How long to get through customs in Zurich
 

hello, i am flying into zurich on United at the end of may. my flight is scheduled to arrive on a monday morning at 0810am. i then have to catch a Helvetic Airways flight, leaving zurich 3 hours later, at 1115am, going to naples italy... is 3 hours enough time to make this connection?

thanks in advance!

Zurich airport seems to have twice the space and staff that it needs for the number of aircraft movements. Customs usually takes...30 seconds or less. Assuming your United flight arrives on time, your problem will be boredom, not lack of time.

3 hours is more than enough time. You will NOT go through immigration or customs in Zurich, as your final destination is outside of Switzerland, you will go through these formalities in Italy only. Your bags will be transferred to your Helevtic flight, you will not see them. When you get off your flight, look for signs saying “transit/transfer”.

FYI, lines at IMMIGRATION (where you show your passport) in Zurich and elsewhere can be long if a number of large planes land at once. Lines at CUSTOMS (where you show any dutiable goods you are bringing in) are non-existent if you go through the green channel “nothing to declare” channel. In any event, you will not have to deal with either, as you are in transit.

thanks Nicol and Cicerone. Your replies are very helpful!

Zürich is a good airport. Last year we had to walk a ways after the aircraft landed. I don't recall if we slowed up for customs or not.

One year in Zürich we got off the aircraft on the tarmac. Customs consisted of a uniformed official waving us through with both hands. We were, in that case, flying in from Schiphol, but the Swiss did not, if I remember right, sign that border agreement.

we flew into Zurich from Rome and had an hour to get to the AA flight to Dallas. We went through a fairly gruelling (?) customs which required us to find and show our hotel and rail receipts for the entire 2 week trip. Fortunately the flight we needed to board was in our view but we came very close to missing our flight.

One word of CAUTION: check with United as to whether or not they have a luggage agreement with Helvetic. IF you are flying on one ticket (issued by United) there shouldn't be a problem.

If you are holding separate tickets, i.e., one issued by United and the other by Helvetic then definitely check on the luggage check-through possibilities.

I landed in Zurich last year during Easter time. I waited about 10 minutes for my bags and was through customs in about ONE minute. It was the most organized airport I've ever been at as far as going through customs. Have a Great Trip. Mike