MySwissAlps.com features ads, commercial and non-commercial ZVV public transport system in Zurich
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Hi,
We intend to visit Zurich in a few weeks time. We are going to stay in a hotel in which we have previously stayed, in Oerlikon (a very easy walk from Oerlikon SBB station) and go on day trips to various places, including, Zug, Luzern, Bern, Thun, Konstanz, Aarburg. We will be using a Swiss Travel pass.
I have some questions about local public transit in Zurich. I have done some Googling and I see that the ZVV system is the local tansit system in Zurich. We prefer physical paper tickets to phone e-passes etc.
I see that the ZVV works on a zone basis where the airport is zone 121 and Zurich HB and Zurich oerlikon are in zone 110 which counts as two zones.
On the day of arrival then I think we would need a three zone ticket to get from the airport train station (underneath the airport) to Zurich Oerlikon? Where would we buy such a ticket and would we need cash or credit card for this? I think we could buy a one day ticket also, that we could use later in the day to travel around Zurich and maybe go on a boat down the River Limmat and onto the Lake?
It seems that we could use a ZVV ticket to travel to Zug which is in zone 610 – which seems to be, maybe 6 zones from zone 110 although it is difficult to see on the map? This would mean we wouldn’t need to use the Swiss travel pass on that day so could rearrange our plans and buy a shorter STP. Is this correct?
Is the above correct? I have quite a few questions, but will maybe come back with more later, if that is OK? I have had some great help on this forum so far. The Swiss transport system is amazing but takes some learning. Thank you.
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Hi Dave689,
Your understanding of the ZVV zone system is correct. If you buy a return ticket for 3 zones, you can use this ticket to travel within the 3 zones all day up to 5am the next day. If the ticket includes Zone 110, you can use it on the boat (Limmat Cruise). Similarly you can purchase a ticket to Zug this way. For further details on how to get around in Zurich: http://www.myswissalps.com/zurich/travel
Zurich Airport has its own train station located underground. You can purchase the train tickets at the ticket machine or from the ticket counter. You can pay by credit card and also cash.
Hope this helps. Let us know if you need more info.
Regards.
Anna
Thank you.
While staying near Zurich Oerlikon if we decided to get a ticket to go eg on a boat trip down the Limmat or a day trip to Zug on the train is there a counter we could go to to ask about which type of ticket to buy and could we then pay with cash (paper money)? Is the ticket a physical ticket, a piece of cardboard? Sorry for all the questions.
YOu can still (for how many more years?…) buy tickets for all Swiss public transport on standard ticket machines. At all railway stations such as Zurich Oerlikon you will find the standard Swiss ticket machine which still issue paper tickets (I still prefer them…).
All the information you need should be findable here: http://www.zvv.ch/zvv/en/home.html
The river boats are an integral part of ZVV
Thank you. I don’t think the machines take paper money do they, just coins or cards – is that correct?
They take all sort of money, including bills. The ticket is a paper ticket.
You do not have to be a ticket expert, you simply buy a ticket from Zurich airport to Zurich Oerlikon (enter the start/end point) and it will have the right zones on the ticket. No need to count zones. Note: If you buy a ZVV return ticket, it is valid 24 hours (not till 5 AM) and entitles you to unlimited travel within zones 121 and 110. It is not valid on the lake apart from Limmat boats.
If you buy a ticket to Zug, it will not be a ZVV ticket yet a Z-PASS ticket. This because Zug is not part of the ZVV fare network, yet part of Tarifverbund Zug. The Z-PASS links the two fare networks BUT (!) Z-PASS return tickets are not valid 24 hours yet till 5 AM the next day.
Thank you. I’m glad I won’t have to be a ticket expert!
If you get a ticket, you might be confused that it reads the start/end point of your trip while it is valid in all zones mentioned on the ticket, not only on the mentioned route.
The routing was added upon customer request; many travelers were confused and wondered if they bought the right ticket because the ticket only contained zones. The chosen routing has been added for a better understanding of the ticket.
Also, at Zurich Airport the ticket counters no longer exist. SBB has recently opened a travel centre at the same location.
There are a number of videos showing how to use the ticket machines,
here is one:
Hi,
Thank you everyone for your helpful posts. Trainliner, you said that the ticket machines take paper notes. However, I see that here http://www.zvv.ch/zvv-assets/bestellung/2235_tickets_und_preise_e_19_web.pdf at the bottom of page 38, under “Ticket Machines” it says “Payment can be made with credit and debit cards and coins. Banknotes are not accepted due to security reasons. ” ?
You are refering to ZVV ticket machines available at tramway and bus stops in Zürich.
However,I was talking about the SBB ticket machines at stations as you previously mentioned Zurich Airport and Zurich Oerlikon. SBB ticket machines can issue ZVV tickets, too, and automatically do so when the selected route was within the ZVV network.
You must know that Switzerland has an integrated ticket system. Although services are operated by different bus and train companies, the ticket system is one and the same for all. This makes our public transport so successful as you can buy a ticket anywhere, the price for your ticket will always be the same (with very few exceptions). No need to buy seperate tickets for different operators.
Thank you for your patient explanation 🙂
Hi Dave689,
In case you would like to read more about the Swiss train system, please check this one: How to travel by Swiss rail?
Ildiko
MySwissAlps.com recommends reading this: Must knows about the Swiss timetable
So, for instance, if we fancied a day trip from our base in Zurich Oerlikon, to Einsiedln, on a day that was not covered by the STP, how would we go about that ticket wise? And would what we buy include local trams in Einsiedln?
You would need a separate point to point ticket. Einsiedeln is outside the ZVV area.
Also there are no trams in Einsiedeln, as it is a small town, but there are a small number of local bus routes and regional post bus routes also serve the outlying places around Einsiedeln
You will have to choose From Zuerich Oerlikon To Einsiedeln, one way and return. Einsiedeln is not part of ZVV network yet Z-PASS.
You will get in return a ZVV Z-PASS ticket with zones, you can use this ticket in all zones back and forth, including local buses, valid till 5 AM the next day. Same logic as you would travel to Zug, see my previous reply.
See the Z-PASS zone map here:
http://www.zpass.ch/dam/zpass/Zonenpläne/2020/2295_ZPass_A3_Korridor_SZZG_dez_20_web.pdf
To travel to Einsiedeln, go by S8 to Wädenswil and change trains there to Einsiedeln.
Thank you.
Einsiedeln is not listed here http://www.zvv.ch/zvv/en/timetable/network-maps/regional-networks.html
is that how I would tell that it is not in the ZVV region so would need to buy a point to point ticket?
We plan to maybe visit Bremgarten, Lenzburg, Rheinfelden, and Arbon so I will similarly look them up. I see that they all have either a Migros or Coop restaurant – we like having affordable lunches in Coop or Migros restaurants when on day trips!
You do not have to care what type of ticket you have to buy. You ALWAYS enter From …. To …. . It is the machine’s job to issue the right ticket.
Is your journey within ZVV, you get a ZVV ticket, valid 24hrs, if return was selected.
Is your journey within Z-PASS, you get a Z-PASS ticket, valid until 5 AM the next day, if return was selected.
Goes your journey outside Z-PASS, you get a national ticket, valid until 5 AM the next day, if return was selected.
Thank you.
I do seem to be overthinking it!
Yes, for travel across tariff networks – always try and find the zonal map.
Einsiedeln is indeed in the large ‘Z-Pass’ network, which is a combination of ZVV and other neighbouring tariff areas. So if you want to travel further beyond Zurich you can buy tickets under that tariff area, ie here:
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