On 1 November 1983, when private radio in Switzerland was brand new, a little station went on air from a shopfront on the Seestrasse in Stäfa, right on the water of Lake Zurich. More than forty years later, Radio Zürisee is one of the country's largest private broadcasters, reaching around 230,000 listeners a day. It plays the best hits of the 80s, 90s and beyond, wrapped in genuine regional identity, and it is for anyone who likes their pop radio warm, local and unpretentious.
A Pioneer of Swiss Private Radio
Radio Zürisee was founded by the Buchdruckerei Stäfa AG, later Zürichsee Medien AG, and first hit the airwaves on 1 November 1983, making it one of the very first private radio stations in Switzerland. In 1992 it moved its studios to Rapperswil, into the old Hotel Post on the Bahnhofplatz, where it is still based today.
The station entered a new chapter in early 2023, when Zürichsee Medien AG sold its majority stake to the Rapperswil-based Fabian Villiger Management. It remains a regional powerhouse: in the second half of 2023 it reached the highest market share in the Zürich-Glarus concession area, topping the greater Zurich region.
The Best Hits of the 80s, 90s and More
Musically, Radio Zürisee keeps it broad and bright. Its own description is plain enough: the greatest hits from the 80s, 90s and beyond, more music and more variety, all day long.
- 80s and 90s anthems, the core of the playlist, the era-defining pop and rock that still fills a Swiss dancefloor.
- Contemporary pop, the current chart material that keeps the "and beyond" promise honest.
- Regional reporting, the local news, traffic and information that make it a daily companion rather than a faceless stream.
- Personality shows, with segments like the late-night Night Talks, the Drive-In and Lakers Inside, the last a nod to the region's beloved Rapperswil-Jona Lakers ice-hockey side.
More Than a Station: A Lakeside Brand
Radio Zürisee has leaned into being an entertainment brand rooted in its corner of Switzerland. In 2019 it opened the Radio Zürisee Loft, an event venue that pairs a historic ballroom with modern radio technology and live experiences. The whole operation trades on closeness to its audience, summed up in its cheerful slogan, "Immer 5 Minuten besser", always five minutes better. Known affectionately as the "lake station", it is woven into life around the Zürichsee in a way national broadcasters rarely manage.
Why It's Worth Your Time
If you want a feel-good pop station with actual roots, Radio Zürisee is a great pick. The music is universally accessible, the 80s-and-90s spine means familiar favourites are never far away, and the regional flavour gives it a character that pure-hits webstreams lack. There is also something appealing about tuning into a station that helped invent Swiss private radio and is still, four decades on, a market leader on its home turf. Press play and you are dialling into the sound of Lake Zurich.
Stream Radio Zürisee Free on Radio Shuffle
Tune in to Radio Zürisee on Radio Shuffle, no account, no app, no fee. Press play and you will catch an 80s classic, a 90s singalong or a current hit, the bright, friendly soundtrack of one of Switzerland's most enduring local stations.