DUS

Ah, that makes sense. There were loads of pax to Nairobi etc and they were on a short connection.

Thx!

NewbieRunner

I've never seen this happen but it makes perfect sense. It's good to know ZRH is more flexible than FRA, although I have seen MAN arrivals dock at lower C gates when there are many passengers connecting from upper C gates. One advantage of the UK not being a Schengen country.

matt in france

While I've been on a delayed LX327 from LHR that parked at an E gate a year or two ago, I didn't think that would have been quite as likely for an arrival at the same time as the SQ 380 was at ZRH (ie between 8 am and 11:45) - as if nothing else knockon delays to departing L/H Flights would have been eased by not having to worry about the Curfew about to kickin (LX327 is scheduled to arrive at 21:25, but had been delayed an hour in Heathrow due to a Thunderstorm on this occasion), but also because for a late arrival such as that, the A321 that I'd arrived on obviously wasn't needed for any more Flights that night, meaning he ground Crew had all night to reposition it to the appropriate Gate for it's next Flight, whereas arriving from BHX, the Aircraft would presumably have been needed to be towed pretty quick over to A/B Pier for it's next Departure.

PittDoc

Having read this thread carefully I have to admit I am not 100% confident that I know exactly what to expect transferring at ZRH. Especially regarding passport control, security checks from/to USA and the most efficient way to transfer on an LX F ticket.

This is what I've deciphered. Please correct me where I am wrong.

ARRIVING from USA connecting to Schengen:
ORD-ZRH in LX F with 2hr connection to LYS in LX C

1. arrive Term E take Heidi train for connections to Term A
2. exiting train take walkway to the RIGHT for connections and passport control only (?no security if arriving from USA?)
3. proceed to nearby LX FCL in Term A to wait for next flight
4. car/limo bus transfer from FCL to LYS flight if apron departure (likely)

DEPARTING from Schengen connecting to USA:
LYS-ZRH in LX C, with ONLY 1 hr connection to ORD in LX F

1. arrive Term A, bus or walk to terminal and FCL
2. time permitting, very quick stop at FCL
3. if no time, car/limo bus from FCL will take me directly to E
4. passport control on the way to E, no security
5. board through F/C lane at gate in Term E
6. if LYS flight is late then may get car directly to E

Questions:

1. No security check arriving from USA into Schengen, or departing from Schengen connecting airport to USA?
2. Arriving from LYS at ZRH is likely an apron location - expect and wait for the F/C limo bus or faster just to walk to Term A? It's a tight 1 hr connection.
3. Does LX find you in the FCL when it's time to depart to your next flight by car/bus?

Many thanks to NewbieRunner and others on this thread. Especially for tolerating recurring and long questions like this one!

ORDinary guy

[QUOTE=PittDoc;19075900]
Questions:

1. No security check arriving from USA into Schengen, or departing from Schengen connecting airport to USA?

See my post #32, up-thread.

Even though my example in that post was on UA from IAD, the LX flights from ORD also seem to usually arrive Dock E with the same protocol. While Zurich Airport ostensibly classifies USA as a one-stop security arrival (i.e. no need to undergo additional security during transfer), in reality they are only utilizing this capacity when flights arrive at dock D. On USA flights arriving dock E you will still pass security before going down to the Heidi train. Coming up from the train at Main Terminal, you will pass through Schengen Passport Control on your way to the FCL.

Unless things have changed.....

NewbieRunner

That was exactly my experience arrving on LX from ORD in April.

Now to PittDoc's other questions...
If you arrive in C, you'll be taken to the terminal on a special Business Class bus. You cannot walk from an apron position to the terminal.

They'll tell you what time to return to the reception for a car ride but won't come to find you.

ZRHexPat

I am looking for some help on how to deal with some upcoming travel through ZRH. I am currently living about an hour outside of ZRH. I will be traveling from Southeast Asia, last leg BBK to ZRH on Dec 24 and arriving at 6:50am. I am then trying to get to EWR for Christmas and ideally would like to get on United’s 10:20 direct to EWR that same day. From what I’ve read from this thread it seems in most cases 3 hours would be enough time to transfer.

However, I think my plans are a little more complex for two reasons.

1. My BBK to ZRH is the last leg of a United award travel I have already booked and the ZRH to EWR will be a completely separate reservation that will be booked by my employer. So I’m assuming I will need to claim my backs in ZRH and then start the check in process again. So I’m a little worried about how much time this will take.

