Zurich has once again taken first place in the IMD Smart City Index 2026 – for the seventh year running. The Swiss metropolis thus remains a pioneer in smart urban development. The ranking is based on a combination of hard factors, such as infrastructure, and soft indicators, such as public perception.

It is this perspective in particular that highlights the future of smart cities: what matters is not just how many technologies are deployed, but whether they actually improve people’s everyday lives. The report clearly shows that Zurich has a particular strength in this area – with an exceptionally high level of citizen satisfaction.

More than just technology: trust is becoming the key

A key finding of the latest index is that trust in institutions and local government is emerging as a decisive factor in the success of smart cities.

Zurich scores highly in terms of transparency, political stability and opportunities for public participation. Citizens perceive the local government as accessible, efficient and accountable. Digital services are not an end in themselves, but serve clear, everyday needs.

The IMD report shows that cities where transparency and good governance are strongly perceived perform significantly better – regardless of the mere use of technology. Zurich sets the standard here by consistently combining digital innovation with social acceptance.

Infrastructure as the foundation of the smart city

Another key component: in the most successful cities, well-functioning structures are more important than individual digital applications.

Zurich stands out thanks to its strong physical and institutional infrastructure:

• a high-performance public transport system

• efficient, digitally supported administrative processes

• a stable health and education system

• reliable energy and environmental strategies

These factors are interlinked and form the basis for sustainable digitalisation. The IMD Index rates these structures on a par with technological solutions – and Zurich achieves top scores in both categories.

Digitalisation is having its full impact here because it is built on a stable foundation.

Citizen-centred digitalisation in everyday life

Zurich’s smart city strategy is consistently geared towards people’s everyday lives. Digital administrative services make dealing with the authorities straightforward, participation platforms encourage public involvement, and open data creates transparency.

This approach is also evident in the field of mobility: Intelligent traffic management, a tightly coordinated public transport network and digital information systems ensure efficiency and sustainability.

In the energy sector, Zurich is committed to long-term sustainability goals, for example through energy-efficient urban planning and the expansion of renewable energies.

The same logic is always key: technology is used in a targeted manner to solve specific problems – not to demonstrate innovative capability.

Quality of life as a key benchmark

Unlike many international cities, Zurich demonstrates that a successful smart city does not depend on its size. With a population of around 400,000, the city ranks among the smaller major cities in the index – yet achieves one of the highest standards of living worldwide.

The IMD Index confirms that cities which combine economic strength, social stability and sustainable development achieve the best results. Zurich strikes precisely this balance.

Digitalisation is not an end in itself, but part of a holistic urban development strategy that integrates safety, the environment, mobility and social participation.

Lessons for smart cities worldwide

1. Trust before technology
Without social acceptance, digitalisation remains ineffective.

2. Think infrastructure first
Digital solutions require a stable physical and institutional foundation.

3. Put citizens at the centre
Success is measured by quality of life, not by innovation projects.

4. Think long-term
Zurich’s leading position is the result of continuous strategic work – not individual pilot projects.

Zurich is redefining the smart city. The IMD Index 2026 makes it clear: it is not cutting-edge technology that determines success, but the interplay of governance, infrastructure and trust.

The city demonstrates that digitalisation is most effective when it becomes invisible – because it simply works. This makes Zurich not only the smartest city in the world, but also a model for a new generation of urban development: human-centred, sustainable and strategically conceived.