Many people ride bikes in Zurich but calling the city bike-friendly would be an overstatement. The city is working on this, but it’ll take a few more years to improve and for the major infrastructure projects – such as the bicycle tunnel under the main station – to materialize. In the meantime this means that you’ll mostly have to ride in traffic. Where there are bike lanes, they are on the right side of the car lane, marked with yellow lines and sometimes a red surface.
Here’s what else you should know about riding bikes in Zurich:
Some Rules
- The tram (street car) always has the right of way.
- Give way: triangles on the road at intersections indicate you don’t have right of way.
- At an intersection without the triangles or stop sign, traffic coming from the right has the right of way (except when the street from the right crosses a side walk first).
- Riding on the sidewalk is forbidden unless the street is blocked and it is explicitly marked as so.
- When a red light has a small black sign with a yellow bike on it, you can turn right even when the light is red. However, you must yield to traffic and pedestrians.
- Highways have green signs. NEVER ride on the highway, you’ll get pulled immediately and risk a high fine.
Fines, Fines, Fines
Usually, police have other things to do than to stop cyclists and check for minor offenses. But don’t count on it. Fines in Switzerland tend to be quite hefty, too. Here are the most important ones that you should know about:
- Running a red light: 60 CHF
- Running a stop with a stop sign: 30 CHF
- For those with fixies: The fine for not having any brakes is 690 CHF, only having one 290 CHF.
- Once it’s dark you should have lights. Not having lights can get you fines ranging from 40-60 CHF.
Tram Tracks
Be aware that Zurich’s main means of public transport is the tram (street car). This means there’s a lot of tracks criss-crossing the tarmac. If you’re a newbie to tram tracks, take it easy on them. They are slippery when wet and your tires can get stuck in them if crossing at a small angle. The general rule is to cross them at a minimum angle of 30°. If overtaking a tram, be sure there’s no oncoming trams in the opposite direction. The space between two trams is not always wide enough for a cyclist to pass through.
Riding Downhill
Zurich is hillier than most cities. Make sure you don’t overestimate your skills or underestimate the streets when bombing downhill. Look out for your fellow road users.
Bicycles in Public Transport
Finally, in Switzerland you are allowed to bring your bicycle onto public transport (if there is enough space), but you need to buy a ticket for it or pack it in a bag/case. Some intercity trains need reservations if you don’t have a bag.
Keep the rubber side down and enjoy riding your bike in our city!
A motif from the multiple award-winning VBZ campaign „Umsteigen lohnt sich“. Creative agency: Ruf Lanz, Zurich. Client: Zurich Transport Authority (VBZ).
