Ultimate Edition

Zürich, Switzerland

Published for the Limmat, the lake and the mountains behind them

CH Saturday, October 17, 2026

Guides › Switzerland › Zürich, Switzerland

A banking city that turns out to be rather good fun

Zurich has a reputation for being expensive, orderly and dull. The first is true, the second is largely a virtue, and the third has not been accurate for twenty years.

The Ultimate City Desk

Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and its financial centre, built where the Limmat leaves the lake. The Romans had a customs post here; the city made its name in the Reformation under Zwingli, whose austerity still faintly colours the place, and then in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries as a banking capital. It is not the Swiss capital — that is Bern — and Zurichers are relaxed about pointing this out.

The shift in the last two decades has been Zurich West, the old industrial quarter around the railway viaduct: the arches are now shops and a market hall, Frau Gerolds Garten is a stack of containers and planting, and the former shipyard at Schiffbau holds a theatre and a jazz club. It gave the city a counterweight to Bahnhofstrasse, which remains one of the most expensive shopping streets in the world and is as dull as that implies.

What makes Zurich genuinely pleasant in summer is the water. The Limmat and the lake are clean enough to swim in from public badis — open-air bathing houses, some of them nineteenth-century timber structures — and the city swims in them on any warm evening. In winter, the mountains are the point: Flumserberg and Hoch-Ybrig are an hour or so by train, and the serious resorts are two to three.

Where People Live

The neighbourhoods

Altstadt — Niederdorf & Lindenhof

The medieval core on both banks: the Grossmünster and Fraumünster with their Chagall windows, the Lindenhof terrace and the narrow lanes of Niederdorf.

Zurich West & Kreis 5

The reinvented industrial quarter: Im Viadukt's arches, the Frau Gerolds Garten, Schiffbau, and most of the city's better recent restaurants.

Seefeld & the lakeshore

Tibetan, Restaurant · Opening hours: Mo-Fr 10:00-20:00; Sa 11:00-22:00 Features: outdoor seating, takeaway · 485 Hohlstrasse, Zürich, 8048 · zuerimomo.ch

Indoors

Airports

Zürich Airport (ZRH) 11 km to the centre

Zurich, ZH, CH — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 71 airlines (Swiss International Air Lines, Air Berlin, Lufthansa Cargo, United Airlines…) · direct flights to 137 destinations incl. Lisbon, Vienna, Berlin, Istanbul, London… (OpenFlights route data).

