Bahnhofstrasse
A tree-lined avenue about 1.4 km long, running from the main train station to the lakeshore. It's one of the world's most expensive shopping streets, lined with luxury watch boutiques and banks.
Bahnhofstrasse (Station Street) was built in 1864–1867 over a filled-in city moat. It runs about 1.4 km from Zurich Hauptbahnhof in the north to Bürkliplatz on the lake in the south. Lined with linden trees, it's open only to trams. This is one of the highest-rent commercial streets in the world. The northern section is dominated by department stores such as Globus and Jelmoli and mass-market brands. The southern section has watch boutiques for Rolex, Patek Philippe, and Blancpain, high-end luxury stores, and the headquarters of banks such as UBS. It's said that large quantities of gold are stored in the underground vaults. Paradeplatz is the symbol of Switzerland's financial industry. The century-old Sprüngli confectionery here is famous for its macarons (Luxemburgerli) and chocolates, so don't miss it. The nearby Teuscher truffle chocolates are also popular. During the Christmas season, the light installation 'Lucy' illuminates the whole street. Purchases above a certain amount qualify for tax refunds. It's right outside the main station exit.
Opening hours
Open all day; shops approx. Mon–Sat 09:00/10:00–20:00, closed Sundays
Nearby sights
- Lindenhof
- St. Peter Church
- Confiserie Sprüngli Paradeplatz
- Fraumünster
- Zürich Hauptbahnhof
- Niederdorf (Old Town)
- Swiss National Museum
- Zurich Lake & River Baths (Badi)