✈️ TLV to Zurich (ZRH)
Switzerland
Zurich
CityZRH
IATA2812.4 km
Distance3h 55m
Flight TimeCoordinates: 47.4647, 8.54917
Airlines:
About Zurich
Weather in Zurich
Understand
While Zurich is Switzerland's biggest city and a cultural centre of German-speaking Switzerland, Berne is the Swiss capital. It has a population of some 430,000 (2022) in the city, and 1.8 million (2011) in the metro area. Zurich is on Lake Zurich, where the lake meets the river Limmat, in the north of Switzerland. Despite it not being the administrative capital of any more than its Kanton , Zurich punches well above its weight in terms of major media and business headquarters and due to it being at the heart of Switzerland's excessively punctual and meticulously maintained train network and being home to Switzerland's most important airport, it is often the first part of Switzerland that visitors get to see. While Zurich can be expensive, it is also clean, efficient and blessed with a high standard of living, which together with the high wages, explains why people bear with the high prices. Zurich has drawn people from the rest of Switzerland for centuries, but in the 20th and 21st centuries it has also begun to draw both people and companies from outside Switzerland and in some cases even outside Europe. This means that you will hear a lot more languages than just Swiss German and the overall atmosphere is a lot more cosmopolitan than you might think. Zurich is home to ETH Zurich, one of the world's leading technical universities, which has produced a number of Nobel laureates and numerous innovations and due to Switzerland's long history of neutrality it also houses headquarters of the likes of FIFA and the International Ice Hockey Federation. Zurich is also home to a number of large banking and insurance conglomerates that grew on the fabled Swiss banking secret and still enjoy good reputations in the financial sector.
Climate
Zurich has a four-season climate typical of central Europe . Temperature in winter is usually around zero degrees, which means that snow can linger or melt away. Summers are warm with temperatures in the 20s (C) and occasionally in the 30s. The nearby mountains are significantly cooler than in the valley, with snow remaining well into spring.
Talk
Grüezi — Hello Hoi — Hi (informal) Adie — Bye Merci — Thank you (informal) Wie gahts inne? - How are you? For formal speech and writing, German-speaking Swiss use Swiss Standard German ( Schweizer Hochdeutsch ), which is very similar to standard German. The Zurich dialect ( Züritüütsch ) is dominant among the Swiss German ( Schweizerdeutsch ) dialects, and is difficult to understand for non-Swiss. English is widely spoken, at least among the young and businesspeople.
See
Most of the interesting sights are in the old town around the river and lakefront. 47.37179 8.53852 1 Bahnhofstrasse . One of the busiest and best-known shopping streets in the world. Highly refined. Certainly a must-see for every tourist in Zurich! 47.37297 8.54087 2 Lindenhof . The hill in the heart of the old town. A beautiful view of the city and one time location of a Roman fort. 47.3603 8.5474 3 Lake Promenade ( Utoquai, Seefeldquai ). Especially during summer, the lake is a beautiful place to spend the evening or the weekend. Starting from Bellevue, the boardwalk goes for about three kilometers along the lake towards Tiefenbrunnen. About halfway from Bellevue there is a meadow where you will find thousands of people on a sunny day. 47.37 8.5441 4 Grossmünster , Zwingliplatz . November-February 10ː00-17ː00, March-October 10ː00-18ː00 . Old Romanesque church, symbol of reformed Zurich, where reformer Huldrych Zwingli was appointed the people's priest in 1519. Go up the tower for a great view of Zurich, though the stairs can be quite small and steep. Tower Fr. 4, Fr. 2 for students . ( updated May 2017 ) 47.369722 8.541111 5 Fraumünster , Kämbelgasse 2 . November-February 10:00-17:00, March-October 10:00-18:00 . Old Gothic church (former convent) with window paintings made by Marc Chagall. No photos or videos allowed inside. Fr. 5 . ( updated May 2017 ) 47.37009 8.53466 6 Schanzengraben . A small canal that used to be part of the city fortifications between Limmat and Sihl. From the main station, go to Gessnerallee, find the stairways down to the tiny creek, and walk all the way to the lake. 47.37964 8.5277 7 Langstrasse . Red light district of Zurich, with more drug dealers and police than usual, but interesting because even this most notorious spot in Switzerland is so clean and safe. The area is the most overtly multicultural spot of the town. Ateliers and stylish bars sit side by side the strip clubs. 