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How much does a Zurich city break cost in 2024?

As Swiss cities go, Zurich is the complete package: Not only is it the country’s economic and cultural capital, but its location on the lake of the same name, the River Limmat, and the nearby Uetliberg make it a great natural beauty. The question is, how much does it cost to visit?

Published: 23 February 2024 14:12 CET
How much does a Zurich city break cost in 2024?
Zürich is not only the economic heart of Switzerland, its a city of beauty, art and culture. Photo: Sonyuser / Piaxbay

Using a weekend city trip as a yardstick, The Local looked at the average costs of a visit to Zurich, factoring in accommodation, dining, public transport and sightseeing. 

Accommodation

Based on data from the online booking platform trip.com, the average price for a hotel room per night in Zurich in 2024 is 149 francs – roughly €157. 

Of course, this greatly depends on the level of comfort you’re looking for. 

A room in a popular budget hotel near the central train station, like Hotel Bristol, can run as low as 47 francs / €50 per night for a private room. 

On the other end of the scale, a room in a luxury hotel like the iconic Hotel Storchen starts at around 547 francs / €574. 

For a two-night stay in the city, budget around 350 francs / €370 – assuming you have two people sharing.

Dining

According to the crowdsourced travel information site Budgetyourtrip.com, the average meal in Zurich costs around 24 francs / €26.

Again, this depends on what you’re looking for. Hitting up a popular street food spot like Sternen Grill will cost you around 16 francs / €15 for a Bratwurst in a roll with mustard and a drink.

Conversely, you could splurge on a Michelin-star restaurant like La Rotisserie, part of the Hotel Storchen, and spend 300 francs / €315 per person. 

For a two-night stay in Zurich, expect to pay 156 francs / €163 per person to eat. 

READ ALSO: Nine Zurich life hacks to make you feel like a local

Public Transport 

Thankfully, Zurich is serviced by an excellent public transport network, and getting around couldn’t be easier. 

It may also be the easiest part to budget for your Zürich city trip. 

The Zürich Card offers unlimited 2nd class travel on all buses, trains, boats, funicular railways and other forms of public transport in the Zürich region. 

A 24-hour pass costs 29 francs / €30.41, while a 72-hour pass costs 56 francs / €58.74.

For two nights in Zürich, it’ll cost you about 56 francs / €58.74 per person to get around the city. 

Sightseeing 

What you spend on sightseeing in Zurich can be the most variable part of your budget, depending on what you want to see. 

Strolling around the Old Town and Lake Zurich and visiting historic churches such as the Grossmünster and Fraumünster are free. 

A trip up the Uetliberg is also free, as you can take a tram covered by your public transport ticket.

You could also visit such museums as the Landesmuseum Zürich (13 francs / €13.63), the Swiss Finance Museum (10 francs / €10.49 ), the FIFA Museum (26 francs / €27.27 ) and the Lindt Home of Chocolate (15 francs / €15.73).

Gallery offerings include the Kunsthaus Zürich (24 francs / €25.17 ), the Kunsthalle Zürich (12 francs / €12.58) and the Pavilion Le Corbusier (12 francs / €12.58). 

It’s important to note that some museums and galleries offer free entry with the Zurich Card – it’s worth checking at the ticket counter. 

Enjoying a boat trip on Lake Zurich is really worth your while, and a cruise with a vessel operated by the ZVV  will cost 44.60 francs / €44.76 for first class and 27 francs / €28,32 for second class,

READ ALSO: Five beautiful Swiss villages located less than an hour from Zurich

Suppose you operate on the assumption that you might see two museums daily and take a boat cruise during your trip. 

Budgeting 120 francs / €125.85 per person, is not unreasonable in that case. 

From the Uetliberg there are stunning views across Lake Zurich and the city. Photo: Stux / Pixabay

And in the end…? 

With some quick back-of-the-napkin maths, if you’re a couple expecting to spend two to three nights in Zurich, you can expect to pay around 1,062 francs / €1114.

While not the cheapest European destination, it’s more than made up for by natural beauty in scoops, a treasure trove of art, culture and history, and some of central Europe’s best dining. 

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ZURICH

Why does Zurich need airbags on the front of its trams?

Due to a recent spate of fatal accidents, authorities in Switzerland’s largest city are looking for ways to make tramway tracks more secure for pedestrians.

Published: 23 April 2024 12:40 CEST
Why does Zurich need airbags on the front of its trams?

Three fatal tram accidents occurred in Zurich in the span of five days in early March.

In one, a pedestrian fell between the tram and the platform at the Oerlikon Ost stop; the victim was taken to a hospital in critical condition and died the next morning.

Next, a cyclist collided with a tram in District 5, succumbing to his injuries the next day.

The same day, another pedestrian fell under a tram at Zurich’s main train station, dying at the scene of the accident.

Though all three events happened in quick succession, accidents involving pedestrians or cyclists colliding with public transport in Zurich are not a new phenomenon.

“In recent years, accidents involving personal injuries have increased steadily,” said city official Michele Romagnolo. “People are crushed by trams and die. We can’t stand idly by.”

What is being done to prevent this type of deaths in the future?

The Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ) and tram manufacturer Alstom are currently testing airbags that inflate when a tram hits a pedestrian.

This mechanism would be triggered by a sensor on the front of the driver’s cab, and is intended to reduce the impact and consequences of a collision between the trams and pedestrians or cyclists.

According to Heinz Schulthess, president of the tram drivers’ association, “in head-on accidents, people first hit their heads on the window and then fall to the ground. An airbag pushes a person away, largely preventing the impact and minimising the risk of death.”

During this test phase, engineers are also looking into ways to increase the speed of airbag deployment and develop a mechanism for quick folding, so that the tram can resume operation immediately after an incident.

When would this system be deployed?

The trial run is expected to be completed in summer of 2024.

“What happens next depends on the results,” the VBZ spokesperson Leo Herrmann said.

Are any other safety measures under consideration as well?

According to Schulthess, another way to increase tram safety would be to install red LED lights along the tracks on the ground.

They would serve to would warn people crossing the tram tracks while staring at their smartphones.

“The main cause of accidents are pedestrians crossing the street without paying attention,” he said.

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