Switzerland

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Zurich

Lake, old town and the Alps nearby

Visa & entry checker Plan a trip to Zurich Plan a trip around Switzerland

Best time to visit: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep
Currency: CHF
Time zone: UTC+1
Country: Switzerland

Photo: Thomas Wolf, www.foto-tw.de, CC BY-SA 3.0 DE

A compact old town on a clear lake, excellent museums and fast trains to Lucerne and the mountains.

Largest cities

Zurich
Geneva
Basel
Lausanne
Bern
Lucerne

Quick facts

Figures are rounded recent official estimates.

Country: Switzerland
Capital: Bern (federal city)
City population: 440,000
Population of Switzerland: 9.1M
Country area: 41,285 km²
Official language: German, French, Italian, and Romansh
Currency: Swiss Franc (CHF) · 1 USD ≈ 0.8331 CHF
Time zone: UTC+1
Calling code: +41
Drives on the: Right
Elevation: 408 m
Plugs: J / C · 230V
Emergency numbers: 112 · 144 · 117
Best time to visit: May, Jun, Jul, Aug, Sep

Temperatures through the year

Average daily high and low for each month in °C. Months marked with a drop are often rainy.

Temperatures through the year

Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
High	3°	5°	10°	15°	19°	23°	25°	24°	20°	14°	8°	4°
Low	-2°	-2°	1°	4°	8°	12°	14°	13°	10°	6°	2°	-1°

Best time to visitOther months

Approximate daily cost

Per adult per day: food, local transport and half a double room, without activities or flights.

ConservativeSimple stays, free and low-cost sights first.$107
HighComfortable hotels, a balanced mix of sights and trips.$230
LuxuryLuxury hotels, more paid experiences and day trips.$520

Plan a trip to Zurich

Top things to do

Free
Old Town, Grossmünster and Fraumünster
Medieval lanes on both banks of the Limmat, the twin towers of the Grossmünster and Chagall's windows in the Fraumünster.
- Half day
- Old Town
- Good for kids
≈ $10
Lake Zurich boat and promenade
A short round trip on the lake's public boats, then the lakeside promenades and bathing spots in summer.
- Half day
- Lake Zurich
- Good for kids
- Good in the evening
≈ $30
Kunsthaus Zürich
Switzerland's largest art museum, from Old Masters to Giacometti and Monet. Closed on Mondays.
- Half day
- Old Town
- Indoors
- Closed: Monday
≈ $12
Swiss National Museum
Swiss history in a castle-like building beside the main station. Closed on Mondays.
- Half day
- Old Town
- Good for kids
- Indoors
- Closed: Monday
≈ $10
Uetliberg
Zurich's local mountain, 25 minutes by train, with a view over the city, the lake and on clear days the Alps.
- Half day
- Uetliberg
- Good for kids
Free
Zurich West and Im Viadukt
Former industrial district of shops and food halls under railway arches, lively in the evening.
- Half day
- Zurich West
- Good in the evening
≈ $60
Day trip: Lucerne
The Chapel Bridge, the old town and a lake cruise, about 45 minutes by train; add Mount Pilatus or Rigi in good weather.
- Full day
- Lucerne
- Good for kids
≈ $35
Day trip: Rhine Falls and Stein am Rhein
Europe's most powerful waterfall by volume, with a boat to the rock in the middle, and a painted medieval town nearby.
- Full day
- Rhine Falls
- Good for kids

Before you go

Entry and visas

Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU: up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Nationalities that need a Schengen visa, including Indian and Saudi citizens, need one for Switzerland too; visa-exempt visitors are registered in the EU Entry/Exit System (EES).

Official website

From the airport

Trains from Zurich Airport reach the main station in about 10 to 15 minutes, several times an hour.

Getting around

Trams, buses, trains and lake boats share one fare system. For day trips, compare a Swiss Travel Pass with point-to-point tickets.

Local tips

Switzerland uses Swiss francs; euros are sometimes accepted but change is given in francs.
Tap water and public fountains are safe to drink.
Most shops close early on Saturdays and stay closed on Sundays, except at stations.
Prices are high: supermarkets and takeaway lunches keep food costs down.