47.383056 8.572222 8 Friedhof Fluntern . cemetery with lots of famous people most notably James Joyce who lived in Zurich for quite some time, the writer Elias Canetti and a few nobel prize winners are also buried there ( updated Dec 2017 ) 47.38571 8.57352 9 Zoo , Zürichbergstrasse 221 , ☏ +41 44 254 25 00 , zoo@zoo.ch . Mar-Oct 09:00–18:00, Nov-Feb 09:00–17:00 . With the new Masoala Rainforest Hall, the Zoo is really worth a visit! Fr. 26 for adults (Fr. 19 for those under 25) . ( updated Jul 2017 ) 47.354836 8.551802 10 China Garden , Bellerivestrasse 138 , ☏ +41 44 380 31 51 . Apr-Oct daily 11:00–19:00 . This small but beautiful Chinese garden was offered to the city of Zurich by the Chinese city of Kunming as symbol of gratitude after Zurich helped Kunming with technical knowledge. It can be very well combined with a stroll along the lake or a visit to the Pavillon Le Corbusier. ( updated Nov 2024 ) 47.373271 8.543772 11 Niederdorf . The old town offers beautiful alleys, restaurants and shopping mainly aimed at younger consumers. In the evenings, people visit the Niederdorf's many bars. ( updated Aug 2015 ) 47.38954 8.51711 12 Zurich West . This modern quarter used to be an industrial one, but modern urban developments made it into a centre of vibrant night life.
Do
Take the 47.37651 8.54407 1 Polybahn , Central 1 . Operates M-F 06:45–19:15, Sa 07:30–14:00, closed on Su and public holidays . A 19th-century funicular, up the steep hill for a fine view. Starts at tram station Central and goes up to the ETH. Nice terrace up there. During the week, the student cafeteria below the terrace is also open to the public. Fr. 1.20, free with Zürich Card or a valid ZVV ticket for Zone 110 . ( updated Aug 2015 ) 47.385653 8.534333 2 Oberer/Unterer Letten . If you go to Zurich during summer take your swimwear with you. The clean river at both the public river baths "Oberer Letten" (mainly youngsters) and "Unterer Letten" (also families) is used by the locals to cool down after hot days. Jump in upstream and the river will carry you down. Right in the middle of the town there is also a wooden floating bath for women only Frauenbad Stadthausquai at the start of the Limmat. Showers and free lockers are provided but you must bring your own lock. Free . ( updated Dec 2017 ) Go skiing by train — Buy a snow'n'rail ticket (train & skipass) at the Hauptbahnhof during winter months, train out in morning, back in evening. Flumserberg is the closest large ski-resort, popular with people from Zurich, with a good range of runs for beginners and intermediates. Retreat to the right side of the resort if the rest gets busy. Take a 47.366003 8.540519 3 trip on the Zürichsee . With one of the two old steam ships. There are a few different routes you can choose from, which will vary mainly in the distance. Journeys usually start from Bürkliplatz. Steam ships operate between April and mid-October. ZVV tickets valid . ( updated Aug 2015 ) Rent a small rowboat or pedalo . Take a 47.379064 8.541509 4 Limmat river cruise , Landesmuseum Pier , contact@zvv.ch . Offers views of the old town and Lake Zurich. Operates between April and October. Fr. 4.30, free with Zürich Card or a valid ZVV ticket for Zone 110 . ( updated Jul 2015 ) Go up 47.3495 8.49202 5 Uetliberg . A hill overlooking Zurich. You can hike up, or take a train from the "SZU" part of the main station. Enjoy the 360-degree view from a tall viewing tower (not for vertigo sufferers!) This is also the Start of the Planetenweg (planetary walk), a 12-km (8-mile) walk along the ridge with models of the planets along the way. These are scaled down in true proportion to the solar system. To look at Zurich from the other hills, go to the Irchel (Tram station Milchbuck) or Käferberg (Bucheggplatz, walk up the hill and keep right of the forest). Free with Zürich Card or a valid ZVV ticket for the Zones 110, 154, and 155 (costs 4 zones). CHF 2.50 to go up the observation tower . ( updated Jul 2015 ) Football: the city has two teams playing soccer in Super League, the Swiss top tier. Both FC Zürich and Grasshoppers play at Letzigrund, capacity 26,000, at 500 Badenerstrasse, 1 km west of the main railway station. In 2025 it hosted matches in the UEFA Women's Euro Finals. Go club-hopping — Zurich has proportionately the largest number of clubs per capita in Europe. The Grossmünster sometimes has organ concerts in the evenings. Check the front door for notices.
