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Zurich - Passports and Visas, Postal Charges, Public Holidays, Public Transport, Recommended Travel Writing and more... 

Passports and Visas

Citizens of EU Member States (including those countries which acceded to the EU in 2004), EEA (European Economic Area) nations, the USA, Canada, Australia and New Zealand do not require a visa to enter Switzerland. Visitors are usually entitled to stay for a period of up to 3 months (subject to satisfying Swiss immigration rules). Citizens of neighbouring countries i.e. France, Germany, Austria and Italy have special arrangements allowing them to enter with an ID card, or in the case of Austria and France a passport that did not expire more than 5 years ago or, in the case of Germany, a passport that did not expire more than one year ago; a valid temporary passport; children's travelling documents that are valid or did not expire more than one year ago; valid temporary identity papers or valid temporary identity papers of the Land Berlin.

As Swiss visa requirements are more fluid for certain other territories (and may change according to socio-political factors in your country of origin) contact your local Swiss Embassy or consulate before travelling. However, as a guide, nationals of African and Arab states, plus Albania, Bosnia, Georgia, Macedonia, Turkey and the Ukraine do require a visa. For further details visit: www.auslaender.ch.

If you need to apply for a new passport, renewal, or to amend details on your current one, contact the following passport offices in your own country:

In the United Kingdom application forms for new passports (Form A); children's passports (Form B); or amendments (Form C) can be obtained from main post offices, branches of Lloyds Bank and travel agents. Depending on which office is nearest, applications (postal only) should be made to the following Passport Agency offices:

Belfast, Glasgow, Liverpool, Newport and Peterborough, Tel: 0990 210410 (General enquiries for all offices)

The Agency's London office deals with personal callers only. Residents in the Greater London area should submit postal applications to the Glasgow office. Turnaround times for straightforward applications vary depending on the time of year, the busiest period falling between February and August.

In the US contact one of the regional Passport Agency offices located in:

Boston, Chicago, Honolulu, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami, New Orleans, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Stamford and Washington. Advice on submitting passport applications, the status of an application itself and emergency passports can be obtained by calling the National Passport Information Center (NPIC) on: 1-900-225-5674 or 1-888-362-8668 (credit card users with Visa, MasterCard, Amex). If you need a US passport quickly, it's also worth noting that firms such as www.passportexpress.com offer a guaranteed expediting service; 

In Canada contact one of the regional Passport offices located in:

Brampton, Calgary, Edmonton, Fredericton, Halifax, Hamilton, Hull, Jonquière, Kitchener, Laval, London, Montréal, North York, Ottowa, Regina, Richmond, Saskatoon, Scarborough, St. Catherines, Sainte-Foy, St. John's, Saint-Laurent, Surrey, Thunder Bay, Toronto, Vancouver, Victoria, Windsor and Winnipeg. Alternatively, passport applications can be made at major post offices. For further details visit the Canadian Passport Office;

In Australia contact one of the regional Passport offices located in:

Adelaide, Brisbane, Canberra, Darwin, Hobart, Melbourne, Newcastle, Perth and  Sydney. For telephone enquiries, contact the Australian Passports Information Service (APIS), Tel: 131 232. Alternatively, passport applications can be made at most Australian Post Offices. For further details visit Passports Australia;

If you lose your passport during your stay, then immediately contact your country's embassy or consulate in Switzerland and the police (if you can't speak any German do this at the embassy too).

Postal Charges

In Switzerland, typical post offices opening hours are 8am-midday and 2pm-5 pm on weekdays. However, branches located in shopping centres usually operate the same hours as the centre itself, including extended evening hours (usually on a Thursday). On Saturdays, post offices in the city of Zurich are open from 8.30am until midday, although in outlying areas they may be closed. All post offices are closed on Sundays. For a branch locater visit: www.post.ch.

Postal rates for sending mail outside of Switzerland are as follows: "Priority" (fastest possible mailing/airmail) costs 1.30 CHF for Europe and 1.80 CHF worldwide (for letters up to 20g) while the cheaper "Non Priority/Economy" service costs 1.20 CHF for Europe and 1.40 CHF for the rest of the world.

For standard domestic mail, two services are offered namely A Mail (next day delivery excl. Sunday and federal, cantonal and regional holidays) and B Mail (items reach the recipient no later than 3 working days after being handed in for mailing, excl. Saturday). The rate for standard letters and postcards (up to 100g) is 1 CHF and (A Mail) and 0.85 CHF (B Mail). Rates for parcels and other postal deliveries can be found at: www.post.ch.

