Brugg

Brugg is a small town of about 11,000 people in the canton of Aargau, located at the confluence of the Reuss, Aare, and Limmat rivers. The Aare flows through the city's old town. "Brugg" is the Swiss German word for bridge (Brücke in High German), alluding to the purpose of the town's establishment under the Habsburgs — it sits at the narrowest point on the Aare in the Swiss Midlands.

The town experiences a temperate climate with warm summers (June–August, 18–26°C) and cold winters (December–February, around 0°C). The compact old town is perfect for exploring on foot. Roman history is a major draw, with the nearby legion camp of Vindonissa in Windisch.

By Plane

Zurich Airport (ZRH) is the nearest international airport, with direct IR trains from the airport to Brugg taking about 44 minutes.

By Train

Brugg is well connected, located between Zurich and Basel. Three hourly IR trains from Zurich (25 min) via Baden (10 min); two hourly IR trains from Basel (45 min) via Rheinfelden; one hourly IR train from Berne (55 min) via Olten and Aarau. S-Bahn lines S12, S23, S25, and S29 also serve the station.

By Car / Road

Brugg is accessible via the A1 and A3 motorways. From Zurich it is about 30 minutes by car, from Basel about 40 minutes.

All sights of the town can be reached on foot from the train station within 30–40 minutes. Buses from the main station reach further afield. The "halbtax" option on ticket machines is for holders of an annual half-fare pass.

• Vindonissa Museum — Museumstrasse 1, Tu–F, Su 13:00–17:00. Exhibits from the excavation of the Roman legion camp in nearby Windisch. Fr. 10/4.

• Old Town — Historic buildings around the confluence of three rivers, with the town church and market square.

• Confluence viewpoint — Where the Reuss, Aare, and Limmat rivers meet.

• Swim in the Aare — The current can be strong; safer swimming is downriver from the old town. There is a tall platform for jumping near a pedestrian bridge.

• Explore the Roman legacy — Visit the Vindonissa site and museum in Windisch.

• Walk the riverfront — Scenic paths along the Aare through the old town.

• Trattoria Casino — Zurzacherstrasse 9, +41 56 441 10 07. M–F 11:30–14:00, daily 18:00–23:00. Italian cuisine near the town centre.
• Restaurant Essenz — Fröhlichstrasse 35, +41 56 282 20 00. Modern Swiss cuisine.

Local restaurants serve Swiss beers and wines. The riverside area has cafés for afternoon drinks.

• Budget: Brugg Youth Hostel (Schlössli Altenburg) — Im Hof 11, +41 56 441 10 20. A hostel in a small castle right on the Aare River. From Fr. 31 for a dorm.
• Mid-range — Several hotels and guesthouses in the town centre.

The main shopping area is Neumarkt, the plaza extending from the train station toward the old town, with typical chain stores and some restaurants. The old town has more specialist shops.

• Baden — 10 minutes by train, with thermal baths and a lively old town.
• Zurich — 25 minutes by train, Switzerland's largest city.
• Basel — 45 minutes by train, a cultural capital on the Rhine.
• Windisch — 5 minutes on foot, site of the Roman legion camp Vindonissa.
• Aarau — 12 minutes by train, the capital of Aargau.