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Transfers and Terminal Layout at Zurich Airport
Although Zurich Airport serves as a major transit hub with flights to destinations all over the world, the site is compact and easy to navigate, and security and check-in procedures are quick and efficient.
The airport officially has two terminals, but they are connected within a single building. A single security checkpoint leads to a shared transit area for both terminals.
The terminals are mainly distinguished by their departure and arrival functions. Different airlines operate out of each terminal.
Some airlines operating from Terminal 1 (Check-in 1) also have ‘Check-in 3’ counters immediately after exiting the railway station. If you arrive by train and are travelling with checked-in luggage, you can therefore check in with certain airlines immediately upon exiting the train and avoid having to carry your luggage all the way to the airport terminal.
- Check-in 1 + Check-in 3: Austrian, Croatia Airlines, Edelweiss, Lufthansa, Swiss
- Only Check-in 1: Brussels Airlines, TAP
- Check-in 2: Aegean Airlines, Aer Lingus, AirBaltic, Air Cairo, Air Canada, Air Europa, Air France, Air Malta, Air Montenegro, Air Serbia, American Airlines, British Airways, Bulgaria Air, Cathay Pacific, Chair, Corendon Airlines, Cyprus Airways, Delta, easyJet, El Al, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad, Eurowings, Finnair, Helvetic Airways, Iberia, Icelandair, ITA Airways, KLM, LOT, Oman Air, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian, SAS, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Sun Express, Tailwind, THAI, Turkish Airlines, United, Vueling
Transit area
After passing through security, which is the same for all flights, you will find yourself in the main terminal building.
Gates A, B, D
You can only move on foot between the security checkpoint and the subsequent departure gates.
- A – departures to Schengen Area countries
- B – departures to Schengen Area countries
- D – some departures to countries outside the Schengen Area (mainly Swiss flights to European destinations)
You can reach Gates A and B within 5 to 10 minutes of passing through security. Gate D is located beyond passport control; depending on the queue, this may take between 10 and 25 minutes.
Gates E
From the central transit area immediately after security, escalators and lifts lead down to the underground departure gates E, which are located in a separate building in the centre of the airport grounds.
- E – departures to countries outside the Schengen Area (mostly all long-haul flights and flights by foreign carriers to European destinations)
In the underground level, passport control follows, after which you’ll find the station for the ‘Skymetro’ automated underground train, which will take you directly from the central building to Departure Gates E.
The train ride is free and takes about 3 minutes. The train runs 24/7 at intervals of 3–4 minutes.
It takes roughly 15 to 30 minutes to get from security to Gates E, depending on the queue at passport control.
Airport map
You can find an interactive map of the entire airport and the individual terminals on the airport’s official website:flughafen-zuerich.ch/interactive-map.
Connecting flights
Transferring in Zurich is very straightforward. The procedures vary depending on where you are arriving from and where you are flying to (Schengen or Non-Schengen).
Gates A, B <-> Gates A, B
These departure gates are for flights within the Schengen Area, so you do not need to go through any security checks.
If you need to move between Areas A and B, allow up to15 minutes for the transfer.
If you arrive at gates A and are also departing from Area A (and similarly for gates B), 5 minutes will be sufficient for your transfer.
Gates A, B -> Gates D
Area D is located one floor below departure gates B, so transferring from the B gates is quicker than from the A gates. However, the procedures are the same.
You will go through passport control when transferring.
- B → D: 5 to 10 minutes, depending on the queue at passport control
- A → D: 15 to 20 minutes, depending on the queue at passport control
Gates D -> Gates A, B
When transferring from Departure Gates D, you will go through both passport control and security screening. Therefore, compared to transferring in the opposite direction, the total time will be extended by approximately 5 to 10 minutes.
Gates A, B <-> Gates E
When transferring between Schengen flights (A or B) and the satellite terminal (E), you will always take the underground train.
In both directions, you will go through passport control and security checks, and the total transfer time will be between20 and 40 minutes, depending on the specific departure gate and queues.
Gates D <-> Gates E
As both areas are designated for flights outside the Schengen Area, you will only go through security checks during this transfer, but not passport control.
You will always need to use the underground train.
The total transfer time, depending on the specific departure gate and queue lengths, will be between15 and35minutes.
How can you keep yourself entertained whilst transferring?
Zurich Airport offers plenty of entertainment options during long layovers.
The terminal itself has plenty of shopping and dining options. If you have more than 3.5 hours between flights, you can explore further shopping and dining options outside the terminal at The Circle shopping centre.
Aviation enthusiasts will appreciate the two viewing terraces. One of them is accessible from within the transit area (from departure gates E only). To reach the other terrace (B), you must leave the transit area.
You can find a list of shops, the opening hours of the viewing terraces and other useful information in the Services section.
On lovely summer days and if your connecting flight is longer than 3.5 hours, you can leave the transit area, walk through The Circle shopping centre and sit on the grass in the beautiful park overlooking the entire airport complex.
Visiting the city
Zurich isn’t far from the airport, and if you have a layover of more than 5hours, it may well be worth taking a trip into the city centre.
You can find full details on how to get to the city centre in the Transport section.
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Any questions left?
If you have any questions or comments about the article...
9 comments
Иван Иванов
Translated from cestee.bg
Hello! I have a flight Sofia Tampa with hand luggage and transfer in Zurich of 50 minutes, for the first time. Will I make it?
mxp
Translated from cestee.cz
It's manageable. Just follow the Gates E signage.
