My wife and I plan to visit Switzerland for approximately two weeks. We would like to travel around the country by car and train. Which city airport would you suggest we arrive and depart from. Would you suggest an open jaws for two airports. Thanks!<BR>Fred

If you are originating from Europe, then you have a lot of choices.<BR><BR>If you are originating from another continent, then Zurich will most likely be your only non-stop choice, although Geneva is an option from NYC and some cities in Africa and the middle east.<BR><BR>But of course, with various other Europe gateway cites as a connection, you are back to almost every airport in Switzerland.<BR><BR>Best wishes,<BR><BR>Rex<BR>

up<BR>

Hi Fred,<BR>Just a thought -- why not fly into Zurich and out of Milan? That way, you can zig-zag your way east and west across the country, moving steadily south. You should be able to get a great itinerary from that.<BR><BR>s <BR>

I agree--into Zurich and out of Milan makes a great trip--ending at Lugano or one of the Italy Lakes.

Only the brave fly in or out of one of Milano's airports. One of them is called Malpensa (very close to "sick thoughts"), which sums it up for me.<BR><BR>Zurich is the best gateway in or out of Switzerland. Even from Lugano, the best. <BR><BR>The major advantages of Zurich Kloten are the direct flights and the lack of lost luggage. Flying into Frankfurt or Paris and transferring is risky for that reason. (I can't wait to hear the yowl on this!) Over the years, I have met literally thousands of passengers at Kloten. Of those who flew in directly from another airport in the States (Chicago-Zurich, for example), less than one in a hundred had lost luggage. For those who flew with a Stateside transfer, the figure was slightly higher. However, for those who flew in from a major in the States and transferred in either Paris or Frankfurt, the number rose to one in ten! These are not fictitious numbers but based on a lot of pickups over many years.<BR><BR>Therefore, coming to Switzerland: direct to Zurich (or Basel or Geneva, if your flight allows). <BR><BR>Leaving is a different matter. Going home, lost luggage is not the same, albeit still a royal pain. You have a change of clothes in the closet. I still prefer one of the Swiss ports, because they work. And Zurich is the best of the three. Direct rail connections, those nice (free) luggage carts that (packed right) flow on and off the escalators, convenient check in, and cleanliness. <BR><BR>Finally, the airports in Milano are, according to many travellers who I trust (I have not been foolish enough to use them myself except for a transfer within Italy and with handluggage only), are a nightmare to get to and get around. Only hearsay here, so I will stand corrected if others find them otherwise. For Lugano, they don't make a lot of sense. It's a pretty much a straight 3:16 shot (one or two cross platform changes) directly to the airport train station. Train trips to Milano Malpensa are half as long, but I am still not buying.<BR><BR>By car, it's pretty easy to Kloten too. Of course, a rental car is best returned to its origin if you want the best rate. The rental car companies are a catwalk across from the departure halls.

I've flown out of Milan. No problems.

Hmmm ! Am not sure what to say.<BR>I have flown into and out of Milan several times with no problem. Zurich is great, but why waste hours.