Festive rides in the canton of Zurich 2026
Nowhere in Switzerland starts earlier: Zurich (Bellevue) opens on Sunday, 1 November.
✓ Checked at the source · as of 9 October 2026 · 1 date still open
Festive rides in the canton of Zurich
3 places, each with dates and a checked source
📅 5 rides 2026 — when they run
The only evening start in the canton: Zurich (Bellevue), at 17:30.
- Start
- 17:30
- Opening hours
- Two seatings per operating day: 17:30 and 20:15, from Bellevue
- Meeting point
- Bellevue-Schleife (Einstieg 15 Minuten vor Abfahrt)
- Organiser
- Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ), Event-Linie
64 operating days from 1 November 2026 to 28 February 2027, two seatings each.
Good to know- «Sold out» is a snapshot: read on 9 October 2026 in the VBZ ticket shop. Seats are sold per seating.
- Programme per the ticket shop: boarding at the Bellevue loop, starter and fondue, toilet stop at the Bellevue loop, dessert — about two hours until you get off.
Everything on Zurich · Bellevue→
Source: shop.e-guma.ch · checked on 9 October 2026
- Start
- 13:00
- Opening hours
- Sat 28 Nov: departures 13:00, 15:30, 17:30 · Sun 29 Nov: 10:30, 13:30, 16:00 — about an hour and a half each, doors open 30 minutes before
- Meeting point
- Perron in der historischen Bahnhofshalle Bauma
- Organiser
- Dampfbahn-Verein Zürcher Oberland (DVZO)
The steam train sets off to find the Samichlaus — and brings him back to Bauma. In the historic station hall the children recite their little verse.
Good to know- Family ticket for up to 3 people CHF 59, up to 4 CHF 74, up to 6 CHF 94 — including the steam-train ride to the Samichlaus and a gift bag per child. Book online or at advance-sale points (cash accepted there).
Source: dvzo.ch · checked on 9 October 2026
- Start
- 13:40
- Opening hours
- First trip: Wiedikon dep. 13:40, Sihlwald arr. 14:20, return dep. 16:10, Wiedikon arr. 16:47 · Second trip: dep. 17:20, arr. 18:00, return dep. 19:50, arr. 20:25
- Meeting point
- Bahnhof Zürich Wiedikon
- Destination
- Sihlwald, Halle beim Besucherzentrum
- Organiser
- ZMB Zürcher Museums-Bahn, mit Radio Zürisee
By steam train from Wiedikon to the Sihlwald, then on foot with the Schmutzlis to the hall at the visitor centre: the Samichlaus waits there for the verses, with punch at decorated tables.
Good to know- Children 2–16 CHF 29 (with Samichlaus bag), adults CHF 39, under 2 free (accompanied, no bag). Every child taking part needs their own ticket.
- Tickets from about mid-October 2026 at Radio Zürisee and Ticketcorner. The trip runs in any weather; prams travel in the luggage van.
Everything on Zurich · Wiedikon→
Source: museumsbahn.ch · checked on 9 October 2026
- Sunday, 6 December 202613:30Zurich · BürkliplatzZHSamichlaus-Fahrt auf dem Zürichsee (ZSG)✓Open page
- Start
- 13:30
- Opening hours
- Departures from Bürkliplatz at 13:30 (service 35) and 15:00 (service 44)
- Meeting point
- Schiffstation Zürich Bürkliplatz
- Organiser
- Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG)
The Samichlaus boards the scheduled boat with the Schmutzli, because the donkey cannot carry all the presents alone. A little verse earns a small surprise — you travel on an ordinary ZVV ticket.
Good to know- Valid: ZVV single ticket zones 110+140+150, day pass 110+140 or 110+150, Zurich Card, GA, Junior and Children's Co-Travel cards. Adults CHF 9.40 (Half Fare 4.70), children from 6 CHF 4.70.
- Free table reservation on 044 487 13 13 (minimum spend).
Everything on Zurich · Bürkliplatz→
Source: zsg.ch · checked on 9 October 2026
The event usually takes place, but the date has not been published yet. We keep checking.
- Meeting point
- Haltestelle «Märlitram», Bellevue
- Organiser
- Coop City St. Annahof (Buchung über Zürich Tourismus)
Only children aged 4 to 9 may ride: the Samichlaus swaps to the tram while two angels read Christmas fairy tales.
Good to know- Tickets for the 2026 season online from 13 November; collection only at Coop City St. Annahof, Bellevue, Sihlcity, Oerlikon or the Visitor Information in the main station. The 2026 operating days are not yet published.
Everything on Zurich · Bellevue→
Source: zuerich.com · checked on 9 October 2026
🕐 Departure times and duration
Departures, seatings and return times as the operators published them for 2026. Where a time is missing, we do not invent one.
