time of the transport you enter, or fines may be issued.

• By tram and bus: Several tram lines, trolleybuses and buses cover the city at street level. Timetables at every stop are usually accurate to the minute, though delays occur due to heavy traffic or rerouting.
• By rail: The S-Bahn is the fast suburban rail system covering nearly all suburbs and beyond; all lines except the rural ones pass through the Hauptbahnhof. You must have a validated ticket before you board.
• By boat: River buses run in summer only, between the Landesmuseum near the Hauptbahnhof along the Limmat and out to Tiefenbrunnen. Lake boats, including two restored steam ships, leave from Bürkliplatz at the end of Bahnhofstrasse and run a much reduced schedule in winter; a popular trip is to Rapperswil at the south end of the lake.
• On foot: The main train station, old town, lake promenade and nearby attractions are easily walkable, so you may not need transport for most tourist needs once you are in the city.
• By bike: Bike lanes are marked in most parts of the city, and if you don't mind the hills a bike can be a fast, cheap alternative. Cycling on the pavement is not allowed, and cyclists are commonly fined for riding against traffic or ignoring lights. Züri rollt offers free bike "rental" with registration and a refundable deposit, with stations at the main station year round and others, including near the old town, from April to October. PubliBike is the city's bike-sharing scheme with e- and normal bikes, and e-scooter sharing is also available.
• By car: Driving is possible but painful, as the centre is not easy to navigate by car; it is cheaper and more convenient to park outside the city and take a train.
• By taxi: Taxis are very expensive compared to other major cities, so it is better to travel by tram, bus or S-Bahn.

Where to stay

Zurich is the financial centre of Switzerland, and most travellers arrive with an expense account, so the hospitality sector leans heavily toward the four- and five-star end. The city is known for its superb hotels, but they don't come cheap, and rack rates can be ridiculous — a company rate is your best bet if you can get one.

• For budget stays, Couchsurfing has a large membership here, and since public transport is fast and good, you can also base yourself in the surrounding areas rather than the centre. There's a youth hostel a little way out in Wollishofen, reachable by S-Bahn and a walk over the hill, and Hotel Marta, a clean and friendly place that doubles as a hostel and one-star hotel with weekly and monthly rates and a couple of studio apartments.
• Among the cheaper hotels, the Otter stands out for rooms decorated with care and individual themes — a jungle room with a hammock, a pink Carmen, or a top-floor apartment — with shared baths on most floors. Hotel Splendid is relatively cheap with clean but spare rooms and shared bathrooms, though its location near the Gemüsebrücke and city centre is the real draw. The Etap Hotel in Zurich West suits partiers, next to bars and restaurants and ten minutes by tram from the main station. Hotel Schäfli trades on its old-town location near the station and Niederdorfstrasse's bars and restaurants, though it's somewhat run-down and the shower runs on a timer. Hotel Neufeld is a comfortable, modern, owner-run three-star a few minutes from the centre, and Hotel St. Georges is a traditional, charming owner-run option in the centre, convenient for businesspeople, tourists and backpackers alike.
• Mid-range choices include Hotel Adler, with clean rooms, breakfast included and a terrific attached restaurant serving delicious fondue, in a great area for exploring on foot. The Ambassador à l'Opéra is a four-star boutique opposite the Opera House, renovated and exquisitely decorated. The Helmhaus is a very traditional four-star next to the Limmat in the old town with first-class service, and the Wellenberg is a four-star Art Deco hotel with an idyllic inner court terrace in the car-free old town. The Sorell Hotel Rex is a non-smoking three-star a short tram ride from the Hauptbahnhof, while the Designer Hotel Greulich sits in the vibrant Aussersihl district with a renowned gourmet restaurant. Palais Kraft offers three luxury rooms in a prestigious residential building above the university district, and Hotel St. Gotthard is a business hotel on the Bahnhofstrasse within walking distance of sightseeing, the business district and the lake. The Crowne Plaza and the Dorint Airport-Hotel near the airport round out the category.
• At the top end, the Hotel Widder is known for excellent service and an old-town location a minute or two from Bahnhofstrasse. The Movenpick Zurich Airport Hotel is a five-star minutes from the airport with restaurants, conference facilities and a gym. Hotel zum Storchen sits on the Limmat with an exclusive restaurant, while Baur au Lac is located at the lake with an excellent restaurant and a following among actors, celebrities and politicians. The Savoy Baur en Ville has clean, modern but small rooms, the Park Hyatt is expensive with a nice spa and a casino, and the Dolder Grand is the flagship hotel with an amazing view and excellent spa. The ALDEN Hotel Splügenschloss is a small, intimate five-star boutique.

