Connecting in Zurich [ZRH]
 

I currently have a reservation on hold that has is routed MAN-ZRH-PEK, but there is only a 50 min connection at ZRH. Is that enough? Do I need to go through the security check again at ZRH?
Thanks for all your help in advance!!

The official minimum is 35 minutes; I (and my checked bag) made a 40-minute connection last week in spite of a late arrival. At least the LHR flights are now able to dock directly in the terminal, and you are no longer required to go through another security screen.

I had to go through security a second time when switching between USAirline and Swiss. I had more than an hour and didn't make it. I don't know if your MAN-ZRH would require the same security re-check.

Coming from MAN make sure that the utmost incompetent and unfriendly check-in agents tag your bag correctly! I was booked MAN-ZRH-GVA and despite saying that I want it checked to GVA the hguy tagged it to ZRH:mad:

Welcome to FT, dyz1104!

Connecting from the UK to a non-Schengen destination via ZRH is much better since the opening of the new Pier B/D. There's no need to go through passport control or security check, but it could be a long trek from the arrival gate via Skymetro to Pier E. If your flight arrives at a non-gate position you will spend some time on the bus and less time walking! Follow the signs for transfers to E and when you reach the immigration hall bear left and down the escalator to the Skymetro platform.

If your flight from MAN is late and they think you can still make the connection they will probably drive you directly to Pier E.

I was on an evning MAN-ZRH flight last week which arrived in ZRH 43 mins late. Passengers for shorthaul and longhaul flights with scheduled transfer times of 50 and 55 minutes were picked up and driven directly to their flights. I was actually connecting to PEK but decided to travel to ZRH the night before to make sure I did not miss the inaugural flight. ;)

+1

The agents that LX uses at MAN T1 are horrid! The LH agents a few counters to the left seem much friendlier and less out to make your life miserable.

That must have been the case before December 2011 - now for that connection you will not have to reclear security.

How about a 40m connection PVG-ZRH-ARN?
 

We're in F from PVG-ZRH connecting to C ZRH-ARN, with only 40 minutes to connect. I'm fairly confident that we'll make it, but is there anything we should be doing to make the process easier or more efficient?

With a short connection like that, does LX provide any particular assistance to arriving F passengers?

I've made an A-gate to B-bus-gate connection including security in 16 mins at ZRH and my bags made it.

There's no special assistance for arriving F passengers in ZRH, but if the incoming flight is late and the transfer time is under 30 mins they might transfer you directly to the connecting flight. Longhaul flights often arrive early but if you miss the connection they should put on a later flight to ARN.

You obviously have more faith in ZRH than I do. ;)

Connection in ZRH
 

I have upcoming trip EWR-ZRH-BCN with 50 min connection time in ZRH. Both are LX flights. How easy would it be for me to make this connection assuming the first flight is on time?

You will arrive in Dock E where you go through security check. Then follow the signs for your departure gate which will take you for a short ride on the Skymetro train to the main terminal. You will also clear passport control to enter Schengen, then just go to your departure gate which is likely to be in Dock A. (No further passport check when you arrive in BCN.)

You may also want to check the more recent posts in the following thread. (Security check arrangements in ZRH changed in December 2011.)
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/swiss...cting-zrh.html

Thanks. Sounds like quite a few steps before I can get to my gate. Is 50 min enough considering passing both security and passport control?

Many people who post in this forum will say 50 minutes is enough. I'd say it's enough provided your flight arrives on time. ;)

Correct. And the OP also writes "assuming the first flight is on time". So, yes, he'll make it (assuming... :)).

I have had many short <long-haul> - ZRH - BCN connections in the last 10 years, and have never missed one. ^

I have never lost any connections long haul/short haul to/from Barcelona, but short haul/short haul, I may have missed 7/8, or even more, in the last 4/5 years. In any case, around 70% of those have been caused by bad weather.

I have only connected to/from BCN via ZRH once (or twice I suppose, outbound and inbound ;)) shorthaul to shorthaul. It would have been a 40 min connection in each direction.

On the way out I didn't want to spend half a day in the FCL in ZRH having missed the connection, so I flew to ZRH the evening before and stayed overnight before catching a morning flight.

