From Zürich Airport (ZRH) to the city center, the train is hard to beat for one traveller: Zurich Tourism puts the trip at 10 to 15 minutes for a CHF 7 single, with trains every 5 to 10 minutes between 5 am and midnight. An official airport taxi costs around CHF 65 to the city centre, according to the airport. A fixed Elly8.net transfer to the Bahnhofstrasse costs from US$135 in a business sedan to US$355 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, and the chauffeur meets you inside the arrivals hall.
That makes the private driver the most expensive of the three options, and we would rather say so up front. It is worth the money in particular situations: families with suitcases and child seats, groups and teams, hotels on the lake shore or the Zürichberg rather than beside the main station, late arrivals after a long-haul flight, and anyone going straight on to Lucerne or the mountains. This guide takes each option in turn.
Is the train or a private driver better from Zurich Airport?
For one or two travellers with light bags staying near Zürich HB, the train is better: 10 to 15 minutes and CHF 7 per adult. A private driver from US$135 per vehicle is better for families, groups, heavy or ski luggage, hillside and lakeside hotels, late-night landings and onward trips to Lucerne or the Alps.
Think about the whole journey, not only the airport leg. The train ends at a station. If your hotel is a short walk from Zürich HB or a tram stop, that hardly matters. If it is up the hill above the city, across the lake, or two hours away in Davos, the last mile is where the effort lives.
The train: fast, frequent and inexpensive
Zurich Airport's own public transport page says SBB trains leave for Zurich's main station every 10 minutes and the journey takes 15 minutes. Zurich Tourism's airport-to-city guide adds that S-Bahn lines S2 and S16 and various regional trains make the run in about 10 minutes, that trains run between 5 am and midnight, and that the first trains from the city to the airport leave as early as 4:45 am.
The fare is a CHF 7 single for an adult and CHF 3.50 for a child, or CHF 14 for a 24-hour pass. The Zürich Card includes the airport trip, so if you were going to buy one for museums and transport anyway, the ride into town is effectively free. The station is part of the airport complex, so there is no shuttle bus to catch first.
The scenic alternative. Tram line 10 runs from the airport to the main station in about 35 minutes for the same CHF 7 fare, passing the ETH and the university. It is a pleasant first look at the city if you are not in a hurry.
Airport taxis: what they cost and where they wait
The airport's taxi and limousine page recommends the official cars marked Airport Taxi, which wait along the inner curbside lanes of Arrival 1 and 2, and says they take you to the city centre for around CHF 65. Zurich Tourism gives a range of CHF 50 to 70 and notes that most taxis charge a basic fare of CHF 6 plus CHF 3.80 per kilometre, with a possible surcharge for a lot of luggage. The ride takes 10 to 20 minutes.
A taxi is a fair choice for a single trip at short notice, and it is door to door. The difference from a pre-booked car is the price model: the meter decides the fare at the end, while a booked transfer is fixed before you fly. For a deeper look at how cabs work across the city, see our Zurich taxi guide.
App rides and being collected by car
App-based rides operate in Zurich, but the airport's ground transport pages do not list a dedicated app pickup zone, and prices in the app change with demand. Our post on Uber in Zurich explains the canton's rules and how surge pricing behaves.
If a friend collects you instead, note that the airport charges for the Arrival 1 and 2 curbside lanes: according to its picking-up page, up to 5 minutes costs CHF 4, up to 15 minutes CHF 12 and up to 30 minutes CHF 27, with CHF 1 per extra minute after an hour. The airport also requires a permit for commercial drivers who use the inner curbside lane regularly. On an Elly8.net booking, the partner handles access and parking; airport parking on the day is billed at cost.
The four options side by side
| Option | Price | Time to the centre | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Train or S-Bahn | CHF 7 adult single, CHF 3.50 child | 10 to 15 min to Zürich HB | One or two travellers, light bags, hotels near the station |
| Tram line 10 | CHF 7 adult single | about 35 min | A slow, scenic first look at the city |
| Official Airport Taxi | around CHF 65 to the city centre | 10 to 20 min | Short notice, a single trip, door to door |
| Elly8.net business sedan | US$135 fixed, per vehicle | about 21 min clear road, door to door | Couples with cases, executives, fixed budgets |
| Elly8.net Business SUV | US$180 fixed, per vehicle | about 21 min clear road | Families and teams, six seats and six bags |
| Elly8.net Executive Sprinter | US$355 fixed, per vehicle | about 21 min clear road | Groups up to twelve with twelve bags |
As arithmetic for comparison only: a family of two adults and two children pays CHF 21 in single train tickets, which is far less than any car. The price gap only narrows when you value the luggage handling, the child seats and the door-to-door finish.
Luggage: the Swiss option most visitors miss
If the only reason you are considering a car is your suitcases, look at SBB's luggage service first. According to SBB's flight luggage page, travellers flying to or from Zurich or Geneva can have their luggage transported, and for some airlines checked in, so they can travel by train without it; prices start from CHF 24. That can make the train work even for a heavier trip, provided your plans fit the service.
Late arrivals and the last train
Zurich Tourism says trains run from the airport to the main station between 5 am and midnight. If your flight lands late and baggage is slow, the last convenient train can come and go while you are still at the belt. After that, the choice is a taxi from the rank or a car that was booked in advance and has tracked the delay.
This is one of the clearest cases for a pre-booked transfer. The fare was fixed weeks ago, the chauffeur adjusts to the actual landing time, and nobody has to make a decision at 1 am in a quiet terminal. If a connection in another European hub is missed altogether, message the 24/7 desk with the new flight and the pickup moves to it.
