Zürich’s beloved Stadtzürcher Seeüberquerung has been postponed from its original date to Wednesday, 8 July 2026, after this week’s severe thunderstorms made the 1,500-metre lake crossing unsafe. If weather conditions remain unfavourable, a further postponement to Wednesday, 16 July, is possible. The organising committee is due to make that call on Monday, 6 July.
The event, which draws up to 9,000 swimmers across Lake Zürich from Strandbad Mythenquai to Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen, can only go ahead in dry, calm conditions with no wind or storms and a water temperature of at least 21 degrees Celsius. The violent storms that swept the canton on Tuesday evening, resulting in more than 700 emergency calls to fire brigades and widespread disruption at Zürich Airport, made it impossible to proceed as planned.
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More About Zürich’s Lake Crossing Seeüberquerung
The event, which sends swimmers from Strandbad Mythenquai on the western shore to Strandbad Tiefenbrunnen on the eastern side, is one of Zürich’s most popular summer traditions, drawing thousands of participants and spectators from across the city and beyond. It is not a race, times are not recorded, and the emphasis is firmly on participation, community and the sheer pleasure of swimming across one of Switzerland’s most beautiful urban lakes.
The crossing is open to good swimmers aged 12 and over. Younger participants aged between 12 and 15 swim free of charge but must be accompanied by an adult at all times. Adults pay CHF 25 for a ticket, or CHF 20 if they are ZKB customers, a discount available on up to two tickets. The start fee covers a bathing cap, food at the finish, a bouillon to warm up after the swim, and a souvenir gift.
Swimmers are divided into 12 starting groups, labelled A through L, with the first group entering the water at 2:30 p.m. and the last group starting at 5:55 p.m. Each ticket comes with a fixed check-in window and start time that participants must respect — miss the check-in and the right to start is forfeited. There is no box office on site; all tickets must be purchased in advance online.
One piece of luggage per swimmer is transported from the start to the finish by the organisers. Participants are advised to bring a small lockable bag and to leave valuables at home, as luggage may get wet at a water sports event.
The route is marked with buoys, with lifeguards stationed on boats at least every 75 metres across the entire crossing. The water police co-organise the event and control shipping traffic during the swim, with vessels permitted to cross only at a marked lock shortly after the start. Medical partner Klinik Hirslanden is stationed at the finish to treat minor injuries, while the rescue service of Schutz & Rettung Zürich stands by for acute emergencies.
Spectators wishing to watch from the start or finish areas pay the normal swimming pool entrance fee of CHF 8. More than 300 volunteers make the event possible, drawn from sports clubs, choirs and community organisations across the canton.
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