Bus Transfers To and From Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport has excellent links to the rest of Switzerland by road and bus. The city is divided into several zones for the purpose of ticket pricing. Apart from the regular buses that connect the airport with the city center, there are also buses that go specifically from the main bus terminal in the city to tourist attractions such as the Wildpark Bruderhaus in Winterthur for example, a wonderful wildlife reserve that is perfect for a family day out.

Long-distance buses to European destinations arrive and depart from the main bus terminal in the center of Zurich, but buses from Zurich Airport are offered by the ZVV network, which includes 13 different bus lines from the airport's own bus terminal. Zurich Airport buses leave regularly throughout the day and night for central Zurich. The travelling time between Zurich Airport and the main train station takes only 13 minutes.

When travelling at night, passengers are asked to pay an additional fare of CHF 5.00. This supplement is being charged on top of the fare and applies to all ZVV zones within the city limits.

Zurich Airport buses from line 10 travel between the airport's own terminal and the main train station, while bus line 12 operates like a shuttle between the airport and train station Stettbach. Zurich Airport buses for line 531 operate between the airport and the train station Bülach.

For passengers who travel to Zurich for a long weekend the most cost effective way to pay for buses from Zurich Airport is to purchase a ZürichCARD, which is valid for 3 days and covers the greater Zurich metropolitan area. It is also possible to buy this card for just 24 hours. The card is not valid on public transport between the airport, within the city and in the suburbs – it also entitles the cardholder to free entrance in all of Zurich's museums, provides a 10% discount on shopping in many shops and allows passengers to travel by boat on some of the smaller lakes within the city limits. Only the night time supplement has to be paid extra.

The ZürichCARD costs CHF 20.00 per adult for a 24 hour period and CHF 40.00 for a 72 hour period. Children between 6 and 16 years of age pay CHF 14.00 for a 24 hour period and CHF 28.00 for a 72 hour period. Passengers interested in purchasing the card at the airport should ask at the information stands in the arrivals hall, where they can buy the card at the airport. Given that an adult ticket for regular travel on all zones costs CHF 31.60 for 2nd class travel during a 24 hour period, the ZürichCARD presents good value for money.

A single journey for zones 1 to 2 costs CHF 8.20 for a single adult day ticket, while a single journey in the same zones costs CHF 4.10.

After 9.00 am travelling on public transport becomes cheaper and if there is not rush to get to the hotel in the city center, it is worth considering the 9.00 am deadline for cheaper travel on buses from Zurich Airport, particularly when travelling in a group or family.