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Car hire in Zurich – Book now and discover

A modern city, embedded in dreamy mountain landscapes and with the cosy flair of a holiday resort on a lake, Zurich is the perfect place to rest and relax. Stroll and shop on Bahnhofstrasse, enjoy a coffee on the promenade with a view of the lake or explore the art and culture scene in the exciting new trendy district of Zurich West. Do you prefer nature and action? Then drive your car hire in Zurich to the mountains! The local mountain Uetliberg is well-known, but Jungfrauenjoch or Mount Titlis are also within a day-trip distance. Zurich has something to offer for everyone!

Book your rental car with Auto Europe today and explore the city on the Limmat in a relaxed manner at your own pace. With more than 60 years of company experience, we know exactly what is important to our customers. In addition to low prices, you can also benefit from our top customer service with us. Our price comparison engine gives you a quick overview of the different vehicles in Zurich and you are also able to check out the previous experiences of our many customers by visiting our Zurich car hire reviews for extra peace of mind.

How is the traffic in Zurich?

Driving your car hire in Zurich is not always an easy task due to high levels of traffic, but well worth it as hiring a car allows you to both explore the city and its surroundings with ease. As a historic city with a densely built-up city centre, it is not designed for high traffic volumes and numerous one-way streets and car-free zones are in place in order to control the traffic flow. If you plan on visiting sights in the city centre, it is advisable to park it in one of the multi-storey car parks and use public transport. Alternatively, you can also go on foot, as the distances are rather short. In general, the greater Zurich area transport network is very well connected to the Swiss with motorways with the A1 leading to Basel and Bern, and the A3 towards Chur.

In order to use the Swiss motorways, please keep in mind that it is obligatory to have a motorway vignette. Rental cars in Switzerland normally have these in place already but we advise you to confirm it at the time of pick up, and if not available you can buy one at local gas stations or post offices. For more details on road regulations in Switzerland, visit our driving information page.

Where can I park my car hire in Zurich?

Like many other city centres, parking your car rental in Zurich can be difficult and on-street parking is mostly reserved for residents only. Parking is generally only permitted in designated parking areas. There are parking meters for short stays (white zones). As a rule, you can park here for a maximum of 30 minutes, or 2-4 hours in less busy areas. Generally speaking, parking in one of the 10 multi-storey car parks in Zurich is recommended. These are indicated at every intersection, with an indication of the parking spaces that are still free.

Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport is located about 8 miles northeast of Zurich. In 2003 the airport underwent major renovation works and a new terminal was added with a direct train connection to the old terminal. You can fly to Zurich with Aer Lingus, British Airways, EasyJet and Swiss International Airlines from the major cities in the United Kingdom. The car rental desks can be found in the Airport Shopping centre on the first floor which is located between the parking facilities of P2 and P3, just outside Terminal / Arrival 2.

Zurich Airport (ZRH)
Address: Flughafen Zürich AG Postfach, CH-8058 Zürich-Flughafen, Switzerland
Website: Zurich Airport
Telephone: +41 438 162 211

What to do in Zurich

Zurich is the richest and largest city in Switzerland and has been rewarded with being the world's most habitable city. The cleanliness of the city with plenty of green areas and a very efficient and almost never delayed public transport system makes Zurich an attractive destination. A general misconception that many believe is that Zurich is nothing more than a financial city and it is true that Zurich is one of the largest financial centres in the world with the fourth largest stock exchange and the country's financial engine, but it’s also a vibrant artistic and trendy city that makes it one of central Europe's hippest destination. Below Auto Europe has selected some of the highlights that you should not miss:

• Old Town: The Altstadt located on the banks of the Limmat River and home to some of the most beautiful sights in the city, like the Town Hall, the Grossmünster Church and a bright promenade close to the Limmat River, offers a mix of medieval and modern architecture and sights along with luxurious shopping and high-cuisine restaurants. The Grossmünster Church is one of the most iconic landmarks in Zurich with its twin towers and a climb to the top is well worth the effort as you are rewarded with an amazing view of Zurich. Across the river, you can reach Lindenhof district, a vantage point of the city and once home to an ancient Roman settlement. Another well worth excursion is the Polybanh train, a small historical funicular that has been in operation since 1889, and that will take you from the main railway station to a panorama terrace.


• Swiss National Museum: Located behind Zurich central station you will find this impressive building holding the biggest collection of artefacts in Switzerland. Simply admire its building - a historic fairy-tale castle dating to 1898, or discover its wonders inside. A tour of the museum will take you from prehistory through ancient times and the Middle Ages to the 20th century and especially noteworthy is the gothic art section and a comprehensive collection of liturgical wooden sculptures, panel paintings and carved altars.


