Public-transport access and property prices in Canton Zurich

The arc diagram visualises S-Bahn and rail connections from 25 Zurich municipalities to Zürich HB — with journey times, municipality sizes and district colouring. It makes the transit-quality gradient of the property market visible: municipalities with dense, direct links within 20–30 minutes (Uster, Dübendorf, Kloten, Thalwil) form the “sweet spot” between short commutes and lower prices. Data: ZVV 2025 timetable, SBB and BFS population figures 2024.

Every commute minute costs roughly 0.5–1.5 % in property value

Municipalities in transit class A (under 15 minutes to Zürich HB) show systematically higher per-square-metre prices. Lake municipalities such as Wädenswil or Rapperswil-Jona stay expensive despite 22–44-minute journeys — a sign that landscape quality offsets the travel-time penalty.

Data basis and method

Journey times come from the ZVV 2025 clock-face timetable and SBB connections; municipality sizes from BFS population figures 2024. The diagram shows the fastest regular peak-hour connection; individual services may differ.