A question on Swiss/Zurich Transit & Quarantine from Increased Risk areas
#16
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 65
Not looking to push it at all, but would hypothetically have a 20 hour layover and would rather do that in a hotel than sitting at a gate.
Reading the government website, an overnight stay seems allowed even when driving through the country, so this doesn't seem much different, but still, as sophialtie says, very confusing.
Pretty sure in their situation, as the UK isn't Schengen, they would have been allowed to transit, just not allowed to "enter" Switzerland, right?
Reading the government website, an overnight stay seems allowed even when driving through the country, so this doesn't seem much different, but still, as sophialtie says, very confusing.
Pretty sure in their situation, as the UK isn't Schengen, they would have been allowed to transit, just not allowed to "enter" Switzerland, right?
#18
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London, Paris
Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum
Posts: 2,001
Got clarification today that I would be allowed to transit if I was coming from LHR. I just can’t enter the Schengen area through Switzerland.
Or I can enter the Schengen area from another EU country and get into Switzerland that way.
And they wouldn’t permit me to enter the Schengen area to use the lounge before connecting to my flight to London.
A bit weird but I don’t care too much
Or I can enter the Schengen area from another EU country and get into Switzerland that way.
And they wouldn’t permit me to enter the Schengen area to use the lounge before connecting to my flight to London.
A bit weird but I don’t care too much
#19
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London, Paris
Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum
Posts: 2,001
Got pushed into an overnight layover in ZRH, which makes my travel plans perilous. Is there a transit hotel in ZRH I can stay in where I don't technically enter the Schengen area? If not, would I be permitted to stay in a hotel if I can show my onward journey to outside the Schengen area the next morning?
#20
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: ZRH / YUL
Programs: UA, TK, Starwood > Marriott, Hilton, Accor
Posts: 7,300
Yes, the airport-operated bedrooms (it would be too much to call it a hotel) are in the non-Schengen part by the Swiss D lounge.That depends on your nationality and where you are coming from...
#21
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London, Paris
Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum
Posts: 2,001
#22
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: London | Sydney
Programs: LH HON, QF CLP1, SQ TPPS, AF Plat, VS Gold, VA Plat, EK Gold, HH Dia, WoH Globalist, Marriott Plat
Posts: 1,533
Got pushed into an overnight layover in ZRH, which makes my travel plans perilous. Is there a transit hotel in ZRH I can stay in where I don't technically enter the Schengen area? If not, would I be permitted to stay in a hotel if I can show my onward journey to outside the Schengen area the next morning?
Then, even with the pandemic, nothing but their absolutely most expensive ex-US C, J, A and F fares are refundable. Can’t even get D at below First Class prices. HON line says Swiss has closed all F redemptions when I was looking in December from US-ZRH, totally zero availability. They wonder why people aren’t flying them..
#23
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,459
None of the ex-US flights (BOS, ORD, SFO) except JFK and EWR on some days have decent connections to LHR at the moment. Really makes choosing LX impossible for me. I’m not doing an 8 hour layover for a better product.
Then, even with the pandemic, nothing but their absolutely most expensive ex-US C, J, A and F fares are refundable. Can’t even get D at below First Class prices. HON line says Swiss has closed all F redemptions when I was looking in December from US-ZRH, totally zero availability. They wonder why people aren’t flying them..
Then, even with the pandemic, nothing but their absolutely most expensive ex-US C, J, A and F fares are refundable. Can’t even get D at below First Class prices. HON line says Swiss has closed all F redemptions when I was looking in December from US-ZRH, totally zero availability. They wonder why people aren’t flying them..
That 8hrs layover can be enjoyed in Zürich downtown, having a trip on the lake, visiting a pool or a museum, eating at a nice restaurant.. all stuff you can't do in Germany right now.
#24
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,918
You will currently be denied entry into Swtizerland, as you are coming from the UK, which Switzerland currently sees as a risk country (see: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...nreisende.html) With a connection you will be allowed to transit, but not to leave the International zone. I saw the following earlier on Facebook from ZRH's page:
The transit hotel is probably your best bet.
Transit über den Flughafen Zürich ist immer noch möglich. Du musst keinen negativen Corona-Test vorweisen, noch sonst ein Dokument betreffend dem Corona-Virus. Wenn du aber aus einem Land oder einer Region bist, die auf der Schweizer Risikoliste steht, musst du zwingend während deines Transits in der internationalen Transitzone bleiben und beweisen können, dass du deine Reise fortsetzen wirst. In allen anderen Fällen gelten die gleichen Vorgaben wie sonst.
