Good to know
Good to Know
- Bahnhofstrasse is genuinely one of the most expensive retail streets in the world for window-shopping rather than budget shopping — a 2011 study named it the most expensive street for retail property in Europe and third-most-expensive worldwide.
- Most Swiss retail, including malls, closes or has very limited hours on Sundays — one mall's own listed hours run 9am–8pm daily except Sundays, so plan errands for weekdays or Saturday.
- Non-EU residents can claim a VAT refund on qualifying purchases when leaving Switzerland, which can meaningfully offset the high price tags on Bahnhofstrasse.
- Two of the biggest-selection malls (Glatt in Wallisellen and Letzipark in Altstetten) sit well outside the central area — Glatt alone is reachable from Zürich HB by S-Bahn and bus in about 20 minutes — so they're worth a special trip if you need a big-box/electronics run, but aren't a stroll from downtown.
- For anything urgent, the current Apple Store is at Rennweg 43 near Bahnhofstrasse; the second Zurich Apple Store is in the Glattzentrum mall in Wallisellen, which is a tram/train ride away rather than walkable from the center.
- Apple is building a new, relocated flagship store at Lintheschergasse 7 near Bahnhofstrasse, but it isn't expected to open until summer 2027 — the Rennweg store remains the one to use until then.
- For repairs, Revendo is an Apple Authorized Service Provider in Zurich that uses genuine parts and keeps your Apple warranty valid — worth checking before using a generic phone-repair shop, since unauthorized repairs can void warranty coverage.
- For day-to-day online shopping, Digitec Galaxus (Swiss-owned, ships domestically) tends to be faster and more predictable than ordering from Amazon, Temu, or other cross-border sellers, which can get held up in customs since Switzerland isn't in the EU customs union.
- If you order electronics online in Switzerland, expect prices in Swiss francs to already include local VAT — cross-border orders may add unexpected customs fees on delivery.
Apple Stores
Apple Store Rennweg
- Phone
- +41 44 213 18 00
- Type
- Official Apple Store (flagship, current)
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 10:00–20:00, closed Sunday
- Address
- Rennweg 43, 8001 Zürich
- Notes
- Apple opened its first Zurich store on Bahnhofstrasse in May 2009, then relocated to Rennweg 43 in 2019.
Apple Store Glattzentrum
- Phone
- +41 44 832 81 00
- Type
- Official Apple Store
- Hours
- Mon–Sat 09:00–20:00, closed Sunday
- Address
- Neue Winterthurerstrasse 99, 8301 Wallisellen (Glattzentrum shopping mall)
- Notes
- Apple currently operates four retail stores in Switzerland, two in Zurich and one each in Basel and Geneva; this is the second Zurich-area location, in the Glattzentrum mall in Wallisellen, roughly a 20-minute tram/train ride from the city center — worth knowing since it is not walkable from downtown.
Upcoming Flagship — Lintheschergasse 7
- Type
- Official Apple Store (under construction, not yet open)
- Status
- Not yet open — do not rely on this location before summer 2027
- Address
- Lintheschergasse 7, near Bahnhofstrasse
- Notes
- A building permit confirms Apple is planning a new retail store at Lintheschergasse 7, near Bahnhofstrasse, with construction running from November 2026 to May 2027, suggesting an opening in summer 2027; it will replace the current Rennweg store.
Online Shopping Reliability
Major Platforms
Digitec Galaxus
- Notes
- Digitec Galaxus is the biggest online retailer in Switzerland, majority-owned by Migros, selling everything from electronics to general goods, and a March 2025 University of St. Gallen study ranked Amazon, Galaxus, and Zalando as the three most-used platforms in Switzerland.
Amazon (.De/.com, Cross-border)
- Notes
- Widely used by residents but ships cross-border into Switzerland, so orders can be subject to Swiss customs/VAT and slower delivery than domestic Digitec Galaxus orders.
Zalando
- Notes
- Popular for clothing/fashion; one of the top three most-used online platforms in Switzerland alongside Amazon and Galaxus.
Temu
- Notes
- A fast-growing low-cost newcomer in the Swiss e-commerce market, though as a cross-border import platform it is more prone to customs delays and inconsistent delivery timing than domestic retailers.
Delivery Reliability
- General
- Domestic Swiss delivery is generally fast and dependable — Digitec Galaxus ships in-stock items the same day (Mon–Fri) with next-working-day arrival typical, and offers same-day delivery in the city of Zurich itself.
- Carriers
- Swiss Post and Planzer are the main domestic delivery partners for major retailers like Digitec Galaxus, and Swiss Post is investing heavily (CHF 1.5 billion by 2030) to expand parcel capacity, reflecting a generally high domestic service standard.
- Cross Border Caveat
- Switzerland is outside the EU customs union, so orders shipped from EU or other foreign online stores can incur Swiss customs duties, import VAT, and handling fees, plus longer and less predictable delivery windows than orders from Swiss-based retailers.
