It is located partly on Reichenau Island with its famous abbey and on the northern shore of the Untersee section of Lake Constance.

The municipality consists of the settlements Niederzell, Mittelzell und Oberzell on the island as well as Lindenbühl and Waldsiedlung on the shore.

The municipality encompasses the estates of the former Reichenau Abbey, which was secularized in 1757.

It is served by regional trains to Konstanz and Singen (Hohentwiel), via Radolfzell.

Between spring and autumn, the URh offers regular boat services on the High Rhine and Untersee between Schaffhausen and Kreuzlingen, via Konstanz.