The public transport system of Zurich is operated by ZVV, or Zurich Public Transport(www.vbz.ch), and made up of buses, S-Bahn suburban trains and trams (there is no subway). Most trams and buses connect at Zurich`s Main Station in the heart of the city. Regular service runs daily from 5:30am to midnight, with late-night services available on weekends with a surcharge. You will find a bus or ZVV tram stop at intervals of around 300 meters throughout the city. At each stop you can view timetable information, the next connections, a zone map and ticket machines. Tickets can be purchased for one hour or Day Cards, another alternative is the ZurichCard that is valid for unlimited travel during either 24 or 72 hours in the zones 110, 111, 112, 121, 140, 150, 154. Late-night trains are available on Friday and Saturday nights and S-Bahn train routes travel from 1am - 9am on the night network, Nachtnetze.

The ticket system is divided into zones. The network of the city of Zurich (called VBZ) is one zone, zone number 110. Tickets are valid in the chosen zones for a certain time period. Before you get on board make sure to buy your ticket at a VBZ ticket office or an automatic ticket machine. Nine ticket offices are available at various Zurich tram stops, while automatic ticket machines can be found at the Bellevue, Albisriederplatz, Limmatplatz and Paradeplatz tram stations. A single ticket is about 4 CHF ($4.00) and valid for 1-hour. For getting around the city (zone 1) a day pass valid for 24-hours costs about 8.60CHF ($8.75). Children up to 5 travel for free, 6-16 years-old pay a half-fare.

Another option for using the public transport is the ZurichCard, valid for zone 110 and between the airport and the city. This card will also allow you free entry to many museums and other reductions. It will also get you to Zurich`s little mountains, Uetliberg and Felsenegg. A 24-hour card costs about 24 CHF ($25) and about 48 CHF ($49) for 72 hours. Discounted rates are available for children 6-16 years of age.

Buses are extremely reliable and almost always run on time. Numerous bus and tram lines cover the city at street level.Timetables can be found at bus stops, stations and the ZVV website. Bus and tram services operate every 5 - 25 minutes depending on the route and time of day.

The S-Bahn is Zurich`s fast, reliable and convenient suburban rail system. Most lines pass through the city`s main Hauptbahnhof train station, linking destinations such as Berne, Lucern and Winterhur.

Watertaxi (wassertaxi) run from one end of the city`s lake to the other, connecting a total of 15 destinations along the way.

There are several taxi stands in the city at which taxis are waiting to pick up passengers. You can also call ahead the various taxi companies; the waiting time is around 5 - 10 minutes until the taxi arrives. It is important to note that taxis in the city are generally expensive and usually unnecessary given the quality of public transport.

Zurich is compact and you can cover a lot of the areas walking. Most major sights are within walking distance from Central Station and can be discovered in just a few hours on foot. Walking is also the best way to maneuver Old Town`s cobbled streets and weaving alleys.

Zurich offers free bike rentals daily for getting around. To borrow a bike, travelers need to show a passport (or other form of ID) and provide a refundable deposit of about 20 CHG ($20). Bikes are located at a handful of locations throughout the city.

We don`t recommend using a car in Zurich, the city is too congested, parking is tricky, scarce and expensive. If you do have a car we recommend to get a street plan, which indicates parking garages with a P sign. Some hotels have their own parking garages for an additional charge; many hotels, especially in Old Town, do not. You`ll have to inquire at your hotel for the location of the nearest public garage. Parking costs range from about 45 CHF (about $45) per 24-hour period.