Christmas in Zurich: 1–4 Day Hour-by-Hour Itineraries

Zurich’s Christmas markets open on 19 November; Bellevue Noël, the Dörfli and the Weihnachtsallee end on 23 December, and Polarzauber in the station and Münsterhof on the afternoon of 24 December. On 24 December the city shuts in the afternoon, and 25–26 December are public holidays. Our routes put the markets on 23–24 December and Christmas dinner near your hotel, and keep 25 December for the lakefront, museums open on the holiday and the Uetliberg. The 4-day plan adds the Rigi and Lucerne by panoramic train. There are two paces: relaxed and balanced–packed.

Plan with your own dates

Enter your arrival and departure; the route adapts to that day’s opening hours, markets and your flights.

Itineraries by length

What’s open on 24 December?

In Switzerland Christmas Eve is spent with family, and the city goes quiet in the afternoon. Our routes are built around that.

Christmas markets: Polarzauber is open 11 am–4 pm; Münsterhof’s hours aren’t out yet. Bellevue Noël, the Dörfli and the Weihnachtsallee ended on 23 December.
Museums: The Swiss National Museum 10 am–2 pm, the Kunsthaus and Lindt until 4 pm.
Churches: Christmas Eve services and music at the Grossmünster and the Fraumünster; the 2026 programme will be on the churches’ websites in December.
Shops: Most close between 4 and 6 pm.
Restaurants: Some are closed; those that open serve set menus. Book near your hotel, in October or November.

When are the Christmas markets open?

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Market	Dates	Hours
Polarzauber (main station, indoors)	19 November – 24 December	Sun–Wed 11 am–9 pm, Thu–Sat 11 am–10 pm (food stalls an hour later); 11 am–4 pm on 24 December
Bellevue Noël (Sechseläutenplatz)	19 November – 23 December	From 11 am; 2026 closing times not yet published
Dörfli (Niederdorf)	19 November – 23 December	Mon–Thu 11 am–9 pm, Fri–Sat 11 am–10 pm, Sun 11 am–8 pm
Münsterhof	19 November – 24 December	2026 hours to be announced in November
Weihnachtsallee (Europaallee)	19 November – 23 December	Mon–Sat 11 am–10 pm, Sun 11 am–8 pm
Singing Christmas Tree (Werdmühleplatz)	19 November – 23 December	Concert times in the programme

Open and closed over Christmas

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Place	23 December	24 December	25–26 December
Polarzauber (station)	11 am–9 pm ✓	11 am–4 pm (last day) ✓	ended ✓
Bellevue Noël, Dörfli, Weihnachtsallee	last day ✓	ended ✓	ended ✓
Münsterhof market	open ✓	last day; hours not published !	ended ✓
Swiss National Museum	10 am–5 pm ✓	10 am–2 pm ✓	10 am–5 pm ✓
Kunsthaus	10 am–6 pm ✓	10 am–4 pm ✓	closed on the 25th, 10 am–6 pm on the 26th ✓
Lindt Home of Chocolate	10 am–7 pm ✓	10 am–4 pm ✓	closed ✓
The Grossmünster and Fraumünster	10 am–5 pm ◷	open by day, services in the evening !	not published !
Rigi and Lucerne (train)	daily ✓	daily ✓	holiday timetable !
Shops	open ✓	close between 4 and 6 pm ◷	closed ✓

Official for 2026
Last year’s information; 2026 schedule pending
Not out yet; check before you go

Tips

The markets open on 19 November. Bellevue Noël, the Dörfli and the Weihnachtsallee end on 23 December, and Polarzauber (in the station) and Münsterhof on 24 December. On 24 December Polarzauber closes at 4 pm.
On 24 and 31 December most shops close between 4 and 6 pm; they’re closed on 25–26 December and 1 January. Shops are closed on Sundays too.
On New Year’s Eve the Silvesterzauber festival opens on the lakefront at 2 pm; the city lights go out at 12:19 am and the fireworks over the lake start at 12:20. Trams, buses and the S-Bahn run until about 4 am.
For the Rigi day, buy a “Rigi Kulm” ticket from SBB; the Rigi is free with the Swiss Travel Pass. The annual timetable changes on 13 December, so check the times in the SBB app. Rigi tours
Some places close on holidays; check your ticket date against the opening days.
Entry to the Lindt Home of Chocolate is timed: buy online, as December days sell out ahead. It’s closed on 25–26 December and 1 January. Lindt tickets
Some places close on holidays; check your ticket date against the opening days.
Inside the city a ZVV day ticket is enough, and it covers the Polybahn and the Uetliberg train (S10). The Zürich Card combines transport with museum discounts.
On the evening of 24 December some restaurants are closed; book Christmas Eve and New Year’s Eve dinner in October or November. Prices are high, so budget CHF 50–70 a head for dinner.
The currency is the Swiss franc (CHF). Cards are accepted everywhere; some places take euros, but change comes in francs at a poor rate.

Frequently asked questions

When are the Zurich Christmas markets open?

They open on 19 November. Bellevue Noël, the Dörfli and the Weihnachtsallee run until 23 December, and Polarzauber and Münsterhof until 24 December (2026). Most are open from 11 am to 9–10 pm.

What’s open in Zurich on 24 December?

Polarzauber is open until 4 pm, the Swiss National Museum until 2 pm, and the Kunsthaus and Lindt until 4 pm. Most shops close between 4 and 6 pm. Book dinner near your hotel.

What’s open on 25–26 December?

The markets have ended and the shops are closed. The Swiss National Museum is open 10 am–5 pm on both days; the Kunsthaus is closed on the 25th and open on the 26th; Lindt is closed on both days. The lakefront and the Uetliberg are the best options.

Is there a panoramic train day trip from Zurich?

Yes: the Rigi. By train to Arth-Goldau, up the big-windowed cog railway to Rigi Kulm at 1,797 m, then down on the Voralpen-Express to Lucerne. About 9 hours in all; a “Rigi Kulm” ticket from SBB or the Swiss Travel Pass covers it.

How do I get to the Lindt chocolate museum?

The S8 or S24 from the main station to Kilchberg takes about 12 minutes, then it’s a 10-minute walk. Entry is timed, so buy online a few days ahead in December.

What should I eat at the markets?

Raclette, cheese fondue, Bratwurst, roast chestnuts and Zurich’s honey biscuit, Tirggel, with mulled wine (Glühwein) or hot chocolate.

Sources

Hours compiled from official sources (28 October 2026). The marks in the table show each time’s status: confirmed for 2026, based on the last season, or not yet published. Holiday hours can change; check the official websites before you go.