Europe - Arriving in Zurich, CH from USA - via London

All,

I will be going to Zurich for the first time in August and am really excited about the trip. I have connected via a lot of places in Schengen and connected, but not LHR. I know generally that passport control occurs at the first stop and customs upon final arrival (w/ luggage), but how about arriving in LHR from the USA and then flying to ZRH?

Will I go through passport control in LHR or ZRH? (LHR Connections website does not specify that this occurs).

Will also be stopping in LHR for a period on the way back. Will I have to go through both passport control and customs on arrival in London?

Thanks so much for the help!

-no1racer

The UK is not part of Schengen.

Assuming your baggage is checked all the way (or you don't have any) you transfer airside at LHR and don't go through passport control.

Your arrival into ZRH will be a normal international arrival so you go through both passport control and customs (though, as you will know, "going through customs" in Europe simply means walking through the red or green channel unless you are stopped)

Aviatrix,

Thanks so much. That helps tremendously.

And for your return journey, it really depends what you mean by "stopping in LHR". If you're staying in the airport, then you will remain airside and there will be no immigration or customs, but there will be a security check. If you plan on leaving the airport, then you will have to clear immigration and customs. You will obviously also have a security check when you return to the airport for the next flight.
Note, you will also go through security on your incoming flight through LHR on the way to ZRH.