Located south-west of Zurich, Uetliberg is a mountain in the Swiss plateau. Rising high at 871 metres above sea level, the Uetliberg mountain offers visitors an impressive panoramic view of the city and Lake Zurich, and on a clear day, views of the majestic Swiss Alps.
Popular throughout the year, visitors come here to go sledging in the wintertime, hiking in the summer and regularly visited by locals in the fall due to its position above the fog-covered city. Walking paths are popular for day trippers, with plenty of camping spots for those looking to stay overnight. Adventurous travellers can indulge in a variety of outdoor activities, including biking, paragliding and sledging. A lookout tower brings visitors sky-high at 900 metres and offers a bird’s eye view over Zurich.
Connected to Zurich Hauptbahnhof by S-Bahn Zurich, the Uetliberg station lies only 650 metres from the summit of the mountain. Less than a 20-minute train ride from Zurich’s city centre, trains run every 30 minutes. Visitors can then reach the summit of Uetliberg on foot in less than 10 minutes.
Built in 1875, the Uetliberg line that leads to the Uetliberg mountain wasn’t electrified until 1923, and in 1990 it was extended to Zurich’s main railway station, Zurich Hauptbahnhof. With a maximum gradient of 7.9%, it is currently the steepest standard gauge adhesion railway in Switzerland.