Public transport

Almost everywhere in the Canton of Zurich can be reached by train or bus. The City of Zurich also has an extensive tram network. If you use public transport on a regular basis, we recommend that you enquire about travelcards or discounted tickets. Children up to the age of 6 travel free of charge, while children and young people up to the age of 16 pay half fare. With a special child travelcard («Kinder-Mitfahrkarte»), children travel very cheaply when accompanied by an adult. Adults can also buy a half-fare travelcard («Halbtax-Abo») with which they travel at half price for a year. There are also supersaver tickets («Sparbillete») or supersaver day passes («Spartageskarten»), and many municipalities and cities offer day passes at a reduced price. Information on tickets, discounts and season tickets can be obtained from the Zurich Transport Network (Zürcher Verkehrsverbund, ZVV) or the Swiss Federal Railways (Schweizerische Bundesbahnen, SBB).

Motor vehicles (cars/motorbikes)

If you have a non-Swiss driving licence, you have 12 months to convert it into a Swiss driving licence. Please submit your application to the Canton of Zurich Road Traffic Office («Strassenverkehrsamt»).

If you import your car or motorbike to Switzerland and wish to register it here, you must declare your vehicle at customs on arrival. Once you have completed the necessary formalities of customs, you must contact the Road Traffic Office to apply for registration («Zulassung») for your car or motorbike. Please note that you may only drive your motor vehicle in Switzerland if you have motor vehicle insurance («Auto-/Motorradversicherung»).

The use of the roads in Switzerland is free of charge, except for motorways. To use the motorway, you are required by law to purchase an annual motorway tax sticker («Vignette»). You can purchase these at border control posts, at petrol stations, post offices. An electronic toll sticker (e-vignette) can be obtained from the «Via Portal» of the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security («Bundesamt für Zoll- und Grenzsicherheit, BAZG»).

Bicycles and e-bikes

No permit or test is required to ride a bike in Switzerland. It is not a legal requirement to wear a protective helmet, but we recommend that you do. We also recommend that you take out a personal liability insurance («Privathaftpflichtversicherung») as you will be personally liable if you cause damage to people or objects. For e-bikes and e-scooters, different rules apply to road traffic depending on their performance. Further information can be found on the website of the Road Traffic Office («Strassenverkehrsamt»).