On the way back I didn't care if LX had to put me up in a hotel overnight. My flight from BCN arrived 12 mins late (according to flightstats) and there was a car waiting to drive me to my connecting flight which was parked at an apron position. I'm not sure if I would have made the connection otherwise.

Sleeping overnight in ZRH is always a solution, but taking in consideration the hefty rates at the Hilton and that we are not so far away, a short trip ends up like going to SIN.

I have done the route, in either directions, 3 times(not 6 ;))

1) Ex BCN there was a limo waiting for me at ZRH to take me to the MAN flight. ^. I remember sending a letter to LX thanking for the initiative because it was flying in Y and being a lonely SEN.
If I have missed the connection, it would have meant sleeping in ZRH and loosing most of the purpose of the trip
2) Ex MAN morning flight - OK
3) Ex MAN - afternoon flight - I missed the connection in spite of running through ZRH like crazy. They rebooked me on the later flight and I arrived to Barcelona at 22,35pm(not too bad if I was not flying the morning after at 9,30am :()

I guess that heavy traffic in MAN = delays and including Switzerland in Schengen made this short connection, specially ex MAN, in practically impossible.
Hopefully now, with the inaguration of the refurbished Pier B, is better.

That's when I stayed overnight in one of the "day rooms". There was no water between something like midnight and 4am (due to the construction works for Pier B) which made the place seem more spartan that it actually was. :eek: If I was catching the morning flight ex-MAN I would have stayed at the Hilton in MAN anyway so the cost was not that different.

So they didn't send a limo because it was my birthday. :D I'm glad a limo is provided for connecting passengers on delayed flights. It's cheaper than putting them up in a hotel I suppose. ;) The limo driver nearly forgot to take me via passport control on the way to the MAN flight. I wonder if anybody would have noticed if my passport had not been scanned?

I've been on that flight quite a few times and at one time last year it often arrived in ZRH between 10-25 minutes late due to congestion in ZRH. I got to know the landscape around ZRH quite well. ;)

I've been lucky with flights ex-MAN. Delays are usually due to delayed arrivals of incoming flights rather than heavy traffic in MAN, though once they miss their takeoff slot it could be a long wait.

I've flown MAN-ZRH twice since the refurbished Pier B opened. The first time we parked at D41 and it was quite a long trek to reach Grüezi D where buses used to drop us. The second time the evening flight arrived 45 minutes late (due to the late arrival of the incoming flight) and we parked at an apron position. C pax were driven to the familiar Grüezi D before hoi polloi in one of the "new 12-seat Mercedes Sprinters that have been specially fitted out in the SWISS design". :D It probably took about the same length of time as walking from D41.

The shiny Pier B/D is certainly an improvement on the old non-Schengen B bus gates but there are no moving walkways and the D lounge is still in the same place down the corridor with toilets outside. At least the lounge is now in secure area.

I'll be doing PEK-ZRH-MAN in July and the first offer was the 50 min connection, but lucky there is a later flight - means I get to have a few hours on the ground in Zurich. Plane spotting ;)

Welcome to FT, BCIA! I flew PEK-ZRH-MAN a couple of weeks ago but with an overnight stop in ZRH. ;) Since the timing of the PEK-ZRH flight has changed to early morning you have a choice of two connecting flights to MAN.

I haven't been there myself but the new Deck B observation decks (above where MAN flights depart) are supposed to be very good for plane spotting. I believe you will have to clear passport control to get there and it costs 5 CHF to enter. Enjoy your trip!

ZRH Transit
 

Just booked BOS>ZRH>VLC round-trip on LX (53/2142, 2143/52). The transit time in Zurich is 1:05 outbound and 0:55 on the return. Any concerns with clearing customs and making my way back to catch the next flight, or is Swiss pretty good about planning for this?

Also, what is the transit process at ZRH? Do I need to collect luggage? When is customs cleared inbound/outbound? Will I need to go through security again? Do I remain in the same terminal?

Thanks for any info. Traveling with 2 small kids and want to be prepared.

Should not be a problem although with two kids it may take longer than if travelling alone. I have made 20 minutes connections myself but it helps if you know where to go. Therefore:

Upon arrival from BOS at an E gate, you will need to follow signs to A/B/D connections, take the train, pass imigration and go to the gate - usually a B gate. Your bags will be checked through to VLC.

