Local Tip
Landing at Zurich Airport? SBB's exchange counter is in the railway travel centre below Airport Shopping, by Check-in 3, open daily 06:30 to 21:00. For some currencies SBB Change improves its rate from CHF 300, so one larger exchange can beat several small ones.
Where to change money in Zurich
SBB Change, the Swiss railways' exchange service, has counters where most visitors arrive, both open seven days a week. Zürich Tourismus names them, with bank branches and cash machines, as the simplest sources of francs.
- SBB Change, Zürich Hauptbahnhof On level 0 of the station's Südtrakt (south wing), within ShopVille, open 06:30 to 21:00 Monday to Sunday, with notes for over 100 countries in stock. SBB quotes no rate or commission online, so ask how many francs your pounds will buy first.
- SBB Change, Zurich Airport Inside the SBB travel centre in the public area beneath Airport Shopping, by Check-in 3. Exchange runs 06:30 to 21:00 daily, matching SBB's Zürich Flughafen station page.
Changing money at the airport
Zurich Airport (ZRH) has two UBS branches, in Terminal 1 and at what UBS calls B Terminal 2. Each has a counter open 06:00 to 21:00 daily and cash machines that UBS lists as working around the clock, including a Bancomat that can also pay out euros, handy if your trip continues into the eurozone. After 21:00 every counter is shut, so a late arrival means a withdrawal or paying by card.
ATMs and cards in Zurich
Plenty of Zurich shops and restaurants take euros, but Zürich Tourismus warns their rate is usually very poor and advises using francs, most easily drawn from a cash machine or at a bank branch. Before leaving home, find out what your own bank charges for card use abroad. When a till or ATM screen asks which currency to use, choose Swiss francs over sterling, so your card provider sets the conversion.
Paying for transport in Zurich
ZVV, the Zurich transport network, prices tickets by zone, and the city's zone 110 counts as two. On fares valid from 14 December 2025, an adult second-class single within the city costs CHF 4.70 for one hour, and a short-distance ticket CHF 2.80 for half an hour. The airport station lies in zone 121, so reaching the Hauptbahnhof takes a three-zone ticket: CHF 7.20 for one hour, or CHF 14.40 for 24 hours. The blue machines accept cards and coins. In the ZVV app you can instead check in and out; it tracks your route by GPS and bills the right total for the day. The Zürich Card, CHF 29.00 for 24 hours or CHF 56.00 for 72, includes zones 110 and 121 and is sold at the airport's service and information counter.
Good to know
- A city-only zone 110 ticket does not reach the airport. If you fly out that day, buy three zones from the start.
- ZVV's short-distance ticket is not accepted on ZSG's scheduled Lake Zurich boats; use a zone ticket or a Zürich Card.
- The 9 O'Clock Day Pass, CHF 28.00 for all ZVV zones, runs on weekdays from 09:00 until 05:00 next morning and all day at weekends and on public holidays. A 24-hour city ticket is CHF 9.40, so it only pays further afield.
Key Areas in Zurich
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Zurich travel money FAQ
Where is the best place to exchange money in Zurich?
For a counter, SBB Change at the Hauptbahnhof (Südtrakt, level 0) or in the airport's SBB travel centre, both open 06:30 to 21:00 daily. SBB shows no rate or fee online, so compare its offer with a bank cash machine.
Can I get Swiss francs at Zurich Airport late at night?
Yes, from a cash machine. The counters close at 21:00, but UBS lists its machines in Terminal 1 and B Terminal 2 as available 24 hours a day.
Which ticket do I need from Zurich Airport to the city centre?
A three-zone ZVV ticket: the airport is in zone 121 and Zurich's zone 110 counts double. Since 14 December 2025 a second-class single costs CHF 7.20, valid an hour, from the ZVV app or a blue machine. A Zürich Card also covers it.
Checked October 2026. Fees, fares and opening times change, so check locally before relying on them. Sources: SBB · Zurich Airport · UBS · Zürich Tourismus · ZVV
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