Switzerland
Zurich
Switzerland's largest city, set on a lake. Blue trams come every few minutes, right on time.
Tram (VBZ)
No gates, and no tapping a bank card to ride. Buy before you board, from the ZVV app or the machine at the stop - nothing is sold on the tram. The same ticket covers bus, S-Bahn and the river boat inside its zones.
Updated on August 5, 2026
How to ride
- 1Buy your ticket before you boardBuy your ticket before boarding, at a blue machine at the stop or in the ZVV app. Nothing is sold on board the tram.
- 2Enter your start and destination stopEnter your start and destination stop on the machine or in the app and it works out the zones for you.
- 3Stamp only the paper strip ticketOnly the paper Multikarte needs stamping - punch a field at an orange validator before the tram sets off. Singles and 24h do not.
- 4Board through any doorThere are no gates - step straight from the stop into any door of the tram.
- 5Keep the ticket to hand until you get offKeep your ticket to hand until you get off. If an inspector finds you without one, your personal details are always recorded.
- 6Finish the ride before the ticket expiresYour journey has to be over before the ticket expires - the last ride must end while the ticket is still valid.
Fares
Single fares4
Short-distance ticket (30 min)
The eligible section is defined stop by stop. Not valid on scheduled ZSG lake boats.
2.8 CHF ≈ $3
Single ticket, city (1-2 zones, 1 hour)
Zone 110 (the city itself) counts as two zones on its own, so a trip inside Zurich needs the 1-2 zone ticket.
4.7 CHF ≈ $6
Single ticket, 3 zones (city to airport, 1 hour)
The airport sits in zone 121; with zone 110 counting double, that adds up to three zones.
7.2 CHF ≈ $9
Single ticket, all zones (2 hours)
The whole ZVV area, Winterthur included, with as many rides as you like inside it.
18 CHF ≈ $22
Passes & multi-ride4
24-hour ticket (by number of zones)
9.40 in the city, 14.40 for the 3 zones including the airport, 36.00 for all zones - same as two singles.
9.4〜36 CHF ≈ $12–44
9 a.m. day pass (all zones)
Weekdays from 9 a.m. until 5 a.m. the next morning; all day at weekends and on public holidays.
28 CHF ≈ $35
Multikarte 6-ride strip (1-2 zones)
Six rides in one strip. Punch a field before boarding on paper, or validate it in the app.
26.8 CHF ≈ $33
Zürich Card (24 / 72 hours)
Unlimited travel in zones 110, 111, 121, 140, 150, 154 and 155 - the airport among them.
29〜56 CHF ≈ $36–69
Estimates use exchange rates as of September 5, 2026
Payment
Tap to ride There are no gates and no way to tap a bank card to ride.
IC card No stored-value transit card for visitors; season passes ride on the SwissPass.
App tickets Buy in the ZVV app, or use its check-in function for automatic billing.
Paper tickets From machines and staffed counters; nothing is sold on board.
Cash Machines take coins and cards; the official pages say nothing about banknotes.
Tap for where to get the app
Quick facts
Fares from
2.8 CHF+
Heads-up
-
Too few zones counts as partially valid
Miss even one zone and you are travelling on a partially valid ticket - CHF 75 on a first offence. Do not count zones yourself; type your start and destination stops into the machine or the app and let it pick.