I arrive on an international flight next week and want to catch a train that leaves 48 minutes after I am scheduled to land (otherwise wait one more hour, so not major deal).

I was curious how efficient the Zurich airport was with regard to retrieving bags, getting through customs and getting to the train station in the airport. Can it be done in 48 minutes (assuming everything is on schedule)?

Oooo. Close. I wouldn't count on even Swiss efficiency to be that good.

Is the train leaving from the Zurich airport station or from the Zurich main station? There's a difference.

Trains from the airport to the city station run about every 10 minutes, but I don't recall how long the ride is. 15 minutes? Trains leaving from the main station leave on time almost without fail, and you'd have to transfer from one platform to another.

Sounds too tight to me.

You are assuming an on-time arrival and and on-time GATE arrival. How fast you get through Swiss Immigration and Customs will depend on how many others are going through at the same time. The Swiss are efficient but people only move so fast, as do baggage handlers.

How fast YOU can move through depends a great deal on your ability to move fast and may have nothing much to do with the "efficiency" of the infrastructure.

You could probably make the train but I'd mentally prepare myself to be flexible about catching a later one.

eschule:

Be prepared to be flexible. Though 48 minutes may be enough (just!) to get from gate to train, you better keep in mind that Zurich is one of Europe's worst airports in on-time arrivals.

Enjoy your trip (and relax)

Phil

If you are reserving seats on the train, wait the extra hour. The train station in the airport is very very easy to get to from the arrivals areas but I have waited for ages for my bags to arrive in Zurich airport.

I agree with Phil and LynnP - don't bother to try. I've made that connection in about 45 mins, but I've been unable to make it more often. Take your time, stop in the very nice market on the way to the train platform and pick up some refreshments for your train trip, then you'll have just enough time for a cup of coffee at the little cafe at the top of the stairs (it may be an escalator, I can't recall) to the platform until your train comes along.

Catching it from inside the airport. Didn't plan to rush. Just wanted to see if it was more like "probable" than "possible". Seems to be more like "doubtful". An extra hour is no big deal. Thanks again for the responses especially the heads-up on the market.

I did something similar in Geneva a couple weeks ago. Since my luggage came near first off the flight, if I had know exactly which track I needed and where it was located, and ran, and purchased my ticket after I was on the train from the conductor rather than from a booth, I probably could have made it (~45 min. after plane landed).

Instead I picked up luggage, got my bearings, stood in line and bought a train ticket, got a sandwich and a drink from the market. Next time doing the same thing I really do think I could make the earlier train.

My family went through Zurich in August. Our flight was on time, passport control took perhaps 3 minutes, our bags were waiting for us on the carousel and customs was non-existent. We would have made such a connection with ease. Of course, everything seemed to go just right for us.