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# Oerlikon on foot: a walk through Zurich’s unusual urban parks
- URL: https://roadme.io/blog/zurich-oerlikon-unusual-parks-walk/
- Published: 2026-10-23T19:50:21.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T19:50:21.000Z
- Author: RoadMe
- Tags: Itineraries, #zurich

Oerlikon offers a different Zurich: contemporary urban spaces rather than medieval lanes. Near the station, parks take unusual forms, from the planted steel hall of MFO-Park to the tree rows and tower of Oerliker Park and the open play spaces of Wahlenpark. They combine naturally into a walk, with the more intimate Gustav-Ammann-Park as an optional extension.

## Who this walk suits

Choose this route if you enjoy landscape design, modern architecture and unhurried city walking. The interesting comparison is not a checklist of rare plants but how space works: where shade is created, how seats are placed and what greenery contributes among substantial buildings. For a first visit to classic Zurich, combine it with a separate city-centre outing.

The basic sequence is Bahnhof Oerlikon → MFO-Park → Oerliker Park → Wahlenpark → return to the station. Allow roughly two to two and a half hours with breaks. Adding Gustav-Ammann-Park and a quiet stop extends the outing to about three hours. These are editorial estimates rather than measured navigation times; paths, crossings and your pace affect the result.

> To choose between unusual park architecture and quieter green spaces, try [RoadMe](https://roadme.io/?ref=roadme.io): it prepares a personal itinerary around your interests, dates and pace. Replace stops that appeal less rather than trying to visit every park in one outing.

## Begin at Oerlikon station

Arrive at Zürich Oerlikon and head towards the northern quarter, using MFO-Park and Elias-Canetti-Strasse as your first references. The station has several exits. For meeting companions, specify a particular side or nearby address instead of relying on the station name alone. Reaching street level from the platform deserves its own allowance.

Do not judge the whole neighbourhood from the first junction. Its appeal emerges through comparisons between open spaces. Offices, railway infrastructure, housing and residents’ everyday routes are not merely a backdrop to one attraction: they are the environment the parks serve. Use designated pedestrian connections and do not cut through service areas simply because they appear to shorten the route.

Decide whether you want a substantial loop or a brief stop near the station. If time is limited, MFO-Park alone makes a worthwhile visit. That is more satisfying than beginning a full circuit and rushing precisely where you would have enjoyed sitting down and looking up.

## MFO-Park: a green hall instead of a conventional square

MFO-Park is defined by a large open steel structure gradually covered by climbing plants. Its name recalls Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon, associated with this part of the city. Built in 2001–2002 to designs by Burckhardt + Partner and Raderschall, it feels like a substantial hall whose walls and overhead structure become greenery.

Explore at ground level first. Step towards the edge to understand the overall volume, then return inside and notice how light and views change through the framework. The contrast between outdoor air and architectural form is interesting without climbing. There is no need to begin with a staircase simply because it is the first feature you notice.

Twenty to thirty minutes allows an initial ground-level visit and time to observe the space. Summer foliage, autumn colour and the more exposed winter framework create different impressions. Particular leaf colours or the density of cover cannot be promised for your date. Choose the park for an idea that remains understandable across the seasons.

![Illustration of a traveller examining an autumn leaf on a bench](https://roadme.io/blog/content/images/2026/10/roadme-image-5673.webp)

## Upper walkways are an addition, not a requirement

Stairs and walkways lead through different levels to an upper deck when the relevant areas are open. They offer another angle on the neighbourhood and the green hall itself. This does not amount to guaranteed unrestricted access at every hour. Local closures, events and the condition of the route need checking on arrival.

In wet weather, assess the steps and your comfort before climbing. If heights are unpleasant, stay below: the structure is clearly visible and there are places to pause. Accompany children on the stairs rather than turning the ascent into a race. Railings are for safety, not a support for a dramatic photograph.

Public park access does not establish wheelchair access to upper levels. Check specific entrances and routes separately if mobility is a concern. The basic walk can remain at ground level, comparing space, plants and places to sit rather than relying on a succession of climbs.

## An open structure, not a greenhouse

Photographs can make MFO-Park resemble an enormous greenhouse, but it is an outdoor structure rather than a conservatory with a controlled climate. Rain, wind and temperature remain part of the visit. Plant cover does not guarantee a dry place in all conditions, so sustained rain is worth considering when choosing your day.

A bench offers more than a rest. Sit for a few minutes and watch people move through the space. The hall can feel like both a public square and a small retreat at once. This explains the park more effectively than naming every plant or trying to photograph every level.

For images, choose one overall view and one detail, such as the grid’s shadow, a leaf pattern or a person’s scale against the structure. It helps retain a sense of place without turning the outing into continuous photography. Keep other people’s work and rest out of close-up images unless they agree.

## Continue to Oerliker Park for a different idea

From MFO-Park, use public streets towards Oerliker Park around Birchstrasse. Allow an estimated ten to fifteen minutes for the short connection and orientation. Do not navigate only by the visible tower: actual crossings and traffic routes matter more than a straight line between landmarks.

