zurich airport
 

How early do I really need to get to the Zurich airport for a flight back to the US? I can get free transportation that will get me there 1 1/2 hours before my flight, or I can take a taxi for $200 to get there earlier. Can I take the chance that I won't miss my flight?

If you really had a full 1 1/2 hours to be there before take-off it seems like it would be okay to me - but it also depends on what gate you would be leaving from.

Taking an Air France flight home, we had to cross through the airport upstairs, then go downstairs, then get on this little train/tram that took you someplace else and go through security yet again...and that takes up some time... You might call up your airline and ask if being at the boarding gate 1 hour before would be enough time,?

eyechick,

If you're my husband you wouldn't think twice with 1.5 hours. He does that all the time. When we travel as a family we usually leave 2 hours for trips back to the US. Of course, we always have plenty of time, I'm just of the early for my own funeral type.

You do have to do the whole tram with Heidi and the cow bells. The signs all say 20 minutes from here to your gate after check-in but it's more like 10-15 minutes unless you are very slow.

Even with lines in Zurich at passport control and security it's not like Rome or something where there are hundreds of people waiting. Things move very quickly even when lines are "long."

If you won't sue me later, I say you are fine.

gruezi

Hi eyechick,

You don't mention it, but there is a third option between the free transport that's a little late and the expensive taxi that's on time.

There is excellent train service between the city and the airport. It takes about 10-15 minutes, and trains depart about every 15 minutes. The cost is about 5-7 chf per person. You can get the exact schedule at the Swiss rail site,

www.rail.ch

Just use:

Departure -- Zurich
Destinatin -- Zurich airport
Date -- use the European format of day.month.year
Time -- use the 24-hour clock.

Have fun!

s

It's tight but should work. Can you do on-line check-in the night before? It might speed up things up a bit.