Winterthur and its seven city districts: where and how people live

The Stadt district covers the old town – the largest continuous pedestrian zone in Switzerland – the Heiligberg and quarters such as Tössfeld and Neuwiesen. Töss in the south-west, Wülflingen in the north-west and Veltheim in the north were separate municipalities until 1922 and still have their own village centres; in the 19th century the factory sites of Sulzer and the SLM locomotive works linked Töss with the city.

Oberwinterthur in the north-east, with Hegi and the Eulachpark, and Seen in the south-east, with Oberseen, are growing particularly fast, and Hegi has had its own station since 2006. Mattenbach only became a district of its own in 1973, when many new buildings went up between Stadt and Seen.

Winterthur was an industrial town: Sulzer, SLM and Rieter or their successors are still active today, albeit much smaller. Today services dominate – the city is home to AXA Switzerland and the health insurer Swica. The ZHAW is the largest university of applied sciences in the canton of Zurich and has five of its eight departments in Winterthur; many students therefore look for flats near the station.

The Technorama is the city’s most visited museum, alongside the Fotomuseum and the Kunst Museum Winterthur. The station has the fourth-highest passenger numbers in Switzerland, and Zurich Airport is 13 to 17 minutes away by train. We deliberately do not give rents; they differ greatly by district and year of construction.

The answer depends on the size: 1-room flat from €365, 2-room flat from €605, 3-room flat from €909, 4-room flat from €1,299. Houses and villas always receive an individual quote. For long-distance moves a per-kilometre rate from €3.85/km applies. It is best to clarify all the details during a free survey.

Two key factors are the volume of your belongings and the distance – the latter is charged from €3.85/km. Floor, lift and a parking restriction zone also influence the final price. If needed, furniture assembly and a part load complement the offer.

You can book these services individually for your move to Winterthur.

• Furniture transport – reliable furniture transport over any distance.
• Private move – an individual private move, tailored to you.
• Part load – a cost-saving part load for small moves.
• House clearance – professional house clearance with proper disposal.
• Company relocation – a structured company relocation for businesses.
• Move with assembly – a convenient move with assembly with no effort on your part.

We handle moves from Berlin (Stromstraße 21), including to Switzerland. Places with their own pages are shown in the locations overview, and further routes are listed under long-distance moves.

According to the City of Winterthur, public parking spaces can be temporarily closed for a move. This requires a permit from the city, and the closure must be applied for in advance so that the signs can be put up in time. The form is linked on the “Parkbewilligungen” page under “Bewilligungsformulare”. The city does not state a fixed lead time. The contact point for parking questions is “Parkkarten & Parkbewilligungen” (Obermühlestrasse 5, 8400 Winterthur; counter Monday to Friday 7 am to 5 pm, phone Monday to Friday 9 to 11 am on +41 52 267 58 25). Important: outside the marked parking bays, a general parking ban applies throughout the city, except in the central zones and some outlying hamlets without a rail connection.

In the old town, access, deliveries and goods handling with motor vehicles are only permitted at certain times or with a permit. In Marktgasse, Untertor and Münzgasse, according to the city, goods handling is permitted until 11.00 am, and from 11.00 am to 6.30 pm a general driving ban applies. During the weekly market (Tuesdays and Fridays), a general driving ban applies in the Steinberggasse, Metzggasse and Spitalgasse area from 6.00 to 11.30 am. Anyone who needs to handle goods during the driving ban needs an “old-town day permit” (Tagesbewilligung Altstadt), and only the time needed for loading is permitted. This city page does not mention moves, so clarify access with the city in advance. You can find more about our parking restriction zone service here.

After arriving, register within 14 days with the residents’ registration office in Winterthur (Einwohnerkontrolle, Pionierstrasse 7, 8400 Winterthur, phone +41 52 267 57 54). The counters are open Monday to Wednesday 8.30 am to 12.00 noon and 1.30 to 5.00 pm, Thursday 8.30 am to 12.00 noon and 1.30 to 6.30 pm, and Friday 8.30 am to 12.00 noon and 1.30 to 4.00 pm. According to the city no appointment is needed; people coming from abroad must appear in person at the counter and use the specified time slots. For Swiss nationals the city states a fee of CHF 40.– per adult, and for foreign nationals additional fees from the Migration Office of the canton of Zurich. You need to bring, among other things, a valid passport or identity card and proof of accommodation such as the tenancy agreement.

According to the city, compulsory health insurance must be taken out within three months of taking up residence in Switzerland. The Social Insurance Institution of the canton of Zurich is responsible for premium reductions.

When moving from Germany to Switzerland, customs law also applies: according to the Federal Office for Customs and Border Security (BAZG), transferring your residence to Switzerland is the most important condition for the duty-free import of removal goods, and the items must have been used by you personally for at least 6 months. Customs clearance is done using form 18.44. You can read the details in our article Moving to Switzerland: customs, formalities and process.