Shows and theaters
47.365 8.546944 8 Opernhaus , Falkenstrasse 1 ( Tram stop Opernhaus, or take the S-train to Stadelhofen ), ☏ +41 44 268 64 00 . The Zurich Opera shows frequently changing productions of world famous operas with top artists. As with the Schauspielhaus, students get a big last-minute discount. The best seats costs Fr. 45 for students. expensive . 47.3433 8.53667 9 Rote Fabrik ( Red Factory ), Seestrasse 395, Postfach 1073, 8038 Zürich ( Buses No. 161, 165: stop Rote Fabrik ), ☏ +41 44 485 58 58 . An old silk factory converted to a centre of youth culture and art in the 1980s. The Red Factory became one of the most exciting parts of cultural life. An artists' coop, a couple of kilometers south, form along the west bank of Lake Zurich. They have a variety of events, including music, film, and theater, including a restaurant. 47.37 8.54917 10 Schauspielhaus , Rämistrasse 34 ( Tram stop Kunsthaus ), ☏ +41 (44) 258 77 77 . Zurich's Schauspielhaus is one of the most important theatres in the German speaking part of Europe. The Schauspielhaus has several locations, the most important one being the Pfauen. Students can get really cheap last minute tickets (10 minutes before the show) if they show their student ID. The best seats, if available, cost Fr. 20 that way. varies . 47.3725 8.54583 11 Theater am Neumarkt , Neumarkt 5 . Closed Summer . Closer to downtown. 47.38648 8.51612 12 Tonhalle Maag , Zahnradstrasse 22 ( S-Bahn station Bahnhof Hardbrücke and tram/bus stops Bahnhof Hardbrücke and Schiffbau ), ☏ +41 (44) 206 34 34 . During the renovation of the Tonhalle concert house the internationally renowned classical orchestra, the Tonhalle Orchester Zürich , plays at the intermediately built Tonhalle Maag concert hall. From season 2019/20, Paavo Järvi leads the orchestra. varies . 47.36636 8.54742 13 Cinema Arthouse Le Paris ( Arthouse Le Paris ), Gottfried-Keller Strasse 7 ( Tram stop Stadelhofen, or take the S-train to Stadelhofen ), ☏ +41 44 250 55 00 . Frequently changing arthouse movies; students get a discount.
Buy
Currency: Switzerland is a land of banks and financial institutions, so getting local cash from ATMs at banks, railway stations and within shopping malls should pose no problem. Euros are accepted at many larger stores and places that cater to international visitors, though the exchange rate offered will be much worse than what your bank offers you. Eighth-series Swiss banknotes were withdrawn in April 2021 (10 Fr Le Corbusier, 20 Fr Honegger, 50 Fr Taeuber-Arp) but can be exchanged without time limit at any Swiss National Bank. You want the ninth series, see Switzerland#Buy .
