Airport Guide to Zurich-Kloten (ZRH)

Airport Overview

Terminal Transfer | Getting into Town | Car Parking | Information Desks | Airport Facilities | Airport Conference and Business Facilities

Zurich Airport is situated in Kluton on the outskirts of Zurich; it is sometimes called Kluton Airport and others refer to it as Zurich-Kluton, but to most international visitors it’s simply Zurich Airport. The airport is just 13km (8 miles) from the city centre and is easily accessible via a range of public transport options from within Zurich and across Switzerland.

There’s no shortage of things to do at Zurich Airport. Passengers with some time on their hands will find a multitude of tempting shopping opportunities ranging from fantastic Swiss chocolate to beautiful watches and timepieces. The airport also has a great range of restaurants and bars as well as a fair number of airline lounges.

Zurich Airport is a hub for Swiss International Air Lines, with its fleet of red-and-white-liveried planes, and Edelweiss Air.

Zurich Airport is well-connected with Zurich and the rest of Switzerland. The precision and promptness with which everything is handled at this airport makes it a pleasure to use. It also makes it the perfect gateway to Switzerland, with its ski slopes, spectacular mountain scenery and cosmopolitan cities.

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Terminal Transfer

While there are two terminals at Zurich Airport (terminal A and B), they are so close to one another that the time to transfer from one to the other is negligible. However, there is a mid-airfield concourse, which is easily and quickly accessible via the airport’s internal subway and shuttle system. Transferring passengers should allow sufficient time (45 minutes if you have to go through a second security check) for their transfer, particularly during peak times as the usual efficient, quick and functional airport can sometimes become a little chaotic.

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Getting into Town

Train: There are trains between the airport and Zurich’s main train station every ten minutes during peak times and up until midnight. Between midnight and 5am there is no train service to and from the airport. It takes ten minutes to travel between the airport and Zurich Station (Hauptbahnhof). From Zurich Station passengers can travel to most parts of Zurich and Switzerland on the country’s extensive and efficient train network. Tickets from the airport to Zurich Station cost CHF 6.20-12.40 (£5-£10), depending upon which type of ticket you want to buy.

Tram: The Glattalbahn tram (number ten) runs between Zurich Airport and Zurich railway station. Trams leave the airport every seven to 15 minutes. Tickets for trips within Zurich are determined by zones, an all-zone ticket costs CHF 15.80 (£12) for Second Class and CHF 26 (£20) for First Class. A fare supplement of CHF 5 (nearly £4) is added for travellers using the service at night on Fridays and Saturdays.

Bus: The airport’s bus terminal is located in the main airport complex a floor above check-in. Like the tram, tickets for trips within Zurich are determined by zones. An all-zone ticket costs CHF 15.80 (£12) for Second Class and CHF 26 (£20) for First Class. A fare supplement of CHF 5 is added for travellers using the service at night on Fridays and Saturdays. During winter a special sports coach is available to transport travellers directly to the ski slopes.

Taxis: The taxi rank at the airport is in front of arrivals one and two. It costs approximately CHF 60 (£47) to get from Zurich Airport into the city centre.

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Car Parking

Open air and covered parking is available at Zurich Airport. Multi-storey car parks P1, P2 and P3 are connected to the terminal buildings and P6 car park is beside the Operations Centre. Parking fees for P1, P2, P3 and P6 cost CHF 2 (£1.50) for 15 minutes, CHF 6 (almost £5) for the first hour and CHF 3 per hour thereafter up to CHF 42 (£33) for the first day. P5 is a five-minute walk from the terminal, but has cheaper rates starting at CHF 2 for the first 15 minutes, CHF 5 for the first hour and CHF 2 per hour thereafter up to CHF 31 (£24) for the first 24 hours. Low-cost outdoor parking is available in P60, which is a ten-minute walk from the terminal (or a short shuttle ride). Parking rates for P60 are the same as those for P5 for the first day, but if your stay is longer than four days then the rates are significantly cheaper. Short-term pick-up and drop-off areas are in front of arrivals and departures along the access road on level three of the parking multi-storey parking garage. It costs CHF 2 for a 15-minute stay.

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Information Desks

Service and information desks are available throughout the airport in arrivals one and two, car park P2, check-in two and in transfer and shopping area A. Staff are multi-lingual and knowledgeable on subjects specific to the airport as well as regional information.

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Airport Facilities

Money and communications: Banks, ATMs and currency-exchange facilities are all available at the airport, as is a VAT-refund office.

Luggage: A left-luggage office is available from 6.30am to 10.30pm at the Service Centre near car park pay station two. Passengers can either make use of coin-operated lockers or there are attendants ready to store your larger items. Prices for storage of luggage start from CHF 5 (£4) for six hours. Lockers are only available for 72 hours and prices range from CHF 6-72 (£4-£76) per locker depending on size and time used. Luggage trolleys are available free of charge and baggage porters can be hired at the airport. The lost-and-found office is in arrivals one.

Conference and business: Conference and business facilities are available at Priora Business Centre and at the Radisson Blu Airport Conference Centre, which is located next to parking garage P1. The business facilities include fax and photocopying as well as catering services. Airline lounges equipped with business facilities include Dnata Skyview Lounge, Emirates Lounge, Panorama Lounge, SKYTEAM Lounge, Swiss Arrival Lounge and Swiss Business Lounge as well as many others.

Other facilities: A chapel, showers, dayrooms and a rest area, smoking lounges, family services and airline lounges are all available at Zurich Airport. There are also emergency services, including dental services, medical centre and passport office.

Wi-Fi: Public computer stations, known as surfpoints and recognisable by the @ sign, are located throughout the terminal. The airport also has Hotspots throughout the airport providing passengers with Wi-Fi access. Access to airport-related websites and train, bus and tram timetables are free. In order to browse other sites passengers will have to choose a service provider and pay the relevant fee. Service providers at the airport include Sunrise, Init Seven, Monzoon and Swisscom.

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Airport Conference and Business Facilities

Many airlines offer flights to Zurich Airport. European airlines flying to Zurich include Aer Lingus, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Cyprus Airways, easyJet, bmi, Blue Islands, Blue 1, Edelweiss Air, Finnair, Germanwings, Hello, Iberia, KLM, LOT, Lufthansa, Sun Express, Swiss Air, TAP and Vueling as well as many others. For flights to Zurich Airport from outside Europe, passengers can book with airlines such as US Airways, United, Turkish Airlines, Thai Airways, South African Airways, Singapore Airlines, Royal Air Maroc, Qatar Airways, Pegasus Airlines, Korean Air, Kenya Airways, Japan Airlines, Emirates, El Al, Egyptair, Delta, Cathay Pacific and China Southern.

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