chloedickensonLast Updated on 21st April 2026
This 1 day Zurich itinerary by train contains affiliate links.
Are you looking to spend one day in Zurich? Not sure what to include on your 1 day itinerary? I’ve got just the guide for you!
Zurich (German spelling: Zürich) is the largest and most populous city in Switzerland and as a result, it’s often mistaken as the Swiss capital (which is, in fact, Bern).
We spent one day in Zurich as part of our 2-month Europe interrailing trip and it was definitely one of the highlights of our trip! So, if you’re wondering what to do for your first time in Zurich, check out my ultimate guide and itinerary for all the best things to see, do and eat in Zurich in one day!
Whether you’re planning to take a day trip to Zurich and you want to know more about the best things to do in Zurich in one day or you’re planning to stay over and spend 24 hours in Zurich, my huge 1 day Zurich itinerary has got you covered!
ZURICH TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
🚆 Rail Passes: Interrail Pass / Eurail Pass / Swiss Travel Pass
✈️ Flights: Skyscanner / Expedia / Trip.com
🏨 Accommodation: Booking.com / Hostelworld / TripAdvisor
📱 Switzerland eSIM: Airalo
⭐️ Activities/tours: GetYourGuide / Zurich Card
🌎 Travel insurance: SafetyWing
🎒 Backpacking essentials: Amazon
Is Zurich worth visiting?
Zurich might be one of the most expensive cities in Europe, but it’s still 100% worth visiting.
Home to delicious food, beautiful architecture, a stunning lake, and all the chocolate you could ever wish for, Zurich is a city that I’d definitely recommend adding to your Switzerland bucket list!
Is one day in Zurich enough?
Despite being the largest city in Switzerland, you can easily see most of the city’s top sights and attractions in just one day.
You can spread this 1 day Zurich itinerary across two days if you have longer to spend there, but it’s definitely possible to see and do it all in one day.
Is Zurich an expensive city to visit?
Zurich is one of the priciest cities in the world and the most expensive city in Europe, so you could say that it’s quite an expensive place to visit as a tourist!
Everything from accommodation to food to transport to activities is expensive for tourists in Zurich, but it is still possible to experience Zurich even if you’re on a relatively tight budget.
You can expect to pay a minimum of £100 a night for accommodation in Zurich, even in the low season. A pint of beer can cost as much as £8 and a small glass of wine usually costs around £6 in some bars and restaurants, but you can often find super cheap domestic alcohol in supermarkets such as Aldi or local convenience stores.
A meal for two with drinks in a standard local restaurant/beer hall typically costs upwards of £40, but you can also find happy hour deals or purchase fast food from local takeaways for much cheaper.
The cost of things in Zurich sometimes puts people off visiting, but I think it’s worth it, even if you only spend a day in Zurich.
Best things to do in one day in Zurich – map
1 Day Zurich itinerary summary
- Visit the Lindt Home of Chocolate
- Check out the Zurich Opernhaus
- Admire Grossmünster, Fraumünster Church & St. Peter Church
- Stroll down Bahnhofstrasse and Rennweg on a walking tour
- Enjoy the views from Lindenhof Hill
- Ride the Polybahn Cable Car
- Marvel at the views of the Altstadt from Polyterrasse
- Have drinks at the Einstein & Zweistein Cafe
- Tuck into dinner at Rheinfelder Bierhalle
This Zurich Switzerland itinerary includes all the information you need to know about the best things to see and do in just one day. From visiting the Lindt Home of Chocolate to seeing some of Zurich’s most beautiful churches and cathedrals to riding the Polybahn Cable Car to enjoy views of the Altstadt from the Polyterrasse viewpoint, I’ve got you covered in this ultimate Zurich itinerary!
I’d recommend starting this 1 day Zurich itinerary as early as possible to ensure that you have enough time to see and do everything.
1. Lindt Home of Chocolate
Begin your 1 day in Zurich at the Lindt Home of Chocolate!
This awesome interactive museum and workshop is one of the best things to do in Zurich in one day if you’re a chocolate fiend as you’ll get to learn all about the history of chocolate, how Lindt chocolate is made, and of course, sample plenty of treats too!
I couldn’t believe how much free chocolate you can sample at the Lindt Home of Chocolate in Zurich and on top of that, there’s also an incredible gift shop at the end where you can indulge in dozens of different Lindt treats!
It’s just £16 for tickets to the Lindt Home of Chocolate and you’ll likely spend between 1-2 hours there, so it can easily be visited in just 1 day in Zurich.
