Zurich Run Clubs: Where to Run and Meet People
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Ten run clubs in Zurich, by the lake, in Oerlikon, Altstetten and on the Europaallee, early mornings, after work and at weekends. Where they meet, who they suit, how to join.
Run clubs are an easy way to meet people in Zurich: a set time, a run side by side, often a coffee afterwards. We only list groups that announce their runs on their own page or channel.
The clubs at a glance
| Club | Meeting point | Roughly when | For whom | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CityRunning | Oerlikon, Enge or Altstetten | Tue, Wed and Thu 7 pm | Guided runs, about an hour | Free |
| WERUN Runday Monday | WERUN Europaallee or Sihlcity | Mon 5:45 or 6:15 pm | Several paces, beginners welcome | Not stated |
| Züri rännt multikulturell | Bürkliplatz | Tue 6:30 pm | New in Zurich, simple German, around 6:00 per km | Free |
| SPORTEGRATION Running | Sportgarderobe Waid | Sun 10 am | All levels, with food and time together | CHF 10 donation, free for refugees |
| Zurich Hash House Harriers | Changing places in Zurich | Thu 7 pm, first Sat of the month 2 pm | Trail usually 6 to 7 km, walkers welcome | CHF 5 with drinks and snacks |
| THE 6:ZH CLUB | Bürkliplatz | Tue 6:15 am | About 6 km, coffee afterwards | Not stated |
| Run Store Zurich Run Club | Run Store, Niederdorfstrasse 20 | Usually Sat 10 am | The running shop's community run | Not stated |
| WE-TRST Run Club Zürich | Wild Bowls, Bleicherweg 50 | Every other Sun 11 am | About 7 km for beginners, 10 km for advanced runners | Free |
| Zürich Frontrunners | Sporthalle Bühl, in summer Schule am Wasser | Tue 7 pm | Running group of an LGBTIQA+ sports club, any level | CHF 100 a year plus membership |
| LAC TV Unterstrass Running | Sihlhölzli sports ground | Several times a week, main session Thu | Six groups for different levels, trial session | Membership CHF 400 a year |
"Not stated" means we found nothing about cost, not that the run costs money.
The run clubs one by one
CityRunning (Oerlikon, Enge and Altstetten)
Three open, guided runs, each at 7 pm and lasting about an hour: on Tuesdays at Marktplatz Oerlikon, on Wednesdays at Hafen Enge, on Thursdays at Lindenplatz in Altstetten. In Enge and Altstetten there are groups at about 6 and 7 minutes per kilometre. The runs are free and need no sign-up; dates are also posted on Meetup. CityRunning
WERUN Runday Monday (Europaallee and Sihlcity)
The running shop WERUN invites you to run together every Monday: at 5:45 pm from its shop on the Europaallee, at 6:15 pm from Sihlcity, each for about an hour. There are several paces, and beginners and experienced runners are welcome. The page asks you to sign up and has a WhatsApp group for each meeting point; WERUN gives no distance or price. WERUN Runday Monday
Züri rännt multikulturell (Bürkliplatz)
An open running group mainly for people who are new to Zurich or living there temporarily. On Tuesdays it starts at 6:30 pm at Bürkliplatz, for an hour at around 6 minutes per kilometre, and the language is simple German. The group is free, and you don't need a membership. Züri rännt, running groups
SPORTEGRATION Running (Waid)
The SPORTEGRATION running group meets every Sunday from 10 to 11:30 am at the Sportgarderobe Waid and runs through the city and its parks. Before and after the run, people eat and spend time together. All levels are welcome; the page gives no distance. Refugees train for free, and locals and expats with a regular income give a donation of CHF 10 per session. You let the group know in its WhatsApp chat that you're coming, as its questions and answers explain. SPORTEGRATION Running
Zurich Hash House Harriers (changing places)
Zurich's hash group runs on Thursdays at 7 pm and on the first Saturday of the month at 2 pm, in a different place each week. A trail is a kind of running paper chase: the marked trail is usually 6 to 7 kilometres, depending on your pace you cover about 7 to 10, and walkers take the shortest route. Afterwards there are drinks and singing, and newcomers and visitors are welcome. Taking part costs CHF 5, including beer, alcohol-free drinks and snacks. You find the current meeting point on Meetup. Zurich Hash House Harriers
THE 6:ZH CLUB (Bürkliplatz)
