Zurich sex boxes: the Depotweg Strichplatz

01What the Depotweg Strichplatz is

The Strichplatz Depotweg is a fenced site where the City of Zurich allows street sex work under supervision. The city's social department runs it, and a site team is on duty while it is open.

It opened on 26 August 2013, the day the city closed the old street zone at Sihlquai. The aim was a protected workplace for the workers and less disturbance for residents.

02Where it is

Depotweg 3-5, 8048 Zürich, in Altstetten. The way in is from Aargauerstrasse, and signs mark the route^{† (route: one source checked)}.

03Opening hours

• Sunday to Thursday: 18:30 to 02:00
• Friday and Saturday: 19:30 to 03:00

04How the site works

• Clients drive in at the entrance straight onto a loop road. Workers wait along the loop.
• Worker and client agree the terms between them. The site team takes no part in that.
• There are twelve boxes: eight that a car drives into, and four smaller standing boxes for clients who do not want to stay in a car.
• Workers may also use their own mobile homes, on one of four places on the site.
• Every box has an emergency button. It sounds an alarm in the team's pavilion and lights up the box.

05Who may enter

• Clients: adults only, and only in a vehicle. Since 2018 bicycles and motorbikes may come in too.
• No pedestrians. You may not walk onto the site.
• Workers need a personal city permit (PGVO Art. 8). The permit needs capacity to act, a right to work and health insurance (PGVO Art. 9).
• Pimps get a site ban with no end date^{† (one source checked)}.

06Site rules for visitors

• Ask for services only inside the site's marked zone. Outside the fence it is forbidden.
• Violence, pressure or disruptive behaviour leads to an immediate site ban.
• Leave the box clean and use the bins.
• Follow the staff's instructions at once.

The site rules above are the city's own^{† (one source checked)}. The site has no video cameras, and the city says it does not record number plates^{† (plates: one source checked)}.

07The law behind it

Zurich's prostitution trade ordinance (PGVO) lets the city council name the areas and hours where street work is allowed (PGVO Art. 7). Depotweg is one of three such zones.

A client who asks for or uses street services outside a zone, or outside its hours, can be fined (PGVO Art. 17 Abs. 1 lit. a). In light cases a reprimand can replace the fine (PGVO Art. 17 Abs. 2). The city charges no fee for the use of public ground (PGVO Art. 19 Abs. 3).

08Prices

UNKNOWN. The city says worker and client agree the price between them. We found no two independent sources for a figure, so we print none.

09Health and safety

For the workers, the team on site offers advice, a doctor's consultation, tests for sexually transmitted infections, toilets, a shower and crisis help. All of it is voluntary; there are no compulsory health checks^{† (compulsory checks: one source checked)}.

The city's advice to clients: protect yourself and everyone involved, agree clearly in advance, pay a fair price and respect a no.

10Is it still open?

Yes. On 9 October 2026 the city still lists the site with the hours above. In October 2025 the city's social department said a closure was not planned.

Use has fallen. About 13 workers used the site in 2025, against up to 30 after it opened^{† (one source checked)}. Across Switzerland, street work has moved indoors and online.

The site may stay at Depotweg until about 2030. The city transport company plans a tram depot on the plot, and the city is looking for a new location.

11Help and advice

• Flora Dora, the city's advice centre for street sex workers and escorts. Its counsellors also visit the site on set evenings.
• Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Frauenmigration: advice on trafficking and for migrant women
• ACT212, the national hotline to report suspected trafficking^{† (one source checked)}
• Phone numbers and links for help in Zurich are under Help lines, in the footer of every page.

12A better first choice

Most of Zurich's trade is indoors. Our ranked list of Zurich venues, linked below, shows reviewed clubs and studios with dated, sourced prices.