15,387 places in and around Zurich, from lake baths and Altstadt bars to Wallisellen and Zollikon, for anyone spending a night or a week by the lake.
Switzerland is a small country that changes language three times between breakfast and dinner, and Zurich is where Num is deepest: 15,387 places from the Altstadt on both banks of the Limmat out to Wallisellen, Dübendorf and lakeside Zollikon. That includes 1,494 restaurants, 583 bars, 979 shops and 116 museums, which for a city of its size is a lot of doors.
Ask Num here for a bar in Kreis 4 that is still pouring after the trams thin out, a badi on the lake where locals actually swim, a bakery near your hotel open before your 7am train, a fondue place that will seat one without fuss, or a museum to fill a rainy afternoon. It answers with one place that fits and tells you whether it is open right now.
Every destination Num covers here, with how many places it holds in each. Open one for the full picture.
| Currency | Swiss franc (CHF); euros are sometimes accepted in shops, with change given in francs |
|---|---|
| Languages | German (Swiss German spoken) in Zurich; French, Italian and Romansh elsewhere; English widely understood |
| Plugs | Type J (Type C fits) · 230 V |
| Emergency | 112 · 117 police · 118 fire · 144 ambulance |
| Tipping | Service is included; rounding up the bill is the usual gesture |
Trams, buses and trains have no barriers and you are trusted to hold a valid ticket; inspectors do check and fine on the spot. Buy from the machine at the stop or in the SBB app before you step on.
Nearly every shop is shut, and many close by 8pm on weekdays. The shops inside Zurich Hauptbahnhof are the exception and open seven days.
Zurich has well over a thousand public fountains, and unless a sign says otherwise the water is drinkable. Bring a bottle and never buy water here.
Cards work nearly everywhere, but some small cafés and market stalls still want francs. Euros are sometimes taken as a favour, at a poor rate.
From May to September the city moves to the lake and river, with badis (public baths) open into the evening, some turning into bars after dark.
Message Num the way you would message a friend who lives here, in any language. It answers with one real place that fits, open now, and how to get there. It is free for travelers. Businesses list free and pay only when Num completes a booking for them, so nothing here is ranked by who paid.
Yes, among the most expensive cities in the world for eating out and hotels. The good news is that what is free is excellent: the lake, the fountains, the old town and the parks.
Yes. Message it in any language and it answers in yours, with a real place that is open now.
Locals speak Swiss German and write standard German, but English is understood almost everywhere in the city. A "Grüezi" on entering a shop goes a long way.