Is Zurich Safe in January 2026?

Restaurants in the Altstadt show tourists an attractive menu with one set of prices, then present a different (more expensive) menu or bill at the end. This is common around Lindenhügel and Niederdorf.

How to avoid: Confirm prices verbally before ordering and take a photo of the menu you were given. Check the bill line by line before paying.

Hotels and upscale shops in Zurich offer to charge cards in a traveler's home currency instead of CHF. The conversion rate used is typically 3–8% worse than the card's own rate, costing significant amounts on large bills.

How to avoid: Always choose to pay in CHF when given the option on a card terminal. Your bank's exchange rate will nearly always be better.

Fraudulent listings for short-stay apartments and holiday flats near Lake Zurich and Seefeld district appear on mainstream booking platforms and classified sites. The listed properties either do not exist or are already occupied, and the scammer — posing as the owner — requests full payment by bank transfer or cryptocurrency before handing over keys. Victims arrive to find no property or a legitimate tenant who knows nothing about the listing.

How to avoid: Book only through platforms with verified host identity checks and a payment escrow system (such as Airbnb or Booking.com) — never transfer money directly to a private landlord before physically inspecting the property. If a rental price is significantly below Zurich market rate, treat it as a red flag. Confirm the address exists on Google Street View before paying.

Individuals operating outside Zurich's Hauptbahnhof (main train station) approach tourists with clipboards, claiming to represent charities for deaf children or disability organisations. After obtaining a signature on what appears to be a petition, they immediately demand a cash donation and become insistent or guilt-tripping if refused. The operation targets the steady flow of arriving tourists who are disoriented and carrying luggage.

How to avoid: Do not sign or engage with unsolicited clipboard approaches near the station. Legitimate Swiss charitable organisations do not solicit cash this way on the street. A polite "Nein danke" and walking away is sufficient.

Tourists unfamiliar with the SBB ticket machines at Zurich Airport buy wrong-zone tickets or full-fare tickets when a cheaper option exists. The machines have many options and first-time visitors frequently overpay.

How to avoid: Use the SBB app or ask a station staff member before purchasing. The airport train to the city centre is Zone 110 — select this zone specifically.