Neighbourhoods in Zurich
With a population of over 380,500, Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland. It is divided into 12 Kreis, which means district in German. Each Kreis is generally divided further into one to four quarters, making it 34 quarters in total in the city of Zurich. In this article, we will explore the characteristics of different districts, as well as other important information such as crime rate and parking space, so that you could make an informed choice for your future home.
Districts in Zurich
Here is a map of the location of all 12 districts, also known as Kreis, in Zurich. As you can see on the map, Kreis 1, 2 and 8 are located by the shores of Lake Zurich.
Kreis 1 is the city centre of Zurich, where you can find the old town, Zurich's main station, the opera house, as well as a large variety of shops and restaurants. On the left side of the lake, Kreis 2 is where you can find the Enge train station, Museum Rietberg, as well as a calm lakeshore featuring swimming pools such as the Seebad Enge. Kreis 3 and 4 are creative areas filled with cosy cafés, restaurants and chilled bars. There are many options for a night out in these districts. Kreis 5, Zurich West, is a trending district with hipster vibes. Not only is it now the district of famous night clubs and cultural institutions, the Prime Tower ' the tallest building in Switzerland between 2011 and 2015, is also located there.
Kreis 6 is where the University of Zurich (UZH) and the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) are, making it a student-friendly district. District 7 is calmly located at the hillside and offers a nice panoramic view of the lake. As a result, housing prices in this district are relatively high, but the quality of life there is also better in comparison to some other districts in Zurich. Kreis 8 is located on the right side of the lake. It features a long promenade next to the lake, which is very popular amongst inhabitants, especially on the weekends. Kreis 9 lies at the bottom of Zurich's own hill, Uetliberg. It is not particularly known for anything, but Altstetten is a residential area that is very convenient for those who commute to the city centre every day but would like to live in an affordable area. The border of Kreis 10 goes along the Limmat river, making it a nice place to swim and sunbathe in the summer.
Kreis 11 is located on the north side of Zurich. This is where the Zurich airport, as well as the Hallenstadion are. This district is predominantly a residential area. Last but not least, Kreis 12 of Zurich is a good choice if you are looking for a less urban place. It offers a lot of possibilities for those who would like to do physical exercises nearby and be closer to nature.
The crime rate in Zurich
Switzerland is often considered as a very safe country. Comparing to other Swiss cities, Zurich is doing pretty well in maintaining a low crime rate. According to figures from 2018 published by the Swiss Federal Statistics Office, the overall crime rate of Switzerland shows a downward trend. In the canton of Zurich, there were 7.8 bicycle thefts per 1,000 residents. For violent crimes, the rate was 10.3 registered crimes per 1,000 residents in Zurich, which is slightly lower than that of the national rate in Switzerland, which was 12.6 recorded crimes per 1,000 residents. All in all, Zurich is a very safe place to live in.
Parking in Zurich
It is a well-known fact that parking places are expensive and difficult to find in Zurich, especially in the city centre. If you are only going out to the city centre for the day, it is highly recommended that you take benefits of the well-connected public transport. In case you have to drive your own car, there are many car parks to choose from. You can find more information on this website. Alternatively, you could also drive a bit further away from the city centre into the residential areas, in order to find a public parking space in the blue zones. These places are time-limited but free. In Zurich, most public fee-paying parking places in the city are also free to use on Sundays.
