The Schanzengraben is a quiet waterway below the busy city streets, a popular escape for city dwellers and workers. There’s an easy walk on paved paths and wooden walkways along the water. It has lots of stairs dipping below roads and over bridges, so not suitable for strollers or wheelchairs. You’re often see people strolling and relaxing here on their lunch break, seemingly far away from the concrete jungle. It’s pretty with lots of flora, but also an urban space, with graffiti and sometimes trash from fun times the night before. Since you’re in the city center, you can leave the path anytime to grab a bite, go shopping or play elsewhere. It’s particularly nice in spring, when the flowering trees and bushes are on display.
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| Location: | Zurich City |
| Address: | Start: Zurich Bürkliplatz End: Zurich Main Train Station |
| By car: | parking at Mythenquai 88, 8002 Zürich |
| By transit: | Zurich Bürkliplatz bus, tram and ferry stops |
| Trail: | 2 km one way |
| Condition: | paved with stairs |
| Skill: | easy |
| Open: | year round |
| Cost: | free |
| More info: | www.zuerich.com |
Overview
This path is located in Zürich city, starting near the Bürkliplatz the ferry docks.
The path is about 2 km, starting near the Bürkliplatz the ferry docks and ending at Zürich main train station. The path is a paved and wooden walkway along a narrow waterway below the streets. It is easy walking but has stairs, so not suitable for strollers. You can easily leave the path at any time and catch public transportation to another part of the city.
Getting to the path
If you are already in the city, simply take a tram to Bürkliplatz near the ferry docks.
By public transport: The path starts near the Bürkliplatz bus, tram and ferry stops. If you arrived at the Zürich main train station, take tram 11 to Bürkliplatz and walk back to the train station. If you arrived at Stadelhofen, it’s a short 8 min walk to the path or you can take tram 11 or 8 to Bürkliplatz.
By car: If you are coming from outside the city, I recommend parking at Hafen Enge metered parking (Mythenquai 88, 8002 Zürich). You could also park at Opernhaus parking garage.
Starting at Bürkliplatz
The path starts just west of the Bürkliplatz ferry docks, under the bridge my husband is standing on.
First set of stairs down to the path.
A little smelly under the bridge here, walk fast.
Now along the waterway, down river.
Starting on this paved path.
You’ll see a few yellow trail signs along the way. Go direction Bahnhof Selnau.
A lot of up and down on this path. Now we’ll go down the stairs and under the road.
One of the prettiest parts with the willow and magnolia trees.
Keep following the yellow signs to Bahnhof Selnau, if you can see it under the stickers.
A quiet part near the boat dock.
I love how the light reflects off the water onto the underside of the bridge, even better in motion.
Detour through Botanical gardens
At the next bridge Selnaubrücke, I suggest staying on the right side of the river and walking through Old Botanical Gardens as shown below. Alternatively, you can follow the yellow signs to the left side of the river. You’ll join back up in a few minutes.
Here’s the path through the gardens. We were there at the end of March, when the trees were still quite bare. Much prettier starting mid May through September.
You’ll pass the Männerbad, a swimming area for men only (women have the Frauenbadi on the nearby Limmat river). At night it opens as a bar for all genders.
More stairs. Before this trip, I had never walked down these stairs. I had always walked on the other side of the river.
Down to the water
One of the prettiest arches on the path.
Now on a stone path right next to the water.
This sign warns you that the walkway can get flooded when the water is running high, like after a big rainstorm.
Now a wooden walkway, the most popular part of the path.
A nice mix of nature and urban spaces.
Now that last long straightaway to the train station.
End of the path
The path ends at the stairs, right before you reach the Zürich main train station.
The path ends near the Zürich main train station, the Bahnhofstrasse shopping street and Europaalle shopping district. If you want to keep walking, head east to the Limmat river and follow it all the way back to the lake. Here is part of that path below.
That’s all for now. I hope you like the Schanzengraben path!
See more Zürich city walks
