Swiss & Changing Planes in Zurich
 

This is my first time traveling to Europe since Covid and my first two times were pretty easy. This time we are flying SWISS from O'Hare to Zurich. We have another SWISS flight from Zurich to Bergen, Norway. This is all on the same ticket. We are traveling with just carryon backpacks (hoping they don't need to get checked because of not enough overhead room). The layover is 2 hours and 25 minutes. It sounds like that is enough time. Do we need to go through customs/immigration/passport control/security? Any advice would be helpful. Of course, after booking, it seems that SWISS may not have been the best airline, but I was attempting to avoid London-Heathrow and Charles de Gaulle. Thank you!

Welcome to Fodors -- your concern about having to gate check is a non-issue . . . totally. You will most likely be on a 777 so it is a very large, 2-aisle plane with masses of overhead bin space plus room under the seat in front of you.

2:25 is enough IF you land on time. But if you land late and miss the connection, they will put you on the next available flight.. Norway is in Schengen so you will go through Immigration (passport control) in Zurich and Customs in Bergen (though Customs is pretty much a non-event unless you have something to declare)

Thank you so much! I'm new to traveling in the Schengen area, so it was a bit confusing on what I was reading. It is good to know that it would be only passport control at Zurich and customs in Bergen. Will there be another security checkpoint as well? Our return flights are Copenhagen to Zurich to O'Hare. Does anything change on the return trip?

I'm not 100% sure about security - I've flown in to ZRH a couple of times but never connected there on the same ticket.

But the airport's website should explain flight connections. https://www.flughafen-zuerich.ch/en/...light/transfer

I did a switch of the same kind (same airline US to Paris via Zurich) this summer in Zurich and the airport was a complete mess due to construction and understaffing. 3 of the 4 flights I took were delayed leaving and arriving due to these issues. I sprinted through the airport and barely made it onto the plane and all connection times were over 2 hours. Passport check lines were understaffed and we had to go through 2 different passport lines.

You'll likely be on an Airbus 320neo for the Zurich to Bergen leg. If I remember correctly, you're limited to 18lbs for your carry-on and the dimensions are smaller than what's allowed on your TATL flight. Depending on the size of your backpacks, you should be able to gate check them in Zurich. If you have to change terminals, enjoy the video on the tram.

Thank you! Glad I looked a bit closer at my ticket, it is SWISS operating at United and Edelweiss. Sounds like we will need to take that tram and just hope there is enough time. We are looking at all the different airline bag sizes and going with the smallest one.