Fondue-Tram (VBZ Event-Linie) · Two seatings per operating day: 17:30 and 20:15, from Bellevue
Sat 28 Nov: departures 13:00, 15:30, 17:30 · Sun 29 Nov: 10:30, 13:30, 16:00 — about an hour and a half each, doors open 30 minutes before
First trip: Wiedikon dep. 13:40, Sihlwald arr. 14:20, return dep. 16:10, Wiedikon arr. 16:47 · Second trip: dep. 17:20, arr. 18:00, return dep. 19:50, arr. 20:25
Departures from Bürkliplatz at 13:30 (service 35) and 15:00 (service 44)
🏘️ 2 municipalities with operator
4 departure points in 2 municipalities of the canton of Zurich. 3 of them have their own page with times, prices and source.
- Zurich · Bellevue — Fondue-Tram (VBZ Event-Linie), Verkehrsbetriebe Zürich (VBZ), Event-Linie, 1 November 2026.
- Bauma — Samichlaus Express (Dampfbahn-Verein Zürcher Oberland), Dampfbahn-Verein Zürcher Oberland (DVZO), 28 November 2026.
- Zurich · Wiedikon — Samichlausfahrt in den Sihlwald (Zürcher Museums-Bahn), ZMB Zürcher Museums-Bahn, mit Radio Zürisee, 5 December 2026.
- Zurich · Bürkliplatz — Samichlaus-Fahrt auf dem Zürichsee (ZSG), Zürichsee-Schifffahrtsgesellschaft (ZSG), 6 December 2026.
📍 Departure points and meeting points
Where you board — platform, stop or pier, as the operators name it.
- Meeting point
- Bellevue-Schleife (Einstieg 15 Minuten vor Abfahrt)
- Meeting point
- Haltestelle «Märlitram», Bellevue
- Meeting point
- Perron in der historischen Bahnhofshalle Bauma
- Meeting point
- Bahnhof Zürich Wiedikon
- Destination
- Sihlwald, Halle beim Besucherzentrum
- Meeting point
- Schiffstation Zürich Bürkliplatz
🎟️ Tickets & prices from the operators
Booking, valid passes, age limits, weather: what the operators announce themselves.
- Good to know
- «Sold out» is a snapshot: read on 9 October 2026 in the VBZ ticket shop. Seats are sold per seating. · Programme per the ticket shop: boarding at the Bellevue loop, starter and fondue, toilet stop at the Bellevue loop, dessert — about two hours until you get off.
- Good to know
- Tickets for the 2026 season online from 13 November; collection only at Coop City St. Annahof, Bellevue, Sihlcity, Oerlikon or the Visitor Information in the main station. The 2026 operating days are not yet published.
- Good to know
- Family ticket for up to 3 people CHF 59, up to 4 CHF 74, up to 6 CHF 94 — including the steam-train ride to the Samichlaus and a gift bag per child. Book online or at advance-sale points (cash accepted there).
- Good to know
- Children 2–16 CHF 29 (with Samichlaus bag), adults CHF 39, under 2 free (accompanied, no bag). Every child taking part needs their own ticket. · Tickets from about mid-October 2026 at Radio Zürisee and Ticketcorner. The trip runs in any weather; prams travel in the luggage van.
- Good to know
- Valid: ZVV single ticket zones 110+140+150, day pass 110+140 or 110+150, Zurich Card, GA, Junior and Children's Co-Travel cards. Adults CHF 9.40 (Half Fare 4.70), children from 6 CHF 4.70. · Free table reservation on 044 487 13 13 (minimum spend).
📊 Ride days compared within the canton
Documented rides in the canton of Zurich run from Sunday, 1 November 2026 to Sunday, 28 February 2027.
📭 1 date open — and why they are listed anyway
1 ride in the canton of Zurich has no published 2026 operating day yet — and is listed here anyway, marked open.
- Zurich · Bellevue — not published yet. Source
🗺️ 2 cantons compared
42 per cent of all festive rides we have verified across Switzerland start in the canton of Zurich: 5 of 12.
For the canton of Zurich we list 5 festive rides in 2 municipalities, 4 of them with a published 2026 date. The rest are listed as open. We never write an operating day we have not read at the source.
| Canton | Events | date set | First date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zurich | 5 | 4 | 1 November 2026 |
| Bern | 4 | 2 | 6 December 2026 |
❓ FAQ about the canton
Every answer is calculated from the 5 verified entries for the canton of Zurich.
All festive rides in Switzerland
How we check
Every date comes from the organiser's, the municipality's or the canton's own site — never from an aggregator, never copied over from last year. Next to each source is the date we last read it.
Anything not yet published stays open — we don't guess.
Something missing or changed? A note below is enough; we check it at the source.
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