20 Best Zurich day trips

If you are visiting Zurich or live here and need to entertain guests, here are our favorite day trips from Zürich with options for all ages and abilities. I’ve included mountain viewpoints, scenic hikes, city tours, cultural activities, and fun excursions for kids.

Our family has lived in Zurich since 2005 and has done everything on this list multiple times. This is my go-to list when planning activities for our visitors. I hope you find it helpful.

Note: Prices and opening times may change without notice.

Impressive mountain viewpoints

The mountains in this section are popular destinations for tourists and locals. So during summer season, we suggest going early in the day and, if possible, on weekdays to avoid the largest crowds.

These outings are rather expensive, but remember you are paying for cable cars and trains that take you directly to the view without all the work of climbing up the mountain. Most of these mountains offer a 50% discount on cable car tickets if you have a Swiss Travel Pass, SBB Half-fare or GA. Make sure to show your pass purchasing your tickets.

Learn more: Budget Travel Tips for Switzerland

1. Ebenalp Aescher Cliff Restaurant

I’ll bet you’ve seen a picture of Berggasthaus Aescher before. Now Instagram famous, this unique mountain restaurant is built into the side of the cliffs near Appenzell. This was our family’s very first Swiss mountain experience after moving here and I’ll never forget it!

It’s pretty easy to access by first riding the Ebenalp cable car up the mountain. Then a short walk down through a cave and around the cliffs on a fenced wooden walkway leading to the restaurant. On the way you pass an old hermit’s hut and open air chapel, aka Wildkirchli, where you can learn about the history of this area. 

The views from the patio tables are fantastic, with Mt Säntis and other impressive Alpstein peaks in the distance. No reservations here and it can get very crowded on weekends and sunny summer days. So best to go a bit early to beat the rush.

From the restaurant, there is a trail leading down to the Seealpsee, a beautiful alpine lake. However, there have been many deaths on this trail (five in 2022), so we only suggest it for experienced hikers with proper equipment who are comfortable with risk (see trail info). Alternatively, you can reach the Seealpsee by walking up the service road near the cable car parking and bus stop. 

Learn more: How to visit Berggasthaus Aescher Cliff Restaurant

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1hr30 by car, 2hr10 by train
• Cost: Cable car return ticket, discount with Swiss Travel Pass and Swiss Half Fare Card
• Open: best May to Oct
• Website: www.ebenalp.ch

2. Mount Rigi

When hosting visitors, Mount Rigi is usually our first choice for a Swiss mountain experience. Although we slightly prefer the drama of Mt Pilatus (next on the list), Rigi has the classic green alpine meadows and better hiking for casual hikers and families. Rigi also feels less crowded even in peak tourist season, because there’s more room for people to spread out. But both are great!

As locals, we usually just directly to the base of mountain and catch the cogwheel mountain train to the top, which is the fastest route from Zurich. But when we have visitors, we always do the Rigi Classic Round Trip, starting with a boat ride from Lucerne to the mountain. It’s so much more fun and absolutely gorgeous.

Once you reach the mountain, you ride a cogwheel train to the top, where you can stroll to different viewpoints along the cliffs (safely behind a fence!). There is a restaurant at the top with a big outdoor terrace and lounge chairs for relaxing. 

In summer, we highly recommend the hiking along the easy Panorama Trail, which can adjusted from 1 to 8 km depending on your energy level. The best version of this hike includes a gorgeous cliff walk built into the rock. In winter, even non-skiers can enjoy the snowy landscape by walking on the groomed snowy trails or sledding a few km down the mountain on prepared routes.

Learn more: Mt Rigi article

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 40 mins to Rigi train / or 45 mins to Lucerne to catch boat – see Rigi on map
• Cost: Rigi mountain train and optional boat from Lucerne. Free with Swiss Travel Pass, discount with Swiss Half Fare Card
• Open: best May to Oct / open year round
• Website: www.rigi.ch

3. Mt. Pilatus

If you are only in Switzerland for a short time, Pilatus would be my top pick because you get so much variety in one outing.

