Switzerland Guide
Zürich
Getting around
One of the great advantages of Zürich is that you can enjoy all the buzz of big city life in a compact setting that's no larger than a single arrondissement of Paris: covering the city on foot is perfectly feasible. The main Bahnhofstrasse, which extends from the station to Bürkliplatz, is only a bit over 1km long. Nonetheless, Zürich's city transport system is legendary for its efficiency, punctuality and convenience, with the city centre and surrounding suburbs linked by a cat's cradle of routings.
After a referendum in the 1970s, in which Zürchers rejected a proposal to build an underground metro, the city has focused on its eco-friendly and ubiquitous trams, while easing most cars off the city-centre streets. Tram lines weave through the centre, and dozens of bus routes fan out from suburban termini to outlying districts. S-Bahn suburban trains, most originating from or passing through the main station, add a third dimension, linking to Zug and Einsiedeln in the south and Winterthur, Schaffhausen and Stein-am-Rhein in the north, as well as serving the nearby Uetliberg summit. Boats crisscross their way up and down the Zürichsee. There's even a free bike-rental.
Taxis, in a city where even millionaire bankers use the tram, are an extravagance, with a Fr.6 flagfall plus Fr.3.50 per kilometre. There are numerous public ranks, or you can order one from, for example, Taxi 444 ( 
0 444 444 444) or Alpha Taxi ( 044 777 77 77).