Malls And Districts
Bahnhofstrasse
- Type
- district
- Neighborhood
- City center, running from Zürich Hauptbahnhof to Lake Zurich
- Description
- Zurich's premier luxury shopping boulevard and the main downtown street of the city. The Bahnhofstrasse is Zürich's main downtown street and one of the world's most expensive and exclusive shopping avenues, stretching about 1.4 km from the main station to Bürkliplatz on the lake. It is lined with Swiss watch and jewelry houses, international fashion flagships (Cartier, Chanel, Hermès, Louis Vuitton, Prada, Dior), and legacy department stores like Globus and Jelmoli. The upper end near Bürkliplatz/Paradeplatz skews toward old, established luxury, while the lower stretch toward the station is described by some as slightly more mainstream, still exclusive retail.
- Proximity Note
- Central; directly walkable from the main train station, served by multiple tram lines along its length.
Paradeplatz & Storchengasse
- Type
- district
- Neighborhood
- City center, adjacent to Bahnhofstrasse
- Description
- A dense cluster of luxury boutiques around Zurich's central banking square, sometimes described as a Swiss equivalent to New York's Fifth Avenue for luxury labels. Many of the best labels can be found on and around Bahnhofstrasse and Storchengasse.
- Proximity Note
- Central; sits directly off Bahnhofstrasse, a few minutes' walk or tram ride from the main station.
ShopVille (Zürich Hauptbahnhof)
- Type
- mall (underground station retail)
- Neighborhood
- Beneath Zürich Hauptbahnhof (main train station)
- Description
- A large underground shopping concourse built into the main railway station, with more than 180 shops in the underground shopping area below the main train station, spanning fashion, books, flowers, electronics and pharmacies. It's a go-to for late/early or Sunday shopping since station retail in Switzerland often keeps longer hours than street shops.
- Proximity Note
- Central; located directly under the main train station.
Europaallee
- Type
- district / mall passage
- Neighborhood
- Europaallee, immediately west/south of the main station
- Description
- A newer, modern neighborhood built out next to the railway station, anchored by the Europaallee Passage shopping arcade. The shopping mall Europaallee Passage is part of the whole new Europaallee neighbourhood just next to the main railway station, with an emphasis on clothing and outdoor/sportswear stores, cafés and chain retail, contrasting with the historic Old Town's character.
- Proximity Note
- Central; steps from Zürich HB.
Im Viadukt / Markthalle Im Viadukt
- Type
- district (converted railway viaduct)
- Neighborhood
- Kreis 5 (Zürich-West), near the main station
- Description
- A row of independent boutiques and a food market hall built into the arches of a 19th-century railway viaduct, popular for local design, fashion and food rather than international chains. More than 30 shops and a market hall for groceries are nestled under the arches of the viaduct.
- Proximity Note
- Central; a short walk or tram ride from Zürich HB into Kreis 5.
Sihlcity
- Type
- mall
- Neighborhood
- Wiedikon (Kreis 3), on the site of a former paper mill
- Description
- The largest and most accessible shopping mall in the immediate Zurich downtown area, built on a former paper-mill site. It combines roughly 75–80 shops with a multiplex cinema, wellness/spa facilities, restaurants and a hotel. Sihl City is probably the biggest and most accessible shopping mall in the Zurich downtown area, and the selection of about 75 shops is the second largest in Zurich, alongside a cinema and 14 restaurants.
- Proximity Note
- It is only 10-15 minutes tram from Zurich HB and most places downtown, making it the most central full-scale mall.
Niederdorf
- Type
- district
- Neighborhood
- Old Town (east bank), between Bahnhofstrasse and the river
- Description
- The Old Town's cobblestone shopping and nightlife quarter, known for small independent boutiques, artisan shops and souvenir stores rather than mall-style retail, running parallel to the Limmat opposite Bahnhofstrasse.
- Proximity Note
- Central; part of the walkable Old Town core.
Löwenstrasse Migros (Migros City / M5)
- Type
- department store
- Neighborhood
- Löwenstrasse, near Zürich HB
- Description
- A five-floor flagship department store operated by Migros, one of Switzerland's major retailers, functioning as their central Zurich flagship with fashion, electronics, cosmetics, a pharmacy and dining under one roof.
- Proximity Note
- Central; on Löwenstrasse close to the main station.
Stadelhofen Station Shops
- Type
- mall (underground station retail)
- Neighborhood
- Stadelhofen, near the Opera House / Seefeld
- Description
- A compact retail concourse of about 22 shops in the underground of the Stadelhofen railway station, an architecturally notable building designed by Santiago Calatrava, including a grocery store alongside smaller shops.
- Proximity Note
- Central; a few minutes by tram/train from HB, near the Opera House district.
AI-generated estimateData refreshed July 2026
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Data last updated July 2026 · Verify anything important.