Lake Zurich Lake

Address: Lake Zurich, Canton of Zurich, Switzerland

Admission: Free

Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) is a freshwater lake in east-central Switzerland linking the city of Zürich with towns to the east and south; it extends roughly 40 kilometers from Zürich to Rapperswil. The lake is a regional recreational focus for boating, swimming and lakeside promenades.

The northern shore is urban and heavily used for walking and public baths, while the eastern and southern shores pass through smaller towns and villages with marinas and parks. Regular passenger boats and ferries provide connections between towns along the lake.

The lake was formed by glacial action and has long been used for transport and leisure; ferry services and shoreline promenades developed in the 19th and 20th centuries. Towns around the lake grew with trade and tourism tied to its shores.

Lake Zurich lies in the cantons of Zürich and St. Gallen, with the city of Zürich at the lake’s northern end and Rapperswil at the eastern end; the Seedamm causeway crosses a narrow section near Rapperswil and carries road and rail traffic.

• Length: Stretches roughly 40 kilometers from Zürich at the lake’s northern tip to Rapperswil at the eastern end.
• Boat services: Regular passenger boat services operate across the lake and connect multiple towns, providing both commuter and tourist transport.

What to See#

• Rapperswil: A historic lakeside town at the eastern end with a medieval castle and a wooden footbridge across the lake connecting to the narrow causeway.
• Seedamm causeway: A narrow natural and man-made crossing that links the lake’s two shores near Rapperswil and carries road and rail traffic.
• Zürich lakeside promenades: Promenades and public baths along the northern shore in the city of Zürich that are used year-round for walking, swimming and boating access.

Lake Zurich (Zürichsee) is immediately adjacent to Zurich city centre. From Zürich Hauptbahnhof it’s a roughly 10-15 minute walk to the lakefront at Bürkliplatz and the quays; Zürich HB is served by all S-Bahn and intercity services. Boat services operated from the Bürkliplatz pier (ZSG) connect towns around the lake; by car follow the A3 motorway and city signs for Zürichsee to reach lakeside access points.

• Start from Zurich's lakeside piers (Bürkliplatz or the quays near Bellevue) in the morning for calm water, easy boarding of ZSG excursion boats and quieter promenades.
• Use the tram or S-Bahn to reach different entry points around the lake-Bürkliplatz for central Zurich access, or the S-Bahn to suburbs like Stäfa/Rapperswil to explore the eastern shore and historic towns.
• To avoid the busiest stretches, take a round-trip boat east toward Rapperswil or explore lesser-used promenades on the lake's western and southern shores; many visitors stick to the central Zurich waterfront.