Our favorite way to visit is on the Pilatus Golden Round Trip, which includes a boat ride from Lucerne city, super steep cogwheel mountain train to the top, and cable car down the other side of the mountain. 

At the top, you can safely enjoy the views from the large observation deck perched between rocky peaks, overlooking Lake Lucerne and many mountains. On a clear day, you can see all the way to the Eiger many miles away in the Jungfrau Region.

If you like to hike and aren’t afraid of heights, we definitely recommend doing one of the three short hikes to higher viewpoints. Our favorite is the cliff walk trail to the Tomlishorn peak viewpoint, about 3 km each way. This peak is higher than the Pilatus observation deck, so you get an entirely different perspective of the whole area. 

For more excitement, we always stop at the middle station to ride a 1350m summer toboggan run, fun for both adults and kids. If you have lots of time, we also love the adventure ropes course in the forest with ziplines and free fall jumps.

For this excursion, you should plan for about six hours and get an early start, catching the boat around 9am. If you have less time, you can ride the cable car there and back with a return ticket.

Learn more: 10 Tips for visiting Mt Pilatus

Quick info:

• From Zurich: about 40 mins by car or train – see Pilatus on map
• Cost: cable car return ticket Adult CHF 78 / golden round trip Adult CHF 110
• Open: May to Oct with lake cruise / year round via cable cars
• Website: www.pilatus.ch

4. Mount Titlis

If you want to see snow in summer, the best choice near Zurich is Mount Titlis, which has a glacier at the top, so you can play in the snow year round. 

To get there, it’s a lovely drive or train ride to the quaint village Engelberg, nestled between many mountains. Then you ride cable cars up to 3238m (10623 ft), where you’ll find a large complex with viewing platforms inside and out.

We suggest starting your visit by walking through the ice tunnels built into the glacier. It’s a chilly walk, so definitely bring your jacket. Then a brief walk across the snow so you can cross the highest suspension bridge in Europe, aka the Titlis Cliff Walk. In summer, you can even sled on innertubes down a prepared route that keeps you safely on the mountain.

On the way back down, you should definitely stop at the Trübsee middle station to visit the alpine gorgeous lake. If you feel like walking, there’s a short and easy trail around the lake, possible in summer and winter. In summer, the trail has fun activities for kids, a large playground, and big air jump into inflated bouncy pillows.

For a full day excursion, you might enjoy this popular Titlis day trip from Zurich, which includes a tour of Lucerne, Titlis cable car tickets, and your train tickets there and back.

Learn more: See our Mt Titlis tips.

Quick info

• From Zurich: 40 mins by car, 50 mins by bus
• Cost: Titlis cable car return ticket Adult CHF 96
• Open: glacier viewpoint open year round, summer hiking June to Oct
• Website: www.titlis.ch

Feeling overwhelmed? Book a Travel Consultation with me and I’ll create a personalized itinerary for you.

Famous mountains farther afield

If you are only staying in Zurich, you can still do day trips to see the most famous Swiss mountains: the Matterhorn and the Eiger. These destinations are about 3 hours each way from Zurich, by train or car. But the journey is so beautiful, I consider that part of the fun and not a waste at all. So if you don’t mind a long day, here are some options for you.

5. Zermatt Gornergrat

If you catch the 7am train from Zurich, you can be in Zermatt as early as 10am with only one connection. My favorite outing in Zermatt is riding up the Gornergrat mountain railway to a viewpoint over the impressive Gorner glacier with the Matterhorn also in view. Then ride the train one stop down to the Riffelsee lake pictured here and take the best selfie ever. 

If possible, I really recommend doing at least a short hike from the Riffelsee a little farther down the mountain. I describe all the hiking options in my Gornergrat Riffelsee Trail post. 

6. Grindelwald & Jungfraujoch

The Jungfrau Region near Interlaken is one of the most popular destinations in Switzerland. If you can, I recommend staying a few days in this region so you can properly experience the full of it. But it’s totally doable as a day trip from Zurich if necessary. I’ve done it many times with my own family and with visitors.