'Poste restante' also known as 'Postlagernde Briefe' in German, can be sent care of any post office in Switzerland. The correct format for sending letters/parcels this way is: Your Name, Poste Restante, CH-[Four digit postcode], Zurich. It's also helpful to cross sevens (continental style) just so everything ends up where it should!

Mail boxes are painted bright yellow, while red stripes indicate that they are also emptied on weekends and public holidays. Stamps are available at all post offices.

Public Holidays (and Annual Events)

The main public holidays, festivals and annual events in Switzerland are as follows:

(see also our entertainment pages for more seasonal events)

Public Toilets (Restrooms)

Being caught short in Zurich isn't something that should happen easily. Not only are free of charge toilets widely available along Bahnhofstrasse (in department stores such as Jelmoli and Globus), but there's also a good supply of public restrooms dotted around town too (for which you pay 1 CHF or 2 CHF to use).

A whole host of articles about toilets in Zurich can actually be found on the city's tourism website, while a town plan shows the exact location of each facility. In addition, there's even a PDF document detailing the availability of showers, baby changing etc.

Further, and especially at train stations across Switzerland, you'll find McClean which, as far as toilet cubicles go, are the Rolls-Royces of the lavatory world. How very civilised!!

Public Transport

An integrated public transport system - the Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV) - operates in the Canton of Zurich, allowing users to combine different modes of transport i.e. train, bus, tram to reach their required destination. The dense route network, which is highly efficient, offers one day and multiple day passes, special reductions and cut-price tickets. An explanation of the various tariff zones and ticket types is given below (click to skip straight to routes and modes of transport):

<<Regenbogen>> Travelcard - Season Ticket for Regular Travellers - for regular peak time travellers, an Annual Season Travelcard (available also as a monthly season ticket) gives you price reductions of 30% for the whole year. In effect you're paying for just 8.4 months (1-2 zones: 9.4 months) with prices for a second-class local tariff starting at 414 CHF, rising to 660 CHF for 1-2 zones, 910 CHF for 3 zones, 1203 CHF for 4 zones, 1503 CHF for 5 zones and 1796 CHF for all zone travel. Note: 1st class annual and monthly tickets are also available at a premium of roughly 65% over 2nd class fares.

For young people under the age of 25, you can then save a further 27% with the reduced <<Regenbogen>> Junior Travelcard. It's even possible to buy the card on the last day before your 25th birthday and still enjoy discounted travel for next year. In addition, the <<Regenbogen>> Plus Travelcard allows travel wherever and whenever you want (over the entire network area).  And, as you only pay for six zones, the network allows travel to the Canton's other 39 zones free of charge.

Each Travelcard is issued in a handy credit card format, and cannot be used by anyone other than the named card holder. However, should you lose your card, it can be re-issued quickly and without difficulty. A full price list is as follows:

One Day Pass - Unrestricted travel for 24 hrs - the ZVV One-day Pass permits travel for up to 24 hours within designated zones. The pass, which can be bought at ticket machines, station ticket counters and other outlets (see* below) can be reduced in price by 50% if you have a Half-Fare Card or are aged under 16. Prices are as follows:

Other ticket options include the 9 o'clock Pass (suited to those regularly travelling outside of peak hours and available after 9am Mon-Fri in daily, monthly and annual versions) and Single Fare/Multiple Fare Tickets (6 Single Fare Tickets). In addition, the Albis Day Pass is ideal for those planning hikes and excursions in the Albis-Felsenegg-Uetliberg region as well as Sihl and Reppischtal.

* Tickets for travel within the city of Zurich can be purchased at: bus/tram stops, VBZ-ticket desks, SBB-Schalter, Zurich Hauptbahnhof, Zurich Stadelhofen, Zurich Oerlikon, Tourist Service Offices and ZSG Bürkliplatz, while regional tickets are available from SBB ticket-windows, Kloten and Regensdorf.

In Zurich the modes of transport available to visitors are as follows:

Bus and Tram - operated by Verkehrsbetriebe Zurich, the city's network of tram and bus routes provide a fast, frequent way to get around. For further information, including journey planning and network maps visit: Verkehrsbetriebe Zurich (VBZ), Postfach 8048 Zurich, Tel: 01/434 41 11, Fax: 01/431 15 26, E-mail: info@vbz.ch.

