Switzerland
Zurich
Switzerland's largest city, set on a lake. Blue trams come every few minutes, right on time.
Lake Zurich boats / Limmat river boats (ZSG)
The boats are part of the ZVV - the same zone or 24-hour ticket that covers a tram also covers the lake. The catch - the Limmat river boats and the Rapperswil services are seasonal, with no winter timetable.
Updated on August 5, 2026
- Until Oct 18, 2026
Limmat boats and Rapperswil services end 18 October
The Limmat river cruise, the mini lake cruise and, from Rapperswil, the lake cruise and the Ufenau shuttle all run for the last time on 18 October 2026. The upper lake cruise (Oberseerundfahrt) stops earlier still, on 30 September. From 19 October the winter timetable keeps only the long and short lake cruises from Bürkliplatz plus the two cross-lake shuttles.
How to ride
- 1Buy your ticket before you boardBuy in the ZVV app, at a blue ticket machine, or at a staffed sales point. Don't count on buying once you are aboard.
- 2Count the zones you needAlong one shore, your ticket must cover every zone in between. On a straight cross-lake hop, the two end zones are enough.
- 3Find the right pierLake services start at Bürkliplatz, the river boats at Landesmuseum, and the Rapperswil services are a separate set again.
- 4Punch a paper Multikarte firstUsing a paper Multikarte, punch one field before boarding - at an orange validator or a ZVV ticket machine.
- 5Keep the ticket to hand until you step offThere are no gates - inspectors work the boat itself, so keep it where you can show it.
Fares
Single fares5
Limmat river cruise (1 hour)
A single ticket for zone 110, valid one hour, covers it; a Zürich Card works too.
4.7 CHF ≈ $6
Mini lake cruise (1 hour)
A single ticket for zones 110 + 140; also included in the Zürich Card.
7.2 CHF ≈ $9
Short lake cruise (1.5 hours)
A single ticket for zones 110 + 140 + 150; also included in the Zürich Card.
9.4 CHF ≈ $12
Long lake cruise (4.5 hours, round trip to Rapperswil)
Needs the all-zone 9 o'clock day pass - from 09:00 on weekdays, all day at weekends. First class costs extra.
28 CHF ≈ $35
Lake cruise from Rapperswil (2 hours)
A four-zone 24-hour ticket; the three-hour upper lake cruise costs the same but runs in summer only.
18.8 CHF ≈ $23
Passes & multi-ride2
All-zone 24-hour ticket
Covers 24 hours of boats plus trams, buses and S-Bahn trains across the whole network.
36 CHF ≈ $44
Zürich Card (24 / 72 hours)
CHF 29 for 24 hours, 56 for 72; covers the mini and short lake cruises and the Limmat river boat.
29〜56 CHF ≈ $36–69
Add-ons & fees1
Taking a bike on board (day pass)
The SBB bike day pass. Carriage is never guaranteed, and the Limmat boats take no bikes at all.
14 CHF ≈ $17
Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026
Payment
Tap to ride No tap-to-ride here; contactless only works for buying a ticket
IC card No stored-value card; the SwissPass only carries season tickets
App tickets Buy in the ZVV app - issue or activate it before you board
Paper tickets Paper tickets from machines and counters; a paper Multikarte needs punching
Cash Cash at ZSG counters and on board; ticket machines take coins and cards
Tap for where to get the app
Quick facts
Hours
6:30-22:00, seasonal
Frequency
Every 30-60 min in summer
Fares from
4.7 CHF+
Heads-up
-
The cheapest short-distance ticket, the Kurzstrecke, is not valid on ZSG scheduled boats - it works fine on land, which is what makes it easy to miss. Buy a zone ticket on a day you plan to take a boat.
-
The evening Erlebnisschiffe cruises sit outside the ZVV fare altogether. Zone tickets, 24-hour tickets and the Zürich Card are all invalid - buy the special ticket at the Bürkliplatz counter or on board.