Eat
The quintessential Zürich dish is Zürcher Geschnetzeltes (Swiss-German: Zürigschnätzlets ), sliced veal in a cream and wine sauce. Various kinds of grilled wurst (sausages) are also popular. These are most often accompanied by boiled potatoes, rösti , a Swiss potato pancake (grated potato, formed into a pancake then pan fried until crisp in butter or oil similar to hash browns) or chnöpfli , in German sometimes called Spätzle (small noodle dumplings). Veal is still very popular, though the use of turkey and other meats as a substitute is growing. While fondue (melted cheese in a central pot, dip bread into it) and Raclette (cheese melted in small portions, served with potatoes and pickles) are not really local to Zürich (they come from Western Switzerland) they are commonly available at restaurants aimed at tourists. Swiss people usually eat those dishes at home and only during winter. The bread available in Zürich is generally delicious. There are many varieties, and your best bet is to go to a bakery or a supermarket in the morning or just after work hours, when most people are doing their shopping and bread is coming out fresh. Try grilled bratwurst from street stands, served with a large crusty roll of sourdough bread and mustard, or sandwiches made with fresh baked bretzeln (large, soft pretzels). A typically Swiss bread is the zopf , a braided soft bread that is commonly served on Sundays (the other name for it is Sonntagszopf ). For breakfast, try a bowl of müesli , which was invented as a health food in Switzerland. The Sprüngli confectionery store tea rooms serve a deluxe version of this fiber-filled cereal with whole milk, crushed berries and cream. There are a huge variety of cheeses available at the supermarkets, specialty stores and markets, as well as all kinds of hams and dried sausages . Dairy products are generally delicious, especially the butter . Do not miss the supermarkets! You should take a thorough look through Migros or Coop and maybe even assemble your own lunch or dinner some time. Even the cheap, budget prepackaged desserts in the supermarket exceed the quality of what you may be used to. For those with a sweet tooth, there's a huge variety of chocolates to enjoy, from the cheapest chocolate bar to individually handmade truffles. (See the Shopping section above). The chocolate bar displays at the supermarkets will overwhelm you! Also enjoy pastries and cakes from the various Konditorei scattered around town. In pastry shops, you can also find special pastry from Zurich: The most famous of them is probably Tirggel , a rather hard pastry made of flour and honey. Although traditionally made and eaten during the Winter holidays, many pastry shops (including larger supermarkets) sell them throughout the year. Often, they've got sights of Zurich printed on the top, can be stored for months and thus make up a pretty good and cheap souvenir. Another famous type of pastry are Luxemburgerli exclusively sold by the confectionery chain of Sprüngli (part of the famous chocolatier Lindt & Sprüngli). A typical cake is the Mandelfisch , an almond cake shaped like a fish. Like most European cities, Zürich abounds with cafés where you can enjoy a leisurely cup of coffee, glass of wine or other beverage, and watch the world go by. There are many international dining options available too. The current hot trend seems to be pan-Asian noodle, rice, and sushi places. However, due to the long distance from the sea and the lack of original, well-trained Chinese and Japanese cooks, the quality cannot live up to that of the original countries. Instead, the Italian cuisine holds the highest popularity among the foreign restaurants. They can be found throughout the city and are relatively cheap. Turkish fast food restaurants are also a delicious, cheap option. Vegetarian food is easy to find throughout the city. Vegans may have a little trouble because cheese is used generously in most food, but should be fine living off supermarkets at the very least. Hiltl , the first vegetarian-only restaurant in Europe, is also worth a visit. You choose from the buffet, where your meal is priced by weight or from a variety of à la carte menus, which are a bit more pricey, but include vegetarian/vegan versions of popular Swiss meals like Züri-Gschnätzlets or Beef Stroganoff amongst Indian food and classic vegetarian plates. Another vegan friendly restaurant is "Bona Dea", which is located directly at Zurich Mainstation.
Drink
Zurich has a lot of places to go out. There are a lot of clubs, restaurants, cafés , bars but also many museums and theatres. The most common drinks in Zurich include: Beer, Swiss white wine (e.g. Fendant), Swiss red wine (is delicious), and Spanish red wine (is generally good value here). At apéro time (after work), you will find many people drinking a Cüpli (glass of sparkling wine).
Sleep
Zurich is the financial centre of Switzerland and most travellers come with an expense account. The hospitality sector focuses therefore mostly on the 4- and 5-star sector. Zurich is known for its superb hotels, but these won't come cheap. Best is to go on a company rate, because rack rates are sometimes ridiculous.
