Zurich's public transport is run by VBZ (city trams and buses) within the ZVV regional fare network, which also covers the S-Bahn (suburban rail), regional buses, lake boats and the airport. Trams come every 6–8 minutes, the airport is 10 minutes from the centre, and almost everything runs to the second. The simplest way to pay: buy via the ZVV app with the Check-in feature — it tracks your trip and charges the cheapest correct fare automatically. Critical tip: zone 110 (Zurich city) counts double for fare calculation, so a journey entirely inside the city is billed as 2 zones.
1. Zone 110 counts as 2 zones! A trip entirely within Zurich city is billed as a "1–2 zones" ticket (CHF 4,70 single, CHF 9,40 day). Buying a "1 zone" ticket via the wrong app gets you a CHF 100 fine.
2. Always buy your ticket BEFORE boarding. No tap-and-go on trams or buses. Tickets at every stop machine, in the ZVV app, or at counters. Inspectors check frequently — even on short tram rides.
3. The airport is in zone 121 — not in zone 110. Airport ↔ Zürich HB needs a 3-zone ticket (CHF 7,20), not a city ticket. ZurichCard, NetworkPass and the 3-zone 24h pass all cover it.
4. Most tickets validate at purchase. Only paper multiple-journey tickets must be stamped at the orange box on the platform/inside the vehicle before each trip.
| Ticket Type | Price (2026) | Validity | When to choose? |
|---|---|---|---|
| ZurichCard 72h | CHF 56 adult / CHF 37 child | 72h — transport (city + region + airport) + 17 museums | BEST FOR 2–3 DAYS — pays for itself with 1–2 museum visits |
| ZurichCard 24h | CHF 29 adult / CHF 19 child | 24h — same coverage as 72h version | 1 day with airport + a museum |
| 24h ticket — 1–2 zones (Zurich city) | CHF 9,40 adult / CHF 6,60 child | 24h unlimited inside city zone | 1 day in the city only, no airport, no museums |
| 24h ticket — 3 zones (city + airport) | CHF 14,40 adult / CHF 7,20 child | 24h within the chosen 3 zones | Arrival/departure day with airport transfer |
| 24h ticket — All zones (NetworkPass) | CHF 36,00 adult / CHF 18,00 child | 24h whole ZVV network (Rhine Falls, Uetliberg, lake boats) | Day trip across canton (e.g. Rhine Falls + Winterthur) |
| 9 O'Clock Day Pass — All zones | CHF 28,00 adult / CHF 14,00 child | Mon–Fri 09:00 – next day 05:00; full day on Sat/Sun & holidays | Off-peak day-trippers — saves 24% vs NetworkPass |
| Single ticket — 1–2 zones | CHF 4,70 adult / CHF 3,30 child | 1 hour, unlimited transfers in zones | One-off trip across the city |
| Single ticket — 3 zones (airport) | CHF 7,20 adult / CHF 3,60 child | 1 hour | Airport ↔ HB if you don't have a day pass |
| Short-distance ticket (Kurzstrecke) | CHF 2,80 adult / CHF 2,40 child | 30 min, max 5 stops in zone 110 | Two-stop tram hop only (check the orange "Kurzstrecke" zone marker) |
| Age | Price | Card needed? |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5 years | FREE | No ticket needed |
| 6–15 years (until day before 16th birthday) | Reduced fare (~half adult) | No — buy a "child" ticket in app or at machine |
| 16–24 years | Adult fare (NetworkPass for young people available) | Optional discounted travelcard for residents |
| 25+ years | Adult fare | — |
Inspectors may ask children aged 12+ to prove they are still under 16. A passport, ID card or photo of one on a phone is enough.
Zurich Airport (ZRH, also called Kloten) is just 10 km north of the city. The S-Bahn or InterCity train connection from Zürich Flughafen railway station — directly under the airport — to Zürich Hauptbahnhof (HB) is one of the fastest airport transfers in Europe.
| Option | Time | Price | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|
| S-Bahn / IC train | 10–13 min to Zürich HB | CHF 7,20 (3-zone single) — or covered by ZurichCard / 24h NetworkPass | Every few minutes, ~05:00 – 00:30 |
| Tram 10 | ~35 min to Zürich HB | CHF 7,20 (3 zones) | Every 7–15 min |
| Bus 768/759 + train | 30–45 min | CHF 7,20 (3 zones) | Every 15–30 min |
| Taxi / Uber | 20–30 min (traffic dependent) | CHF 50–80 | Always available |
Trams, buses and the S-Bahn run from approximately 05:00 until 00:30–01:00 daily. After that, the Nachtnetz takes over — but only on the nights from Friday to Saturday and Saturday to Sunday.
| Transport | Last service | First service |
|---|---|---|
| Trams (VBZ) | ~00:30–01:00 | ~05:00 |
| Buses (VBZ) | ~00:30–01:00 | ~05:00 |
| S-Bahn | ~00:30–01:00 | ~05:00 |
| Night S-Bahn (SN, Fri/Sat only) | ~04:30 | — |
| Night buses (N-routes, Fri/Sat only) | ~04:30 | — |
Zurich is one of the most accessible cities in Europe. The entire VBZ tram fleet has low-floor entry, S-Bahn stations have lifts, and ZVV staff can be booked to assist with boarding for travellers with reduced mobility.
The Zürichsee Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG) operates lake boats from Bürkliplatz pier — included in the ZurichCard and in any 24h NetworkPass.
Zurich taxis are metered and expensive. Tipping is not expected (round up).
Zurich is bike-friendly with dedicated lanes along the lake and the Limmat. The terrain in the centre is mostly flat; the hills behind town (Uetliberg, Zürichberg) are steeper.
In Zurich you can use the app umob. With this you book and pay easily for all shared transport (bikes, scooters, cars) from different providers in one handy app. Convenient, because you no longer need separate accounts.
Switzerland has excellent 4G/5G coverage and Zurich is fully covered. Free WiFi is available at Zurich HB, Zürich Airport, most cafés and in many trams. An eSIM is the easiest way to stay connected from the moment you land — note that Switzerland is NOT in the EU, so an EU roaming plan often has heavy surcharges here.
Best choice for most travellers. Instant activation, excellent coverage on Swisscom in Zurich and across Switzerland. Regional Europe plan covers multi-country trips.
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Zürich Hauptbahnhof has the largest luggage locker hall in Switzerland (lower level, near SBB Travel Center) and Zurich Airport has 24h lockers as well. Booked storage networks add coverage in the old town, Niederdorf and Bahnhofstrasse.
Store your bags in local shops and hotels around the old town, Niederdorf and HB. Bookable in advance, $10,000 protection included.
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Self-service SBB lockers are available 24/7 at Zürich HB (lower level) and at Zurich Airport.