Arriving

By Plane -- Kloten Airport (tel. 044/816-22-11), the international airport of Zurich, is the biggest airport in Switzerland and the most popular gateway to the country; in fact, it's among the 10 busiest airports in Europe. Located approximately 11km (7 miles) north of the city center, the trip by taxi costs between 55F and 60F ($45-$49/£23-£26). A far better and cheaper option is to take the Swiss Federal Railways train service; for 6F ($4.90/£2.55) -- press the solid red button on the automated ticket machine -- you'll arrive in less than 15 minutes at the Zurich Hauptbahnhof, the main railway station in the center of town. Zurich is a fairly compact town -- from the train station, you can walk or hop on a tram or bus to most Zurich hotels in less than 30 minutes. (The train ticket you purchase at the airport is valid for 1 hour and includes connecting travel on the trams and buses within central Zurich. Alternatively, you can purchase a 24-hour version of the same ticket for 15F ($12/£6.25) -- press the solid red button followed by the silver button with arrows). The train runs every 15 to 20 minutes between 5:36am and 12:20am. You can also take bus no. 768 (Zurich Airport-Seebach), but you'll have to change to tram no. 14 to get to the center of town.

By Train -- Several trains bound for Switzerland leave from the Gare de l'Est in Paris. Two nonstop trains leave from Paris to Zurich daily, taking 6 hours. There are also good links between Austria and Switzerland, with trains arriving from Salzburg in 6 hours or Vienna in 9 hours. The best connection from Italy is via Milan (4 1/2 hours). Trains to Zurich run every hour from Geneva (a 3-hr. journey) and from Basel (1 1/4 hr.). From Munich, high-speed express trains depart for Zurich frequently. All trains arrive at the Zurich Hauptbahnhof (tel. 0900/300-300).

By Bus -- Zurich's bus routes function only as feeder lines from outlying suburbs, which lie off the train lines, into the vicinity of the town's railroad station.

By Car -- From Basel, take N3 east, and from Geneva, take N1 northeast, going via Bern, where you'll connect with E4 and E17 heading east into Zurich.

By Boat -- The Zurichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft, Mythenquai 333 (tel. 044/487-13-33), offers regularly scheduled service on modern passenger ships as well as old steamers plying both sides of Lake Zurich. The service is operated from Easter to October, going from Zurich as far as Rapperswil.

Visitor Information

The Zurich Tourist Office, Bahnhofplatz 15 (tel. 044/215-40-00), is in the main railway station. It's open November to April, Monday to Saturday from 8:30am to 7pm and Sunday 9am to 6:30pm; May to October, Monday to Saturday 8am to 8:30pm and Sunday 8:30am to 6:30pm.

City Layout

Zurich lies situated on both shores of the Limmat River, which flows from the northern end of Lake Zurich. The Sihl River, a tributary of the Limmat, also flows through the city, and quays line the riverbanks and the lake. The city spreads across a ravine in the eastern hills between the wooded slopes of the Zürichberg and Kääferberg hills into the Glatt River Valley.

The hamlet that became Zurich began at the Lindenhof, which is where you, too, may begin your orientation to the city. This square is the architectural center of historic Zurich. From here, you can survey the city as it rises on both banks of the Limmat from Bahnhofbrücke (brücke means bridge) to Quailbrücke. Between these two bridges are four other spans over the river: Muhle-Steg, Rudolf Brun-Brücke, Rathausbrücke, and Münsterbrücke.

Below this square runs Bahnhofstrasse, one of the most elegant and expensive shopping streets in the world. It begins in the north, at the Hauptbahnhof (the railway station), opening onto Bahnhofplatz, and runs south to the lake. It crosses Paradeplatz, a converging point for trams and the modern center of the city. From Paradeplatz continue east, passing Fraumünster church and crossing Münsterbrücke to reach the right bank of the river. Here, the narrow streets of the Limmatquai are the second-best place in the city to shop. Running parallel to Limmatquai is Niederdorfstrasse, in the so-called red-light district of Zurich.

Old Town, or Altstadt, was developed during the early medieval period and is focused on Lindenhof, Fraumünster, Grossmünster, and St. Peter's. It expanded to Weinplatz, the oldest market square, and Strehlgasse. By the 11th century, the city developed on the right bank with such centers as Kirchgasse and Neumarkt.