Food & drink

Zürich's signature dish is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes, sliced veal in a cream and wine sauce, usually served with boiled potatoes, rösti (a crisp pan-fried grated potato cake) or chnöpfli, the small noodle dumplings also known as Spätzle. Grilled wurst is just as popular, and the city's most famous sausage stand sits near the Bellevue tram stop, where you can get a sausage with bread and mustard. For a quick, filling meal, look for grilled bratwurst from street stands served with a crusty sourdough roll and mustard, or sandwiches made with bretzeln, the large soft pretzels. Veal remains the traditional choice, though turkey and other meats increasingly appear as substitutes.

Fondue and raclette come from western Switzerland rather than Zürich, and while restaurants aimed at tourists serve them year-round, Swiss people tend to eat them at home and mainly in winter. The city's bread is excellent and varied: head to a bakery or supermarket in the morning or just after work hours when loaves are coming out fresh, and look for zopf, the braided soft bread traditionally eaten on Sundays. For breakfast, try müesli, the Swiss-invented cereal, in its deluxe form with whole milk, crushed berries and cream at the Sprüngli confectionery tea rooms. Supermarkets are worth browsing for their huge range of cheeses, hams and dried sausages, and dairy products such as butter are generally delicious. Sweet options range from cheap chocolate bars to handmade truffles, plus pastries from the city's Konditorei: Tirggel, a hard flour-and-honey pastry often printed with Zurich sights and lasting for months, makes a good souvenir, while Luxemburgerli are sold exclusively by Sprüngli and the Mandelfisch is an almond cake shaped like a fish. Cafés throughout the city are made for lingering over coffee or a glass of wine. Italian food is the most popular foreign cuisine and relatively cheap, Turkish fast food is a delicious budget option, and pan-Asian noodle, rice and sushi places are trendy though limited by distance from the sea. Vegetarians are well served, and Hiltl, Europe's first vegetarian restaurant, offers a buffet priced by weight plus à la carte vegetarian and vegan versions of Swiss classics; vegans may find cheese used generously elsewhere, but can manage with supermarkets. Bona Dea near the main station is another vegan-friendly option.

What to see and do

Most of the interesting sights cluster in the old town around the river and the lakefront. Start with Bahnhofstrasse, one of the world's best-known shopping streets and a highly refined stretch to wander. From there, climb to Lindenhof, the hill at the heart of the old town, for a fine view over the city and the site of a former Roman fort. The old town itself, Niederdorf, offers beautiful alleys, restaurants and shopping aimed mainly at younger visitors, with plenty of bars filling its lanes in the evening. Two churches anchor the old town: the Grossmünster, the old Romanesque symbol of reformed Zurich where Huldrych Zwingli was appointed people's priest, whose tower rewards the climb with a great view though the stairs are small and steep; and the Fraumünster, an old Gothic church with window paintings by Marc Chagall, where photos and videos are not allowed inside. For a quieter walk, follow the Schanzengraben, a small canal that once formed part of the city fortifications, down to the lake. Further out, Zurich West is a former industrial quarter turned centre of vibrant night life, while Langstrasse is the city's red light district and its most overtly multicultural spot, where ateliers and stylish bars sit beside strip clubs. The Friedhof Fluntern cemetery holds graves of famous figures, most notably James Joyce, and the China Garden, a gift from the Chinese city of Kunming, pairs well with a lake stroll or a visit to the Pavillon Le Corbusier.