2. Since it will be quite warm in Southeast Asia in December and quite cold in New York I will need two suitcases, one with warm clothes the other with cold clothes. This is not a problem for my Southeast Asia trip as I am in Business and can just take the second suitcase. However ZRH to EWR will be coach and I would prefer to only check 1 bag. (I might return with a second bag from EWR, so I want to make sure I only start with one). I know there is luggage storage in ZRH and was considering storing a bag before I leave for EWR.


So given the likely need to claim my bags in ZRH and the need to get one back stored in ZRH before I leave on my connection, would 3 hours be enough?

There are not too much other flight options that day that don’t involve at least one connection, and since I’ll have been traveling for 15 hours at that point, I would really prefer the direct flight. If all else fails I can go home for the night and look to travel the next day, but I would rather get back to the States for Christmas Eve if possible.

Any advice and guidance would be greatly appreciated.

YuropFlyer

Welcome to FlyerTalk, ZRHexPat

I assume with BBK you do mean Bangkok, IATA Code is BKK.

You'll be able to interline your baggage from BKK to EWR, even when on two tickets. You'll have to provide the agent in BKK with your details from the second flight - he/she should be able to check it through.

The luggage storage at ZRH airport - the one in the train station, which you probably mean - is intended for storage only up to 24 hours.

So, check one luggage through to EWR, and the other one just to ZRH. This should be entirely possible.

Given you've 3 hours 30 minutes, and about 1 hour home (if I understood that correctly) you should be able to bring the luggage you don't want to bring to EWR home, do a turnaround, and still make the 10.20am connection.

Will you take a train? Then, check timetable on www.sbb.ch - otherwise, with a car you'll be more flexible (Should be fine with traffic on 24.12.)

If, for whatever reason, the agent can't check through one baggage, and check the other one just to ZRH (Should be definitely possible, but we all know BKK ) - then have both luggages checked to ZRH only, pick them up, about that time it will be 7.20am, and the United checkin - 3 hours before flight time - will just be opened, drop the one luggage there, then head home do drop the other one.

I would not worry too much - make sure to check the SBB timetable (or car/other transport) beforehand, but it should just about work..

ZRHexPat

Sorry about the Typo, I did mean BKK.

That is good to know that I can try and check the bag straight through to EWR even when traveling on two tickets.

I don’t think I would have enough time to get home and back as it would have to be by train, so that was why I was looking to store the bag.

I was actually looking at leaving it at the attended left luggage office, (found via some other posts, http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...e-storage.html) It says it is near car park pay station 2 and it says you can store up to 3 months.

So I guess I would plan to collect the 1 or 2 bags, depending on how successful I am at checking through. Then clear customs in ZRH, drop one back off near P2 and then get over to the United Check in Counter to check the bag I’m taking (if necessary).

Does anyone see any problems with this plan?

YuropFlyer

Your plan seems fine then - didn't know about the attended left luggage facility (well, as I'm living about 30min away from the airport, I never needed it so far)

However, just keep in mind it will not be too cheap - 12 CHF for the first day and 7 CHF for every additional day (Only becoming cheaper after 15th day)

So, depending on how long you'll be in EWR, it will be about 54 CHF (7 days) to 103 CHF (14 days)

nimenime

I've got Schengen-ZRH-BKK coming up next week, arriving ZRH on LX C and departing ZRH on TG F, 90 mins connection time if all goes well.. Do I have time enough to visit the lounge? Will I have to make my own way to the E terminal

YuropFlyer

If your incoming flight is on time, yes, you do have enough time.

Your *A F ticket will allow you to visit the *A F lounge, which happens to be the mediocre SEN lounge in the A terminal, or the contract lounge in the E terminal. No transfer for TG F pax. As you'll getting much better food in F then in the SEN lounge anyway, I would just heading straight towards the E gates, and wait there in the lounge for your boarding to begin.

CynthiaSteffe

Arriving from JFK at 1045 AM, have a train leaving from the airport train station at 1:13. I think I have more than enough time to make it, but just want to confirm with you all (esp since I'm arriving from a non-EU city, might be heftier immigration lines?)

YuropFlyer

That will be more than enough time. If you're flying in Business/First class, or holding FTL/SEN/HON status, you'll be able to enjoy the new Swiss arrival lounge (outside customs) which is open till 12.30am

CynthiaSteffe

Thanks! Flying in business, so will do.

Incidentally, train arrives into Zurich HB at 1:23, and I have to catch the TGV leaving at 1:34 to Paris. Tight connection? I've been through the HB before and 11 minutes seems like plenty of time, but I'm not so good with time!