If you only have one day in the region, a popular choice is traveling to Grindelwald, then riding a cable car and mountain train to the Jungfraujoch observatory. From the “Top of Europe,” you can see the Aletsch Glacier, the longest glacier in the alps at about 22 km (but sadly shrinking quite rapidly). The Jungfraujoch has a variety of amusements including an ice cave and sledding on the glacier in summer.

Learn more in my Jungfraujoch post.

Since this is an expensive outing, I don’t recommend it that often because there are many other wonderful outings that cost much less. But everyone I’ve talked to raves about it. After 17 years visiting us in Switzerland, I finally took my dad there last summer and after the visit, he said “Everyone should go here! It’s absolutely amazing!”

You can book each leg of the journey separately or book a convenient Zurich day trip to Jungfraujoch package that includes all the elements. 

Hikes in the Swiss alps

So you don’t get overwhelmed, I’ve picked just three of my favorites hikes near Zurich to get you started. I have a variety of difficulty levels, so there’s something for everyone. For more ideas, see the Most Spectacular Hikes near Zurich and Easy hikes near Zurich for Beginners.

These hikes are best done from late June to early October, but check the relevant websites for exact opening times. Conditions may vary if snow stays late in the alps.

7. Flumserberg Alpine Flora Trail (easy)

This super easy and short trail is my first choice for visitors that never hike, have mobility issues or very small children. You get all the beauty and charm of the alps with very minimal effort. If my 85 year old grandmother can do this trail, so you can you!

This trail is super easy, just 2 km around a little mountain peak, with no up and down. The path is smooth dirt and gravel, possible with strollers and wheelchairs. Along the way you can rest on benches and loungers if necessary.

The Flumserberg area has excellent train connections to Zurich, making it one of the easiest and fastest mountains to reach near Zurich. Our favorite time to hike there is mid July to early August when the wildflowers are out in force and green alpine meadows stretch in every direction.

If you want to walk a little farther, you can continue along the ridge on the Geological theme trail, described in my post linked below. 

See trail map and directions for Flumserberg Alpine Flora Trail

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1hr15 by car or train • See on map
• Hike: 40 mins • 2 k loop • 80m up & down
• Cost: Adult CHF 32, children under 12 free

8. Stoos Ridgeline (medium)

Even though dramatic ridge hike has become quite popular in recent years, I still love it and hike it almost every summer. Although this trail is only 4 km and is not terribly difficult, it does have a lot of up and down and steep slopes off the sides without barriers. So this trail is best done by experienced hikers with sturdy hiking shoes and good fitness level. 

To each the trail, you start by riding the steepest funicular train in the world, whisking you up to an idyllic alpine village in just a few minutes. Then a chair lift up to the ridge, where you will enjoy views over the cliffs down to Lake Lucerne for the next 90 mins or so.

The trail ends at the Fronalpstock viewpoint, which non-hikers can reach with a chair lift (also in winter). From there, you can safely admire the view from a fenced observation deck, restaurant terrace, and a safely enclosed picnic area with a playground for children. If you took the easy way up, you can still take a short stroll along the cliffs on the easy panorama loop trail. 

Learn more: Stoos Ridgeline Hike

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 45 mins by car, 1h10 by train/bus
• Hike: 2 hours • 4.5 km • 290m up, 300m down
• Cost: mountain lifts Adult CHF 50 / discount with Swiss transit passes

9. Pizol Five Lakes

For a fitness challenge and gorgeous scenery, the popular hike at Pizol is a perfect choice. You start by riding a gondola and two chair lifts high up the mountain to reach the first lake and a mountain hut.

From here, the first climb begins to reach the lake shown below in about an hour. Then the trail goes down, up, down, a few times as you visit three more beautiful lakes scattered along an impressive mountainous landscape. I suggest this for hikers with good fitness and kids ages 8+ as it takes experience and endurance to complete it. 

