One Sunday morning in June, I took my bike out for a spin around Lake Zürich. After getting my bike down to the lake shore, I spent the next 66 km riding around the lake, along the roads closest to the shore (Seestrasse, mostly). After hiking around Lake Zürich, paddling across it, and even swimming across it, this route checked off a personal goal as I really wanted to bike around the lake too. And, I’m very glad I did it! It was a lot of fun!
Detail Summary
| Where: | Biking Around Lake Zürich Cantons Schwyz and Zürich, Switzerland |
| Start | This route is a loop around the lake and you can start at any point along the loop. I started at the Oberrieden Badi: Strandbad Oberrieden Seestrasse 47, 8942 Oberrieden |
| What: | Biking Around Lake Zürich This isn’t an official bike route, just road biking. It is easy, though – all you need to do is stay in the bike lanes on the streets closest to the shore. There are few spots without a bike lane, but not for long. Going through Zürich past Burkliplatz, there is a dedicated bike lane separate from traffic. And in Rapperswil, you can bike through the pedestrian only streets of the old town. There is also a dedicated bike lane separate bike lane when crossing the land bridge that separates the Zürisee from the Obersee.  |
| Skill: | I’m not a good cyclist and it took me 4.5 hours of peddling time. Length 66 km, Ascent 144 m, Descent 144 m |
Additional Info
| Route Map (SwissMobility) There are a few ride around/along the lake bike events throughout the year. I haven’t done any of them yet, but they might be worth checking out: Rund um de Zürisee Rapperswil – Zürichsee Slowup Zürichsee Slowup |
Ride Around the Lake
I started and ended this loop at the Oberrieden Badi, the same place I started and ended my paddle board trip across the lake. It just seemed like the right place for me, but as it is a loop, you can start anywhere along the lake. From Oberrieden I headed down Seestrasse towards Zürich. I chose to ride in this direction as it kept me on the same side of the street as the lake making it easier to stop and enjoy the lake views as I went. I stopped in Kilchberg and took a picture of the Lindt Chocolate Factory. The Lindt Home of Chocolate is a fun and it is the most visited tourist attraction in Switzerland or so I’ve heard. You can also see how the bike lane is marked in factory picture.
Shortly before reaching Zürich proper, the bike lane separates from the street ( a dedicated bike lane is always nice). I was passing through Bürkliplatz at about 7:45 in the morning and it was still rather empty of tourists – later in the day it can get very crowded, especially in summer. Bürkliplatz is the start and end of the Trail 84, the hiking trail we did that goes around the lake.
After passing by Bürkliplatz, I headed down the other side of the lake towards Rapperswil. Shortly after leaving Zürich, I left Seestrasse briefly to go through the Chinese Garden and past the large “Heureka” sculpture by Jean Tinguely. Then, I didn’t stop again until I took a selfie in Herrliberg which is almost directly across the lake from my starting point. (Not quite the same spot as where we landed when paddling across the lake a few days before but close.) The rest of the ride down that side of the lake was marked by small towns, a few vineyards, and lovely lake views, which I stopped to enjoy a few times as I went.
When I reached Rapperswil, I walked my bike through the old town and stopped to rest for a bit. I had my bike pose for the Grand Tour of Switzerland photo of Rapperswil Castle.
After leaving Rapperswil, I crossed the land bridge that separates the Zürisee from the Obersee. (Biking around the Obersee is on my list, but that will have to be for another day.) Crossing the land bridge, there is a dedicated bike lane separate from traffic which was really nice. Across the street, I could see the Obersee and the mountains, and the Holzbrücke, a historic wooden pedestrian bridge. (Although the current version is a reconstruction built in 2001, there is a long history dating back to pre-historic times behind this bridge.) Along the way there are places you can stop with some wonderful views of the lake towards Zürich.
For the final stretch back, I was starting to get worn out and although I stopped to rest, it was usually just some place with shade and nothing particularly scenic. I was too tired to remember to take pictures, although I did stop in the Lidl parking lot for a picture of the rainbow steps of the Au peninsula vineyards. I also remembered to take a final selfie when I returned to the Oberrieden Badi.
My husband met me at the Badi with my towel and swimsuit, and I ended my bike tour around the lake with a refreshing dip in the lake. Perfect! I really enjoyed this biking adventure and I hope to do it again sometime!
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