Zurich Airport Terminals Guide 2026 - Check-in, Gates, Skymetro

Zurich Airport is one building, which is the first thing to know and the reason the hotels here are described by walking time rather than by terminal. The second thing is the Schengen line: it runs through the airport and decides whether your gate is in Dock A or B, a short walk from security, or in Dock D or E, through passport control and, for E, on the Skymetro under the runway. This guide lays out the terminal as it works in late 2026, the reshuffle that the new Dock A will bring, and which hotel suits which gate.

One terminal, three check-in halls

The landside part of the airport is a single complex along the front of the apron, split into Check-in 1, Check-in 2 and Check-in 3. Check-in 1 and 2 are in the main building, with the bus and tram station and the passage to The Circle outside them; Check-in 3 is above the railway station, so passengers arriving by train surface straight into it. SWISS and most Star Alliance carriers check in at 1, the remaining airlines at 2 and 3, and the halls are joined by a landside concourse with shops, a Coop supermarket and the Capsule Hotel opposite Check-in 1. All three feed the same central security control, which opens about 4:30 am and closes at night.

The Airside Center and the gates

Behind security is the Airside Center, the shopping and dining hub, with the gate piers branching off it. Gates A are the original dock on the left, used for Schengen flights, mainly SWISS and its European partners. Gates B and D share one pier on two levels: B for Schengen flights at ground level, D for non-Schengen flights upstairs after passport control; the airport’s Transit Hotel is at the D gates. Gates E are the midfield dock on the far side of the runway, reached by the Skymetro from the Airside Center after passport control, three minutes underground; all long-haul and most other non-Schengen flights, including SWISS to North America and Asia, Emirates, Qatar Airways and Singapore Airlines, leave from E. Allow 10 to 15 minutes from passport control to an E gate.

Schengen or not

Switzerland is in the Schengen area but not the EU. Flights to and from Schengen countries use A and B without passport control; flights to the United Kingdom, Ireland, Turkey, the Gulf, the Americas and Asia use D and E with immigration in between, and the same split governs arrivals. A connection between a Schengen and a non-Schengen flight therefore crosses passport control, which is why the 40-minute minimum connection time stretches to 60 or 90 in practice; see connecting at Zurich Airport. Customs is on arrival for everyone, and Switzerland’s duty-free allowances differ from the EU’s.

The new Dock A

The airport has started its CHF 1 billion replacement of Dock A: a new dock built largely of timber, with photovoltaics across its roof, going up north of the present pier so that the old one keeps working until the new one opens. The new control tower received its final approval in August 2025 and construction begins in 2027. In the meantime SWISS opens two new Business and Senator lounges beside Dock B in the first quarter of 2027 and closes its Dock A lounges; our lounges guide tracks the move. Expect walking routes around A to change during the works.

Which hotel for which gate

Because there is one terminal and one security control, the gate makes little difference to the hotel: every hotel on this site reaches the same check-in halls. What matters is how you get there. The Radisson Blu has its own covered walkway into the terminal; the Hyatt Regency and Hyatt Place are five minutes through the passage to The Circle; the Alpine Garden Capsule Hotel is opposite Check-in 1. The Mövenpick, Dorint and Hilton depend on a shuttle, and the ibis budget on the tram. For a 6:00 am flight from Dock E, which means security by 5:00 am, book a hotel on foot; for anything after 8:00 am the shuttle hotels work.

Arrivals

Arrivals from Schengen flights come out at Arrival 1, non-Schengen at Arrival 2 after passport control, both into the same landside hall with the railway station below, the tram outside and the hotel signs overhead. Baggage from every dock, including E, is collected in the main building. Taxis and the hotel shuttles collect outside Arrivals 1 and 2; the getting into Zurich guide takes it from there.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many terminals does Zurich Airport have?

One. Zurich has a single terminal building with three check-in halls (Check-in 1, 2 and 3), the Airside Center behind security, and three gate piers: A and B for Schengen flights, D for non-Schengen flights (B and D are the same pier used on two levels), and the midfield Dock E for long-haul and other non-Schengen flights, reached by the Skymetro.

Which check-in do I use?

The one printed on your booking or shown on the departure boards: Check-in 1 and 2 are in the main building, Check-in 3 is above the railway station. SWISS and its Star Alliance partners mostly use Check-in 1, other airlines 2 and 3. The halls are a few minutes' walk apart and all lead to the same security control.

What is the Skymetro?

An automated underground train that links the Airside Center with Dock E under the runway, 1.1 km in about three minutes, running continuously. Allow 10 to 15 minutes from passport control to an E gate.

Is Dock A being replaced?

Yes. A new timber-built Dock A will go up north of the present one from 2027, with the old dock in use until the new one opens; the new control tower was approved in August 2025. SWISS moves its Business and Senator lounges to a new building beside Dock B in early 2027.

Information last verified: October 2, 2026