← Neujahrsmarathon Zürich·Day trip

Baden: Thermal Water After a Night Run

The thermal baths at Baden are a short train ride from Zürich, and hot water is the obvious answer to a marathon run in freezing darkness.

DurationDay trip
TransitTrain from Zürich HB, about 20 minutes
DepartsZürich Hauptbahnhof

After the Neujahrsmarathon Zürich: Baden

The Route: Zürich → Baden → Zürich Logistics: Train from Zürich HB to Baden, about 20 minutes, then a short walk to the baths. Out and back in one day. Marathon Month: January Duration: Day trip

Zürich HB ──(train, about 20 mins)──> Baden station ──(short walk)──> FORTYSEVEN thermal baths
    ▲                                                                          │
    └────────────────────────(train back to Zürich)◄──────────────────────────┘

The Neujahrsmarathon Zürich starts at midnight on 1 January and the finish line closes at 05:00, so the first realistic day out is the afternoon of 1 January, after sleep. The 2026 race ran at about -8°C on unlit natural paths. Baden, a spa town on the Limmat, answers that with warm thermal water.

January in Baden: cold and often grey, which is the point of a thermal bath. Both 1 and 2 January are public holidays in much of Switzerland, so trains run on a holiday timetable, and some shops and venues keep short hours. Check opening times for the baths and the museum before travelling, and check the train timetable for the day.

Getting there

Trains run from Zürich HB to Baden in about 20 minutes. Check the exact departures and the holiday timetable at sbb.ch. The baths stand a short walk from the station on mostly level streets.

The baths

FORTYSEVEN is at Grosse Bäder 1, and tickets start from CHF 34 (about £30). It is a modern spa with thermal pools. The Terrassenbad is a second bathing option in town. Hot outdoor water in January is the draw, but a post-race body can run cold again when it leaves the pool, so take a warm layer and a hat for the walk to the station. Booking details and holiday hours are on deinbaden.ch, the town's tourism site.

If the legs want a walk first, the Historisches Museum Baden is an indoor option. Check its hours for the holiday period, and keep the visit short.

Getting back

Trains return to Zürich HB at a similar frequency. On a holiday timetable they may be less frequent, so check the last departures before settling into the water.