Month guide · Zurich · Switzerland
Zurich in October
What October is really like in Zurich: weather, crowds, prices, events and what to pack.
Updated By the AMZBooking editorial team
Photo: Roland zh, CC BY-SA 3.0
Quick answer
October is a shoulder-season month. Expect average highs of 14°C (57°F), lows of 6°C (43°F), about 9 rainy days and roughly 10.8 hours of daylight. Autumn colour and crisp days, with fog over the lake becoming more common later.
Key facts
- Average high / low
- 14°C (57°F) / 6°C (43°F)
- Rainy days
- About 9
- Daylight
- About 10.8 hours
- Crowds
- Moderate
- Hotel prices
- Average
Weather in October
October is the 7th-warmest month in Zurich: days average 14°C (57°F) against a yearly average high of 14°C (57°F), and nights fall to about 6°C (43°F). Rain falls on roughly 9 of its 31 days. Compared with September (19°C (66°F)), October is cooler; by November highs drop to around 8°C (46°F).
- Sunrise (15 October)
- About 07:44
- Sunset (15 October)
- About 18:38
- Daylight
- About 10.8 hours
Autumn (September–November). Settled September days, the film festival and autumn colour, then fog and greyer skies into November.
Crowds and prices
On a 1–5 scale, October rates 3 for crowds (the peak is June at 4) and 3 for hotel prices (highest in May). Prices sit in the middle of the year's range.
Events in October
October has no major recurring festival in Zurich, which usually means easier bookings.
What to do in October
Mild, settled days suit walking, viewpoints and time outdoors.
Neighbourhood · Niederdorf
Niederdorf and the right-bank Old Town
Walk the car-free Niederdorfstrasse from Central towards the Grossmünster and branch into the lanes that climb the hill: Spiegelgasse, where the Cabaret Voltaire hosted the first Dada evenings in 1916 and Lenin lived at number 14, Rindermarkt and Neumarkt with their guild houses and fountains.
- Time needed
- 2 hours
- Cost
- Free
- Iconic
- Free
- History
- Food
- After dark
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Religious site · City and Lindenhof
Fraumünster
Visit on a bright day, ideally in the morning, when the sun lights up the Chagall windows.
- Time needed
- 30 minutes
- Cost
- Low cost
- Iconic
- Art
- History
- Rainy day
Street · City and Lindenhof
Bahnhofstrasse
Zurich's best-known luxury shopping street runs 1.4 km from the main station to the lake, mostly car-free and served by trams.
- Time needed
- 1 hour
- Cost
- Free
- Shopping
- Iconic
- Free
- Food
Gallery · Heimplatz
Kunsthaus Zürich
Start with the Giacometti rooms, then cross through the underground passage to the extension.
- Time needed
- 2–3 hours
- Cost
- Mid-priced
- Art
- Rainy day
- Iconic
- Architecture
What to pack
For highs near 14°C, lows near 6°C and 9 wet days: layers, a warm sweater and a jacket for cool evenings; a packable rain jacket for showers; comfortable walking shoes.
Is October a good time to visit Zurich?
A shoulder-season month. If your dates are flexible, May–September are better overall. Compare every month.
Zurich in other months
Questions travellers ask
+Is October a good time to visit Zurich?
It is a shoulder-season month. Autumn colour and crisp days, with fog over the lake becoming more common later.
+How warm is Zurich in October?
Average highs are around 14°C (57°F) and lows around 6°C (43°F).
+Does it rain a lot in Zurich in October?
Expect rain on about 9 days of the month.