How much money should I budget per day in Zurich?+
Without accommodation, budget around ninety francs for a modest day: a supermarket breakfast, a set lunch for twenty-five, a day travel pass for nine-sixty, one admission fee and dinner at a canteen-style restaurant. With restaurants for both meals, expect a hundred fifty to a hundred eighty. A night in a three-star hotel for two runs a hundred eighty to two hundred sixty francs. Zurich ranks among the three most expensive cities in the world, and budgeting the way you would in Prague or Vienna simply doesn't work.
How can you save money in Zurich?+
Three things. Have your main meal at lunch — the same dish costs almost double in the evening. Shop at Migros and Coop and picnic at the Lindenhof or by the lake, which is completely normal and legal. And buy a nine-sixty ZVV day pass, since it also covers the lake boats and the train up the Uetliberg, which would otherwise cost extra. The Kunsthaus is free on Wednesdays, and churches, the Lindenhof and swimming in the river cost nothing at all.
Do you pay in francs or euros in Zurich?+
Francs. Euros are accepted at tourist-facing businesses, but at a rate that costs you ten to fifteen percent, and you get change back in francs. Paying by card works almost everywhere, including at ticket machines, and it's the best option — just always decline the terminal's offer to convert to your home currency or to euros, and let it charge you in francs. Cash is only needed for small market purchases.
Can you really swim in a river in the middle of the city?+
Yes, and it's the most typically Zurich summer activity there is. The Limmat flows out of the lake and is clean; historic bathhouses, Frauenbad and Männerbad, sit right on the river, with admission around eight francs. A popular activity called 'Limmatschwimmen' has people floating downstream with the current from the Flussbad Oberer Letten — you get in upstream and climb out about a kilometre down. The water reaches around twenty-two degrees in August, similar in the lake, and the season runs roughly from June to mid-September.
Is the Swiss Travel Pass worth it?+
Not for Zurich itself — a nine-sixty ZVV day pass covers the city. The Swiss Travel Pass pays off when you're taking day trips from Zurich to Lucerne, the Rhine Falls, Bern or the mountains: a three-day pass costs around two hundred thirty francs and covers all transport in the country plus admission to most museums. Simple rule: under two longer train trips a day, it's not worth it; over two, it is.
How many days do I need in Zurich?+
Two days are enough for the city itself — the first for the old town, both churches and the lake, the second for the Uetliberg and one museum. Three days make sense if you want to add a day trip to Lucerne or the Rhine Falls, both easy from Zurich and the best use of a third day. A longer stay in the city alone runs dry, but Zurich is an excellent base for the whole of northern Switzerland.
Will I get by in English?+
No problem at all. Zurich is an international financial centre with a high share of foreign residents, and you'll manage in English at hotels, restaurants, shops and the station. The local language is Swiss German, different enough from standard German that even Germans often struggle with it — but locals automatically switch to standard German or English for foreigners. The greeting 'Grüezi' is used with strangers too, including when entering a shop.
When is the best time to visit?+
From June to September, because that's when you can swim in the lake and the river, the city's biggest asset. Avoid the second weekend of August, when Street Parade brings over half a million people to town — accommodation becomes unavailable and prices double. December is worth a weekend for the Lucy light installation on Bahnhofstrasse. November is the worst month, with fog sitting over the lake for weeks while the sun only reaches the Uetliberg above it.
