Shared laundry
Many apartment buildings have a common laundry room. The booking method can be a schedule, key cylinder, app or simply house convention. Use your slot, remove clothes promptly, wipe machines/filters as required, and leave the room the way you would want to find it. Your building’s Hausordnung wins over internet folklore.
Tipping
Service is included in Swiss prices, so tipping is not mandatory. Switzerland Tourism says rounding up is common, and roughly 5–10% is a normal gesture for good restaurant service. When paying by card, tell the server the final total you want charged.
Quiet hours
In the City of Zurich, official quiet periods include 22:00–07:00 at night; during summer time, Friday and Saturday night quiet starts at 23:00. The city also lists 12:00–13:00 on weekdays and all day Sundays/public holidays as quiet periods for avoidable noise. Your building rules may be stricter.
Sunday
Many shops close on Sundays, while train stations, airports and some gas-station shops are typical exceptions. Treat Sunday as a low-noise day at home: drilling, loud DIY and similar activities can create real neighbor problems.
Punctuality
For work, medical appointments and one-to-one plans, punctuality is taken seriously. If you will be late, send a message rather than hoping five or ten minutes is invisible.
Neighbors
A brief hello in the stairwell is normal. Introduce yourself after moving in if it feels natural, keep shared spaces tidy, and talk directly before escalating small problems. Anonymous angry notes exist, but they are not a cultural requirement.
Directness
Swiss communication can sound more literal or less enthusiastic than some newcomers expect. Do not automatically read brevity as hostility. At the same time, politeness formulas still matter.
Shopping
Migros and Coop are the dominant supermarkets, with Aldi/Lidl often cheaper. Main stations and the airport are the usual fallback when you suddenly realize it is Sunday.
Yes, you can drink the water
Zurich tap water is high-quality drinking water. The city also has more than 1,200 public fountains; almost all are potable unless marked otherwise. Carry a bottle and refill it.
German: start with the useful version
Daily speech in Zurich is Swiss German, but written official communication uses Standard German. Start with Standard German; it is completely fine to use it and ask people to reply in it. Swiss German comprehension can come later.