Best Day Trips from Zurich 2026 — Lucerne, the Rhine Falls and the Jungfrau Region Near Zurich

Best Day Trips from Zurich 2026

Zurich sits at the centre of Switzerland's extraordinary rail network, making it one of Europe's best-connected day trip hubs. Lucerne is 50 minutes by direct train, the Rhine Falls at Schaffhausen are 35 minutes north, and the Bernese Oberland's Jungfrau region is 2 hours south. Switzerland's SwissPass system makes all rail, boat, and many mountain transport connections seamless for visitors. The Swiss landscape changes dramatically within a 2-hour radius — from Rhine riverside medieval towns to 4,000m Alpine glaciers. This guide covers the best day trips from Zurich in 2026.

Top Day Trip Destinations from Zurich

• Lucerne (55km south, 50 minutes by direct InterRegio train from Zurich HB): the most beautiful medieval lakeside city in Switzerland with the Chapel Bridge (1333, the world's oldest covered wooden bridge), the Lion Monument, Lake Lucerne boat cruises, the Transport Museum (CHF 32 / AUD 54), and direct access to Mount Pilatus (CHF 72 / AUD 122 return by cable car) or Mount Rigi by cogwheel train; Rhine Falls (30km north, 35 minutes by S-Bahn to Neuhausen am Rheinfall): Europe's largest waterfall by volume — 23 metres high, 150 metres wide, with boat tours to the rocks at the centre (CHF 16 / AUD 27); the medieval town of Schaffhausen is 3km further with a remarkable concentration of oriel bay windows on the old town buildings; Stein am Rhein (65km north, 1 hour by train): Switzerland's best-preserved medieval town with extraordinary painted building facades along the main street; the Hohenklingen Castle above the town; Jungfrau Region (200km south, 2 hours by train to Interlaken): Interlaken, the Lauterbrunnen waterfall valley, Grindelwald glaciers, and the Jungfraujoch (Top of Europe at 3,454m, CHF 215 / AUD 365 return from Interlaken) — Switzerland's most visited mountain destination; allow a full day; Ticino — Lugano and Locarno (200km south, 1.5-2 hours by direct train through the Gotthard Base Tunnel): the Italian-speaking Swiss canton with Mediterranean lakeside towns, palm trees, and spectacular Alpine lake scenery; Lugano's Monte San Salvatore and the Verzasca Valley's turquoise river

Day Trip Logistics from Zurich

• Zurich Hauptbahnhof (HB) is Switzerland's busiest rail hub with direct trains to all major day trip destinations; the Swiss Travel Pass (from CHF 244 / AUD 414 for 3 days) covers unlimited SBB rail travel, many lake boats, and discounts on mountain transport; the Zürich Card (CHF 34 / AUD 58 for 24 hours) covers all public transport within the Zurich zone including S-Bahn to the Rhine Falls; book mountain transport (Jungfraujoch, Pilatus) in advance during summer peak

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