Is Zurich worth a day trip?

Yes: 8 hours in Zurich, £195 for the whole day, 15 min into town each way. Enough for the main sights and a proper lunch without rushing.

How long do you actually get in Zurich?

About 8 hours in Zurich. Landing to take-off is 11 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 17:25. 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 19:40 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 8 hours shown. These are estimates; queues run longer on busy days.

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

Switzerland·Mon 9 Nov · 8.0 hours in the city

£195

the whole day

8.0 hours

in the city

20:25

back in London Heathrow

Day Trip Flight Details

Time in the city

8.0 hours

after transfersAfter transfers and airport time

Airport distance

10km

to the centreFrom Zurich centre (ZRH)

Daylight

9.7 hours

07:20 to 17:00Sunrise 07:20, sunset 17:00

First EU trip since 2025? Allow 15 min more.

FlightAirport, immigration and transportIn the city

06:00
Leave London Heathrow
SWISS, direct
09:25
In the city
Lands 08:40, 30min immigration, 15min from the airport
17:25
Leave the city
15min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration
20:25
Back in London Heathrow
Flies 19:40 with British Airways

Leave London HeathrowSWISS, direct06:00
Land in Zurich1h 40min08:40
In the city30min immigration, 15min from the airport09:25
Leave the city15min back, 120min at the airport incl. immigration17:25
Fly homeBritish Airways, 1h 40min19:40
Back in London Heathrow20:25

Typical weather for this date

9°C

average high

2°C

average low

4 in 10

years it rained

This date is too far out to forecast. These are Zurich's actual figures for the same date across the last 10 years.

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

Zurich Street Parade, 14 Aug: see dates

Kunsthaus Zürich and the Swiss National Museum shut Mondays.

What a day in Zurich costs

Flights and on-the-ground spend, per person.

£195/ all in, per person

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)

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 flight from£134

Google Flights price. Checked 17 hours ago.

Getting to Heathrowfrom free

All in, per person£195

Out with SWISS, back with British Airways. Two separate tickets. Book both before you go.

Book on Google Flights

Compare fares on Aviasales · Affiliate link

Estimated cost. Fares last checked 8 Oct, 15:43. Prices and availability change and are set by the airline or agent when you book.

The main button opens the airline or Google Flights; Compare fares goes to Aviasales, who pay us a small commission.

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Become a founder

Half the price, kept for good, for the first 1,000 members.

£19a year, locked for life

Day Trips is live.

Try it for 14 days. Full refund if it's not for you.

Built by Josh and Samar

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Getting to the airportShow

Getting to Heathrow

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

Free

Free drop-offFree
Park & Ride car parks: first 29 minutes free, then a free shuttle bus to the terminal (7-20 min depending on terminal). Source

Train

From London (Heathrow Express, Paddington)£10 each way15-20 min
Advance single; On the day £26. First train 04:34, last train 23:57 Source
First train too late for this flight: it gets you to Heathrow less than 90 min before take-off.
From London (Elizabeth line)Price not published
On the day £13.90. First train 05:21, last train 00:12 Source

Coach

National Express from London£10.50 each way
Cheapest advertised single. Source

Taxi

From London£60-£100 one way~18 miles
Estimate, not a quote.

Parking at the airport

Paid drop-offfrom £7
Terminal Drop-Off Charge: £7 per entry, no time allowance (any dwell counts as one visit), ANPR-enforced 24/7/365, no cash accepted. Source
Terminal Parking (was Short Stay)£98
12-24hr tariff. Source
Park & Ride (was Long Stay)£46.80
Same-day rate. Source
Priority Park & Ride (was Business)£47.90
Same-day rate. Source

More parking

Meet & GreetNo same-day price
From £138.60 (per day). Source
Valet ParkingNo same-day price
Source
Pod Parking (T5 only)No same-day price
From £59.60 (from price). Source

Parking nearby

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

Purple Parking Park & Ride PLUS (T2/T3/T5)£9.24
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 8-18 min. Source
Maple Parking Express Park & Ride (T2&3/T5)£12.31
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 4-10 min. Source
MBW Meet & Greet (T3/T5)£15.86
Multi-day price, not a same-day quote. Shuttle 2 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.

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Ask about Zurich

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Comments on ZurichShow

Comments

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

Day Trip Flight Details

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