Pizol is very easy to reach from Zurich by car or train, since the gondola leaves from the valley near the freeway. No curvy narrow mountain roads to reach this one. This hike is extremely popular, so you will not be alone on the trail, with big hiking groups constantly streaming by both directions. But we still love it. 

Learn more: Pizol Five Lakes Hike

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1 hour by car, 1h10 by train/bus
• Hike: 4.5 hours • 10 km • 440m up, 590m down
• Cost: mountain lifts Adult CHF 46 / discount with Swiss transit passes

History & Culture

10. Lindt Home of Chocolate

The closest chocolate factory to Zurich is Lindt Home of Chocolate. It has a beautiful tour and interactive museum, with an immense amount of information about bean to bar chocolate production and the history of chocolate, particularly in Switzerland. 

The audio guide is packed full of information, more than the average person may want to consume in one visit. Happily, they provide a children’s version of the audio guide, which is more entertaining. There are also a few games and activities for kids scattered through the tour.

We love the chocolate tasting stations through the museum, including chocolate fountains and a dispenser where you have to guess the chocolate flavor. They also offer chocolate making workshops, which are particularly popular for holidays like Christmas and Easter where you make the signature bear and bunny shaped chocolates.

If you are visiting Zurich, you can book a Zurich City Tour that includes a lake cruise to Lindt and the chocolate factory tour. This would be a fun and efficient use of your time in the city.

See our full review of Lindt Home of Chocolate

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 15 mins by car, 20 mins by train/bus – see on map
• Open: daily 10:00 – 18:00 (closed on some holidays)
• Cost: CHF 15/adult, CHF 10/child aged 8-15, under 8 free. Buy tickets here 
• Website: www.lindt-home-of-chocolate.com

11. Appenzell Show Dairy

Since cheese is integral to Swiss culture, I suggest visiting the Appenzeller Show Dairy, the closest dairy near Zurich. Our family enjoyed the multimedia museum where you learn about the history and culture of cheese making in the Appenzeller region. They have lots videos, games, and interactive elements that kids will enjoy.

Every day until 15:00, you can also observe cheese being made on the factory floor. We watched the cheese making for about 45 mins around lunchtime and it was pretty exciting, as far as cheese making goes. We saw them unmold freshly pressed cheese rounds, then fill up the empty molds with new curds and prepare it for pressing.

With your entrance ticket, you receive a small box of cheese to sample, which is a nice extra. At the restaurant, you can eat fondue and other traditional cheese dishes.

Our kids also appreciated the outdoor playground with a swing, slides and climbing wall. If you are particularly interested in history, you can buy a combo ticket with the Appenzeller Folklore Museum next door.

Learn more in our review of Appenzell Cheese Dairy 

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1h15 by car, 1h35 by trail/bus – see on map
• Cost 2023: Adult CHF 12, Child CHF 7, under 6 free
• Open: year round daily 9:00 to 17:30
• Website: www.schaukaeserei.ch

12. Lenzburg Castle

The best castle near Zürich is Schloss Lenzberg, one of the oldest and more important hilltop castles in Switzerland with a history dating back to the 12th century. You can tour many rooms inside the castle, with rooms set up to show what it would be like to live in the castle in different eras.

We appreciate the many interactive multimedia exhibits, which make learning fun. If you are visiting with children, they will love the children’s play area at the top of the castle. It has a dress-up clothes, craft area, wooden castle to act out sword fights, and a toddler corner for weary parents. This castle is also home to Fauchi, an animatronic dragon, which terrified my 2 year old, but is fun for the older ones.  

For lunch, there’s a small cafeteria with a lovely outside garden and dragon picture books for the kiddies to read while they wait for the food. Or you can picnic in the spacious courtyard which hosts many parties. The castle grounds are lovely to stroll and also have an outdoor play area for kids with play houses.

If you really love castles, I also suggest a longer day trip down to the Bellizona Castles in southern Switzerland. These are a protected UNESCO World Heritage site and very impressive. Learn how to visit the Bellinzona Castles.

