Zurich Day Trips by Travel Time
Zurich sits on a dense rail network, so the useful way to choose a day trip is by how long you spend on the train. These are grouped from the shortest ride to the longest, with a note on the two famous peaks that are better treated as special occasions. Prices are in Swiss francs (CHF).
About 30 minutes: Winterthur and Technorama
The Swiss Science Center Technorama is on the edge of Winterthur and is the best wet-weather choice, with hundreds of hands-on experiments on light, sound, magnetism and mechanics. Take a train to Winterthur and then bus 5, or go to Oberwinterthur and walk about 10 minutes. Admission is secondary-sourced at roughly CHF 33 to 34 for adults and about CHF 21 for children aged 6 to 15, so confirm before you go. The outdoor park is open April to October.
40 to 50 minutes: Lucerne and the Rigi
Direct InterRegio services take 41 to 50 minutes to Lucerne. From the station you can walk to the wooden Chapel Bridge, the Water Tower and the Lion Monument carved into a sandstone cliff.
For the Rigi, take a train to Arth-Goldau (about 40 minutes), then the cogwheel railway up to Rigi Kulm at 1,797 m. Come down to Vitznau and take a lake steamer into Lucerne. With a Swiss Travel Pass the railway, the Weggis cable car and the lake boat are covered. Without one, the Vitznau to Rigi Kulm return is about CHF 55, according to secondary sources. Plan a full day and bring layers, since the summit is much colder than the city.
About 50 minutes: Rhine Falls
Trains run to Neuhausen Rheinfall and to Schloss Laufen, in about 50 minutes depending on the line. The falls are 23 metres high and 150 metres wide. The Belvedere path, platform and lift at Schloss Laufen cost CHF 5 for adults and CHF 3 for children aged 6 to 16. Opening hours run 08:00 to 18:00 in summer and 10:00 to 16:00 in winter. Boat trips into the basin run in the warmer months, but fares are not confirmed, so ask the operator. If you have time, continue five minutes to Schaffhausen for its old centre and the round Munot fortress.
About 1 hour 10 minutes: Stein am Rhein
The train runs via Winterthur to this small town on the Rhine, known for its painted half-timbered guild houses around the Rathausplatz. Walk the square, the riverside and the lanes. Entry fees at the museum and the Hohenklingen castle are not confirmed, so check each site.
Closer to home: the Uetliberg
The local mountain gives wide views of the city, the lake and the Alps. The S10 does not leave Zürich HB until 13 December 2026 because of works. Walk about 12 minutes from the main station to Selnau, or take tram 3 or 14 to Stauffacher. The train takes about 25 minutes when it runs normally. There is no skiing here.
Jungfraujoch and Titlis
Both are possible but very long and costly days. A packaged tour of Jungfraujoch from Zurich is listed from about CHF 290, and a Swiss Travel Pass gives only a discount. For the Jungfrau region, a base in Interlaken works better than a return trip from the city.
Read more: multi-day trips from Zurich and the Zurich 4 day itinerary .
Check times and prices at sbb.ch and zuerich.com . To look at escorted options, browse Zurich day tours on Viator .