The Lindt Home of Chocolate Museum opens daily from 10 AM, so I’d recommend booking your tickets in advance and getting there as soon as it opens so that you can enjoy a full day in Zurich.
It’s super easy to visit the Lindt Chocolate Museum from Zürich via public transportation. You’ll have to take the train from Zurich Hauptbahnhof to Kilchberg Train Station which takes approximately 20 minutes and costs 6.80 CHF (approx £6) each way. From Kilchberg, it’s a 10-minute walk to the Lindt Home of Chocolate.
2. Zurich Opernhaus – 1 day Zurich itinerary
Once you’ve enjoyed a couple of hours eating your way around the Lindt Home of Chocolate, you can get the train from Kilchberg Station to Zurich main station and then begin your time in the Altstadt (Old Town) at the Opera House.
Even if you don’t intend to head inside and watch a performance, I’d still recommend beginning your time in the Old Town at the Zurich Opera House as it’s such a beautiful building and Sechseläutenplatz, where the Opera House is located, is such a lovely part of the city.
3. Grossmünster
It’s time to visit the first of numerous churches on this Zurich one-day itinerary; Grossmünster.
This Romanesque-style Protestant church is one of the most famous churches in the city and it can be seen from all over the Old Town.
You can climb the 187 stairs to the viewing tower at the top of the church to experience remarkable views of Zurich. Tickets cost 5 CHF for adults and 2 CHF for children or you can enjoy free entry with the Zürich Card.
4. Fraumünster Church
A short 3-minute walk from Grossmünster takes you to Fraumünster Church, a slightly smaller and less imposing church in the heart of Zurich Old Town that was built on the remains of a former abbey.
Similarly to Grossmünster, you can enjoy free entry to Fraumünster Church with the Zurich Card, so it’s well worth investing in the city pass if you intend on heading to numerous attractions during your 1 day in Zurich.
5. St. Peter Church – 1 day Zurich itinerary
Yet another church that’s worth visiting if you’ve just got 1 day in Zurich is St. Peter Church. Home to the largest church clock face in Europe, St. Peter is also the oldest parish church in the city.
The original foundations of the church date all the way back to the 9th century and you can even see some of the original formations under the choir.
Although the inside of St. Peter Church isn’t quite as elaborate as some of Zurich’s other religious sights, it’s still worth having a nosey inside as it’s one of the best free things to do in Zurich in one day.
6. Bahnhofstrasse
If you’re partial to shopping in a new city, you’re sure to love spending some time on Bahnhofstrasse during your one day in Zurich.
Bahnhofstrasse is renowned for being one of the most expensive and exclusive shopping districts in the world, so even if you don’t feel like spending a small fortune, it’s still fun to wander down and admire all the extravagant stores.
7. Rennweg (medieval street)
If Bahnhofstrasse didn’t quite satisfy your shopping needs, head to nearby Rennweg for more window browsing on this medieval street.
This picturesque promenade also leads to the next stop on this Zurich itinerary…
8. Lindenhof Hill – 1 day Zurich itinerary
Lindenhof is a hill and viewing platform right in the heart of Zurich’s Altstadt.
From the top of this hilltop viewpoint, you can enjoy beautiful vistas of the Old Town and the River Limmat below. It’s based on the site of an old Roman fort and is now home to communal chess areas, park benches and shaded spots.
9. Ride the Polybahn
Back on the other side of the Limmat River, it’s time to experience another one of the best things to do in Zurich in one day; the Polybahn!
This fun funicular ride takes you from the Central Square in Zurich to the viewing platform known as Polyterrasse at the top of the hill.
It’s just a short 5-minute ride to the top and the cable car comes every 5 minutes from 6.30 AM, Monday to Friday, from 7.30 AM on Saturdays, and from 9 AM on Sundays to 9 PM every night (check the Polybahn website for up-to-date opening times).
Tickets cost 1.20 CHF for a single ride or 7.20 CHF for a multi-trip card (6 rides). The Polybahn is part of the ZVV public transport system in Zurich, so if you already have a ticket for the ZVV tariff zone 110 (City of Zurich), then you don’t need to purchase an additional ticket to ride the Polybahn.
10. Polyterrasse – 1 day Zurich itinerary
Polyterrasse is an observation deck and eatery next to the University of Zurich that offers even more incredible views of the Old Town and Beyond.
You can dismount the Polybahn at the Polyterrasse ETH station and walk to the viewing platform from there. If possible, I would recommend timing your visit to Polyterrasse at sunset so that you enjoy spectacular golden hour views over the city.
