Horgen lies on the western shore of Lake Zurich, around 15 kilometres from the cantonal capital, Zurich. The town offers several different highlights to help you plan your trip: the Sust Museum, the industrial history of Käpfnach and a walk along the Aabach. If you are looking for accommodation in Horgen, you can decide whether local history, mining or the landscape will shape your stay.

Horgen and its transport connections

Horgen is connected to public transport by three S-Bahn stops, various bus and PostBus routes, a ferry and a passenger boat. Check the current timetables before travelling, especially if you plan to use a ferry or passenger boat.

The Sust Museum and local history

The Sust Museum Horgen is housed in the municipality’s oldest known building, which is over 500 years old. Until 1835, the Sust building served as a goods transshipment point and customs station. This former dual function connects the building with the movement of goods and its regulation. The Sust is near the former harbour and Horgen See railway station. Since 2022, the museum has presented changing themed exhibitions on Horgen’s history and on life and people in Horgen. Exhibition themes may change; if you are visiting specifically for a particular topic, check the current programme in advance.

The town’s name also has an archaeological connection: the Horgen culture of the Late Neolithic period is named after Horgen. This adds a different perspective on the past to the town’s history, independent of the history of the Sust building.

Mining history in Käpfnach

The Käpfnach Visitor Mine offers another way to explore the town’s history. It is part of what was once Switzerland’s largest coal mine and is a former lignite and marl mine. The extensive tunnel system covers 80 kilometres in total. This figure refers to the entire system: the mine train journey is 1.4 kilometres long and illustrates the hard work involved in mining. An original film from 1943 depicts the difficult conditions of the time. Together, the scale of the tunnel system, the journey through part of the mine and the film’s historical context offer different perspectives on a bygone era.

A walk along the Aabach

If you are looking for an outdoor route rather than industrial history, the Horgen–Aabach Gorge–Au Peninsula walk offers a different focus. It starts in Horgen and follows a gravel path downhill from the edge of the forest along the Aabach. There, the Aabach has exposed sandstone and marl layers of the Upper Freshwater Molasse; the walk also leads to a tributary with a waterfall. Geology and water are among the route’s distinctive features, setting it apart from the mine train journey. Check the route information before setting off.

Other exhibitions and the Parkbad

The Seerose Parkbad has diving towers at heights of 1 m and 3 m. Seasonal availability may vary. If you are planning a visit, check the latest information beforehand. Under the motto “Art Spring by the Lake,” the Zurichsee Art Foundation holds regular exhibitions at Villa Seerose for the general public; dates and themes may change. The cultural programme therefore lets you choose between place-related topics at the Sust Museum and the Art Foundation’s exhibition programme.

Discover more destinations: Wädenswil, Langnau Am Albis, Hirzel, Kilchberg, Richterswil, Adliswil, Rüschlikon, Thalwil.

View the main travel overview: Horgen.