Longest and shortest day in Zurich
In Zurich, Switzerland, the longest day of 2026 is around the June solstice on Sunday, 21 June 2026, with 15h 57m of daylight, and the shortest is around the December solstice on Monday, 21 December 2026, with 8h 27m.
| Turning point | Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March equinox | Friday, 20 March 2026 | 06:29 | 18:38 | 12h 9m |
| June solstice | Sunday, 21 June 2026 | 05:29 | 21:26 | 15h 57m |
| September equinox | Tuesday, 22 September 2026 | 07:12 | 19:23 | 12h 11m |
| December solstice | Monday, 21 December 2026 | 08:10 | 16:37 | 8h 27m |
| Month | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 08:08 | 17:01 | 8h 53m |
| February | 07:31 | 17:48 | 10h 17m |
| March | 06:39 | 18:30 | 11h 51m |
| April | 06:38 | 20:14 | 13h 36m |
| May | 05:49 | 20:55 | 15h 6m |
| June | 05:28 | 21:24 | 15h 56m |
| July | 05:44 | 21:18 | 15h 34m |
| August | 06:22 | 20:37 | 14h 16m |
| September | 07:03 | 19:38 | 12h 35m |
| October | 07:44 | 18:38 | 10h 54m |
| November | 07:30 | 16:50 | 9h 20m |
| December | 08:06 | 16:35 | 8h 29m |
Why the day gets longer and shorter in Zurich
Earth's axis is tilted about 23.4 degrees, so as the planet orbits the Sun, Zurich leans toward the Sun for part of the year and away for the rest. When it leans toward the Sun the days lengthen and the Sun climbs higher; half a year later the opposite happens. The size of the swing depends on how far Zurich sits from the equator: the further away, the bigger the difference between the longest and shortest day.
Frequently asked questions about day length in Zurich
When is the longest day in Zurich?
The longest day in Zurich falls around the June solstice, on Sunday, 21 June 2026 in 2026, with about 15h 57m of daylight, sunrise at 05:29 and sunset at 21:26.
When is the shortest day in Zurich?
The shortest day in Zurich falls around the December solstice, on Monday, 21 December 2026 in 2026, with about 8h 27m of daylight, sunrise at 08:10 and sunset at 16:37.
How much does day length change through the year in Zurich?
Between the longest and shortest day, Zurich gains and loses about 7h 30m of daylight. The change is fastest around the March and September equinoxes and slowest near the solstices.
Every figure is computed from Zurich's coordinates with SunCalc, not looked up from a table.