For early risers: on Tuesdays at 6:15 am from Bürkliplatz, around six kilometres, then coffee at JUNG on the Schanzengraben. Dates are posted in the Strava club. THE 6:ZH CLUB on Strava
Run Store Zurich Run Club (Niederdorf)
The run club of the Run Store running shop on Niederdorfstrasse usually meets on Saturdays at 10 am. The shop gives no distance or pace; you join through the Strava club its page points to. Run Store Zurich Run Club
WE-TRST Run Club Zürich (Enge)
Every other Sunday at 11 am from Wild Bowls at Bleicherweg 50, alternating with St. Gallen; you can leave bags and jackets there. Beginners run about seven kilometres at 6 to 7 minutes per kilometre, advanced runners about ten at 5 to 6. It's free and needs no sign-up, they switch to English when needed, and afterwards people meet at a spot nearby. The exact Sundays are posted on the WhatsApp channel and on Instagram. WE-TRST Run Club Zürich
Zürich Frontrunners (Wiedikon and Höngg)
The running group of Rainbow Sport Zürich, the sports club for the LGBTIQA+ community, as the club describes itself. Training is on Tuesdays from 7 to 8 pm, from October to April at the Sporthalle Bühl, from May to September at the Schule am Wasser. According to the club, everyone is welcome, from a first jog to a marathon. You arrange a trial session first; after that, the running group costs CHF 100 a year plus the club's basic membership. Zürich Frontrunners at Rainbow Sport
LAC TV Unterstrass Running (Sihlhölzli)
The running section of the LAC TV Unterstrass club has six groups for different levels, for beginners, runners coming back after a break and experienced runners, and up to four sessions a week; the main session is on Thursdays at the Sihlhölzli sports ground. Times are in the training plan, and you request a trial session through a form. A running membership costs CHF 400 a year; if you do the expected volunteer shifts, you pay CHF 150 less the following year. LAC TV Unterstrass Running
How to find your club
- Pace: Around 6:00 per kilometre at Züri rännt, groups at 6 and 7 at CityRunning, a beginners' group at WE-TRST. If you'd rather walk, the hash has shorter routes; if you want structured training, try LAC TV Unterstrass.
- Time: Early risers have THE 6:ZH CLUB on Tuesdays. After work, WERUN on Mondays, CityRunning, Züri rännt and the Frontrunners on Tuesdays, CityRunning on Wednesdays, CityRunning and the hash on Thursdays; the LAC TV Unterstrass main session is on Thursdays too. At weekends, the Run Store on Saturday mornings, SPORTEGRATION on Sunday mornings and WE-TRST every other Sunday; the hash runs on the first Saturday afternoon of the month.
- Language: Simple German at Züri rännt, English when needed at WE-TRST.
- Group: Züri rännt is aimed at people who are new to Zurich; the Frontrunners are the running group of an LGBTIQA+ sports club.
- Afterwards: Coffee at THE 6:ZH CLUB, food and time together at SPORTEGRATION, a spot nearby at WE-TRST, drinks and singing at the hash.
- Signing up: No sign-up at CityRunning and WE-TRST, WhatsApp at WERUN and SPORTEGRATION; a trial session with the Frontrunners and at LAC TV Unterstrass, Strava for THE 6:ZH CLUB and the Run Store, Meetup for the hash's meeting point.
After the run
Simple openers work: "Do you run this route often?", "How long have you been coming?", "Are you training for something?" If the group has a WhatsApp channel, join it; the next runs are posted there. And if you got on well with someone, suggest running together next week.
For people who lead a run club
If you lead a run club like these, you know the moment after the coffee when everyone heads off without swapping numbers. before is a web app for organisers. Before the start you show the QR code on your phone; runners check in with it in their browser, without installing an app, and anyone who likes takes a selfie. The day after, the afterparty is open from 10 am to 8 pm. Anyone who shared a selfie sees everyone else who shared one there and can press the button for meeting again for up to five people. At 8 pm everyone finds out at the same time who wants to see each other again, and only then does a chat open. One-sided wishes stay invisible, and nobody receives a rejection. Nobody needs a profile. More on the page before for organisers.