Can I catch a 9.45am flight from Zurich?

Hi all,

I'm in Interlaken for a 5 day trip. I have to catch an international flight from Zurich airport on 07/12/2015, 9.45am. Can I leave from Interlaken in the morning of 07/12/2015 by catching the 5.20 am train? Would i be in time to catch the flight or should i reach Zurich the night before? Please help!

Swapna

<<" 1post: new memberJul 7, 2015 - 9:14 PMHi all,I'm in Interlaken for a 5 daytrip. I have to catch an international flight from Zurich airport on07/12/2015, 9.45am. Can I leave from Interlaken in the morning of07/12/2015 by catching the 5.20 am train? Would i be in time to catchthe flight ............ Please help!">>

Yes.

Train departs I.O at 0521. (Not 0520)

Catch the 0632 connection at Bern and ride it to ZFH at 0750( Zürich Flughafen.)

www.sbb.ch/en/home.htm l

Even if there are a few minutes of delays (very very rare) you'll be in good shape.

Even better if your flight does not leave from terminal E, which adds a few minutes time to get to the gate.

Slowpoke

So that gives you almost 2 hours to catch your plane. But do check with the airline until what time you can check in. If you're not comfortable with the morning trip there are airport hotels nearby, so you can travel the prior evening.

<<"So that gives you almost 2 hours to catch your plane. But do check withthe airline until what time you can check in. If you're not comfortablewith the morning trip there are airport hotels nearby, so you can travel the prior evening.">>

I read your time and date as 12th of July (US style.) If you meant 7th of December, the tourist load at Interlaken should be lighter, although that is not too early in Winter to have occasional snow. July will have lots of tourists on the trains.

In theory, and in practice, that schedule should work, as long as there are no unexpeced delays of more than a very few minutes. Even though rush hour travel can generate heavy traffic on the rails, especially into Zürich and the airport, which can cause delays of up to 5-10 minutes, I have been able to arrive at the airport 2 hours before morning flights, or a bit less, and make my flights to the USA out of terminal E, but with almost no time to spare.

Two hours is what I have found to be an acceptable time on Delta flights to the USA. For flights at 9:30 and 10:30 AM, 2 hours ahead arrival at the airport has gotten me to the gate as boarding has started. So, there is almost no margin for error, and little or no time to shop for duty free goods.

I do have the advantage of "Sky Priority" frequent flyer status, which moves me through the lines a little bit faster, but I have to go to Terminal E to catch Delta Flights. And, Delta interviews every passenger for a few minutes for security reasons. If you are at the end of the line for economy class, or the short trip from train to check in desk is encumbered by heavy luggage or other issues, and your airline is slow at check in, that could be a problem.

Arno has made a good point. How much time does your airline recommed?

You can check in on many airlines, via internet, 23 hours and 59 minutes before flight departure. That assures that your immigration paperwork is in order ahead of time.

That can save a few minutes at boarding, but you still have to go through the lines to check your luggage.

And, if you are traveling with a family with children and lots of luggage, count on extra time. Kids need to use the toilet at the most inconvenient time.

The only way I would do that (and have done it several times) is if I were traveling by myself, and had fast moving luggage. And, I prefer to not be so far away from the airport, just in case something goes wrong.

And, as Arno points out, there are airport hotels. And, from Zürich main station, there are approximately 6 trains per hour to the airport. Trip time approximately 10-15 minutes.

I stay downtown, but I know my way around Zürich.

Slowpoke.

Hi!

Thanks for the replies. I am leaving on the 12th of July. Travelling with my husband to India with Swiss air. 0945 flight from Zurich. the Swiss air website states that the check in would be at terminal 1or 3 and the gate is E34 ( most probably). Also counter closure is mentioned as 40 mins for economy So would be in time if we catch the 0521 train? The issue is that we have already paid for our hotel at interlaken upto the 12th. Swapna.

<<" Also counter closure is mentioned as 40 mins for economy So would be in time if we catch the 0521 train?">>

That is because you can't get to the gate in time if you check in later than that. Passport control and security take time, and both come after you check in. And, the train to Terminal E takes a few minutes. I can't remember where E34 is in the terminal, but, if it is near where the escalator comes up to the departure level, you'll be in luck. It can take 5-8 minutes to walk all the way to the end of Terminal E.

Swiss Air usually tries to put its flights near the escalator. No promises.

Please note that you need to leave about 30 minutes minmum after you check in to get to the gate. Without shopping, snacks, toilets.

If you need to exchange currency, perhaps you should do most of it at Interlaken on the 11th, keeping some small amount for the trip to Zürich.

Barring any unexpected problems, you should make it.

Neither Arno nor I control the traffic on the trains, however.

What time does SwissAir suggest you arrive at the airport for an intercontinental flight? Arno asked that important question, and I did not see your answer.

Since you are flying SwissAir, you should be able to check in at the check in area ( maybe number 3?) in the train terminal building. As far as I know, you can check in for intercontinental flights there. That area is one or two levels above the train tracks, and has a lot of check in counters. It saves the time and trouble of getting your luggage up to Check In Area Number 1, in the main terminal building, and saves a few minutes if the lines are not too long.

If you have a lot of luggage, use the luggage carts provided free at the train track platform. The carts can go up and down escalators.

Hi! We did catch the flight in time. Caught the 05.26 from interlaken west, changed at bern and then Zurich airport. We had already checked in online, so dropped out luggage at check in counter 3,above the train terminal and reached our gate E, 30 mins before boarding started!Thanks a lot for all the help! And hats off to the Swiss accuracy about time! Would never try this in any other country! Swapna.

<<"Hi! We did catch the flight in time. Caught the 05.26 from interlaken west, changed at bern and then Zurich airport. We had already checked inonline, so dropped out luggage at check in counter 3,above the train terminal and reached our gate E, 30 mins before boarding started!">>

Hi Swapna -

Thanks for the feedback. Nice to hear that it worked, and that the advice was sound. (All except one point- it seems that you could have stopped for duty-free or coffee and still made it to boarding on time. ;-) )

Seems like it took you about 45 minutes to get from train to gate, if I calculate correctly. I would have guessed something closer to one hour, so you did well.

<<"Thanks a lot for all the help! And hats off to the Swiss accuracy about time! Would never try this in any other country! Swapna.">>

You are very welcome. You are right about the Swiss professionalism in running the trains. If you had come up from Luzern, you might have run into a 5 minute delay on the way into Zürich. Shocking. ;-). And sometimes, another 5 minutes on the way into the airport, more likely an hour later than you traveled.

What i also really appreciate is that the travel system is designed to make it easy for you. An example is the Check In Area #3, close to your train. And, the luggage carts that go up and down escalators. Depending on timing, you can also check in your luggage at many other train stations and it will reach your SwissAir flight.

Hope you had a great flight home.