Vienna
415 km²
Zurich
88 km²
Austria
Switzerland
Area Comparison
Vienna is 4.7x larger than Zurich
Population Comparison
Vienna has 4.6x more people than Zurich
In terms of area, Vienna is 4.7x the size of Zurich. Vienna spans 415 km² (160 mi²) while Zurich covers 88 km² (34 mi²) — a difference of 327 km². You could fit Zurich inside Vienna approximately 4 times.
To put Vienna's size in perspective, its area of 415 km² is about 1.5x smaller than Seoul. Meanwhile, Zurich at 88 km² is about 1.2x smaller than Paris (city proper).
Vienna's footprint is roughly about 58,000 American football fields, 120 times the area of Central Park, or 7 times the area of Manhattan — pick whichever unit feels intuitive. Zurich works out to about 12,000 American football fields, 180 times the area of Vatican City, or 44 times the area of Monaco.
Vienna is the capital, most populous city, and one of the nine states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. Its larger metropolitan area has a population of nearly 2.9 million, representing nearly one-third of the country's population. Vienna is the cultural, economic, and political centre of the country, the fifth-largest city by population in the European Union, and the most populous of the cities on the river Danube.
Known as "City of Music", Vienna covers 415 km² with a population of 2.0 million. The city was founded around 500 BC. Vienna is known for Schönbrunn Palace, St. Stephen's Cathedral, Hofburg Palace, among other attractions. The city's main transit system is the Wiener Linien (U-Bahn).
Vienna's metropolitan area holds nearly 2.9 million people, representing roughly one-third of Austria's entire population
Zurich is the largest city in Switzerland and the capital of the canton of Zurich. It is in north-central Switzerland, at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich. As of the end of 2024, the municipality had a population of 436,551, while the urban area was home to 1.45 million people (2020), and the Zurich metropolitan area had a total population of 2.1 million (2020). Zurich is a hub for railways, roads, and air traffic.
Zurich has an area of 88 km² and is home to 0.4 million people. Its history stretches back to 15 BC. Visitors come for Lake Zurich, Bahnhofstrasse, Grossmünster, and much more. Getting around is easy with the ZVV (S-Bahn & Tram).
Zurich is Switzerland's largest city and sits at the northwestern tip of Lake Zurich in north-central Switzerland.
Looking beyond city limits, the Vienna metropolitan area covers 3,840 km², which is 2.9x larger than greater Zurich at 1,334 km². The Vienna metro area is also more populous, with 2.8 million people compared to 1.4 million.
Vienna has a population density of 4,771 people per km² — a moderately dense city. Zurich, with 4,886 people per km², is a moderately dense city. Both cities have comparable density, though Zurich is slightly more compact.
Both cities are in Europe, but they represent different national approaches to urban development. Vienna (Austria) and Zurich (Switzerland) offer a fascinating regional contrast.
Both cities share a oceanic climate, though local geography creates distinct microclimates in each.
Size Ratio
Zurich fits inside Vienna ~4 times
History
Vienna is ~485 years older
Vienna covers 415 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Denver (401 km²), Oslo (454 km²), Portland (376 km²), Philadelphia (370 km²), or Seattle (369 km²).
Zurich covers 88 km². Cities with a similar urban footprint include Copenhagen (91 km²), Lisbon (100 km²), Barcelona (101 km²), Paris (105 km²), or Vancouver (115 km²).
The straight-line distance from Vienna to Zurich is 592 km (368 miles), with an estimated flight time of ~1h 12m.
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