Lake Zurich Cruise: Short Round Trip, Long Trip to Rapperswil, or a Combined Tour?
4 min read
If you only want the water, a scheduled cruise from Bürkliplatz run by the lake shipping company ZSG is the plainest way; if you want a city overview first, the bus tour with audio guide and lake cruise bundles both in 3.5 hours. The cruise options linked below are combinations with a bus tour or a walk, not a plain boat ticket.
The scheduled cruises
The ZSG site lists three round trips from Zürich: the mini and short lake cruises of about 1 hour, a short lake cruise of 1.5 hours, and the long lake cruise of 4.5 hours. Zurich Tourism describes the long one as the Zürich–Rapperswil trip.
A few rules from the ZSG site matter before you go. On scheduled routes a ZVV zone ticket or the GA travelcard is valid, and the Zürich Card covers the mini and short lake cruises and the Limmat river boat, but not the long cruise. Catering is offered on the short and long cruises only, and first class exists only on the long cruises. Since 19 October 2026 ZSG has been running a restricted low-water timetable: the short lake cruise only goes to Kilchberg and back in 55 minutes, hourly from 10:30 to 16:30 except at 13:30, and the long lake cruise is replaced by a 1¾-hour round trip with a stop in Horgen or Meilen. Check the traffic conditions page on zsg.ch for your date. ZSG lists these adult fares in 2nd class: CHF 7.20 for the mini lake cruise, CHF 9.40 for the short lake cruise and CHF 28.00 for the long lake cruise. Because of the steep boarding ramps, ZSG advises against bringing wheelchairs or pushchairs on any of its boats.
Combined tours with a cruise
| Option | Duration | From | Rating and reviews | Fits whom |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zurich: City Bus Tour with Audio Guide and Lake Cruise | 3.5 hours | €47.83 | 4.2 · 1,584 | A sit-down overview with a longer cruise |
| Zurich: City Tour with Lake Cruise + Optional FIFA Museum | 3.5 to 5 hours | €47.83 | 4.0 · 768 | Bus, an Old Town walk and a one-hour cruise |
| Zurich: Guided Tour, Lake Cruise & Lindt Home of Chocolate | 5.5 to 6.5 hours | €88.81 | 4.5 · 5,769 | A full day with chocolate |
What each one says about the boat
The bus tour with audio guide lists a leisurely 90-minute cruise from the Bürkliplatz piers and the commentary in eleven languages. Luggage and large bags are not allowed on the bus, and children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult.
The city tour from Best of Switzerland Tours adds a 25-minute walk through the Old Town and a one-hour cruise that you follow with an audio guide on your own device. The listing says a FIFA Museum visit is optional and marks the tour as not suitable for wheelchair users.
The full-day tour includes the Lindt Home of Chocolate and a 24-hour public transport ticket for zones 110 and 150. The cruise is given as 20 minutes in the itinerary and as 30 minutes in the highlights, so confirm the length on the booking page. The listing marks this tour as not suitable for people with reduced mobility or a severe nut allergy. All three cruises leave from Bürkliplatz; while ZSG’s low-water timetable applies, ask the operator whether the cruise length on the booking page still holds.
Check dates and prices for the bus tour with lake cruise
Which to choose
Take a scheduled ZSG cruise if you have a ZVV ticket or a Zürich Card and want the water without a tour. Take the bus tour with the 90-minute cruise for the longest cruise of the three combined options according to the listings, with bus commentary in eleven languages. Take the city tour if you want a walk through the Old Town in English first, and the full-day tour if chocolate is the main reason for your day. For the stops on land, see our Old Town guide, and for every boat option the Lake Zurich cruises category.