On your return it will be the other way around: arrive at a B gate, go through passport control, take the train to the E gates and go to the gate. You can check your bags through to BOS and will have no security check in ZRH as you have gone through security in VLC.

See http://www.miles-and-more.com/mediap...ia_1059940.pdf for more info.

Thank you Michiel! Most helpful.

on your BOS-ZRH flight they display the gates for a number of onward connections on the IFE during descent stage plus a guide to moving around the airport.

IIRC there is also a ZRH video guide somewhere in the IFE system that you can watch anytime you want. It may also be on the LX website as well so have a loook there.

The Gate assignment for connecting Flights during descent is also shown on Airbus operated European Flights (ie as long as it's not an RJ, you should always get it).

^ I have a question regarding those. I have a MUC - ARN flight coming up with a 1h45 stopover in ZRH (arrival 10:40, departure 12:25). Since I'm both inbound and outbound on Schengen flights, how much time would you reckon I'd effectively have to spend on the observation deck?

What is the deal with arriving from the USA and connecting onward to a Schengen destination? I understand that since the new security setup in Zurich there are no more security checks for US->Schengen flights, nor the other way around Schengen-> USA.

Can anyone confirm? Flying USA-ZRH-Schengen in a couple of days.

Yup, that is the case. Just a passport check and then on to your gate.

Is this the same for arrival from YUL(Montreal, Canada)?

No. AFAIK Canada isn't an OSS (one-stop security) country.

Not so in our experience
 

We had a different experience on 19 Mar.

Arrived on UA from IAD at E gates, but this is also where LX arrivals from the US are located.

Coming off the jetway at E42, we exited directly onto the mezzanine level of the E terminal. We had two options. One was signposted for transfers to A, B, and E gates. The other was for transfers to D gates and Exit Zurich.

We were heading for the A gates, so we followed this direction which fed into a security check on the same level (mezzanine of E terminal). After security, transfer passengers to E proceeded up by escalator or lift to the E gates while A/B passengers headed down to the secure platform for the Heidi train. On arrival at the main terminal, we crossed the Schengen border at passport control and then were free to head towards the A or B gates.

The direction for D and Exit led directly down to the Heidi train platform without a security check. However, it is my understanding that D passengers undergo a transfer security check on arriving at the D gates through the new hallway from the train. Can anyone verify this?

There was a report that on rare occasions a USA flight on LX will arrive at the D gates, in which passengers were released directly into the D departures area without a security check as can happen on flights from UK. In theory, they could do the same over at the E gates, directing passengers into the upper level E-departures concourse off the jetbridge. But they did not do that on our flight. Could be a UA vs LX difference, not sure....

Arriving from JFK a couple of days ago we indeed de-planed at the D gates. Quick passport control and off we went for our connecting flight at A66

That is correct.

So in other words: when arriving at Dock E, even if arriving from the USA, one always has to go through a security control when transfering? The only route out of Dock E which does not require a security check is the exit to Zurich?

Bummer, I thought that the US was considered safe and wouldn't require any more security checks for transfers. Apparently that is only the case when arriving on a flight from the USA at Dock D.

To make this even more confusing: My last flight from YUL (late March) arrived at Dock D, too. I went for the Exit ZRH, but I wonder if connecting passengers were required to re-clear security or not? Or is Canada considered "safe" as well?

Another transit related question
 

LYS-ZRH on Helvetic, with 1h 5m scheduled connection to ZRH-ORD on LX F.

Assuming the usual arrival and departure terminals. Will I arrive in Term A and then have time for a brief visit to the LX F lounge or should I go straight to Term E?

I'm guessing time to transfer to E, security, and passport control makes a lounge stop risky.

As you will just about pass by the F lounge, just go up and check. Worst case they will offer you the next shuttle to E with the F passport check before getting on the minibus. Best case you will have 15 or 20 min in the lounge. You should not have security after arriving from LYS.

I am flying First Class Swissair(through miles) and my zurich stopover is only 45 minutes...is it true there is some shuttle service that goes from plane to plane for first? Please let me know, thanks!

Welcome to FT, ashcoza!

There is no special arrangement for First Class passengers transferring in ZRH, but if it's a very tight connection they usually provide a car to drive you between the flights. Are you connecting from longhaul F to longhaul F (in which case a car may not be necessary)? If you can tell us where you are flying from/to it might be possible to provide more information.