Wenn du mehr über Transit am Flughafen Zürich wissen willst, besuche unsere Website: https://sohub.io/706s
Wenn du mehr über Transit am Flughafen Zürich wissen willst, besuche unsere Website: https://sohub.io/706s
#25
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,459
You will currently be denied entry into Swtizerland, as you are coming from the UK, which Switzerland currently sees as a risk country (see: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...nreisende.html) With a connection you will be allowed to transit, but not to leave the International zone. I saw the following earlier on Facebook from ZRH's page:
The transit hotel is probably your best bet.
The transit hotel is probably your best bet.
Switzerland only has a few countries on it's quarantine list, and the UK isn't one of them (use the link you gave yourself to check)
#26
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: Helvetia
Programs: AS; BA Silver; UA; HH Gold; Sprüngli Connaisseur
Posts: 2,918
List of high-risk countries and regions
All states outside the Schengen area, with the exception of:–Andorra
–Australia
–Bulgaria
–Croatia
–Cyprus
–Holy See
–Ireland
–Japan
–Monaco
–New Zealand
–Romania
–Rwanda
–San Marino
–South Korea
–Singapore
–Thailand
–Uruguay
1 Amended by No I of the FDJP O of 29 Oct. 2020, in force since 3 Nov. 2020 (AS 2020 4521).
Last edited by greg5; Nov 13, 2020 at 3:23 pm
#27
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London, Paris
Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum
Posts: 2,001
None of the ex-US flights (BOS, ORD, SFO) except JFK and EWR on some days have decent connections to LHR at the moment. Really makes choosing LX impossible for me. I’m not doing an 8 hour layover for a better product.
Then, even with the pandemic, nothing but their absolutely most expensive ex-US C, J, A and F fares are refundable. Can’t even get D at below First Class prices. HON line says Swiss has closed all F redemptions when I was looking in December from US-ZRH, totally zero availability. They wonder why people aren’t flying them..
Then, even with the pandemic, nothing but their absolutely most expensive ex-US C, J, A and F fares are refundable. Can’t even get D at below First Class prices. HON line says Swiss has closed all F redemptions when I was looking in December from US-ZRH, totally zero availability. They wonder why people aren’t flying them..
#28
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London, Paris
Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum
Posts: 2,001
You will currently be denied entry into Swtizerland, as you are coming from the UK, which Switzerland currently sees as a risk country (see: https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...nreisende.html) With a connection you will be allowed to transit, but not to leave the International zone. I saw the following earlier on Facebook from ZRH's page:
The transit hotel is probably your best bet.
The transit hotel is probably your best bet.
#29
Join Date: Sep 2018
Location: London, Paris
Programs: LH HON, AF Platinum
Posts: 2,001
Also, this is the list of risk countries:Areas of neighbouring countries
France:
Countries and areas*
https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...tml#1355154378
I seriously wish people would read stuff before posting it as fact.
France:
- Region Hauts-de-France
- Region Île de France
- Overseas area French Polynesia
Countries and areas*
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...tml#1355154378
I seriously wish people would read stuff before posting it as fact.
#30
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: GVA
Programs: A3 *G, LX *G, AF *S
Posts: 762
Also, this is the list of risk countries:Areas of neighbouring countries
France:
Countries and areas*
https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...tml#1355154378
I seriously wish people would read stuff before posting it as fact.
France:
- Region Hauts-de-France
- Region Île de France
- Overseas area French Polynesia
Countries and areas*
- Andorra
- Armenia
- Belgium
- Czech Republic
https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...tml#1355154378
I seriously wish people would read stuff before posting it as fact.
However, on your remark on quarantine: you won't be able to leave the hotel after 1 day if you indeed had to quarantine - only after 10 days:
What to do after entering Switzerland
- Upon arrival, go immediately to your home or to other suitable accommodation (e.g. a hotel or holiday apartment). On the way there, keep a minimum distance of 1.5 metres from other people. If you are unable to maintain this distance, we recommend that you wear a mask. Avoid public transport if possible.
- Report your arrival to the cantonal authority responsible within two days. Follow the instructions of the cantonal authority.
- For 10 days after your arrival in Switzerland you must stay in your home or other suitable accommodation without going out. Avoid contact with other people and follow the instructions on quarantine (PDF, 182 kB, 12.09.2020).