Bahnhofstrasse & Paradeplatz
The Bahnhofstrasse and the Paradeplatz: the back story
Area guide
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Ank Kumar · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsAbout The Bahnhofstrasse and the Paradeplatz: the back story
The Bahnhofstrasse runs 1.4 km from the main station to the lake, on the line of the old city moats. Halfway down is the Paradeplatz, the heart of Swiss banking, with Sprüngli’s confiserie; at the lake end, Baur au Lac stands in its own park by the Bürkliplatz.
Shopping
Globus, Beyer (a Patek Philippe salon from 2027), Bucherer, Läderach, Teuscher and the Schweizer Heimatwerk.
Photo Credit
Image courtesy of © Jules Verne Times Two · CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia CommonsEating
The Counter (Two MICHELIN Stars, 2025) on the Bahnhofplatz, ORSINI (One Star), Baur’s and Marguita at Baur au Lac, La Bottega di Mario (Bib Gourmand) and Hiltl.
Start at Sprüngli for breakfast, end at the Bürkliplatz for the lake.
Staying
Baur au Lac and Mandarin Oriental Savoy.
Our advice: take tram 11 or 13 down the Bahnhofstrasse rather than walking it both ways.
Why it's on our list
- Shopping
- Eating
- Staying
Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with The Bahnhofstrasse and the Paradeplatz: the back story before you go.
What’s nearby
Distances from The Bahnhofstrasse and the Paradeplatz: the back story are approximate, measured in a straight line (as the crow flies). Times are approximate too: walking at about 80 metres a minute, cycling at about 14 km/h and driving at typical city-traffic speeds. Traffic and routes vary.
Nearest stations and tram stops
- ParadeplatzTram50 m1 min walk
- KantonalbankTram200 m2 min walk
- HelmhausTram350 m4 min walk
Key sights
- Fraumünster200 mWalk 2 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 5 min
- Bahnhofstrasse250 mWalk 3 minCycle 1 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Lake promenade400 mWalk 5 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Grossmünster400 mWalk 5 minCycle 2 minCar or taxi 6 min
- Kunsthaus Zürich700 mWalk 9 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Opera House800 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Zurich Airport9.1 kmCycle 39 minCar or taxi 27 min
Main railway stations
- Zürich Stadelhofen800 mWalk 10 minCycle 3 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Zürich Enge850 mWalk 11 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Zürich HB950 mWalk 12 minCycle 4 minCar or taxi 7 min
- Zürich Hardbrücke2.4 kmWalk 30 minCycle 10 minCar or taxi 11 min
- Zürich Oerlikon4.7 kmCycle 20 minCar or taxi 16 min
- Zürich Flughafen9.1 kmCycle 39 minCar or taxi 27 min