Transport

Transport

Getting to Zurich

By Train

Trains are the most ecological means of travel to Zurich. Zurich's main station (Zürich HB) is in the city center and well connected to major European cities:

Aerial evening view of Zürich city center with the main station and river Limmat

Photo: © Cemil Erkoc/Zürich Tourismus

  • Germany: ICE trains from Frankfurt (~4h), Stuttgart (~2h45), Munich (~3h40)
  • France: TGV Lyria from Paris (~4h)
  • Italy: EuroCity from Milan (~3h15)
  • Austria: Railjet from Vienna (~8h), Innsbruck (~3h40)

Night trains: ÖBB Nightjet runs overnight services to Zurich from Vienna, Berlin, Hamburg, and Amsterdam. Book early — sleeper cabins sell out fast.

Booking: sbb.ch, bahn.de, oebb.at, tgv-lyria.com, trainline.com

By Plane

Zurich Airport (ZRH) is about 10 minutes from the city center by train (S-Bahn, every 5–10 min, CHF 7.20 for zones 110+121). Budget airlines like easyJet and Eurowings also serve Zurich.

Basel EuroAirport (BSL) is an alternative served by more budget carriers. Bus to Basel SBB station (~25 min), then train to Zurich (~1h).

By Bus

FlixBus operates affordable long-distance bus routes to Zurich from many European cities. Buses arrive at Zürich Carparkplatz (near the main station). Book at flixbus.com.

By Car

Switzerland requires a motorway vignette (CHF 40/year, available at the border, petrol stations, or as e-vignette). Parking in Zurich is expensive — consider Park+Ride at a suburban station. Zurich's public transport is excellent, so a car is generally not needed.

Getting Around Zurich

Zurich has a dense network of S-Bahn trains, trams, and buses operated by ZVV. Zone 110 covers the entire city.

Zürich tram crossing a bridge over the lake with mountains in the background

Photo: © Nico Schaerer/Zürich Tourismus

Useful tickets (prices without Halbtax):

  • Short distance ticket: CHF 2.80 (30 min, within city)
  • Single ticket (zone 110): CHF 4.70 (1h)
  • Day pass (zone 110): CHF 9.40 (24h)
  • 9 o'clock day pass (all zones): CHF 28.00 (from 9 AM, all day on weekends)
  • ZurichCard: CHF 29 (24h) or CHF 56 (72h) — includes transport + museums

For the evening venue you also need zone 140. Four options:

  • Combined single ticket (zones 110+140): CHF 7.20 (1h)
  • Combined day pass (zones 110+140): CHF 14.40 (24h)
  • Extension ticket 1–2 zones (1h): CHF 4.70 (add to an existing zone 110 ticket)
  • Extension ticket 1–2 zones (24h): CHF 9.40 (add to an existing zone 110 ticket)

How to buy: ZVV app, SBB app, or ticket machines at every stop. You must have a valid ticket before boarding.

For public transportation, we recommend that you check zvv.ch, sbb.ch or download their respective apps to check schedules and wheelchair accessibility of individual connections. All connections are less frequent on Sundays.

For information on how to reach the evening venue, see the venue page.

LGBTQ+ Safety in Zurich

Zurich is generally considered one of the safer cities in Europe for LGBTQ+ people. Same-sex marriage has been legal in Switzerland since 2022, and discrimination based on sexual orientation is a criminal offence. Public displays of affection between same-sex couples are common in the city centre.

That said, anti-LGBTQ+ incidents do occur. If you experience or witness discrimination or harassment, you can:

  • In emergencies, call 117 (Swiss police).
  • LGBTIQ+ Helpline: 0800 133 133 (free, anonymous, Mon–Fri 7–9 PM) — a peer counselling service that also provides emotional support and collects reports of incidents for advocacy and statistics. More info at lgbtiq-helpline.ch.
  • Our Care Team is happy to support you within our event and within their possibilities. You can reach them at care@queerswingzurich.com.