Tickets for Zurich’s 60th Limmatschwimmen go on sale today, Wednesday, 12 August 2026, at 5 pm, with organisers expecting the roughly 4,500 available spots to sell out quickly for the city’s only day of legal swimming along the full length of the Limmat.
The main event takes place on Saturday, 15 August 2026, from around noon to 4:30 pm, with a backup date of 22 August in case water levels, flow rate, or weather conditions are unsuitable. Swimmers cover a 2-kilometre stretch of the Limmat, starting at the Frauenbadi on Stadthausquai and finishing at the Flussbad Oberer Letten.
Participants must be able to complete the distance independently without swimming aids, though the popular ewz-Schwimmtier inflatable companion is allowed since it doesn’t count as a swimming aid. The minimum age is 12, rising to 16 for the more competitive ewz-Challenge category.
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How To Get Tickets
Regular ticket sales for all remaining start places open on Wednesday, August 12, at 5pm exclusively through Ticketcorner. Given that the roughly 4,500 spots have historically sold out fast, organizers are urging would-be swimmers to be ready right at the 5 pm start.
Customers of the local energy utility ewz get a head start: those with a “Mein ewz” account can access presale tickets five hours before the official launch, from noon to 4 pm on the same day, while supplies last. A small allocation of 30 pairs of tickets is also being raffled off exclusively among ewz customers via the same platform.
Swimmers can choose between two main pricing models. One option includes purchasing the event’s new Limmatbag — a swim bag that can also be used as a backpack on land — while the other lets participants bring their own swim bag for a lower price.
Provisional 2026 pricing lists the event at CHF 60 with the new Limmatbag, CHF 25 with your own swim bag, CHF 28 for the ewz-Challenge category, and CHF 37 for the “Plauschschwimmen” option that includes clothing transport. Participants choosing the clothing-transport category receive a numbered ticket and a plastic bag for their clothes at the start, with 2,500 places available in that category and 2,000 in the swim-bag category.
Every ticket includes second-class travel on all ZVV public transport zones on the day of the event, making it easy for swimmers and spectators to reach the start and finish points.
Limmatschwimmen: Marking The 60th Edition
Marking the 60th edition, organizers are introducing a new category called ewz-Limmatstrom, an exclusive group that will be the first to enter the water and open the swim. The milestone anniversary is being framed as a celebration of six decades of the event, which remains the only time each year when swimming the entire stretch of the Limmat through the city center is legally permitted.
The Limmatschwimmen has become one of Zurich’s signature summer traditions, drawing thousands of participants who normally cannot swim this stretch of the river due to boat traffic and safety restrictions. With demand consistently outstripping the roughly 4,500 available spots, prospective swimmers should treat Wednesday’s 5 pm ticket release as a genuine rush — past editions have sold out within a short window of going live.
For those who miss out or prefer to watch, the Flussbad Oberer Letten remains free to enter and offers a vantage point to see swimmers finish their route, while the Frauenbadi start point along Stadthausquai draws its own crowd of spectators on race day.
