Is Zurich worth a day trip?

Only just: 4.4 hours in Zurich, 15 min into town each way. Tight: the centre and a meal, not much more.

How long do you actually get in Zurich?

About 4.4 hours in Zurich. Landing to take-off is 7.4 hours; the trip into town and back, passport checks and the time at the airport come off that.

How do you get from Zurich airport into town?

Train 15 min, CHF 7.20. A day ticket on local transport is ZVV 24h airport + city CHF 14.40 (city-only CHF 9.40 does not cover the airport).

What does a day in Zurich cost, not counting the flight?

About £61 a person for the day: local transport, lunch, dinner and a drink. Paid attractions are listed separately because most people do one or none, and an average that includes them is a number nobody actually pays.

Is the flight price on this page the one I will pay?

The fare shown is the cheapest recently seen on this route, not a live quote for these exact flights. Check the airline or the booking link for the price you will actually pay.

How early do I need to be back at the airport?

Leave the city by 16:50. That allows 15 min to get back to the airport and 120 min there, including 30 min for passport checks on the way out, before the 19:05 flight home.

Will passport checks eat my day?

We allow 30 min on landing for the EU Entry/Exit System (fingerprints and a photo on your first trip) and 30 min extra on the way out. That is already taken off the 4.4 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

Day trip to Zurich.
From Edinburgh, back by 20:25.

Switzerland·Fri 23 Oct · 4.4 hours in the city

4.4 hours

in the city

20:25

back in Edinburgh

Time in the city

4.4 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

10km

to the centreFrom Zurich centre (ZRH)

Daylight

10.5 hours

07:54 to 18:26Sunrise 07:54, sunset 18:26

Tight: passport queues. Under 5 hours in Zurich once we allow 30 min for passport control on landing and 30 min extra before the flight home. First EU trip since 2025? Allow 15 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

08:30
Leave Edinburgh
2h 10min
12:25
In the city
Lands 11:40, 30min immigration, 15min from the airport
16:50
Leave the city
15min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
20:25
Back in Edinburgh
Flies 19:05

Leave Edinburgh08:30
Land in Zurich2h 10min11:40
In the city30min immigration, 15min from the airport12:25
Leave the city15min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration16:50
Fly home2h 10min19:05
Back in Edinburgh20:25

How we'd do it

Open up the maps to see full detail.

12:3525 min there

8 min walk

13:0830 min there

4 min walk

13:4225 min there

6 min walk

14:1345 min there

14:58Free timeuntil 16:30

about 20 min walk

16:50Check the last train on the day.

SBB train · 15 min

AirportFlight 19:05

Weather while you are there

11:009°

12:0010°

13:0010°

14:0011°

15:0011°

16:0011°

17:0011°

18:0011°

19:0011°

20:0010°

Things to do in ZurichShow

FIFA MuseumTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Lindt Home of ChocolateTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link
Old Town Tour, Lindt and Lake CruiseTickets on TiqetsAffiliate link

All things to do in Zurich · Tiqets, affiliate link

With kids in ZurichShow

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Day Trip Flight Details

Zurich Street Parade, 14 Aug: see dates

How we'd do it

Open up the maps to see full detail.

12:3525 min there

8 min walk

13:0830 min there

4 min walk

13:4225 min there

6 min walk

14:1345 min there

14:58Free timeuntil 16:30

about 20 min walk

16:50Check the last train on the day.

SBB train · 15 min

AirportFlight 19:05

What a day in Zurich costs

On the ground only. We could not price the flight for this pair, so the day costs more than this.

£61/ on the ground, plus flights

Transport for the day£13

Lunch£22

Dinner£26

Beer calculator× 0£0

Entry fees, on top (optional)

Kunsthaus Zürich£22 (CHF 24)

Lindt Home of Chocolate£16 (CHF 17)

Swiss National Museum£12 (CHF 13)

Opening days vary, so check before you go.

Kunsthaus Zürich collection is free for everyone on Wednesdays, Lindenhof hill, Lake Zurich promenade from Bürkliplatz along Utoquai, Bahnhofstrasse and the Niederdorf old-town lanes for a walkFree

On the ground£61

Prices checked 3 Oct 2026

Return flightNo fare yet

We could not price this pair. Check the fare on the airline's site before you count on the figure above.

Getting to Edinburghfrom free

Estimated cost. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

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Built by Josh and Samar

£19 today for your first year, then £19 a year for as long as you stay.

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Edinburgh

Per person. Not in the total above. Prices checked 25 Sept 2026.

Free

Free drop-offFree
Long Stay car park: free for 0-30 minutes, then £14 (30min-1hr), but no shuttle bus, 10-min walk to terminal Source

Train

From Edinburgh city centre (via Edinburgh Trams, no direct rail link)£7.50 each way30 min
Advance single; On the day £7.50. First train 06:30, last train 22:52 Source

Coach

Lothian Buses Airlink 100 from Edinburgh£6 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Source
Lothian Buses Service 17 from Ocean TerminalPrice not published
Source

Taxi

From Edinburgh city centre£24-£29 one way~8 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £8.50
Multi-storey ground floor quick-stop: up to 10 min £8.50, then £1/min; local EH-postcode residents get 50% off the first 10 min Source
Terminal Parking£90
Same-day rate. Source
Long Stay Parking£60
Same-day rate. Source
Plane Parking£45
Same-day rate. Source

More parking

FastParkNo same-day price
Source
Mid Stay ParkingNo same-day price
Source

Parking nearby

No same-day price published. See multi-day prices

Secure Airparks Park & Ride£37.98
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 2 min. Source
Flying Scot Park & Ride£38.98
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 3 min. Source
Low Cost Park and Ride£38.98
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 5 min. Source

Costs people forgetShow

Costs people forget

Not in the total above. Worth a minute before you go.

Phone data. EE, Vodafone and Three charge about £2.75 a day to use your allowance in Europe. O2, Tesco Mobile and giffgaff include it free.
Card fees. Many cards add a foreign-exchange fee to every payment abroad. Check yours before you go, or take one that doesn't charge it.

Ask about Zurich

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Comments on ZurichShow

Comments

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Day trip to Zurich.From Edinburgh, back by 20:25.

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Day Trip Flight Details

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Day trip to Zurich.
From Edinburgh, back by 20:25.