Indoor

✈ Airlines & flight paths — 71 airlines, 137 direct destinations

Swiss International Air Lines LX (A320, AR1, A330-300, A321, A319, A340-300…) · 94 routes: Amsterdam, Antalya*, Arrecife*, Athens, Bangkok, Barcelona, Beijing, Belgrade, Berlin, Birmingham, Boston, Brussels, Bucharest*, Budapest, Cairo, Catania*, Chicago, Cologne, Copenhagen, Delhi, Dubai, Dublin, Dubrovnik*, Duesseldorf, Florence*, Frankfurt, Fuerteventura*, Funchal*, Geneva, Gran Canaria*, Hamburg, Hannover, Havana*, Heraklion*, Hong Kong, Hurghada*, Istanbul, Johannesburg, Kiev, Larnaca* … +54 more
Air Berlin AB (A320, A319, A321, 737-800, 737-700, Embraer 190…) · 22 routes: Alicante, Arrecife, Berlin, Brindisi, Catania, Duesseldorf, Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Helsinki, Heraklion, Ibiza, Lamezia, London*, London*, Madrid*, Naples, Olbia, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife, Vienna*, Westerland
Lufthansa Cargo LH (A320, A319, Fokker 100, A321, AR1, CRJ-900…) · 9 routes: Berlin*, Duesseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg*, Hannover*, Munich, Nairobi*, Nuernberg*, Stuttgart*
United Airlines UA (A330-300, A340-300, 767-400, 767-300) · 9 routes: Boston*, Chicago*, Los Angeles*, Miami*, Nairobi*, New York*, Newark, San Francisco*, Washington
Helvetic Airways 2L (Fokker 100, A319) · 6 routes: Bordeaux, Brindisi, Bristol, Gran Canaria, Larnaca, Marsa Alam
Belair Airlines 4T (A320) · 5 routes: Antalya, Hurghada, Marsa Alam, Pristina, Skopje
Meridiana IG (A320) · 5 routes: Brindisi*, Catania*, Lamezia*, Naples, Olbia*
US Airways US (A320, A319, A380, 762, 767-300) · 5 routes: Istanbul*, Lisbon*, New York, Philadelphia, Singapore
Flybaboo F7 (S20) · 4 routes: Florence, Geneva, Leipzig, Torino
Intersky 3L (Dash 8-300) · 4 routes: Dresden, Graz, Marina Di Campo, Salzburg
American Airlines AA (A319, A320, 767-300, 767) · 3 routes: London*, New York, Philadelphia
British Airways BA (A319, A320, A321, FRJ, Embraer 190, Embraer 170) · 3 routes: Billund*, London*, London
Croatia Airlines OU (Dash 8-400) · 3 routes: Dubrovnik, Split, Zagreb
Eurolot K2 (Dash 8-400) · 3 routes: Gdansk, Krakow, Wroclaw
Royal Jordanian RJ (A319, A320, A321, Embraer 190) · 3 routes: Amman, Geneva, Vienna
Scandinavian Airlines System SK (736, 737-700, A319, A320, A321, 717…) · 3 routes: Copenhagen, Oslo, Stockholm
Tunisair TU (736, A319, A320, A320) · 3 routes: Djerba, Enfidha, Tunis
Air Canada AC (330, A330-300) · 2 routes: Montreal, Toronto
Air India Limited AI (A330-300) · 2 routes: Delhi*, Mumbai*
easyJet U2 (A319, A320) · 2 routes: London, London
Finnair AY (A319, A320) · 2 routes: Helsinki, Lisbon*
Germanwings 4U (A319, A320, CRJ) · 2 routes: Cologne, Hamburg
Iberia Airlines IB (A319, A320) · 2 routes: Barcelona*, Madrid
Maastricht Airlines W2 (J32) · 2 routes: Bremen, Munster
SunExpress XQ (737-800) · 2 routes: Antalya, Izmir
TAP Portugal TP (A319, A320, A321) · 2 routes: Lisbon, Porto
Adria Airways JP (A319, CRJ-900, CRJ-200) · 1 route: Ljubljana
Aegean Airlines A3 (A320) · 1 route: Lisbon
Aer Lingus EI (A320) · 1 route: Dublin
Aeroflot Russian Airlines SU (A320) · 1 route: Moscow
Air Baltic BT (735) · 1 route: Riga
Air Bosna JA (ATR 72) · 1 route: Banja Luka
Air France AF (318) · 1 route: Paris
Air Malta KM (A319) · 1 route: Malta
Air Serbia JU (A319) · 1 route: Belgrade
Alitalia AZ (Embraer 175, Embraer 190, 32S) · 1 route: Rome
All Nippon Airways NH (A340-300) · 1 route: Tokyo*
Asiana Airlines OZ (A320) · 1 route: Istanbul
Austrian Airlines OS (A319, A320, A321, A320, AR1) · 1 route: Vienna*
Brussels Airlines SN (A320, AR1) · 1 route: Brussels*
Bulgaria Air FB (Embraer 190) · 1 route: Sofia
Cyprus Airways CY (A320) · 1 route: Larnaca
Czech Airlines OK (ATR 72, AT4) · 1 route: Prague
Delta Air Lines DL (76W) · 1 route: Atlanta
Egyptair MS (A330-300, A340-300) · 1 route: Cairo*
El Al Israel Airlines LY (737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Tel-aviv
Emirates EK (A380, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai
Ethiopian Airlines ET (A319) · 1 route: Frankfurt*
Etihad Airways EY (EMJ) · 1 route: Rome*
Hainan Airlines HU (A319, A320, 737-800) · 1 route: Berlin
Icelandair FI (75W) · 1 route: Keflavik
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (737, EMJ) · 1 route: Amsterdam
Korean Air KE (777-300ER) · 1 route: Seoul
LOT Polish Airlines LO (Embraer 170, Embraer 175) · 1 route: Warsaw
Montenegro Airlines YM (Fokker 100) · 1 route: Podgorica
Niki HG (A320, A321, Embraer 190) · 1 route: Vienna
Oman Air WY (A330-200) · 1 route: Muscat
Pegasus Airlines PC (A320, 737-800) · 1 route: Istanbul
Qantas QF (A380, 777-300ER) · 1 route: Dubai*
Qatar Airways QR (787-8) · 1 route: Doha
Royal Air Maroc AT (737-800, 737-700) · 1 route: Casablanca
SATA International S4 (A319, A321) · 1 route: Lisbon*
Singapore Airlines Cargo SQ (A380) · 1 route: Singapore
Skynet Airlines SI (ATR 42, AT4) · 1 route: Jersey
South African Airways SA (A330-300, A340-300) · 1 route: Johannesburg*
SriLankan Airlines UL (A330-200) · 1 route: Muscat
Thai Airways International TG (A340-600) · 1 route: Bangkok
Travel Service QS (ATR 72) · 1 route: Prague
Turkish Airlines TK (A320, A321, 737-800) · 1 route: Istanbul
Ukraine International Airlines PS (A320, 735, 73N) · 1 route: Kiev
Vueling Airlines VY (A319, A320) · 1 route: Barcelona

Routes and aircraft from OpenFlights (open data; a point-in-time snapshot). * = codeshare. Linked destinations open their own guidebook. Flight numbers are not in the open data — they come from the airline or a paid schedule feed.

