ZRH minimum connection time

[Isochronous]

I'm looking for flights from the EU back to HKG and can find availability on CX ex ZRH. What's the minimum connection time at ZRH? Would a 90 min connection from Swiss on a separate booking (with CX as an award as well) be risky? Otherwise I can fly air Baltic and make it 4.5 hrs.

Is 4.5 hrs enough time to head into town at ZRH for breakfast/meet a friend for coffee then take the train back?

 

[ChasingDaylight]

I don't have any answers for you, but in the unlikely event that nobody else does - try asking on Flyertalk too

 

[jsoprano]

Although ZRH is a pretty efficient and small airport, I'd say 90 mins on 2 separate tickets is always risky. It will likely be fine, but I personally wouldn't do it when connecting to a longhaul flight.

So 4.5 hrs is plenty to head into town, the train station is right underneath the terminal and takes you into the city in 17 mins, on the S-Bahn or InterCity, with trains operating every few minutes in the morning rush hour.

 

[bryanjones]

Although ZRH is a pretty efficient and small airport, I'd say 90 mins on 2 separate tickets is always risky. It will likely be fine, but I personally wouldn't do it when connecting to a longhaul flight.

So 4.5 hrs is plenty to head into town, the train station is right underneath the terminal and takes you into the city in 17 mins, on the S-Bahn or InterCity, with trains operating every few minutes in the morning rush hour.

If its within the same alliance and your bags are checked through, you will have no problems. Immigration is always only 1 or 2 people deep in my experience, and security is similarly short in case you do need to go out.

 

[vantage03]

It's doable but I wouldn't risk it if I were you... As has been previously said, in the same alliance on the same ticket with checked-through bags this would be more than enough time, but is definitely pushing it in your situation I'm afraid.

 

[jsoprano]

If its within the same alliance and your bags are checked through, you will have no problems. Immigration is always only 1 or 2 people deep in my experience, and security is similarly short in case you do need to go out.

I understand from the OP he wants to connect from LX (*A) to CX (OW) so not within the same alliance. It would be unlikely they would check through luggage wherever he boards the LX flight, so that leaves very little room for error while in transit at ZRH. With HLO it's of course looking better, but still too risky for me personally. A breakfast in the old town on the banks of the Limmat sounds like the better option for me.

 

[anat0l]

90 minutes on separate tickets is a bit too risky for my liking. That essentially leaves you with 30 minutes to claim bags off the last flight, then get to the check-in for the onward one.

Even with a connecting ticket, I think that might be pushing it, although you would have protection in that case.

4.5 hours is easily enough time to go into town for a sortie and then head back. A few tips for you:

• The main station in Zurich, Zurich HB, is at least 10 minutes away if you travel on the fastest train services (IC or ICN).
• Fare for a day ticket (same price as 2 x one-way, but will also cover any miscellaneous travel you do within the Zurich city centre) is CHF 13.20. From the fare machine, this is a ZVV 3 zone ticket.
• Check in will likely only open for your onward at earliest 3 hours before departure. This means you might want to leave your bags somewhere unless you want to carry them with you. I don't know about at Zurich Airport, but at Zurich HB on level -1 there are pay baggage lockers (need coins for this).
• From Zurich HB, just walk down Bahnhofstrasse and you will get to Lake Zurich quickly enough.
• Try to use the bathroom whilst you are still in Zurich Airport or on some of the trains to/from the airport. After you get to Zurich HB, the only public toilets will set you back at least CHF 1.50 per use.

 

[CaviAck]

Published MCT for ZRH transfering from LX to CX
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE .20 1.00 1.00 1.00
OFFLINE .20 1.00 1.00 1.00
** OR * ARE ALL

 

[jsoprano]

Published MCT for ZRH transfering from LX to CX
STANDARD.D/D...D/I...I/D...I/I.
ONLINE .20 1.00 1.00 1.00
OFFLINE .20 1.00 1.00 1.00
** OR * ARE ALL

Yes, but those times would only apply if you're interlining on one ticket, have boarding pass in hand already, and any luggage checked through. That would likely not be the case for the OP.

 

[CaviAck]

Yes, but those times would only apply if you're interlining on one ticket, have boarding pass in hand already, and any luggage checked through. That would likely not be the case for the OP.

True, I posted the minimum required times for a legal booking for the OP to make up their own mind as to whether 90mins is enough. Sorry if I didn't make that clear, currently zoned out in a lecture...

 

[jsoprano]

• Try to use the bathroom whilst you are still in Zurich Airport or on some of the trains to/from the airport. After you get to Zurich HB, the only public toilets will set you back at least CHF 1.50 per use.

OT, but one thing to love about Australia: free public loos everywhere (well almost: usually not where you are when you need it most ). But that's one of the things our overseas visitors notice all the time. In Europe you're just used to pay for it.

 

[anat0l]

OT, but one thing to love about Australia: free public loos everywhere (well almost: usually not where you are when you need it most ). But that's one of the things our overseas visitors notice all the time. In Europe you're just used to pay for it.

I've been here for seven months. I'm not sure I'm used to it yet, let alone are the toilets actually that clean for paying the fee (but I guess it actually would be a lot worse without it).

Mind, I am commenting from the perspective of a male. No idea if it's different for females, but seeing as they nominally have to pay more...

