Zirakpur sits at the meeting point of the Ambala-Chandigarh highway, the Himalayan Expressway toward Shimla and the road to Patiala, making it the road gateway into Chandigarh from Delhi and Punjab's southern districts. Chandigarh International Airport is about 5 km away and Chandigarh railway station about 7 km away, among the shortest airport and rail runs of any tricity town.

Local and inter-state buses linking Chandigarh, Panchkula, Patiala, Rajpura and Delhi-bound routes all pass through the town.

The town's sectors host a cluster of CBSE-affiliated private schools, including Dikshant International School in Sector 4 and AC National Public School in Sector 7, meeting demand from Zirakpur's fast-expanding residential population within Mohali district.

Zirakpur borders Mahendra Chaudhary Zoological Park, better known as Chhatbir Zoo, one of north India's largest zoos, with Royal Bengal and white tigers, a lion safari and boat rides on its lake.

Sitting directly on the Zirakpur-Patiala road, the zoo draws visitors from across Chandigarh, Punjab and Haryana.

Paras Downtown Square in Zirakpur is one of the largest shopping malls in the Chandigarh region, spread over 350,000 sq ft with a multiplex cinema, a hypermarket, a food court and a rooftop football ground, drawing shoppers from Chandigarh, Mohali, Panchkula, Patiala and Ambala.

GMADA's Aerotropolis project near Dayalpura, on Zirakpur's edge close to Chandigarh International Airport, is planned to include a government medical college and hospital, a stadium for para-athletes, a police station, a fire station, a startup incubation centre and new market roads.

A separate Sports Authority of India regional centre near Gurudwara Nabha Sahib is being built with an athletics track and indoor sports facilities.