Museums cover most tastes. The Landesmuseum is the place to learn about Swiss history, with permanent exhibitions on history, archaeology and art plus changing temporary shows. The Kunsthaus is the city's most famous art museum, holding Swiss artists such as Alberto Giacometti and Ferdinand Hodler alongside major international works. The Rietberg Museum focuses on traditional and contemporary arts and cultures of Asia, Africa, the Americas and Oceania, housed in nineteenth-century villas with an underground extension crowned by a glass pavilion. The Johann Jacobs Museum traces the history of global trade routes and the goods and cultures around them, the Zoological Museum shows the university's collections of local and worldwide fauna, and the FIFA World Football Museum explores the world of football. The Pavillon Le Corbusier, the architect's last building, is itself the highlight, with yearly changing exhibitions on architecture, and the Villa Patumbah is a stunning nineteenth-century villa housing an architectural history museum.

For activities, ride the Polybahn, a nineteenth-century funicular from Central up the steep hill to the ETH, where there is a nice terrace and, during the week, a student cafeteria open to the public. In summer, take your swimwear: locals cool off in the clean river at the public river baths Oberer Letten, popular with youngsters, and Unterer Letten, suited to families, and you can jump in upstream and let the current carry you down. There is also a wooden floating bath on the Limmat for women only, with showers and free lockers, though you must bring your own lock. Boats are another way to see the city: take a trip on the Zürichsee aboard one of the old steam ships, which operate between April and mid-October and usually depart from Bürkliplatz, or take a Limmat river cruise from the Landesmuseum pier for views of the old town and the lake. You can also rent a small rowboat or pedalo. For a view from above, go up the Uetliberg, a hill overlooking the city that you can hike or reach by train, with a 360-degree view from a tall viewing tower and the start of the Planetenweg, a long ridge walk lined with scale models of the planets. In winter, you can go skiing by train using a snow'n'rail ticket bought at the Hauptbahnhof, with Flumserberg the closest large resort and a good range of runs for beginners and intermediates.

When to go

Zurich has a four-season central European climate, so your experience of the city depends heavily on when you visit. Winters are cold, with temperatures hovering around freezing and a grey feel to the city; snow may linger on the ground or melt away depending on the day. The nearby mountains are considerably colder than the valley throughout this season.

• Winter: Cold and grey, with temperatures around freezing and unpredictable snow cover in the city.
• Spring: The valley warms toward summer, but snow remains in the nearby mountains well into the season, so early-spring excursions mean snow underfoot and cooler conditions than in Zurich itself.
• Summer: Warm, with temperatures in the 20s Celsius and occasionally reaching the 30s. This is the time for outdoor sightseeing and lake activities, and the mountains offer a significantly cooler escape from the valley heat.

Festivals & events

Three days in Zuerich

Day one: Base yourself in Zurich and start with the old town on the Limmat, where the river divides the city and the lanes climb away from the water. Walk Bahnhofstrasse, the main shopping street running from Zürich HB, and follow it down towards Lake Zurich for a first look at the water and the hills beyond. If you arrive at Zurich Airport (ZRH) in Kloten, trains run regularly to Zürich HB, so you can drop your bags and be in the centre quickly.

Day two: Take a tram to the lake and spend the morning along the shore, watching the boats and the swans. In the afternoon, ride out to Winterthur, a short train ride from Zürich HB, for its museums and older streets. Note that Sundays are quiet, with most shops closed, so plan a lake day or a museum day for Sunday and keep Saturday for shopping and markets.

Day three: Use Zürich HB as your hub for a day trip. InterCity and ICE trains run to Basel, Bern and beyond, and connections reach Germany, France, Italy and the rest of Switzerland. If you are flying out, allow time for the train back to Zurich Airport; because the airport has its own station, the trip from the centre is straightforward. Expect announcements in Swiss German, Swiss Standard German, German, French and English, and remember that most people switch easily between them.