How long should I plan for a layover in Zurich?

The best layover in Zurich is 3–48 hours. This gives you enough time to reach the city, see the highlights, and return to the airport with buffer time.

Do I need a visa for a layover in Zurich?

Zurich is visa-free for US passport holders — no visa is required for a layover.

What should I do during a layover in Zurich?

Old Town Altstadt. Lake Zurich. Lindenhügel viewpoint.

Is Zurich a good layover city?

Yes — Zurich scores 90/100 on LayoverScore™, making it one of the top-rated layover cities. Old Town Altstadt

ZRH · Layover Guide

Zurich

Stop in Zurich.

Best layover: 3–48h

luxurynatureculturefood

LayoverScore™

Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.

Start here

Find flights via Zurich Build your itinerary Check visa requirements

Visa-free · US passport10 min to center

Exit realism

Comfortable window

Enough room in Zurich for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.

Landside playbook

If time slips

Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.

Worth knowing

Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.

Planning a stop in Zurich?

We'll alert you when fares drop through ZRH.

Places to stay

Search hotels

LayoverScore™ breakdown

Score 90 · Discover 57 · Ease 1

Why Zurich scores 90

Airport qualityLounges, facilities, routing

DiscoverThings to do in the city

EaseTransit ease, visa access

Getting there

Train (10 min to city center)

min to center

metro

01Train (10 min to city center)

75 min by bus

01Old Town Altstadt
02Lake Zurich
03Lindenhügel viewpoint

Experiences in Zurich

Timed tours and tickets for Zurich are listed on our partner site.

Open listings

Opens in a new tab.

Tchibo~60 min1 min walk
Satrina~60 min1 min walk
Athens - Liveperformance~75 min1 min walk
Palace Theater~75 min1 min walk
Bahnhofbrücke~90 min1 min walk
Baur Au Lac Vins~90 min1 min walk

Zoo Zürich4.6
Kunsthaus Zürich4.7
Zürich Opera House4.7
Swiss National Museum4.6
Grossmünster4.5

Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.

Where to stay →

Jan

1°

Feb

1°

Mar

6°

Apr

10°

May

13°

Jun

18°

Jul

20°

Aug

20°

Sep

15°

Oct

11°

Nov

6°

Dec

2°

Sunshine hours

Rainfall

Getting there

Get an Uber from the airport

At the airport

12 lounges

Planning guides

How to plan a long layover How to save money with layovers Best layover cities ranked

Zurich

Stop in Zurich.

Best layover: 3–48h

luxurynatureculturefood

LayoverScore™

Base city score. Your route score varies by savings and timing.

Start here

Find flights via Zurich Build your itinerary Check visa requirements

Visa-free · US passport10 min to center

Exit realism

Comfortable window

Enough room in Zurich for a real stop. Keep the buffer at the end anyway.

Landside playbook

If time slips

Drop the last stop. Go straight to the train, taxi rank, or ride pickup you already chose.
Add 15 minutes to map ETAs for the return leg at rush hour.
One ticket for the whole trip protects you when the inbound is late. Separate tickets do not.

Worth knowing

Do not stack three stops. One solid block in the city beats a rushed loop.
Do not treat one map time as gospel for immigration lines. Pad on your first pass through this hub.

Planning a stop in Zurich?

We'll alert you when fares drop through ZRH.

Places to stay

Search hotels

LayoverScore™ breakdown

Score 90 · Discover 57 · Ease 1

Why Zurich scores 90

Airport qualityLounges, facilities, routing

DiscoverThings to do in the city

EaseTransit ease, visa access

Getting there

Train (10 min to city center)

min to center

metro

01Train (10 min to city center)

75 min by bus

01Old Town Altstadt
02Lake Zurich
03Lindenhügel viewpoint

Experiences in Zurich

Timed tours and tickets for Zurich are listed on our partner site.

Open listings

Opens in a new tab.

Tchibo~60 min1 min walk
Satrina~60 min1 min walk
Athens - Liveperformance~75 min1 min walk
Palace Theater~75 min1 min walk
Bahnhofbrücke~90 min1 min walk
Baur Au Lac Vins~90 min1 min walk

Zoo Zürich4.6
Kunsthaus Zürich4.7
Zürich Opera House4.7
Swiss National Museum4.6
Grossmünster4.5

Need a room for your layover? Browse hotels near the airport.

Where to stay →

Jan

1°

Feb

1°

Mar

6°

Apr

10°

May

13°

Jun

18°

Jul

20°

Aug

20°

Sep

15°

Oct

11°

Nov

6°

Dec

2°

Sunshine hours

Rainfall

Getting there

Get an Uber from the airport

At the airport

12 lounges

Planning guides

How to plan a long layover How to save money with layovers Best layover cities ranked

Zurich

Comfortable window

Landside playbook

If time slips

Worth knowing

Why Zurich scores 90

Experiences in Zurich

Read more about Zurich

Zurich

Comfortable window

Landside playbook

If time slips

Worth knowing

Why Zurich scores 90

Experiences in Zurich

Read more about Zurich