Zurich — Switzerland's gateway, more interesting than people expect
Most Indians treat Zurich purely as a transit point to Interlaken or Zermatt. That undersells it. Zurich's Altstadt is small but charming, Bahnhofstrasse is one of the world's most beautiful shopping streets, and Lake Zurich on a sunny day rivals any alpine lake view. 1-2 nights here at the start or end of a Switzerland trip is well-spent.
Best areas to stay
- Altstadt (Old Town) — medieval cobblestone streets, Lindenhof viewpoint, walking distance to everything. Recommended: Storchen Zürich, Hotel Schweizerhof Zürich, Kindli (boutique).
- Bahnhofstrasse / Hauptbahnhof area — central, on the main shopping street, walking to station and lake. Recommended: Hotel St. Gotthard, Schweizerhof Zürich.
- Seefeld (lake's east bank) — quieter, leafy, lakefront walks, mid-range hotels (Romantik Seehotel Sonne, Hotel Helvetia).
- Zurich West (Kreis 5) — formerly industrial, now hip neighbourhood with design hotels (25hours Hotel Zürich West, Hotel Krone Unterstrass), bars, art galleries.
- ZRH Airport area — only useful for pre-6 AM flights; otherwise the 10-min ZRH-to-Hauptbahnhof train makes city hotels easily airport-accessible.
Indian food in Zurich
Sizable South Asian community supports 20+ Indian restaurants. Recommended: Bombay Wok (Bahnhofstrasse area), Indian Curry Place (Altstadt, North Indian), Sangam Indian Tandoori, Maharaja (Niederdorfstrasse, Old Town), Saravanaa Bhavan (Kreis 5, pure-veg). Prices are high (mains CHF 25-40 / ₹2,400-3,800) but quality is reliable.
Getting to/from ZRH airport
SBB train from ZRH to Zürich Hauptbahnhof: 10 min, CHF 7. Runs every 10-15 minutes. Taxi: CHF 60-80, 25 min. Many Zurich hotels offer free Swiss Travel Pass-eligible shuttle service.
FAQs
- Worth spending a full day in Zurich? Yes — Altstadt walk, Lindenhof viewpoint, lake cruise (CHF 26 for 90-min round-trip, included in Swiss Travel Pass), Lindt Home of Chocolate excursion (25 min by tram), Uetliberg mountain (Zurich's local hill, free with SBB tickets) for city views.
- How expensive is Zurich for Indians? Very. A casual meal is CHF 25-35 (₹2,400-3,400), a coffee CHF 5-7. Hotels start CHF 200/night even budget. Plan ₹15,000-25,000 per couple per day excluding hotels.
- Should I stay airport or city? City — 10-min train makes airport hotels pointless. Only stay near ZRH for pre-6 AM departures.
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