Zurich’s harbor at Bürkliplatz is the departure point for the ZSG, the company that’s been running boats on Lake Zurich since 1890. Their Kleine Seerundfahrt, the short lake cruise, runs about 90 minutes round trip toward Thalwil and Küsnacht before heading back, and it’s an easy, low-effort way to see the city and the lakeside villages from the water.
The route and the views
The boat leaves right from Bürkliplatz, passing Zurich’s Old Town skyline first, the twin towers of Grossmünster and the green spire of Fraumünster visible from the water almost the whole way out. From there it works down the shoreline past a string of lakeside towns, Rüschlikon, Küsnacht, and others, each with its own little pier where the boat stops to pick up and drop off passengers. Along the way you get a good look at the villas and boathouses lining the water, some grand and historic, one almost entirely covered in ivy, plus vineyards climbing the hills above Thalwil. It’s a proper cross-section of how people actually live along this lake, not just a postcard view of downtown Zurich.
Lunch and an Aperol Spritz
Catering is available on board the short and long lake cruises, and we took advantage of it with a plate of fries and a couple of Aperol Spritz, which is about as good as it gets watching the shoreline go by. Simple bar food, but the setting does all the work.
Good to know
If you’re already using Zurich’s public transit, a regular ZVV ticket covers the short lake cruise since ZSG boats are fully integrated into the transport network, and a GA travelcard or Swiss Travel Pass rides free. No need to book ahead for the short cruise, just show up at the pier at Bürkliplatz and catch the next departure.
