Navigation auf uzh.ch
Navigation auf uzh.ch
Below, you can find most of the information you will need to plan your travels to and your stay in Zurich for the summer schools. Make sure to read the information carefully and to take note of any special requirements for your journey or whilst you are staying in Zurich.
If you have any remaining questions after reading this page, our UZHISS Team is happy to assist you. You can reach us via the contact form (linked below) or by sending us an email.
The best way to reach the city center from the airport is by public transport. For public transport, we highly recommend to download the SBB mobile app. The app offers simple and personalized timetable enquiries and can be accessed here: SBB app
After your arrival at the airport, follow the signs towards the train station, which is located in the lower level of the airport, below Terminal B. Traveling to Zurich Main Station (Zürich HB) takes approximately 12 minutes by train.
If you prefer a taxi, you can either go to a taxi stand or call +41 44 444 44 44 (Taxi444). A taxi from the airport to the city center will cost you approximately 50 Swiss francs. Ride share apps are also a good alternative.
The main train station (Zürich Hauptbahnhof) is centrally located. Many tram, bus and train lines run to and from the main train station. The best way to travel to your accommodation is by public transport. We highly recommend downloading the SBB mobile app. The app offers simple and personalized timetable enquiries and can be accessed here: SBB app
Should you choose bus or tram to travel to your accommodation, follow the signage for your respective bus or tram line. All bus and tram lines have a number and color which identifies them. Should you choose to take a train, follow the signs to your platform.
For the duration of the summer school, we will provide you with public transportation tickets for the city of Zurich (zone 110). However, on your arrival and for your departure, or if you stay longer, you will need to buy one-way tickets from and to the airport. These tickets can be purchased from vending machines located next to the platforms. You can pay by cash or credit card.
http://www.sbb.ch/en/home.html
You will receive your public transport pass upon arrival at the UZHISS housing or at the Welcome Event on the first day.
Refer to the section about the UZHISS accommodation for all important information and further details.
Download an overview of the schedule here: (This document will be available at a later time.)
Please note that the schedule is only indicative and is meant to provide a sample for the course programs of the UZHISS. The Social Program events are finalized and registration for the individual events will be accessible to enrolled students once the application window has closed. If you have any questions regarding the schedule or about a specific event, please do not hesitate to reach out to our team via summer@int.uzh.ch.
For more information on our social program events, you should also check out our gallery here: Social Program
On your arrival day (or at the Welcome Event, at the latest) you will receive a public transport ticket that is valid in central Zurich (zone 110) for the duration of the summer schools. You can use it on all forms of public transport (bus, tram, S-train, boat) within the valid zone.
There are many nice restaurants in Zurich, but eating out can get expensive. However, if you wish to experience local restaurants, we have prepared a list with recommendations for you. You can find further places to eat out here:
The tap water in Switzerland is safe to drink and generally considered to be one of the highest water qualitites worldwide. There are public taps, fountains and restrooms available throughout the city (and at UZH) where you drink from and can fill up a reusable water bottle.
The Tourist Service Center is located at the Zurich main station and open from Monday to Saturday from 8.00 a.m. – 8.30 p.m., and on Sunday from 8.30 a.m. – 6.30 p.m..
https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/shopping/tourist-information
The Swiss franc (CHF, SFr., or Fr.) is the currency of Switzerland. Francs are divided into sub-units called Rappen (1 Swiss franc = 100 Rappen). You can withdraw cash around the clock at any of the ATMs spread across the city. In most places (restaurants, supermarkets, shops, etc.) you can pay by cash, credit or debit card.
Euros are sometimes accepted by larger restaurants and supermarket chains. You will be given change in Swiss francs most of the time.
The Bahnhof Apotheke, Wannerhalle, Museumstrasse 1, 8001 Zurich (pharmacy at the Zurich main station) is open every day from 7.00 a.m. – 12.00 a.m..
Zurich is a very beautiful and vivid city, but it is also expensive. We thought it might be helpful to give you a few tips on how you can save some money.