See our full review of Lenzburg Castle

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 30 mins by car, 40 mins by train/bus – see on map
• Cost 2023: CHF 14/adult, CHF 8/child aged 6-16, under 6 free
• Open: April to October / Tues – Sun 10:00 to 17:00
• Website: www.schloss-lenzburg.ch

Fun for kids

The Swiss alps are full of fun activities for kids, including theme trails, alpine coasters, mountain scooters, and climbing parks. Below are a few of our family favorites near Zurich. See also Best hikes for kids near Zurich.

13. Toggenburg Tone Trail

Many Swiss mountains have theme trails for kids, with activities scattered along the way to keep them happy and motivated. Near Zurich, our favorite is the Toggenburg Tone Trail, which has a musical theme.

Every few minutes along the trail, you’ll find an interactive musical activity where kids can play and make lots of noise. Since kids can often see or hear the next music station ahead, they are motivated to keep walking to see what’s next.

We usually spend about four hours on the trail, playing at every station along the way and grilling our lunch. The trail has a few short uphill sections, but not difficult. They have a stroller version of trail, with a few diversions off the main trail. 

Learn more: Toggenburg Tone Trail

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1hr30 by car and 2 hours by train
• Hike: easy • 2+ hours • 6 km • 80m up, 240m down
• Cost: mountain lifts Adult CHF 32, Child CHF 18.50 / discount with Swiss transit passes

14. Pizol Heidi Trail

If you want a Swiss theme on the trail, the Pizol Heidi trail is fun choice choice for families. This easy loop trail in the mountains has several stations where children can play and search for clues to solve a puzzle. 

Along the way, there is a barefoot path, hammock forest, playground and restaurant. The kids get a little trail passport that they stamp in the mouth of the wooden goats along the trail. This trail is only 4 km and is possible with strollers. 

Learn more: Pizol Heidi Trail

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1hr10 by car, 1hr30 by train/bus
• Hike: easy • 1hr30 • 4.1 km • 120m up & down
• Cost: mountain lifts Adult CHF 36, Child CHF 18 / discount with Swiss transit passes

15. Elm Theme Trail & Mountain Scooters

Elm is a beautiful mountain resort with a fun theme trail around the story of “Giants in the Forest.” The gondola takes you to a fun play area with trampolines and gorgeous mountain views. Then along the short trail, there is a an obstacle course, small suspension bridge, giant xylophone, an over-sized picnic table and forest kitchen, and much more. 

The walking path is wide and smooth, possible with strollers. Much of the trail is in the forest, so it’s great for hot summer days. After the hike, we suggest that you skip the gondola and instead ride down on big wheel kick scooters or low rider go-carts. 

Learn more: Elm Giants Forest Trail

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 1hr20 by car, 1hr50 by train/bus
• Hike: easy • 1hr30 • 2.6 km • 50m up, 60m down
• Cost: mountain lifts Adult CHF 18, Child CHF 9 / no discount with Swiss transit passes

See also: Best mountain scooters in Switzerland

16. Flumserberg alpine coasters & climbing park

If you need a little more excitement, Flumserberg has a 1.2 km alpine coaster with a fixed rail car. You can either ride a chair lift or hike to reach the coaster. We usually use this as a treat after the Flumserberg 4 Peak hike in the mountains above the coaster. 

See more Swiss mountain coasters

In another part of the resort, they have the CLIIMBER ropes course with a wide variety of obstacles and varying levels of difficulty. We like the flexibility of the regular courses, which allow you to pick and choose your obstacles instead of completing a full pre-determined course.

The mini-course for kids 4+ has an “always on” safety harness, making safer and easier to use for the small ones. Learn more about the Flumserberg Ropes Course.

City Tours

If you like strolling cities and villages, there are a lot of nice options near Zurich. Here are a few places we often take our visitors.

17. Stein am Rhein & Rhine Falls

The Rhine falls are one of the most popular tourist destinations near Zurich, the highest volume falls in Europe. We usually combine this outing with visiting the medieval city, Stein am Rhein, just a few minutes up river from the falls. 