Departures: getting to ZRH on time
Going the other way, the same logic applies. Trains from the city to the airport begin as early as 4:45 am, according to Zurich Tourism, which covers most morning flights for travellers staying near a station. For a 6:30 departure from a hotel on the Zürichberg or along the lake, a car at the door is simpler, and the fare is the same fixed price in either direction, from US$135 in a business sedan to US$355 in a Sprinter.
Allow time for check-in, bag drop and security in addition to the drive of about 21 minutes on a clear road. Give us the airline and flight when you book, and the chauffeur plans the pickup time with you. A round trip booked together, from US$260 in a business sedan, settles both legs before you land.
When the train is the right call
For a solo traveller or a couple with carry-ons, staying in the city centre near Zürich HB, the train is quicker than a car to the main station and costs a fraction of the price. That is true at most times of day. Business travellers who know Zurich routinely take it, and so should you if your trip looks like that. Spend the difference on a car for the day you head to the mountains, when it makes far more difference.
When a private driver is worth it
The long-haul morning. Flights from North America usually arrive after a night in the air. Passport control and the baggage hall come first; then a chauffeur with your name is waiting in the arrivals hall. The flight is tracked, and waiting after a tracked landing is complimentary. See meet and greet.
Hotels away from the station. The lakeside hotels on both shores and the hilltop hotels above the city are all reachable by tram, but not gracefully with two large cases. By our routed estimate, the airport to the Dolder area above the city is about 14.4 km (8.9 mi), roughly 17 minutes on a clear road.
Families. Child and booster seats are available on request; give the children's ages and the partner fits them before pickup.
Groups and delegations. A Business SUV or van seats six with six bags, and an Executive Sprinter seats twelve with twelve bags, at one fixed price per vehicle. See group transportation.
Going straight on. Lucerne is about 66 km (41 mi) from the airport by our routed estimate, about 53 minutes on a clear road, and Davos and St. Moritz are well over two hours. Our Zurich to Lucerne guide compares the car and the train for that leg.
Corporate arrivals. A corporate account gives fixed ZRH fares, monthly invoicing and NDAs on request, and the same terms in Geneva, Frankfurt, London and New York. See corporate car service.
Elly8.net fares at Zurich Airport
Rides in Zurich are operated by licensed, commercially insured local chauffeur partners vetted through the Limousine Worldwide network; Elly8.net takes the booking, fixes the price and runs the 24/7 desk. The airport is about 15 km (9 mi) from the Bahnhofstrasse, about 21 minutes on a clear road.
- ZRH to the Bahnhofstrasse, or back: from US$135 in a business sedan, US$180 in a Business SUV, US$220 in a First Class SUV and US$240 in a First Class Sedan to US$355 in an Executive Sprinter. The same fixed price applies in either direction.
- Round trip: from US$260 in a business sedan to US$675 in a Sprinter.
- By the hour: US$100 an hour in a business sedan to US$200 in a Sprinter, 3-hour minimum.
Prices include the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and airport meet and greet; tolls, parking and waiting beyond the included time are billed at cost. The vehicle's Swiss motorway vignette is the operator's responsibility. Partner vehicles are four model years old or newer.
How booking works
- Pickup and drop-off. Enter ZRH with your flight number and your hotel or address.
- Vehicle. Choose the class, and add child seats, skis or extra bags.
- Reserve. Press Reserve now and pay by card in US$, or use the web booker for Lucerne, Davos or any address off the price list. Confirmation arrives by email.
Cancellation is free more than 72 hours before pickup; 10% at 72 hours or less; 50% at 48 hours or less; 100% at 24 hours or less or for a no-show, refunded to the original card. See the cancellation policy.
Full prices are in the Zurich fares panel, and the Zurich airport transfer page covers Davos, the financial district and the event calendar. For fair comparisons, see chauffeur vs taxi and chauffeur vs airport shuttle, or read how airport transfers work. Elly8.net is a member of LimousineWorldwide.Directory, LimousineAssociation.International, HotelsWorldwide.Directory and VacationsWorldwide.Directory. Flying on from Geneva instead? See our Geneva airport transfers.
Frequently asked questions
How much is the train from Zurich Airport to the city center?
Zurich Tourism lists a CHF 7 single for an adult and CHF 3.50 for a child, or CHF 14 for a 24-hour pass. The trip takes 10 to 15 minutes to Zürich HB, and the Zürich Card includes it. Trains run between 5 am and midnight, every few minutes.
How much is a taxi from Zurich Airport to the city?
The airport says its official Airport Taxis take you to the city centre for around CHF 65; Zurich Tourism gives CHF 50 to 70, with most taxis charging CHF 6 plus CHF 3.80 per kilometre. Taxis wait along the inner curbside lanes of Arrival 1 and 2.
How much is a private driver from Zurich Airport?
A fixed Elly8.net transfer to the Bahnhofstrasse costs from US$135 in a business sedan, US$180 in a Business SUV, US$220 in a First Class SUV, US$240 in a First Class Sedan and US$355 in an Executive Sprinter, per vehicle, including the chauffeur, taxes, standard gratuity and meet and greet.
Where does the chauffeur meet me at ZRH?
In the arrivals hall, after passport control and baggage reclaim, with a name board. The chauffeur tracks your flight from the number you give when booking, and waiting after a tracked landing is complimentary. If you miss a connection, message the 24/7 desk and the pickup moves.
Can I send my luggage separately and take the train?
Yes, for many trips. SBB offers a flight luggage service for travellers flying to or from Zurich or Geneva, from CHF 24, and checks bags in for some airlines. If your bags are the only reason to book a car, it is worth checking first.
Is it worth booking a car for an early departure?
Often. Trains to the airport start around 4:45 am, so very early flights can leave little margin. A pre-booked car collects you at the door at the agreed time, with the same fixed fare in either direction, from US$135 in a business sedan.