Anyway, that's for another thread...

 

[justinn]

I did a connection in Zurich in Sept, WAW-ZHR was late so it was only 30 minutes instead of the 60 I had. I was able to run through and just make it as last person on a ZHR-JFK but it was very close, passport check was quick I think 90 would be fine.

 

[rmckay01]

You've probably decided by now, but I have done a transit through Zurich going into the city and back in under 4 hours so it is definitely doable. The train direct from the airport to the main station makes it really easy, and Zurich is a very walkable city. Beautiful too

 

[Isochronous]

You've probably decided by now, but I have done a transit through Zurich going into the city and back in under 4 hours so it is definitely doable. The train direct from the airport to the main station makes it really easy, and Zurich is a very walkable city. Beautiful too

Felt the same way on my visit last summer.

Ended up booking AY/CX RIX-HEL-KIX-TPE-HKG to end the trip. More lounge time!

 

[rogerkambah]

90 minutes on separate tickets is a bit too risky for my liking. That essentially leaves you with 30 minutes to claim bags off the last flight, then get to the check-in for the onward one.

Even with a connecting ticket, I think that might be pushing it, although you would have protection in that case.

anat0l, Good info in your post above. It's been about 20 yrs since I last departed ZRH, but only as a one way flight to LHR.

Am considering an LX flt BCN-ZRH to position for CX ZRH-HKG. Options are either arr in ZRH at 0815 (very early departure 0630) or flt 0940-1135, giving 1:55 transit time.

I expect to have to collect bags and redeposit at CX. I know you have been back in Oz for a while, but did you notice more security (due to refugee crisis) slowing processing at ZRH. Does the airport have a Schengen and non-Schengen areato negotiate?

 

[dajop]

90 minutes is too tight for an unprotected connection at ZRH. I am not sure of LX's policy on separate ticket through checking of luggage, but the process will be collect luggage, go upstairs, recheck luggage at CX, proceed through security (which can be relatively slow, even with a small number of people, they are very thorough) which gets you into the Schengen area, and then find your way to immigration (5 min walk or so), then proceed to train for transfer to satellite terminal. So quite a few steps in the process.

 

[rogerkambah]

90 minutes is too tight for an unprotected connection at ZRH. I am not sure of LX's policy on separate ticket through checking of luggage, but the process will be collect luggage, go upstairs, recheck luggage at CX, proceed through security (which can be relatively slow, even with a small number of people, they are very thorough) which gets you into the Schengen area, and then find your way to immigration (5 min walk or so), then proceed to train for transfer to satellite terminal. So quite a few steps in the process.

Tks, I was thinking the Swiss would be quite thorough. Might have to take the early morning option, giving 3.5 hrs transit, or even fly in the day before.

 

[anat0l]

anat0l, Good info in your post above. It's been about 20 yrs since I last departed ZRH, but only as a one way flight to LHR.

Am considering an LX flt BCN-ZRH to position for CX ZRH-HKG. Options are either arr in ZRH at 0815 (very early departure 0630) or flt 0940-1135, giving 1:55 transit time.

I expect to have to collect bags and redeposit at CX. I know you have been back in Oz for a while, but did you notice more security (due to refugee crisis) slowing processing at ZRH. Does the airport have a Schengen and non-Schengen areato negotiate?

90 minutes is too tight for an unprotected connection at ZRH. I am not sure of LX's policy on separate ticket through checking of luggage, but the process will be collect luggage, go upstairs, recheck luggage at CX, proceed through security (which can be relatively slow, even with a small number of people, they are very thorough) which gets you into the Schengen area, and then find your way to immigration (5 min walk or so), then proceed to train for transfer to satellite terminal. So quite a few steps in the process.

Tks, I was thinking the Swiss would be quite thorough. Might have to take the early morning option, giving 3.5 hrs transit, or even fly in the day before.

Although I did my fair share of flying in CH, I never had to fly in or out of ZRH (my main airport was GVA).

I haven't heard too much about whether the refugee crisis has caused any change in procedures or delays at ZRH (let alone at GVA), nor have I heard similar from colleagues or friends. Schengen and non-Schengen are always accordingly separated at relevant airports, unless border controls have been temporarily reintroduced.

In theory, I would take the morning option if connecting the day before was not ideal. 3.5 hrs should be more than enough to make the CX flight after arriving then re-checking in. Like dajop, I am not sure whether you can check your bags all the way; it would depend on the agent you got in BCN, but that's all the more reason to build in a bit of buffer to account for something like that, let alone delays.

ZRH itself is actually not a huge airport, and given you have a Schengen flight, there is a good chance you'd be arriving at the A or B piers. There'd be next to no procedures getting out of that, so you'd only be waiting for your bags, which shouldn't be waiting around for very long. If you are travelling in premium classes, you may benefit from expedited security lines.

If you are thinking about overnighting in ZRH, there are some quite reasonably priced hotels near the airport, although Zurich city centre is less than 10 minutes by cheap commuter train away from the airport. Holiday Inn Express Zurich Airport is typically CHF 99 per night (plus modest city tax) including free transfer shuttle.

 

[rogerkambah]

TKS anat0l. Think we may have to fly from BCN the day before. If it all went pear shaped, trying to resurrect an AA J award on CX to HKG/BKK at short notice, could be challenging.