Zurich Getting Around

Getting around Zurich
Getting around Zurich does not present any great problems. If you are not walking you can use efficient buses and trams. The Zurichcard for tourists covers train, bus, tram, boat and funicular railway, plus admission to over 40 museums. There are 1-day and 3-day versions. Don’t miss out on a boat trip on the lake. Trains rapidly connect Zurich with local beauty spots.

Getting to/from Zurich airport
Zurich airport is eight miles north of Zurich. The best way to Zurich airport is by train. Trains leave every 15 minutes from Hauptbahnhof (central station). The journey takes 10 minutes. Taxis and a hotel shuttle service are available. Taxis take about 30 minutes to the city centre.

Walking
Most visitors will be happy to walk around the majority of Zurich sights. Walking is a pleasure along the river Limmat and the cobbled streets of the old city. Zurich quays and the lakeside promenades are another pleasant area for walking in Zurich.

Bicycle
Cycling is a good way of getting around Zurich, particularly around Lake Zurich. A free bicycle system was recently introduced. Robust bicycles can be used for free during the day time from May to October. Contact the tourist office for locations. Bicycles can be rented at Hauptbahnhof train station.

Tram & bus
A very efficient extensive network of trams and buses runs from 05.30 to midnight. The central train station, Zurich Hauptbahnhof, is the hub of the system. Buy tickets from the machine at the stop. Validate ticket before boarding. Tickets are not sold onboard. The fare depends on the number of zones crossed. A convenient Tageskarte allows travel on all buses and trams for 24 hours. There is a limited night bus service on Friday and Saturday nights.

Taxis
Zurich taxis are quite expensive. It is easier to call a taxi or go to a taxi rank than hail a taxi in the street. Taxis are metered. Surcharges for luggage. A tip is not necessary.

Funicular
A funicular climbs up to college campuses for views of the Old Town and the River Limmat. A small cable car connects Adliswil with Felsenegg, a popular hiking area in the Albis hills,

Lake Zurich
Lake Zurich steamer services run to the towns and small communities around the lake. A ferry connects Meilen on the right shore with Horgen on the left. Several companies run cruises on the lake, which is 25 miles long. The main ferry terminal is at Enge on the western shore. Trams and buses connect central Zurich with Enge and the Bürkliplatz terminal.

Zurich sightseeing tours
Popular Zurich sightseeing tours include a two-hour trolley bus tour, which visits the Old Town, the lakefront and the riverfront. A boat and cable car tour goes to the top of Felsenegg (2,608 ft.) between May and September. Dozens of boat tours depart from Zurich quays from late May to late September. Hour-long tours on the River Limmat are also popular.

Train
Longer Zurich city breaks can use suburban trains (S-Bahn) to visit local beauty spots. Trains leave from the central train station to the beautiful Sihlwald forest. The Uetliberg railway goes to the small mountain of Uetliberg for great views of Zurich, the Limmat Valley, Lake Zurich and the Alps. Trains also connect Zurich with the beautiful town of Rapperswil at the opposite end of Lake Zurich. Take a train to Schaffhausen for the impressive Rhine Falls and Schloss Laufen castle.

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