In general, most stores will be closed on Sundays and will close earlier (around 5 p.m.) on Saturdays. This applies to grocery stores, clothing stores, and many more. Most public offices and services (bank, public administration offices, university services, etc.) are closed Saturday and Sunday and sometimes close over lunch as well.
The shops and services at the train station are open on Saturday and Sunday as well and usually stay open later than those outside of the main station (“Zürich HB”).
Buying food in the supermarket is a lot cheaper than having dinner at a restaurant. (This is also true for take-out and delivery food.) Especially in summer, picnicking in one of Zurich’s many city parks and gardens, or on the lakeside, is a great alternative to a restaurant dinner. There are many supermarkets located in the city center, quite a few directly at Zurich main station. The best-known and most widely available chains are Coop and Migros. You can find a big Coop store located next to “Bahnhofbrücke”, the bridge right in front of Zurich main station that you need to cross in order to reach UZH. This store is open Monday to Saturday between 6 a.m. and 10 p.m.. The supermarkets at Zurich main station are open on Sundays as well.
With a population of nearly half a million inhabitants, Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and very well connected through public transport and the local airport. It is situated at Lake Zurich and extends along the Limmat river. The Alps, cities such as Basel or Lucerne, and other beautiful places like the Rhine Falls can be reached within an hour. Zurich is not only one of the economic hubs, but also one of the cultural centers of Switzerland. The diversity of Zurich is due to the city’s cosmopolitan and international population, its renowned cultural institutions as well as various alternative and small-scale cultural performances and events. The official language in Zurich is German. The language spoken in daily life is Swiss German.
There are numerous sights in Zurich, which are worth a visit. You can find some inspiration here:
https://www.zuerich.com/en/visit/sightseeing
https://www.zuerich.com/en/discover-zurich
https://www.myswitzerland.com/en-ch/destinations/zurich/
To find your way in and around Zurich, we generally recommend using a navigation app on your smartphone such as Google Maps or similar.
The classroom-based part of the summer schools will be in the main building of the university (Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zürich).
The Welcome & Introduction session will take place in KOL-G-110 (“Aula” – the auditorium, Rämistrasse 71, 8006 Zürich). We will have signage posted guiding you to the room from the main entrance (on Rämistrasse) and the side entrances (Künstlergasse, Karl-Schmid-Strasse and Doktor-Faust-Gasse).
Room codes at UZH are generally structured as follows:
Example: KO2-F-174
On the virtual map of UZH you will find sites on the Zurich city map, and in some cases floor plans of buildings as well. You can use the search function too! https://www.plaene.uzh.ch/ (Website in German)
The lecture rooms for all three summer schools are located on Floor F/G in the KO2 Building (Karl-Schmid-Strasse). The room information for the individual sessions can be found on your summer school program schedules.
Find a map here: https://www.plaene.uzh.ch/KOL/floors
There is Wi-Fi all over the University of Zurich. If your home university offers eduroam, you can simply use your home university login to connect with eduroam at UZH. Please make sure to check before travelling to Switzerland, if your account is properly activated and ready to use. Your home university will be able to help you in case of any problems with your eduroam access.
If you do not have a university account with eduroam: To connect to the network, you can request a login from the University of Zurich on your first day of the Summer School. For that, you will need to connect to “uzh-guest”, where you will be required to provide a phone number. Please note that you will need to be able to receive text messages in Switzerland to get access to the Wi-Fi at UZH.
For the academic program it is strongly recommended that you bring your own laptop. But if you need another computer, there are several computer rooms in the main building of the University of Zurich.
There are two cafeterias on the UZH main campus where you can eat lunch. You will find different meal selections and a buffet for salad and some hot dishes.
We will also give you a “meal discount card” on your first day of the summer school which will allow you the same discount on menus as other UZH students in all UZH cafeterias.
The UZH shares its sport facilities with the other higher education institutions in the city of Zurich. Access to the gym is not included in the summer school fees and needs to be purchased separately. The university's sports facilities, ASVZ, offers trial memberships for 30 days that gives you access to all facilities in the seven locations of the ASVZ. For more information visit the following link and refer to the section "Trial Membership": ASVZ