Stay safe
Zürich, like all cities in Switzerland, is relatively safe. Nevertheless, be on guard for thieves and pickpockets. Carry your wallet or purse in a secure way, not in your hip pocket or a backpack outer pocket. In particular, thieves are known to operate around the Zurich main train station. Do not let your bags out of sight for even a moment. Certain areas along the lakefront are frequented by young people who sometimes try to pick a fight when they are drunk. Do not let them provoke you, as they are likely to be there in numbers and will use any excuse to go at you. You may also notice many of said young people smoking something that isn't a cigarette. Switzerland is surprisingly lenient about such things but it is hardly a cause for alarm. Public transport is very safe. You can use it without any special precautions. If you decide to bicycle in the city, understand that Zurich is a city of public transport. Beware of tram tracks which can get your wheel stuck and send you flying into traffic, of the trams themselves which travel these tracks frequently (and may scare you into getting stuck into the track), and the buses, which make frequent stops in the rightmost lane. In short, bicycling downtown should be only done by those experienced with cycling with such traffic.
Cope
Permanence Hauptbahnhof at the main train station provides urgent out-patient care for tourists without prior appointments. There is also a dentist downstairs at the station. For serious emergencies rush to the university hospital which has a 24/7 emergency ward. Tram stop "ETH/Universitätsspital" (look out for the inexplicable golden boy statue in front of the building, then follow the red "Notfall" signs). They will not send away people with serious, urgent health problems. Ambulance phone number is 144 but the European 112 emergency number works as well. If you're on a budget, don't stay out too late — the "N" night buses only run on weekends and only once per hour. On work nights, there is no public transport at all after about 00:30 (although expensive taxis still exist in case you're stuck). Stores are generally closed on Sundays including all supermarkets in the city, except those in the main train station, some suburban stations, and at the airport which remain open. Zurich has two police departments, the Stadtpolizei Zurich which is responsible for the city area and the Kantonspolizei Zürich which is responsible for the whole region. With approximately 1,800 and 3,000 officers, these corps are the biggest in Switzerland. While police officers in Zurich will happily help you out if you are in trouble or need directions, they are also known for approaching "suspicious" persons in order to check their papers. This procedure is annoying but legal as you will probably have a hard time proving you were not acting suspicious. Carry a photocopy of your passport and your onward ticket with you, stay calm and polite and you're unlikely to have any trouble.
Go next
Some interesting destinations nearby: Baden — This town is known for its castle ruin and the thermal baths. It takes 15 minutes by train to get there from Zurich. Greifensee — A lake and village next to the nearby town of Uster . The village of Greifensee is within a conservation area and very untouched. Lucerne — Probably Switzerland's most popular destination. Go there to see the famous chapel bridge or the impressive transport museum. Rapperswil — Located at the opposite end of lake Zurich. A small, picturesque town, good for a stroll. It is possible to go there by boat from Zurich. The Rhine falls — Europe's largest waterfall. It is located near Schaffhausen , which has a nice old town in the Renaissance style. Winterthur — Around 25 minutes from Zurich, this city is worth a visit on a rainy day to visit some of its many museums. Technorama is the most popular one, an interactive science centre. A bit further away, but also worth a day trip: Appenzell — As close to the stereotypical image of Switzerland with wooden farm houses and traditional clothes as it gets. An interesting visit is the cheese factory, where the Appenzell cheese is made. Augusta Raurica — Close to Basel, this is one of the best preserved Roman sites north of the Alps. Bellinzona — Since the opening of the new Gotthard tunnel in 2016, the Italian speaking part of Switzerland is less than two hours away by train. Go to Bellinzona to see its three castle, which are inscribed as a UNESCO world heritage site. Biel — Traditional watch making town. Visit the Omega factory to learn more about the watch industry. Chur — Not only a nice city, but a good hub for hiking or skiing in the mountainous Graubünden region. Fribourg — Home town to the famous Swiss fondue. A good choice if you want to make a short trip into the French part of Switzerland. Solothurn — A small city on the river Aare noted for the giant cathedral and baroque old town.