World City Guide

Getting Around

Public Transport
The Verkehrsbetriebe Zrich – VBZ (tel: (01) 434 4111; website: www.vbz.ch), operates the highly efficient and easy-to-use tram and bus network (known as Zri Linie) within the city. The Zrcher Verkehrsverbund – ZVV (website: www.zvv.ch), operates services within the canton as a whole, including all trains.

Tickets for all forms of transit must be purchased at ticket machines (located at tram stops, bus stops and train stations) and validated before boarding. Tickets cannot be bought on trams or buses – there is a fine for anyone travelling without a ticket. The websites explain in detail how to use the automatic ticket machines.

Zurich canton operates on a zone system. A single adult fare for one to two zones is valid for one hour (including transfers). A cheaper short hop (known as a ‘Kurzstrecke’) is available for five or fewer stops. First-class seating is available on S-Bahn trains, for a higher fare. Night buses depart from Bellevue on Friday and Saturday.

It is much more simple and better value to buy a day pass (Tageskarte), good for 24 hours of unlimited travel and available from ticket machines and the Tourist Information Office. The 24-hour and 72-hour ZrichCARD include all travel in the seven central zones, including trips to and from the airport. The 9-Uhr-Tagespass is ideal for daytrips out into the surrounding region, and is valid for all journeys after 0900 for one day.

Ferries also form part of Zurich’s public transport network. The city is located at the mouth of the River Limmat, where it spills into the northern end of Lake Zurich. The main ferry terminal is at Enge – on the western shore of Lake Zurich – but it is easier to board at Brkliplatz. Ferries go to many different towns and villages around Lake Zurich and operate daily 0900-1900. Zrichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (tel: (01) 487 1333; website: www.zsg.ch), operates regular services to Rapperswil and Schmerikon, at the far end of the lake. Trams 2, 5, 8, 9 or 11 and buses 161 or 165 all serve Brkliplatz. For Enge, tram 5 from Bellevueplatz or Bahnhof Zurich-Enge stops at the Arboretum adjacent to the harbour. Tickets can be bought at the ferry terminal.

Taxis
Taxis may be found at taxi ranks or hailed on the street, as well as ordered by phone from Taxi-Zentrale Zrich (tel: (01) 272 4444) or from the taxi firms: Zri Taxi (tel: (01) 222 2222), Taxi 444 (tel: (01) 444 4444), Alpha Taxi (tel: (01) 777 7777) or Taxi Jung (tel: (01) 271 1188). For wheelchair-friendly taxis, telephone Zurich Disabled Transport (tel: (01) 461 3866). Tipping is not an issue, seeing as a compulsory service charge of 15% is included in the fare, although it is customary to tip SFr2 per bag for luggage handling.

Limousines
Transunix (tel: (01) 315 6030; website: www.transunix.ch) offer Mercedes E-class and Mercedes stretch limousines. Drivers are also available. People carriers, armoured cars, minibuses and coaches can also be hired.

Driving in the City
Motorways almost go right into the city centre, making it easy to get to destinations in Zurich. However, parking in the city can be difficult. There is a printed parking guide (including locations of car parks and price of metres), which is published by the police and available from the Tourist Information Office. It is also displayed in car parks. Car parks are located on Lavaterstrasse, Beethovenstrasse, Lowenstrasse, Gessner-Allee and Dufourstrasse.

Car Hire
Zurich is well represented by the major car hire firms, including Alamo/National (tel: (043) 816 4451; website: www.alamo.com), Avis (tel: (044) 296 8787; website: www.avis.ch), Budget (tel: (01) 450 7535; website: www.budget.com), Europcar (tel: (01) 271 5656; website: www.europcar.ch), Hertz (tel: (044) 298 8484; website: www.hertz.ch) and Sixt/Eurodollar (tel: (01) 445 9090; website: www.e-sixt.de). The minimum age for hiring a car is 21 years and there is an additional charge for drivers under 25 years. Visitors wishing to hire a car must have held a category B driving licence for at least one year. Those hiring a car should check if basic insurance is included in the price.

Bicycle Hire
Rent-A-Bike (tel: (061) 726 9210; website: www.rent-a-bike.ch), from Zri Rollt (see Public Transport), offers free bicycles for use in the city on payment of a deposit and presentation of a valid ID. Bicycles are available from Gate 18 at the Hauptbahnhof (tel: (0512) 222 904), all year round, as well as from railway stations at Altstatten, Enge, Oelikon and Stadelhofen and near the Globus department store on Usteristrasse, from May to October.