Hausen am Albis Airfield 14 km to the centre

Hausen am Albis, ZH, CH

Outdoor

Buttwil Airfield 20 km to the centre

Buttwil, AG, CH

Outdoor

Birrfeld Airfield 24 km to the centre

Lupfig, AG, CH

Outdoor

Wangen-Lachen Airfield 31 km to the centre

Wangen, SZ, CH

Outdoor

Regional airports

Further out, but often the cheapest way in — the airports the low-cost carriers use. Each links to its own town's guide for getting from there into the city.

EuroAirport Basel–Mulhouse–Freiburg (BSL) 80 km to the centre

Bâle / Mulhouse, GES, FR — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 21 airlines (easyJet, Swiss International Air Lines, TUIfly, Air Berlin…) · direct flights to 66 destinations incl. Amsterdam, Brussels, Catania, Frankfurt, Gran Canaria… (OpenFlights route data).

✈ Feeder airport · 80 km from Zürich · easyJet, Swiss International Air Lines, TUIfly · Getting around Basel →

Indoor

✈ Airlines & flight paths — 21 airlines, 66 direct destinations

easyJet U2 (A319, A320) · 45 routes: Ajaccio, Alicante, Amsterdam, Antalya, Barcelona, Berlin, Bordeaux, Brindisi, Brussels, Budapest, Cagliari, Catania, Copenhagen, Dresden, Edinburgh, Faro, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Hamburg, Keflavik, Krakow, Larnaca, Lisbon, London, Madrid, Malaga, Manchester, Marrakech, Montpellier, Nantes, Naples, Nice, Olbia, Palma de Mallorca, Porto, Pristina, Rome, Santiago, Sevilla, Split … +5 more
Swiss International Air Lines LX (AR1, CRJ-700, A319, CRJ-900, Dash 8-400) · 9 routes: Barcelona*, Brussels*, Frankfurt*, Hamburg*, London*, Munich*, Prague*, Rome*, Vienna*
TUIfly X3 (737-800) · 9 routes: Fuerteventura, Funchal, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Kos, Palma de Mallorca, Rhodos, Tenerife, Zweibruecken
Air Berlin AB (A320, A319, A321, 737-800) · 7 routes: Catania, Gran Canaria, Heraklion, Ibiza, London*, Palma de Mallorca, Tenerife
Lufthansa Cargo LH (CRJ-700, AR1, CRJ-900) · 3 routes: Frankfurt, Hamburg*, Munich*
Air France AF (F70, Embraer 190, ATR 72) · 2 routes: Amsterdam*, Paris
KLM Royal Dutch Airlines KL (F70, EMJ, ATR 72) · 2 routes: Amsterdam*, Paris*
Pegasus Airlines PC (737-800, A320) · 2 routes: Istanbul, Izmir
Ryanair FR (737-800) · 2 routes: Dublin, London
Scandinavian Airlines System SK (CRJ-700, CRJ-900) · 2 routes: Frankfurt, Munich
SunExpress XQ (737-800) · 2 routes: Antalya, Izmir
Air Mauritius MK (ATR 72) · 1 route: Paris*
American Airlines AA (A319, A320) · 1 route: London*
Austrian Airlines OS (Dash 8-400) · 1 route: Vienna*
Belair Airlines 4T (A320) · 1 route: Hurghada
British Airways BA (A319, A320, A321) · 1 route: London
Brussels Airlines SN (A319, AR1) · 1 route: Brussels
Germanwings 4U (CRJ) · 1 route: Duesseldorf
Meridiana IG (A320) · 1 route: Catania*
Tunisair TU (A320) · 1 route: Djerba
Turkish Airlines TK (737-800) · 1 route: Istanbul

Bodensee Airport Friedrichshafen (FDH) 82 km to the centre

Friedrichshafen, BW, DE — You board from the indoor waiting area — no need to plan for the weather. ✈ 6 airlines (Intersky, Air Berlin, Germania, Germanwings…) · direct flights to 12 destinations incl. Palma de Mallorca, Antalya, Berlin, Cologne, Duesseldorf… (OpenFlights route data).