• Bahnhofstrasse: This well-known shopping street was built off the main Railway Station to connect it to Lake Zurich. The 1.4 kilometre long shopping mile is known as one of the most expensive in the world. Exclusive shops like Prada, Gucci, and expensive jewellery and watch stores line the street and the rental prices for one square meter of retail space are up to € 15,000 here - elsewhere you can rent an entire street for this. At the end of the street is the Paradeplatz, the centre of the Swiss banking business. Whether you like shopping or not, this is a must stop. It takes around 20 minutes to walk from the beginning to the end of the street. A visit to Zurich is not complete until you have walked along this very beautiful street.


• Zurich-West: The former industrial district was once home to the manufacturing industry. After the industry moved away however, the quarter offered attractive urban development opportunities. From the 1990s onwards, numerous new buildings and conversions were completed here and attracted creative people and artist, and today this is where Zurich's modern urban life takes place today. Ms. Gerolds Garten, a city garden with a bar and restaurant, is particularly popular and The "Puls 5" center is also particularly worth seeing.

Best day trips with my car rental in Zurich

If you decide to rent a car in Zurich you must take a couple of days to discover its stunning surroundings. Don't know where to start? Auto Europe has some tips for you! Below are our personal favourites for day trips around the Zurich area.

Lucerne: Located south of Zurich, the city is beautifully nestled between its lake and stately mountain peaks. Lucerne is among the most popular day trips in Switzerland, thanks to its sights, its souvenirs and watch shops, the incredibly beautiful lake which is the fourth largest in the country and the nearby nature experiences. In addition to the unbelievably beautiful nature, the city has a very fascinating history that is well worth exploring. Kapellbrücke is a bridge, and is the city's most iconic place. It is an old wooden bridge, the oldest of its kind in all of Europe with many decorative paintings along its interior. It is very popular to walk along this bridge and during the evening time to sit and watch as the bridge lights up the evening night and offers a spectacular view.

Bern: A mere 1.30 hour drive away from Zurich, Switzerland’s capital city, Bern is full of attractions, including its charming Old Town which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This is also where you find most of the attractions, including the Zytglogge clock tower with moving figures and the Munster. You can visit the Swiss Parliament Building for a panorama view of the Aare River or cross the river and visit the Einstein Museum and Bern Historical Museum. As you promenade along the river, you reach the Bear Pit Park with some of the most unique views of the city and, as the name says, it is a park with bears which are the symbol of the city.

Alpamare Adventure Pool: The Alpamare adventure pool in Freienbach is located approx. 30 kilometers from Zurich, on the south bank of Lake Zurich. The pool has four different thermal pools with a temperature of 30 to 36 degrees. You can also relax in an extensive sauna and wellness area. Wellness treatments and massages can be booked for a fee. The children are also well catered for with a huge slide paradise and a paddling area for the little ones. The culinary offers include the Alpagrill restaurant, where you can grill your dishes yourself if you wish, and the Rio restaurant, where you can sit back and enjoy the view over Lake Zurich.

Jungfraujoch: If you want to experience a completely different world and see one of the most unique views of them all in the Swiss Alps, it is to the top of Europe, Jungfraujoch you should go. This part of the country's alpine chain is located north of Bern and it is possible to take the 9 km long unique railway to the high peak which is 4,158 meters above sea level. By train, you will reach the highest railway station in Europe and be right in the heart of the UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition to the outstanding view, you can also enjoy an ice palace.

How to get around Zurich

Zurich is well known for its very efficient, clean and safe public transport which is a good option to get around the city to avoid getting stuck in traffic queues. A travel pass called the Swiss Travel Pass, valid from 3 to 15 days is a good option and will give you free entry to most museums as well.

Bus

Both bus and tram services are run by the ZVV and there are several tram and bus lines that easily and smoothly take you around the whole city. Both forms of transport are clean and natural, as both the buses and the trams run entirely on electricity. During the day, buses and trams depart every seven minutes. If you are looking for a long service bus they are operated by PostBus Switzerland. Tickets can be bought on board, at vending machines or ticket offices. The Eurobus Swiss-Express began to operate in 2018, and offers three domestic lines to Bern, Basel and Geneva.

Ferry

There are two types of boat-based modes of public transport in Zurich. During the summer, special ferries depart from the Landesmuseum on the Limmat River to the Tiefenbrunnen in Lake Zurich. During the winter months, the slower steamboat departs between the river and the lake.

Train

The train is one of the main transportation services in Zurich. Zurich central train station offers a variety of options across Switzerland and other European destinations, including Germany. There are connections once or twice an hour to major cities in Switzerland and tickets are valid for all trains. You can purchase them at the automatic vending machines and the info desks. You can buy daily tickets or monthly passes, children up to 5 travel for free and from 6-16 years pay a half-fare price.

Useful links

Official Zurich Tourism Website