CipherWalkEscape room in Zürich today
I like to be spontaneous, on holiday and at home. I mostly decide what to do on the day I do it, or the evening before. Unfortunately, that rules out almost every escape room. Not necessarily because they're full, but because they're built around booking ahead, often a day's notice or more. I thought about this when building CipherWalk, so that people like me can play escape games spontaneously.
So CipherWalk asks for nothing in advance. It's an outdoor escape room walked on the streets of Zürich: you pick a quest on the day you already know is free, and it starts whenever your team is actually together.
Why a traditional escape room needs a plan and this doesn't
Deciding
A traditional escape roomBooked days ahead, so you have to know now that all of you will still be free then.
CipherWalkDecided on the day, once you already know the afternoon is yours.
Being late
A traditional escape roomA late tram costs you the minutes it costs you. The hour you paid for started without you.
CipherWalkThe clock starts when the last of you arrives, so late costs nothing.
Plans changing
A traditional escape roomMoving a booking means finding another slot that suits everyone all over again.
CipherWalkNothing to move. An unlock doesn't expire, so a cancelled Saturday just becomes a different one.
Being full
A traditional escape roomEvenings and weekends do sell out. Midweek daytime usually doesn't.
CipherWalkNothing to sell out, at any hour.
How soon can you actually be playing?
About fifteen minutes from deciding, if you do the first step on the move. There are only three:
- 1. Everyone installs the CipherWalk app. That's the slow step, and the only one worth starting right now, on the tram rather than at the meeting point.
- 2. One person unlocks a quest. That covers the whole team, so nobody else needs to pay or set anything up.
- 3. You meet at the start — Werd or Stauffacher — and the first puzzle is right there.
The one thing you can't rush is the phones. Every player needs their own, charged and online, because the clues are split between you and no single phone holds enough to finish.
Can we go this evening?
Yes. The routes follow lit streets, and the app surfaces extra guidance at stops where a detail is hard to read after dark. Daylight is still easier on the plaques and facades you read clues from, so go while it's light if the choice is yours. Evening is usually the first moment you actually know the evening is free, which is a terrible time to start looking for something you were supposed to have arranged last week.
What if it rains?
Then an indoor escape room is probably the better call, and we'd rather say so than sell you a wet afternoon. This is played entirely outdoors on foot. Light rain or cold is genuinely fine if you dress for it, and the quest keeps until the weather turns, since an unlock doesn't expire.
The essentials
- 👥 Teams of 2 to 4
- ⏱ Length and distance vary by quest, shown on each below
- 🎟 CHF 9 per player
- 💳 One purchase covers the whole team
- 📱 iPhone or Android, one phone each
Playable right now
Zurich Wiedikon
Discover the secrets of Wiedikon, one of Zurich's most vibrant neighborhoods. This trail will test your problem-solving as it takes you on a journey through the area's historical places.
View quest →The Locksmith's Vault
A locksmith who trusted no bank built a hidden vault somewhere in the old city, then scattered its combination across her favourite streets. Her memoirs are in your hands. Follow her trail and reach the vault first.
View quest →Questions people ask on the day
Do we need to book?+
No, and the useful part isn't that slots are scarce, it's that there is nothing to commit to in advance. You never have to guess a week ahead whether everyone will be free. One person unlocks a quest, and the team starts whenever it's together.
What if our plans change?+
Nothing is lost. There's no slot to move, no cancellation window and no deadline: an unlock stays yours, so a Saturday that falls through simply becomes a different one.
Can we really start today?+
Yes, and usually within the hour. The slowest step is everyone installing the CipherWalk app, so start that now and do it on the way to Werd or Stauffacher.
Can we play this evening, after dark?+
Yes. The routes follow lit streets, and the app surfaces extra guidance at stops where a detail is hard to read after dark. Daylight is still easier for reading plaques, so go while it's light if you have the choice.
What if it rains?+
Light rain or cold is fine, just dress for it. In heavy rain an indoor escape room is honestly the better answer, since the whole quest is outdoors on foot.
Does it work on a Sunday or a public holiday?+
Yes. The quests are played on public streets in Zürich, so there are no opening hours to work around and nothing closes on you mid-trail.
What do we need before we start?+
One charged phone per player, iPhone or Android, each with the app installed and an internet connection. The clues are split between your phones, so everyone needs their own.
More questions are answered on our homepage FAQ and at support.
Decide Now, Play Today
Get the app on the way, unlock a quest for the team, and meet at the start.