Zürich, Switzerland

Getting around Zürich

How to travel around Zürich — 5 options, what they cost, and which booking apps fix the fare before you go.

Last updated 2026-08-09

1. Trams

Dense, punctual and the defining way to move around the city.

Cost: CHF 2.80–4.60

2. S-Bahn

Regional rail reaching the airport in ten minutes and the whole canton beyond.

3. Lake boats

Scheduled ferries on the lake, included in the transit zone system for shorter routes.

4. Walking

The old town is compact and largely pedestrian.

5. Zürich Card

Covers transit and museum entry, and pays for itself quickly given Swiss prices.

Cost: CHF 29 for 24h

Booking apps in Switzerland

Agreeing the fare in an app before you travel removes the argument at the end of the journey, which is where most transport scams happen. Links go to each app's official page — lookalike apps are themselves a scam.

SBB Mobile

Swiss rail booking and multimodal planning, including buses and boats.

Coverage: Nationwide.

Uber

Operates in the larger Swiss cities.

Coverage: Zürich, Geneva, Basel, Lausanne.
Why it helps: Fare is agreed in the app before the trip, and the route is recorded — which removes the refused meter, the tampered meter and the fixed 'foreigner price' in one move.