duan

I am considering booking a business class flight arriving at Gate E at 19.30 and departing from Gate D at 07.00 the following morning. I will probably book a bed or a room at the Transit Hotel but would want to have a few drinks and a bite to eat in the airport before trying to sleep. I would be very grateful if someone with prior experience can advise of the following:-
1. What are the chances of being allowed into a business lounge on arrival with a boarding pass for the following day? If there is a reasonable chance which lounge should I try first?
2. If I am refused access to a lounge where is the best and least expensive place to have a few beers and a snack? I guess I will be able to access bars either in the main terminal prior to immigration if I follow the Zurich exit signs from gate E or in Gate D after passport control where I will need to go to access the Transit Hotel.
3. If your advice is to head for the main terminal what is the latest time I can leave there before passport control and security closes for the night at Gate D?
4. Is there usually much of a queue for the shared showers in the Transit Hotel at night and in the morning and if so should I forget this plan, blow the cost and get a room at the Radisson Blu and drink in their no doubt ultra expensive bar?

I have considered but rejected using one of the other nearby hotels due to a lack of warm clothing which will be needed at the time of year I am travelling.
Sorry to ask so many questions but your advice would be greatly appreciated.
Many thanks.

optibaem

There is a small bar/restaurant in the D gate area, not much to it though.
I do not know about the lounge access the night before.
As for leaving the airport, there is a Radisson Blu at the airport and you would not need to exit to the outside.

YuropFlyer

19.30 arrival unfortunately has you missing the "Happy Hour" at the Upperdeck Bar by 30mins, however it is probably still the best price/value bar at the airport (big beer for 6.90 CHF)

The Radisson Blu has a more expensive, but rather nice bar too.

However, it should be possible (had to do it once, and they let me into the Swiss SEN lounge) to enter the lounge when on such a transit even if your departure is next day - your best bet for a bar (and not just buffet drinks) will be the LX Lounge @ Gate A (Schengen) which you can access with your Business class ticket.

Keep in mind that (as much as I know) you can't get airside again late in the evening, and while you can overnight in the transit area, everything is locked down overnight.

So, in short:

-> Saving money, stay airside, use lounge/transit hotel (not really nice but ok'ish)

-> Spend medium amount of money, visit Upperdeck Bar, go back airside before too late, or overnight in a hotel nearby (Holiday Inn Express) which has shuttle services etc. - I understand might be tricky due to the weather etc.

-> Spend more, use Radisson Blu incl. the bar there, most convenient for sure..

airoli

@:-) It is my understanding that in order to get airside, you need a boarding pass for the day.

If the OP arrives and goes landside, he cannot go airside again until early in the morning (I believe gates open at 5am) on the next day.

YuropFlyer

I've managed to get airside late in the evening with a (very early) boarding pass for next morning. If OP holds a confirmed reservation of the transit hotel, it definitely should be possible to explain it to the agent that he wants to go airside (he could also explain he accidentally went landside, which most, most probably will get him through as these things happen)

But that said, as I suggested, if going landside, then staying overnight landside will be more easy and convenient. The airside "hotel" really isn't more like a youth hostel standard accomodation.

duan

Many thanks for the detailed information so far. I am considering all three of YuropFlyer's alternatives but would welcome the following additional information before deciding:-
1. I see from the airport website that the Upperdeck bar is somewhere in the main terminal presumably landslide but I would be grateful for confirmation as I have not been landslide at ZRH previously.
2. Does anyone know the approximate cost of a large beer in the Radisson Blu bar?
3. Will I be able to access the Swiss lounge in Gate A with a non- Schengen boarding card for the following day and still be able to get back to the Upperdeck bar or the Radisson Blu by following the exit signs if access to the lounge is prohibited?
Your kind help is greatly appreciated.

YuropFlyer

1. The Upperdeck is "half" a level over the main shopping area (Food Court, Migros etc.) in the Airport Center - connected to the checkin/arrival area by foot bridge (half a level down from there) or simply crossing the road (half a level up from there) - not really difficult to find.

2. I think it used to be 9 CHF around 1.5 years ago. Guess it's still below 10 CHF by now. (Upperdeck is 2-3 CHF cheaper, depending what brand you take)

3. Yes, you can exit from there. Basically on arrival follow Transit: Gate A, pass the Security Check (if arriving "unclean") and Immigration (if Arriving from Non-Schengen country) then you're there, and you can exit at any time by following the "Exit" signs.

Zueriblip

You might want to consider travelling into central Zürich.

It's a very quick and reliable train ride to the Hauptbanhof and there are a much better selection of bars and restaurants than at the airport.

If you need some Zürich tips, just let us know.

YuropFlyer

He's going to transit ZRH in winter, without winter clothing.

Zueriblip

Ha ha. Although actually you can reach HBf without going outside.

LH4116

I have been able to access the lounges at both Zurich and Geneva with a boarding pass for the following day.

duan

LH4116,
Would you mind telling me which lounges at Zurich you were able to access with a boarding card for the following day?
Many thanks.

sfoeuroflyer

No way I would stay at the airport. The train reaches central Zurich in 5 minutes. If you don't have winter clothes, then simply pick a hotel near the train station. The Schweizerhof Hotel is of good quality and directly across the street...so you won't freeze to death walking to it.

YuropFlyer

Sorry, but I must strongly oppose your suggestion. While it would indeed be a great idea for most people to get into downtown Zurich on a layover, in his case, in winter, and probably just wanting a few beers and then going to sleep, that would be a very bad idea.

Cheapest "real" hotel would be any of the Holiday Inn Express likes around the airport, cheapest accomodation would be the transfer hotel, most comfortable the Radisson Blu, but heading in the city (and staying very nearby the main station) would not get him the cheapest, not the best, not the most comfortable etc. deal.

mmff

+1. Going downtown is only a good idea if you want to see something downtown. Otherwise, stay close to (or at) ZRH.