Zurich – the Swiss metropolis
-
-
© Zürich Tourismus / Manuel Bauer
True, Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland...
...and a world-famous financial centre. But it still does not exactly fit the image of a financial metropolis, and instead surprises with an idyllic cosiness. Georg Büchner, Gottfried Keller and Lenin enjoyed the city’s quality of life and left their mark.
The river Limmat flows through the well-preserved old city, and on its eastern bank is picturesque Niederdorf. Here you can take a stroll and admire the houses of the powerful guilds, the narrow alleys and the impressive churches. Above the sea of roofs towers the cathedral with its twin towers.
-
-
© manwalk / Manfred Walker / pixelio.de
The trendiest quarter in the city is "Zurich West", a former industrial area, but now a cool residential district where you can also shop or go out for an evening. This is the city’s creative scene, many advertisers, graphic designers and artists have settled in the district. Visitors can shop – whether for bargains or very exclusively – on the famous Bahnhofstrasse, which begins right at the Central Station and continues in a dead straight line to the banks of the Lake of Zurich.
Once a year the Street Parade takes place. During this festival, half a million techno and dance fans parade for more than two kilometres through the city. The other events include the theatre spectacle, Zurich Fest, the Zurich Film Festival and much more.
| Route | Name of train | Dining car | Bicycle carriage |
|---|---|---|---|
| Berlin - Zurich | Sirius | yes | yes |
| Hamburg - Zurich | Komet | yes | yes |
| Amsterdam - Zurich | Pegasus | only between Zurich-Karlsruhe-Zurich | yes |
| Prague - Zurich | Canopus | only between Zurich-Frankfurt-Zurich | yes |
| Kopenhagen (only to Basel SBB) | Aurora | only between Hamburg-Copenhagen-Hamburg | yes |
A tip for our customers
Zurich does not have to be expensive. Here you can find tips for cheap overnight stays, shopping, art and culture, gastronomy and other activities.
You can find out more about Zurich and the surrounding area at