Gates A, B <-> Gates E, see above.
nelunna
Translated from cestee.fr
Hello,
In 2 weeks I'm flying from Bucharest to Zurich and then from Zurich to Geneva (no hold luggage). I have 45 minutes between the 2 flights - it's the 1st time I've had such a short stopover and I don't know the airport.
Can you give me some information?
Thank you 🙂
mxp
Translated from cestee.cz
My reply to @Amalia Trifoi (see below) is fully applicable to your case. The transfer can be handled just fine in 10-15 minutes.
secondaire Châtelet
Translated from cestee.fr
Hi, I have to make a stopover for the 1st time
flight from Cologne then departure for hurghada
Can you give me some information?
mxp
Translated from cestee.cz
Your case will be Gates A, B -> Gates D (see above).
After disembarking, check the monitors in the terminal for the departure gate of your flight to Hurghada and head straight to it (watch for the Gates D sign). There will be a passport control on the way, where there are plenty of automatic gates for EU/CH passport holders. The transfer typically takes no more than 20-30 minutes.
(I'm assuming both flights are on the same reservation, so you don't have to worry about any luggage.)
secondaire Châtelet
Translated from cestee.fr
super merci de votre réponse ça me reassure
yes, the 2 flights are on the same reservation and I have a 4.30-hour stopover, so there's plenty of time.
Amalia Trifoi
Translated from cestee.ro
Flight from Cluj to Nice LX 1881 with transfer to Zurich, ZBOR LX568. How do I transfer? I only have 65 minutes between the two flights.
mxp
Translated from cestee.cz
Your case will be Gates A, B <-> Gates A, B (see above).
After disembarking, check the terminal monitors for the departure gate of your flight to Nice and head straight to it (follow the signs for Gates A or Gates B). The transfer will take no more than 10-15 minutes.
Kryštof Hájek
Translated from cestee.cz
That's right. I just changed planes in Zurich a few minutes ago. No checks, transfer realistic max 20 minutes.
m.goreova14
Translated from cestee.sk
45-minute transfer from a non-Schengen country (Terminal E) in Zurich, for the flight to Krakow. Is it realistic to make it? What would you recommend? I am going for the first time, I would be grateful for all your advice and recommendations.
David Eiselt
Translated from cestee.cz
By default, flights are designed to always make the connection. I assume you won't have a problem. However, if there is, the airline has to get you to your final destination, so you will receive an alternate flight and any compensation.
baronova.daniela
Translated from cestee.cz
Flight LX1575 from Vienna to Zurich (arrival 11.10 hrs - Gate A) SWISS
Flight LX 8024 from Zurich to Cancun (departure 12.20 pm - Gate D) SWISS
Is it possible to make the transfer from Gate A to Gate D in time, as the latest check-in is 11.40am?
mxp
Translated from cestee.cz
Totally cool. The A to D transfer is 10 minutes. If the flight from Vienna lands at B gate, even less.
cali
Translated from cestee.cz
Oh, totally cool... Yesterday arrival Non-Schengen and departure to Prague, on paper 1:15h for the transfer, slight delay so ca. 50 minutes and therefore it was during, the biggest hit security and passport, no fasttrack, the staff did not care at all some follow-up flight.
mxp
Translated from cestee.cz
However, the Schengen -> Non-Schengen direction is usually trouble-free.
Denis Winkelmann
Translated from cestee.de
Never had to change planes before, how does it work?
I come from Munich and fly on to Dubai
Package holiday TUI .
Kryštof Hájek
Translated from cestee.cz
When you exit the aircraft into the terminal, you will find your flight to Dubai and the gate from which it will depart on the flight list screen.
You will then follow the signs to the appropriate gate and, as Dubai is outside the Schengen area, you will also go through passport control.
There is no security check and you don't worry about your luggage - it will be automatically transferred.
Zurich airport is very simple and efficient for transfers.
fabrizio celli
Translated from cestee.it
Flight LX1727 from Rome to Zurich Gate A (arrival)
Flight LX8024 Zurich to Cancun Gate D (departure)
Single booking for 18/03/2025
Is there enough time to get from one gate to the other?
J0x
Translated from cestee.cz
Times?
David Eiselt
Translated from cestee.cz
Since you have both flights on 1 booking, you are guaranteed a transfer. If you miss your flight, they'll send you another one for free.
However, 50 minutes to change planes in Zurich is sufficient and therefore there is no need to worry.
Hello, We will have a connection in Zurich of one hour and 10 minutes (theoretical) on 21/04/2026.
We will arrive from Paris at 11:05 (flight LX 633) and take off for Cancun at 12:10 on flight LX 8024.
Would this stopover time be sufficient (1h10)?
What are the arrival and departure terminals (FlightAware indicates different terminals for different days of the week: B to E, B to D, etc.)? ) ?
How does the transfer between terminals work (security, passport control, duration)?
How long before take-off do the boarding gates close? Will they be waiting for us?
If we miss the 2nd flight, the next ones to Cancun being in 48 hours (23/04), could Swiss take us on another airline (connecting flight)? Thank you very much!!!
Hello, Zurich Airport is very clear. Personally, I prefer it for transfers.
From Paris you will fly into the Schengen area (i.e. gates A or B) and you will fly into Cancun from the non-Schengen area (gates D or E).
70 minutes is certainly adequate in Zurich.
In the event of a delayed flight from Paris, whether or not the flight to Cancún will be delayed depends on many factors. If it won't wait, Swiss should rebook you on the next available connection on another airline if seats are available.