✈ Feeder airport · 82 km from Zürich · Intersky, Air Berlin, Germania · Getting around Friedrichshafen →

Indoor

✈ Airlines & flight paths — 6 airlines, 12 direct destinations

Intersky 3L (ATR 72, Dash 8-300) · 6 routes: Berlin, Duesseldorf, Hamburg, Marina Di Campo, Olbia, Zadar
Air Berlin AB (A320) · 2 routes: Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca
Germania ST (737-700) · 2 routes: Antalya, Palma de Mallorca
Germanwings 4U (A319, CRJ) · 1 route: Cologne
Lufthansa Cargo LH (CRJ-700) · 1 route: Frankfurt*
Turkish Airlines TK (737-800) · 1 route: Istanbul

Bern Airport (BRN) 92 km to the centre

Bern, BE, CH — Indoor waiting areas, but some gates board by bus or on foot across the apron — plan for the weather on the day. ✈ 1 airline (SkyWork Airlines) · direct flights to 12 destinations incl. Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg… (OpenFlights route data).

✈ Feeder airport · 92 km from Zürich · SkyWork Airlines · Getting around Bern (Berne), Switzerland →

Indoor | Outdoor

✈ Airlines & flight paths — 1 airline, 12 direct destinations

SkyWork Airlines SX (D38) · 12 routes: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, Ibiza, London, Marina Di Campo, Munich, Olbia, Palma de Mallorca, Vienna

Systemaufgaben Kundeninformation SKI+

Bus · Schedules & GTFS data (official feed)

Trains & rail

Sihltal Zürich Uetliberg Bahn

Rail operator

Brienz–Rothorn railway

National rail

SBB CFF FFS

National rail

Coaches & shuttles

PostBus

Intercity coach

Private aviation

On-demand charter, jet cards and the semi-private scheduled carriers that serve this city.

Living Here

Practical notes for residents

Getting about

The ZVV network — trams, buses, S-Bahn and the lake boats — is integrated on one ticket and is as good as public transport gets. Buy a 24-hour pass rather than singles.
The Zurich Card covers transport plus museum entry and is usually worth it for a short stay.
Zurich Airport is ten minutes from the Hauptbahnhof by train, and the Hauptbahnhof is the hub of the Swiss network — Lucerne 45 minutes, Bern an hour, Milan under four.

The mountains from here

The Alpine ski season runs roughly from December to April, with glacier and high-alpine terrain holding later. Exact opening and closing dates move with the snowpack every year — check the lift company before booking travel around them.
Flumserberg and Hoch-Ybrig are reachable in about an hour by train and bus for a day on snow. Engelberg-Titlis is around two hours, Davos and Laax two to three.
Uetliberg, the city's own hill, is 25 minutes by S-Bahn and gives the view over the lake to the Alps on a clear day.

The calendar

Sechseläuten in April burns the Böögg, a snowman effigy, to mark the end of winter; the speed of its explosion is said to predict the summer.
The Street Parade in August is one of the largest technoparades in the world and fills the lakefront.
Swimming season in the badis runs roughly May to September, and the city empties into them.

Practicalities

Zurich is genuinely expensive — budget accordingly for food and drink in particular, and note that tap water from the city's public fountains is excellent and free.
Most things close on Sunday, and shops shut earlier than visitors expect on weekdays. Buy food on Saturday.
German is the written language; what is spoken is Swiss German, and locals will switch to standard German or English without being asked.

Moving here

Zurich is consistently among the most expensive cities in the world and the rental market is the hard part — vacancy rates are very low, applications are competitive, and landlords expect a dossier: debt-collection extract, employment confirmation, references.
Kreis 4 and 5 are the lively and (relatively) cheaper central options; Seefeld and Enge are the comfortable lakeside ones; Oerlikon and the outer Kreise are where the space is. Anywhere on the S-Bahn within 30 minutes is a realistic commute.
Swiss residence permits are tied to nationality and employment; EU/EFTA citizens have a straightforward route and others go through an employer-sponsored quota.

Health, schools & services

Health insurance is mandatory, privately purchased within three months of arrival, and a significant monthly cost that is not deducted from payroll. Compare premiums — they vary widely for identical cover.
Universitätsspital Zürich is a major teaching hospital; the paediatric hospital and the university are both substantial.
ETH Zürich and the University of Zurich anchor the research economy. International schooling is plentiful and expensive; local schooling is in Swiss German, which young children absorb and teenagers often do not.

What newcomers get wrong

Sunday. Almost everything closes, and the shops shut earlier on weekdays than visitors expect. Buy food on Saturday or learn the station supermarkets.
The quiet rules. Apartment buildings have genuine expectations about noise, laundry times and recycling, and they are enforced socially rather than apologetically.
Assuming German gets you there. The written language is standard German; the spoken one is Swiss German, and locals switch to English readily.

Sources

Everything above is checkable