Samichlaus parade in Zurich: the fairy-tale tram in front, five-year-olds pulling the floats
Checked at the source: date confirmed · as of 7 October 2026
Zurich's St Nicholas doesn't come on 6 December. He comes a week earlier, on the last Sunday evening of November — and his parade along the illuminated Bahnhofstrasse opens the city's whole St Nicholas season. Look for him on 6 December and you'll only find the photos.
📅 Date 2026 — and status
The date as the society published it for 2026. Where it only states its rule, the date derived from it is shown, marked as calculated.
Samichlaus-Umzug Zürich
confirmedSunday, 29 November 2026 · 1 day
- Organiser
- St. Nikolaus Gesellschaft Zürich
The Märlitram fairy-tale tram leads, decorated floats follow — and children aged five and up can sign up to walk as little angels or dwarves.
Source: To the organiser's page · checked on 7 October 2026
🕐 Start time and sequence
The time as published. With children it matters more than the date.
Start: 17:00
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📅 Visit-day check
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| Session | Run | Opening hours | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|
| Samichlaus-Umzug Zürich | Sun 29 Nov | 17:00 | confirmed |
Calculated from the ConvivaPlus dataset — every row with its own source above.
🧭 Arrival or Chlausjagen? — the compass
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Every entry read individually at the organiser's, municipality's or tourist office's source. «Calculated» means the source states a fixed rule; the 2026 date is derived from it and not yet published.
🚋 Route & transport with stop
- Assembly
- Werdmühleplatz
- Meeting point
- Werdmühleplatz · Bahnhofstrasse
- Destination
- Bürkliplatz
📋 Notes from the organiser
- Route: from Werdmühleplatz along the illuminated Bahnhofstrasse to Bürkliplatz.
- Along the way, the Samichlaus figures and Schmutzlis hand small gifts to children at the roadside.
- At Bürkliplatz, Samichlaus opens the season with a short ceremony, accompanied by two brass bands.
- Walking as a little angel or dwarf: from age 5, register by 6 November on the society's website; costume fitting on 18 November (1–4.30 pm) and children's meeting time on parade day at 2.30 pm, both at the Lochergut civil defence facility. The children pull a float together.
✨ What makes it unique
What sets this St Nicholas apart from every other isn't in the date.
Most families miss it for one reason: they wait for December. The society holds its parade on the last Sunday evening of November, before the first Sunday of Advent. It isn't the season's climax but its starting gun: only at Bürkliplatz, after the short ceremony with two brass bands, does St Nicholas time officially begin in Zurich. On the same day he also comes to 2 other places in our survey.
The picture you take home isn't the beard, it's the tram. The Märlitram, which carries children around the city during Advent, leads the parade; decorated floats follow, and Samichlaus figures and their Schmutzli companions hand out small gifts at the roadside. For an hour, Bahnhofstrasse belongs to the children.
And many of those children don't watch — they walk. From age five they can register as little angels or dwarves and pull a float together. It takes planning few people know about: registration closes on 6 November, the costume fitting is on 18 November at the Lochergut facility, and on parade day the children meet there at 2.30 pm — two and a half hours before the start.
How do you experience Zurich's Samichlaus parade?
One click – anonymous, no sign-up required.
🎯 Tips for the evening
Four things that make or break an evening on Bahnhofstrasse.
- 1Walking in it means registering in OctoberLittle angels and dwarves aged 5 and up register on the St. Nikolaus Gesellschaft's website by 6 November. Costume fitting on 18 November, 1–4.30 pm; on parade day the meeting point is the Lochergut civil defence facility at 2.30 pm.
- 2Stand at Bürkliplatz, not at the startThe parade sets off from Werdmühleplatz, but the opening ceremony happens at the end. If you want to hear St Nicholas speak, wait at Bürkliplatz.
- 35 pm in November means darkThat's the whole effect: the Märlitram and the floats glow on the illuminated Bahnhofstrasse. Dress small children warmly — you stand before you see.
- 4Come by tram or S-BahnWerdmühleplatz and Bürkliplatz are both a short walk from the main station and on tram lines. Parking on Bahnhofstrasse that evening is not an option.
📊 Season comparison with nearby places
Where this event falls between the first Sunday of Advent and St Nicholas Day.
Each bar is one event. Dark = this one, light = the nearest. Read only one date and you miss when St Nicholas comes to the next village — sometimes days earlier.
- Zürich · BahnhofstrasseSamichlaus-Umzug Zürich
🗺️ Nearby — more St Nicholas events
The ConvivaPlus St Nicholas survey lists 13 events, 7 with a confirmed date. 5 of the confirmed ones fall before 6 December — Zurich among the earliest.
For a louder St Nicholas, go to the Klausjagen in Küssnacht; to see him carried, go to Stans. Every form is in the St Nicholas calendar.
St Nicholas nearby
❓ FAQ about this event
Answers from the verified dataset — no date carried over from last year.
People also ask
Related questions from our magazine
The survey lists 13 events across Switzerland — arrivals, parades and Chlausjagen.
Zurich's fairy-tale tram, which runs during Advent and leads the St Nicholas parade.
The Escalade, a week after St Nicholas.
The ConvivaPlus verdict
For families with small children this is a particularly accessible St Nicholas evening: calm, central, at 5 pm rather than late at night. Its only weakness is the calendar — miss the fact that it's in November and you miss it.
It is at its best for children who walk in it; that takes registration in October or early November.
Freshness note: Registration dates apply to 2026 as published by the society. Check its website before registering.
Check the latest: ConvivaPlus St Nicholas dataset 2026 – Zürich · Bahnhofstrasse →
- ◆Two and a half hours' lead time: registered children meet at 2.30 pm at Lochergut; the parade starts at 5 pm.
- ◆The end is the beginning: St Nicholas time only starts in Zurich after the ceremony at Bürkliplatz.
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Zurich's Samichlaus parade is never on 6 December — it opens the season on the last Sunday evening of November, led by the Märlitram.
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🎅 St Nicholas · 7 October 2026