For bus services in Canton of Zurich, further information is available from the following regional operators:

Die Post (POST), Postauto Regionalzentrum Zurich, Regensbergstrasse 89, Postfach 8050 Zurich, Tel: 01/317 27 00, Fax: 01/317 27 10, E-mail: postautozh@post.ch - Bus services for Dielsdorf, Bülach, Andelfingen, Affoltern a.A and Pfäffikon.

Verkehrsbetriebe Zurichsee und Oberland (VZO), Binzikerstrasse 2, 8627 Grüningen, Tel: 01/936 53 00, Fax: 01/936 16 07, E-mail: info@vzo.ch - Bus services for Zurichsee und Oberland.

Verkehrsbetriebe Glattal (VBG), Sägereistrasse 24, Postfach 8152 Glattbrugg, Tel: 01/809 56 00, Fax: 01/809 56 29, E-mail: info@vbg.ch - Bus services for Kloten, Regensdorf.

Stadtbus Winterthur, Tösstalstrasse 86, Postfach, 8402 Winterthur, Tel: 052/235 35 35, Fax: 052/235 35 36, E-mail: info@wv-winterthur.ch - Bus services for Winterthur.

Suburban Trains - As one of the world's best rail networks, Swiss Federal Railways (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen) are responsible for S-Bahn rapid transport services within Zurich. Using (mostly) air-conditioned, modern rolling stock, the dense network of routes is harmonised with bus and boat services, allowing for easy connections and cross-ticketing (i.e. tickets and rail passes are valid on mountain railways, boat services and bus lines elsewhere in Switzerland). Overseas visitors can therefore choose one of SBB's Swiss Travel System offers, for an affordable and convenient way to see other regions of Switzerland. To plan your journey visit: fahrplan.sbb.ch (English Version) or fahrplan.sbb.ch/bin/query.exe/dn (German Version). Contact details for SBB are as follows: 

Kunden Services Region Zurich, Postfach 8023 Zurich, Tel: 0900 300 300 (Rail Service, CHF 1.19/Min.), Ticket/Journey Planning Information E-mail: contactcenter@sbb.ch.

For details about travelling to Switzerland by train see "Getting There".

Other Train Services in Zurich - Sihltal Zurich Uetliberg Bahn (SZU) - operates both Sihltalbahn S4 and Uetlibergbahn S10 services, along with Zimmerberg bus service and Felseneggbahn cable car (between the Adliswil valley station and Felsenegg mountain station). For further details contact: Postfach 8045 Zurich, Tel: 01/206 45 11, Fax: 01/206 45 10, E-mail: info@szu.ch.

Other Transport Links

Zurichsee Schiffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG), Postfach 624, 8038 Zurich, Tel: 01/487 13 33, Fax: 01/487 13 20, E-mail: ahoi@zsg.ch - Motor boat and paddle steamer cruises on Lake Zurich.

Zürcher Verkehrsverbund (ZVV), Hofwiesenstrasse 370, 8090 Zurich, Tel: 043/288 48 48, Fax: 043/288 48 40, E-mail: contact@zvv.ch - With details about public transport companies and integrated travel within the Canton of Zurich.

Recommended Travel Reading

Although it's easy to find travel writing on Switzerland, none of the big travel publishers (i.e. Time Out, Rough Guides, Lonely Planet etc.) currently offer a dedicated guide to Zurich. However, the following titles are useful as a start, or when read in conjunction with travel information obtained from Zurich Tourism.

Berlitz Switzerland Pocket Guide (UK ISBN: 2-8315-7159-6) - The guide's dinky dimensions and wide scope mean that you'll only be dipping your toe into the wonders of Switzerland with this book, although it's a handy, well-written travel companion and certainly one worth buying for an overview of the country. Covers Zurich, Geneva, Basel, Bern and top ski resorts.

Insight Guides 'Switzerland' (UK ISBN: 981-234-927-8) - offers a brief 13 page guide to Zurich, as well as ones for Basel, Geneva, Lausanne, Luzern and the capital Bern. In addition, other areas of interest, including the Jura Mountains, Ticino and Baden are covered, as are natural attractions such as the Giessbach Falls, Lake Geneva, Lake Luzern, the Matterhorn and Rhine Falls. With excellent colour photographs and maps throughout.

Michelin's Green Guide 'Switzerland' (UK ISBN: 2-06-000119-6) - A clear, no-nonsense guide to Switzerland that covers a good many towns and cities, although it has to be said, in no great detail. However, it's worth buying for the Practical Information section alone which, amongst other things, contains address details and opening times for museums, galleries and attractions in each town. A handy, travel friendly size too.

See also our choice of pages about Zurich on the Internet.
 

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