warakorn

Do we have empirical evidence on the lounge access rules of the new lounges at Terminal E in ZRH?

Would a boarding pass for an LX non Schengen flight suffice? I am aware that the passenger would either need status or fly C. The question is whether LX allows access to eligible passenger who do not depart from Terminal E.

PetzLUX

Of course, see my last posts in the "New Business & Senator lounge" thread further down (1-2 days ago).
If you have enough time, go to E, enjoy the lounge over there, then head back to A/B.

warakorn

I was just worried, because LX at ZRH is famous for creating their own (not-published) lounge access rules. Well, I am currently have to make a decision to fly via VIE or ZRH. Flight times and prices are almost identical.

PetzLUX

Easy choice: ZRH.
The new lounges beat the VIE lounges hands down.

shipsmail

When arriving from Germany and having a F flight from E, is there still a limo transfer to E from the lounge in A? Or better go directly by the HeidiTrain to E?

timol

Still the limo transfer from the A lounge.

cbourl

ZRH ZRH ZRH!!!!!!!! No VIE VIE!!!!! A tiny smoking booth almost 2 hours walk from the austere Austrian lounges
ZRH is gemuetlich
Dump your carryon in the lounges (F) not sure about C - time a nice long connection and as long as its not Sunday head dowtown for some nice food and wine a stroll along the Limmat Coffee at Spruengli on Bahnhofstrasse where its still quite socially accesptable to smoke and enjoy a ciggie in the A lounge smoking bar Old times last minute trek/drive to E gates as the cr_p Panorama lounge wasnt even worth the time to walk upstairs So nice to have these new lounges at E gates CH passcontrol is easy and every time Ive been through lately they love the Greek passport and speak some Greek to me in response to my Hoch Deutsch or SchwyzerDuetsch if Im feeling particularly awake and brave Gotta Love SWISS!!!! Honestly its not worth schlepping through VIE or even worse FRA even with the great F Terminal AND LOUNGES wit hample smoking cigar rooms and the complimentary cigars But why not MUC MUC is great, friendly nice small smoking room in the exclusive F lounge (Hey its not FRA hier darlink!!!!!!) and you well get very freindly pass control etc etc

PetzLUX

Today I was asked to show my boarding pass at passport control. Just said I would go to the new lounge.
At FCL reception warmly welcomed although my departure will be from A. "Nice you chose to visit us over here..."

warakorn

Where are non-Schengen narrowbody flights normally departing from (esp. the ones to the UK)?
Is there a way between E and A-Non Schengen (and vice versa) where you do not have to pass border control twice?

SwissBritMiss

UK flights, being non-Schengen short haul, are normally from D. Yesterday I had to pass through border control only once, going from Airport centre to E gates, with no additional passport check going from E back to D, though I did have to go through security again.

PetzLUX

Non-Schengen is normally D. Yesterday LHR departed on B777 from E.

I have not yet made the transfer D <-> E myself, but in E the stairs down to the train are separate whether you go to D or A/B:

Close to the FCL E lounge entry (stairs, elevator) you have a stairway going down to the heidi train with signs showing D.

If you walk a bit further to the centre of dock E, you have the stairs down for A/B.

So on the heidi train platform, passengers for A/B and D are still separated.

warakorn

ok, because my travel companion is a third country national (with valid multiple visa). We just want to avoid having to pass border control just for accessing the E-lounge. It might lead to discussions with the Kantonspolizei.
If there is an airside D-E and E-D non-Schengen transfer, then we would just go through border control at D, moving to E for the lounge, and getting back to D for the flight.
ZRH is a transfer airport -> thus, I would simply assume that pax on non-Schengen to non-Schengen transfers do NOT have to pass border control checkpoints at all.

SwissBritMiss

If I didn't need to pass through passport control going from E to D, I wouldn't think you would need to from D to E either. I'm a UK national but the Kantonspolizei I spoke to at passport check was friendly and had come across several people who had crossed to E just to use the new Lounge. So if you come across a passport check on your way from D to E, just ask - you can always turn back if they say "no".

warakorn

I will try - no doubt. Originally, I was more concerned with the lounge dragons making up some random rules.

Anyways, I do not know the exact wording of the law. Exiting Schengen (passport control by Kantonspolizei) just to access a lounge (which is on Swiss territory) could be problematic for a third-party national (non EU/EC citizen).
However, I think (based on your reports) that the Kantonspolizei won't make too much trouble if the visa/residence permit is in order.

rdmmsmsfo

Traveling CAI to SFO in LX J next month with a long (overnight) layover in ZRH. Any chance of popping into the E lounge after our arrival to sample the whiskey bar before exiting to the Radisson? We'll be back the following day pre-departure for sure.