Finding an Address -- In a system that developed during the Middle Ages, all Swiss cities, including Zurich, begin their street-numbering system with the lowest numbers closest to the center of town. In Zurich the center is the Hauptbahnhof. All even numbers lie on one side of the street, and all odd numbers are on the other.

Maps -- The best map, published by Falk, is a pocket-size Stadtplan (city plan) with an index. Copies are available at various newsstands and bookstores. Try the Travel Book Shop, Rindermarkt 20 (tel. 044/252-38-83). Hours are Monday 1 to 6:30pm, Tuesday through Friday from 9am to 6:30pm, and Saturday 9am to 4pm.

Neighborhood in Brief

Zurich is divided by the Limmat River into the following two general areas:

West or Left Bank This district is dominated by Bahnhofplatz, center of rail connections, and Bahnhofstrasse, which is the main commercial and banking thoroughfare. This is the Zurich world of high finance and elegant shops. The venerable Fraumünster church, on Fraumünsterstrasse, dominates the west bank. Included within the west bank, but somewhat removed from its sense of high-flying prosperity, is the increasingly visible, increasingly gentrified, warehouse-cum-artmeisters district of Zurich West.

East or Right Bank Opposite Fraumünster, on the other side of the river, rises Grossmünster church, on Grossmünsterplatz; its two Gothic towers are an east-bank landmark. The historic guildhalls of Zurich, such as the Zunfthaus zur Saffran, rise on the east bank of the river. So, too, does the Rathaus, the city's town hall, completed in 1698. On the east bank you can explore the eastern part of Altstadt, strolling along Neumarkt, one of the best preserved of the old streets. The area beyond is Niederdorf, the center of the town's hot spots.

Getting Around

Zurich is an easy city to navigate, and the trams (streetcars) and buses are reliable.

By Public Transportation -- The public transport system of Zurich is operated by ZVV, or Zurich Public Transport (tel. 0848/988-988). The modern and extensive network of trams and buses (there is no subway) runs daily from 5:30am to 12:30am. You should have to wait no longer than 6 minutes during rush hours. Most trams and buses connect at the Zurich Hauptbahnhof, in the heart of the city.

You can buy tickets from automatic vending machines located at every stop. You must have a ticket before you get on a vehicle; if you're caught without one, you'll pay a fine of 50F ($41/£21). The fare is 3.80F ($3.10/£1.60) for a trip of one hour. Visitors can get the most for their money by ordering a Tageskarte (1-day ticket), which costs 7.60F ($6.25/£3.25) and allows you to travel on all city buses and trams for 24 hours.

By Taxi -- Taxis are very expensive. The budget-conscious will only want to use them as a last resort. Your hotel will usually be glad to call a taxi for you, but if you're making the call yourself, call Taxi 444 (tel. 044/444-44-44). The basic charge before you even get into the vehicle is 6F ($4.90/£2.55), plus 3.50F ($2.85/£1.50) for each kilometer you travel.

By Car -- We don't recommend attempting to see Zurich by car -- the city is way too congested, and parking is too scarce and too expensive. Save the car for exploring the environs.

Rental Cars -- All the major car-rental firms are represented in Zurich, with offices at both Kloten Airport and downtown. Representative firms include Avis, with offices at Gartenhofstrasse 17 (tel. 044/296-87-87) or at the airport (tel. 044/800-77-33); Budget, with an office at Steinstrasse 21 (tel. 044/450-75-35); and Hertz, with a base at Morgartenstrasse 5 (tel. 044/298-84-84).

Parking -- You should get a street plan, which indicates parking garages with a "P" sign; a similar leaflet is available from the Zurich police. Some hotels have their own parking garages, for which there is an extra charge; others, especially those in congested Old Town, do not. You'll have to inquire at your hotel for the location of the nearest public garage. Parking costs range from 6F to 10F ($4.90-$8.20/£2.55-£4.25) per hour in most of the city's public garages.

By Bike -- Biking is a good way to get around Zurich, especially in the outlying areas. Bicycles can be rented at the baggage counter of the railway station, the Hauptbahnhof (tel. 051/222-29-04), for 27F ($22/£11) per day or 21F ($17/£8.85) for a half-day for a city bike. Hours are daily from 7am to 7:30pm.

On Foot -- Zurich and its quays are ideal for walking, and many of the places of interest, such as the sights of Altstadt on both sides of the Limmat, are conveniently grouped together.