To say that Zürich is a big city is an understatement! It has around 87.88 km² in total, making it one of the biggest metropolises in the country. It's also one of the busiest, seeing as it's a major city in Switzerland and a major finance and business hub in Europe. So yes, Zürich is a large bustling city that, if you're not careful, you can easily get lost in. Fortunately, public transport here will ensure that you can get to where you need to be with no problem at all. Here's what you need to know about it!
First things first, a very efficient way to get around any city is to purchase its travel pass. These passes essentially give you access to the many modes of public transportation in the city you're in. For the most part, the best Zürich can offer now is its 'Zürich Card,' an all-access pass to all of the public transport systems in the city. Whether you have the physical card from any of the ticket machines in the bus or tram stations or you purchased it and got the QR code online, this pass gives you unlimited access to everything for around 24 to 72 hours.
The Ticketing System in Switzerland
The way public transport tickets are sold here in Switzerland is far different from those in other countries. In other places, apart from the travel passes offered there, you only buy a ticket for the ride. Here in Switzerland, however, tickets are sold by zone. So when you purchase a ticket in a certain zone, you can use that for all the rides you'll take for a limited time period. The city of Zürich is part of zone 110, in which when you buy a ticket here, you can use that again and again within the specific time period.
Taking The Train in Zürich
Unlike in many other European cities, wherein their transit systems only stay within the metropolis, the trains in Zürich can also bring you to other places in the country. It's not like an underground metro system, per se, that's akin to London's '
tube' and New York's subway. Although you can still take the train to get to the other parts of the city, the system extends to neighboring towns, other Cantons, and, most importantly, Zurich Airport. The latter is the most common reason why locals take the train in Zürich. It's arguably the most efficient way to get there among the other public transport systems.
The Zürich Trams
Now, if you want an easier way to travel in Zürich, look no further than the trams. You'll see it zooming through the streets in the city, pretty similar to how it is in
Budapest,
San Francisco, and more. They operate from 5:00 am in the morning to 12:30 midnight every day. However, on the weekends, some routes extend their hours for the night service, though the timetables during these hours vary. And since they travel to all the different neighborhoods in Zürich, it's become the most common mode of transportation among locals.
Riding The Bus
Of course, apart from the trains and trams, there's also the bus system. Although many consider the trams the most efficient among the three, the buses have also remained popular since they cover more routes. With various stops and stations scattered throughout the Swiss capital, many have found it easier to catch the bus instead of taking the tram. And this is despite the fact that both the buses and trams operate on a strict timetable that starts at 5:00 am in the morning up until 12:30 am the next day.
If you really can't handle the crowds and the rush of Zürich's public transport systems, you can always download a transportation app to help you out. Time and time again, these programs have proven to be quite useful in helping people get to where they need to be. And since many apps operate in Zürich, there's a lot to choose from when you're here. Ride-hailing apps serve as great alternatives when the other modes of public transportation become too crowded. And the journey-planning apps, which can help you choose which public transport system to use to get to your destinations.
Traveling within Zürich is gonna be hard work! If you're not familiar with public transport here, there's a big chance you'll get lost and won't find your way! So it's important to know a little about it even before you get here!
Memorize everything you need to know about Zürich's public transport so you can easily get to where you need to be here! Especially when you go back to your
luxury home in the city!
