X-periencing Zurich’s Trams: From True Blue to Colorful Dots

When Itchy Feet published their playful “Every European City” map, in my opinion, they forgot one major hallmark of urban life across the continent: the tram.

From Lisbon’s vintage yellow streetcars to Amsterdam’s sleek blue-and-white models, trams are a staple of European cities, offering scenic rides, rushed commutes, and occasional entertainment when tourists struggle with ticket machines.

In Zurich, trams are not just a means of transport; they are part of the city's heartbeat. 

There are 437 stations in Zurich. Thanks to this well-developed streetcar network, you can literally reach any desired location in the city. You will have seen many of them in the course of this blog series.

And speaking of heartbeats and crossroads — did you know that two of Zurich’s tram lines literally cross themselves?

The Lines 7 (Wollishoferplatz to Bahnhof Stettbach) and 9 (Triemli to Hirzenbach) are unique in that they switch from right-hand travel to left-hand travel and vice versa inside a tunnel. A special feature of the tunnel is that the trams run on the left. However, as classic one-way vehicles, the Zurich tram cars only have doors on the right-hand side. To make it possible to change sides, there is a level semi-underground overpass structure at Milchbuck (which is not directly visible from the outside). The corresponding crossing in Schwamendingen is designed as a track crossing after the ramp.

This little-known quirk makes it the perfect “X” for our alphabet challenge — quite literally crisscrossing under the city!

Hop On, Hop Off: The Swiss Way

Zurich’s tram culture is deeply Swiss in another way, too: there’s no scanning or gate systems when you board. You simply hop on — no ticket barriers, no beep-beep — trusting that you have a valid ticket or pass. Random ticket inspections by friendly but firm conductors keep people honest. If you’re caught without a ticket, you’ll face a fine of CHF 100. (Yes, honesty matters here — as does a well-functioning public transport system.)

This no-fuss boarding makes Zurich’s trams quick and efficient, especially compared to systems where every boarding and exiting requires scanning (and sometimes a fair bit of wrestling with finicky readers.)

Rolling Memories: Trams and Childhood Adventures

For my son Colin and me, Zurich’s trams hold a special place in our hearts. When he was little, my car dealership happened to be located at the end of a tram line. Whenever I dropped the car off for maintenance, we turned it into a little adventure day: buying a day pass, hopping on trams across the city, and visiting our favorite spots — the toy store, the bookstore, the sushi conveyor-belt restaurant and Starbucks for a treat.

Once, on the way to the ice hockey stadium just outside the city, he, who usually resisted naps and always felt like he was missing something when he slept, fell asleep on the streetcar - and I carried him off in my arms.

A Splash of Color: From True Blue to Sponsored Dots

Zurich’s trams are famously blue and white, reflecting the city’s official colors. But it wasn’t always that way. Before 1898, trams came in yellow, green, brown, and grey. Only when the public transport service came under city ownership did they settle on the Mediterranean blue tone we know today. Of course, being Swiss, the city eventually fine-tuned the color to perfection, adopting an official standard: NCS 4637-R96B — to ensure that every new tram was exactly the same hue.

Sustainability also plays a role in Zurich’s tram tradition. The VBZ (Zurich Public Transport) was one of the first to introduce a water-based, environmentally friendly paint for its vehicles, protecting the ozone layer and cutting down on paint waste by 50%.

Since 2012, Zurich has allowed a handful of trams to be fully wrapped in colorful advertising designs. These “Farbtupfer” (splashes of color) add playful variety to the familiar blue fleet.

Trams That Taste (and Tell) Stories

Not all trams in Zurich are about getting from A to B. Some are about experiences:

• Märlitram (Fairy Tale Tram): Around Christmas, a magical tram exclusively for children aged 4–9 rolls through the city. Two angels read Christmas stories while the Samichlaus (Swiss Santa) rides along — no adults allowed!

  
  
  
  

• Breakfast Tram: Early risers can hop on for a full sweet-and-savory breakfast sourced from an artisan bakery. It’s a true Gipfelitreffen — a pun on the Swiss-German word for croissant (Gipfeli) and the German word for “summit meeting” (Gipfeltreffen).

• Sushi Tram: In September and October, you can savor Japanese cuisine while gliding through Zurich’s streets.

• Fondue Tram: From November to February, fondue lovers enjoy bubbling pots of cheese, cozy vibes, and twinkling city lights.

There are even more unusual rides. For example, you can eat asparagus in spring or listen to a crime podcast. However, these creative rides are not cheap. The breakfast tram, for example, costs CHF 90 (currently USD 107!) Frankly, If I was gonna spend that kind of money, I'd rather have tea at the Dolder!

Since the VBZ started offering rolling restaurants with vintage vehicles, a “Partytram” built in 1930 has been used for this purpose. Maintenance became increasingly complex due to its age. At the same time, the vehicle could hardly keep up with the high demand. For this reason, VBZ decided to replace the pleasure line with a new event tram with a retro look. 

Final Stop: Why Zurich’s Trams Feel Different

Zurich’s trams are neither the rickety, Instagram-perfect rides of Lisbon nor the ultra-silent ones of Stockholm. The vehicles themselves hum and ding, often politely warning off distracted pedestrians and impatient drivers blocking the tracks.
The crowd inside is lively, with a few commuters holding loud speakerphone calls or blasting videos, adding to the city’s colorful urban soundtrack.

Still, Zurich’s trams embody so much of what defines the city: practical beauty, quiet efficiency (most of the time), a dash of stubborn individuality, and a commitment to getting things just right , whether it’s the shade of blue or the honesty of its passengers.

Some Zurich trams even have second lives elsewhere. Over 110 decommissioned Zurich streetcars were donated to Vinnytsia, Ukraine, starting in 2007. Even during wartime disruptions, new donations resumed in late 2022, helping keep a city's transportation dreams alive. Swiss engineering, rolling on. Meanwhile, in March 2022, one Zurich tram received a meaningful makeover: painted blue and yellow to show solidarity with Ukraine.

And Zurich isn’t done yet. By 2040, expansions like Tram Affoltern and the Tramtangente Nord will further stitch together the growing city, with some lines even reenacting old routes retired decades ago.

Have you ever ridden a tram?