As part of the observation area at Polyterrasse, there are several places to eat and drink that are usually teeming with university students, especially at happy hour. Einstein & Zweistein is great for cheap (ish!) drinks, Mensa Polyterrasse is a no-frills canteen-style eatery that offers affordable hot and cold buffet food, and Miró Coffee Truck is an excellent place for hot drinks.
11. Dinner at Rheinfelder Bierhalle
Once you’ve enjoyed sundowners at the viewpoint at Polyterrasse, take the Polybahn Cable Car back down to the main square then head to Rheinfelder Bierhalle for dinner.
Eating at beer halls was one of my favourite things to do in Munich and Freiburg, so I was delighted to discover that Zurich has its fair share of beer halls too!
Rheinfelder Bierhalle is situated on Niederdorfstrasse which is another one of the prettiest streets in the Old Town and serves traditional German and Swiss fare such as pork knuckle, bratwurst, schnitzel, spätzle, and more.
And that concludes my perfect 1 day in Zurich itinerary! Check out some more of my recommendations below if you’ve got more than one day to spend in Zurich!
Got more than 24 hours in Zurich?
- Visit the Swiss National Museum (Landesmuseum Zürich)
- Cruise along Lake Zurich
- Walk along the River Limmat
- Spend some time in the University of Zurich Botanical Gardens
- Visit the Fifa World Football Museum
- Check out the Museum of Art
- Try raclette
How to get to Zurich
Zurich is located in Northern Switzerland and thanks to its giant main central station (Hauptbahnhof), there are plenty of train connections to cities all over Switzerland and Europe.
We visited Zurich as part of our European interrailing trip, so we travelled to Zurich from Milan via train using our Interrail Pass. The train from Milan took just over four hours, with a change in Chiasso and it was one of the most scenic train journeys I’ve ever been on!
You can also drive to Zurich from nearby cities such as Basel, Bern, Lucerne, Colmar, and Freiburg, but I would personally recommend getting the train to Zurich as travelling through the Swiss mountain landscapes via train is a truly unforgettable experience!
Alternatively, if you’re visiting Zurich on a dedicated city break rather than as part of an interrailing trip in Europe, you can fly into Zurich Airport from most major cities in Europe and then drive 10km (12 minutes) or take the train to Zurich Hauptbahnhof (10 minutes) into the city.
How to get around – 1 day Zurich itinerary
The Old Town of Zurich is super walkable and most of the things on this 1-day itinerary can easily be seen on foot. The only thing that you’ll need to use public transport for is the Lindt Home of Chocolate, but everything else on this itinerary can be seen by foot (and the Polybahn Cable Car!).
The public transport system in Zurich works in zones, so you pay for a single ticket or a 24-hour ticket, depending on which travel zone you’re in.
Alternatively, if you purchase the Zurich Card, you can enjoy free unlimited use of public transport in Zurich for 24 or 72 hours, depending on the length of pass you choose!
Where to stay in Zurich
We spent two nights at a little homestay called Gasthaus 210 in Zurich. We were a little apprehensive when we first arrived as the accommodation is situated above a convenience store and the room looked super old and dated at first glance, but we actually surprisingly enjoyed our stay there.
The shower was the best we had during our whole 2-month Europe interrailing trip and it was super convenient to have a grocery store directly below us as it meant that we could buy snacks to save money instead of paying for expensive meals out in the city.
We paid £197 for two nights at Gasthaus 210 in February 2023 which was by far the cheapest accommodation option in the whole of Zurich (apart from a bed in a mixed dorm in a hostel, but even that wasn’t much cheaper!), so you can see just how expensive Zurich really is!
Best day trips from Zurich
If you’re planning to spend longer in Switzerland and you want to venture out of the city, check out some of the best day trips from Zurich below!
- Bern (1 hour 30 minutes drive, 1-hour train)
- Interlaken (1 hour 40 minutes drive, 2-hour train)
- Lucerne (45 minutes drive, 40-minute train)
- Rhine Falls (45-minute drive, 1-hour train)
- Basel (1-hour drive, 55-minute train)
Conclusion – 1 day Zurich itinerary
I really hope you found my one day Zurich itinerary useful and I hope it’s shown you what to do in Zurich for one day, whether you’re staying there overnight or just visiting on a day trip!
Have you ever been to Switzerland? Is Zurich somewhere you’d like to visit? Let me know in the comments or in my Interrail Tips Facebook Group!
