In the direction of Switzerland, dozens of airliners depart daily from Moscow and St. Petersburg. Guests are received by Zurich Airport – the largest international air hub in the country.

Flights are operated by Aeroflot, Airbaltic, Swiss, UTair, Airberlin and others. A direct flight from the two capitals to Zurich will last just over 3 hours, a round-trip ticket will cost from 210 EUR.

It is unprofitable to fly with connections from Moscow, which cannot be said about St. Petersburg. A direct flight from the northern capital to Zurich and back will cost 500 EUR, while with a transfer, for example, at Frankfurt or Warsaw airports, you can keep within 230 EUR. At the same time, travel time will increase by only 2-3 hours. From the regions of the country you will have to fly with a transfer in Moscow.

Fans of land travel have nothing to choose from – trains and buses do not go from Russia to Switzerland. You can, if you wish and have free time, contrive and get to Zurich by rail through Paris or Berlin. Such a one-way trip will take more than a day and will cost a lot. For example, a train ride on the route Moscow – Berlin – Zurich will ease the wallet by 200-300 EUR.

Another thing is a trip to Zurich by car, which guarantees freedom in planning the route and beautiful views from the window. Although this method is not chosen out of economy – it is pleasant to drive a car in Europe, but expensive. To travel on toll roads in Switzerland, you will have to purchase a vignette (40 EUR) plus the cost of gasoline, because the journey is far – more than 2600 km through Belarus, Poland and Germany.

From airport to city

According to best-medical-schools, Zurich Airport is just a few minutes drive from the city centre. An easy and convenient way to get to the heart of Zurich is to take the train. It takes you to Zurich HauptBahnhof Central Station in 10 minutes. The station is located right below the airport and is easy to find with the SBB sign and train icon.

Tram number 10 connects the airport with the station, it travels slower than the train, but it makes a stop in the northern region of Oerlikon, beloved by tourists. A train and tram ticket costs 22.60 CHF. Regular buses and hotel shuttles also go to this part of the city from the air hub. The ticket price is about 16-18 CHF. A trip to the city by taxi – from 70 CHF.

Transportation

The main public transport in Zurich is trams. The Swiss preferred this environmentally friendly transport to the construction of a full-fledged metro and the expansion of roads. The entire tram network is focused on transporting passengers to the city center. The main operator of transport services is Zurich Public Transport (VBZ) (website with English version).

Tram routes complement trolleybus routes. The niche of night and suburban transportation was occupied by buses. There is also something like a subway in Zurich – this is an S-Bahn electric train (website with an English version). They stop at railway stations and run throughout the canton.

Somewhat unusual for us, but quite a full-fledged mode of transport for the townspeople is funiculars. There are 4 of them in Zurich, the most famous and colorful is the Polyban funicular. Lake and river “buses” are also popular.

Travel tickets

Public transport tickets vary by zone, duration, class and fare (adult/child). One pass allows you to travel on any type of transport. 1st class ticket – for trains with extra comfort carriages, if additional amenities are not needed, a “regular” 2nd class ticket will do.

Children under 6 travel free, children aged 6 to 16 travel at a reduced rate. An adult short distance pass costs CHF 4.20 and is valid for 30 minutes (approximately 6 stops). Another option for a one-time trip is an hourly ticket for CHF 4.30. A 24-hour pass will cost 8.40 CHF, a card for a week costs 45.20 CHF.

Zurich is zones 1-2 (on the map – zone number 110). Departure outside the zone is paid additionally, the amount depends on the distance. For example, to travel to the airport, you already need a ticket for 3 zones worth 6.60 CHF. In the event that you already have a ticket around the city, but you need to travel to another zone, a zone upgrade is purchased – a ticket between zones, the price of which is from 4.20 CHF. For travel on night transport in Zurich, you need to pay extra 5 CHF.

Taxi, boat and bike rental

Zurich taxi is not very popular among tourists, and locals too – they charge 6 CHF for landing only, for each km – 3.8 CHF. Even a short trip will significantly hit the wallet.

Bicycles are loved and actively used here. To increase their popularity in the city, a special program is being implemented, which implies free bike rental at any time of the year. To rent a vehicle at the Zuri rollt parking lot, you need to leave a deposit of 20 CHF.

In addition to urban water transport, pleasure boats glide along the river and lake. Renting the simplest, rowing or pedal-powered, will cost from 30 CHF per hour. A sailing trip, depending on the class of the boat, will cost 30-60 CHF. For high-speed pleasure on the “motor” you have to pay from 70 CHF and more.

ZurichCard

For travel by public transport, it is convenient to use the ZurichCard. You can travel within the card’s coverage area by train, bus, tram, boat and funicular within 24 or 72 hours. In addition, the ZurichCard entitles you to free admission to 43 Zurich museums, a free welcome drink at one of the city’s 24 restaurants, and a range of discounts. The cost of ZurichCARD for 24 hours is 27 CHF, for 72 hours – 53 CHF (children 6-16 years old 19/37 CHF). You can buy it at the Zurich Tourist Office at the Central Station, hotels and other public places.

Rent a Car

Having a car in Zurich is a great way to spice up your trip and experience Switzerland at your own pace. Gorgeous roads, stunning landscapes, Swiss castles, mountains and ski resorts, pristine lakes and ancient towns – all this speaks in favor of wheels. Hertz, Sixt, Avis, Europcar operate in the city. City cars, for example, Volkswagen Up or Ford Fiesta will cost from 130 CHF per day. Renting a minivan like the Toyota Verso will cost 190 CHF.

An inexperienced driver in Switzerland should be more careful, an unscrupulous one – it’s better not to drive at all – violators will face tough sanctions. In the event of an accident, its culprit must pay for police visits and repair of damaged objects.

There are traffic jams in the evenings in Zurich. Parking in the city is mostly paid. In the parking lot with blue signs, you can leave your car for free for an hour or two, in the “white” zone – from 1 to 4 CHF per hour, time is limited. Yellow markings prohibit parking, red markings are free, but are extremely rare.