At the falls, you can get close to the raging waters from a stairway and platforms built along the rocks at the side of the falls. For a real thrill, you can also ride a boat to the center of the falls and climb up a tall rock as shown in the pic here (boat runs April to October). Not quite Niagara falls, but still pretty fun.

Learn more about visiting Rhine Falls.

Stein am Rhein is a tiny jewel on the banks of the Rhine river with a long history. It looks exactly like what you imagine Europe should look like, with cobblestone pedestrian-only streets, half-timbered construction, ornate window treatments, and elaborate paintings decorating many buildings. It’s small, so stroll slowly savoring all the details then settle into an outdoor café for refreshments.

If you are going by car, it’s quite easy to find with good signage and large parking lots at both destinations. If you are traveling by public transportation, you can take a train to the falls and the village. But you might find it more convenient to book a scenic bus tour from Zurich that visits both locations and includes your entrance to the falls viewing area and a village guided tour.

Quick info:

• Rhine falls: 40 mins by car, 1h10 by train – see on map
• Stein am Rhein: 50 mins by car, 1h15 by train – see on map

18. Rapperswil with Zurich lake cruise

Rapperswil is a small historic town at the southern end of Lake Zurich. You can reach Rapperwsil by car, train, or lake cruise from Zurich, which is our favorite. For a longer day trip, you can book a scenic bus tour that visits Rapperswil, as well as alpine areas in Heidiland and Liechtenstein.

Rapperswil has a cute old town center, picturesque castle on a hill, and a lovely lakeside promenade with lots of cafes, pizza, and ice cream. The self-guided walking tour through town is short, but interesting, with beautiful views from the castle terrace above the town.

Our kids enjoyed the activity path along the castle walls and big playground with grassy fields below the castle. For more views, you can wander the long wooden walkway built into the lake, a great place to observe birds.

Learn more: Rapperswil & Lake Ferry Ride

Quick info:

• From Zurich: 40 mins by car or train, 2 hours by boat – see on map
• Cost: boat ride one way Adult CHF 26, Child CHF 12 / discount with Swiss transit passes

19. Lucerne

Our top choice for city tours is Lucerne, which is an easy drive or direct train ride from Zurich. Lucerne has a charming old town with an fascinatingly history, plus gorgeous views of the Swiss alps across the lake.

From the tourist info at the train station, you can pick up a free map with a self-guided walking tour. See our self-guided Lucerne walking tour

Note that some of the highlights, like the city wall and Lion Monument, are a bit of walk from the town center. We think the they are worth the extra effort, but maybe skip them if you are traveling with very small children. If you like walking, we suggest ending your tour by walking down the lakeside promenade as far as your legs will go, then ride the bus back to the city center.

If possible, we suggest doing a guided walking tour as the history of this city is so interesting and more compelling when told by an entertaining guide. Here are some popular tour options:

• On Wednesdays and Saturdays, Luzern Tourism offers a 90 min guided walking tour.
• Less walking with a eTukTuk city tour

How to get there:

• From Zurich by car: 45 mins / parking at Parkhaus Altstadt – Baselstrasse 4, 6003 Luzern
• From Zurich by train: 41 mins to Luzern, Bahnhof

20. Zug

I always take my visitors to Zug, a small city on a lake overlooking the mountains. From Zurich, it’s a very short drive or train ride to Zug, so perfect for a short outing if your guests are low on energy.

We usually start by strolling through the historic center, where you’ll want to take lots of photos. The streets are narrow and winding, with lots of cute storefronts and interesting architectural details. Then we get gelato and stroll along the lake admiring the view.

If you are with kids, you might like the Sato Code trail, an outdoor escape room that has you look for clues and solve puzzles as you wander the town. My teen boys loved racing around trying to beat the best time.

Quick info:

• From Zurich by car: 30 mins / parking at Parkhaus Vorstadt – Schmidgasse 3, 6300 Zug
• From Zurich by train: 21 mins to Zug