Zurich Airport Flight Arrivals (ZRH)

Flight Arrivals at Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport (ZRH) is the largest airport in Switzerland, and handles over 31 million passengers per year. It is also a major hub for the airline carriers of Edelweiss Air and Swiss International Air Lines. Passengers arriving at Zurich Airport will find that it is relatively nearby to the city of Zurich, and that it is partially located in the towns and villages of Kloten, Rümlang, Oberglatt, Winkel and Opfiken, among others, in the Canton of Zurich. Zurich, located towards the northeastern side of Switzerland, is the country’s main city for business and finance, and has also over the years become a popular destination for tourism. Zurich is the capital city of Switzerland as well. In this large airport, arriving passengers will find all the facilities they require, as well as a number of transport options from the airport.

Zurich Airport consists of three terminal buildings that are served by a wide variety of airline companies. Although Edelweiss Air and Swiss International Air Lines hold the majority of destinations, a number of other important airlines are present as well. These include the low-cost carriers of Air Berlin, Germanwings and Easyjet, with flights to Zurich Airport from the London airports of Gatwick and Luton, Manchester, Cologne/Bonn, Alicante, Malaga, Hamburg and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, as well as the airline carriers of Lufthansa, KLM, American Airlines, British Airways, Aer Lingus, Air Canada, Air France, Iberia and US Airways. Many passengers arrive at Zurich Airport from America destinations, such as New York-JFK, Atlanta, Miami, Los Angeles and San Francisco, and from other European destinations such as Madrid, Nice, Milan-Malpensa, Frankfurt, Munich and Paris-Charles de Gaulle. Flights also arrive from Hong Kong and Johannesburg International Airport (O.R Tambo Airport) in South Africa.

The terminal buildings at Zurich Airport are named as Terminal A, Terminal B and the newest construction, Terminal E. Gate E is a midfield terminal, built to help accommodate the new regulations surrounding the flights to and from countries that have and have not signed the Schengen agreement. The new terminal is connected to the main building of the airport by the Skymetro, a fast and efficient people mover system which is an automated underground train service. Transfers between the two older terminals are also provided by an airport train service, which travels underneath the airport buildings. In the main terminal, passengers will find the Airport Centre, well known for its very large shopping complex, which is in fact one of the largest in Switzerland, and its huge food court, also one of the largest in the country. Arriving passengers with some time to spare should definitely take an exploration of the airport before leaving for their next destination. Passengers can even arrange a guided tour of Zurich Airport, which offers some interesting behind the scenes insight to the operations of the airport, and is a somewhat different way to start your sightseeing holiday in Zurich.

Passengers who are travelling from countries who have signed the Schengen agreement will not need to go through passport control at Zurich Airport, but those from a non-Schengen country will need to show their passport documents. Passengers transferring from a Schengen to non-Schengen country, or visa versa, will need to undergo passport control procedures.

Facilities for business passengers at Zurich Airport are extensive, as there is the Conference Center with numerous private offices and meeting rooms of a variety of sizes, and all fully equipped with the latest technology. Internet connections are available as well. Customers of Zurich Airport may also arrange a VIP service for greeting fellow business delegates, VIPs (Very Important Persons) and CIPs (Commercially Important Persons) upon their arrival at the airport. VIPs on a transfer flight to Zurich Airport will be welcomed directly at the aircraft by a VIP limousine or VIP bus, and escorted to the VIP-lounge for drinks and snacks. The persons concerned will then be transported to their next flight by way of limousine again. A Convention and Welcome Desk can also be booked at Zurich Airport. Further facilities available include banking and currency exchange services, rooms for resting and overnight stays, porter services, a variety of family facilities, left luggage services and the Service Center, from where passengers can rent a pram or baby seat, make hotel reservations, purchase ZürichCards and buy tickets for the special buses which travel to the ski resorts. The Service Center is found on the first floor of car park 2.

Passengers ready to leave Zurich Airport can rent a car from car hire companies such as Avis, Sixt, National, Hertz and Budget, or take the bus or train to central Zurich. Both services are reliable and cost efficient. Trains depart from the underground railway station at Zurich Airport every ten minutes, and buses are also frequently available to several destinations. A taxi is another popular form of transport, although more expensive than the bus or train transfers.