Zurich Hostels

Why stay in Zurich?

Zurich isn't the capital city of Switzerland, but it's the largest city in this small country. Like the rest of Switzerland, Zurich is well-kept and charming and, sitting where Lake Zurich meets the Limmat River, it's quite picturesque in places.

In Zurich's downtown area you can visit the Grossmünster (Romanesque church) and the Fraumünster (Gothic church), the latter with stained glass window paintings by Marc Chagall. For museum-goers, there is the Landesmuseum (Swiss history and traditions of the cantons), Kunsthaus (Swiss art) and Rietberg Museum (Asian art). For something a little less traditional, there's the Jacob Coffee Museum, which traces the history of this ubiquitous beverage. Zurich is also a great city for exploring, as the city is clean and public transit is efficient. You can enjoy strolls along the lake or take a funicular to a high point of the city for a nice view. Even Zurich's red light district, the Langstrasse, is clean and relatively safe (although you probably don't want to wander alone at night if you're female).

Being an important financial city means that many visitors to Zurich are there on business and don't care how much their hotel costs. Because of this, the city isn't necessarily crawling with the ultra-cheap hostels you might expect in other major European cities. Book your bed early if you want to be sure you won't be spending a fortune. Also keep in mind that "hostels" are no longer only for young backpackers (even if it has "backpackers" in the name!) - they're perfect for any budget-conscious traveler who's interested in the social aspect of travel as well. A few notable Zurich hostels are highlighted here.

Hotel Arlette Bein Hauptbahnhof is near the main train station and a two minute walk from the city center. iPR Guesthouse is in Zurich's city center close to the major sights.

Hotel Welcome Inn is in a quiet neighborhood not far from the Zurich-Kloten airport and within walking distance of the Kloten train station. Hotel Coronado is not far from the airport or the train station, and there are four trams which stop right in front of the hotel.

Don't worry if none of these hostels sounds like it's perfect. There are other Zurich hostels listed here which you can choose from. Keep reading the descriptions until you find the right one.

What else do you need for your trip? Whatever it is, you'll find it here! You can look for international airfare to Zurich and book it today. You can also read more about what to do and see in the city in our Zurich Travel Guide.