Oerliker Park opened in 2001 as part of the development of Zürich-Nord. Instead of a large green hall, its composition uses tree rows, open space, a wooden deck, a red pavilion and a blue tower. That provides a clear comparison between two different ways to create public recreation among large urban buildings.

Walk from the denser trees into the more open part, then choose a place to stop. Twenty to thirty minutes is enough for an initial look without climbing. Families can allocate some of it to the playground. You do not need to trace every park boundary to understand the principal arrangement.

![Illustration of a traveller in an imagined park with a distant tower](https://roadme.io/blog/content/images/2026/10/roadme-image-5674.webp)

## The tower: go up or enjoy it from below

Oerliker Park’s tower recalls the tall industrial chimneys of the former district. It is a strong vertical reference among the trees and buildings. If access is open and the climb suits you, consider it an extra activity rather than a compulsory part of the visit.

Check the staircase, platform conditions and temporary restrictions at the entrance. Do not promise yourself a classic Old Town panorama: the interest here is primarily the northern neighbourhood and its surrounding buildings. One urban tower does not replace every other viewpoint, because the direction and character of the outlook differ.

If you have already climbed at MFO-Park, skip the second ascent without regret. The comparison between green spaces remains intact and there is more time to enjoy the ground-level park. This often makes a more comfortable day for families and travellers who prefer an easy pace; looking at the tower from below still has value.

## Wahlenpark makes room for movement

Continue to Wahlenpark, using the Fritz-Heeb-Weg area and Im Birch school as references. This is not a botanical collection or another intimate garden. Movement and play are central. The municipal design description distinguishes a wooded component, a playing field and a promenade.

Compare the open centre with the denser planting around it and remember MFO-Park. There a tall steel volume shaped the space; here the relationship between an open field and planted boundaries does the work. This comparison makes even a short stop worthwhile without a list of mandatory monuments or dates.

The park belongs to neighbourhood life and the nearby school. Do not occupy play areas for your own photographs or interfere with activities. For a family outing, allow more time here and shorten the optional garden extension. For architecture, a gentle crossing and views from different edges may be enough.

> If one park deserves longer, prepare your version in [RoadMe](https://roadme.io/?ref=roadme.io). Its personal plan follows your interests and pace, and individual stops can be removed or replaced—for example, more play time instead of a second climb.

![Illustration of a traveller resting under a pergola beside a garden basin](https://roadme.io/blog/content/images/2026/10/roadme-image-5675.webp)

## Gustav-Ammann-Park as a quiet extension

Gustav-Ammann-Park at Langwiesstrasse 30 introduces a different atmosphere. Designed in 1942 as a place of recreation for employees of a neighbouring industrial company, it contrasts with the newer open parks through its small scale, winding paths, planting, pergola and water basin. The original purpose of providing rest is easy to appreciate without an extended historical lecture.

The city gives daily opening hours of 06:00–18:30, checked on 23 October 2026\. Do not transfer assumptions about neighbouring open spaces to this garden. If starting towards evening, check that you can reach it before closing or leave it out of the route.

Allow around twenty minutes for a quiet look, plus the additional approach. This is an optional extension, so do not speed up the main walk to fit it in. If returning to the station already feels appealing, save the garden for another visit. An intimate space is easier to appreciate with attention available than as a final box before closing time.

## Choose the season and pace

In summer, green shade is particularly noticeable, although open connections between parks still call for ordinary sun protection and water. Autumn leaves can become the main visual impression, but colour depends on weather and timing. In winter the architectural frame is clearer and long sitting breaks are less comfortable.

Do not treat the walk as an indoor option in rain simply because MFO-Park has a spectacular green structure. Shorten the loop, choose sensible surfaces and omit climbs when conditions make them awkward. A fixed duration matters less than being able to observe and rest comfortably rather than endure a predetermined schedule.

For a short introduction, stay with MFO-Park near the station. For a fuller comparison, include the three main parks. For a longer gentle day, add Gustav-Ammann-Park and a meal break. Changing the scale does not make the shorter version incomplete; it lets the route reflect the time and attention you have.

## Return to the station and combine with central Zurich

Return to Bahnhof Oerlikon by your chosen public route, taking account of which park you finish in. There is no single precise return time that fits every variant. Include station orientation and reaching the right platform, especially if continuing elsewhere in the city.

For classic central Zurich, use the [two-hour Old Town walk](https://roadme.io/blog/zurich-two-hour-old-town-walk/) as a separate block, with travel and a break allowed. The contrast is useful: after steel halls, contemporary parks and northern neighbourhoods, the old streets feel different, and Zurich becomes more than one familiar postcard.

Before leaving, check weather, transport and current restrictions on any climb you plan. Oerlikon’s reward is not the maximum number of elevated platforms. It is seeing how differently an urban park can be designed and choosing the kind of rest that suits you.