Airport review: Zurich Airport (ZRH), Switzerland is clean, spacious and efficient

Zurich Airport just works – that's all there is to it.Credit: Getty Images

THE AIRPORT

Zurich Airport (ZRH)

THE FLIGHT

EK 88 to Dubai, business class

THE ARRIVAL

It is very easy to get to Switzerland's main air hub, whether you're coming from Zurich itself, or anywhere in the country, really. ZRH is connected to Switzerland via a vast network of trains, trams and buses, all of which – unsurprisingly – are fast, efficient and cost-effective. I'm arriving for my flight by car, coming in from the Lech-Zuers ski area in Austria, and even that is a painless commute via speedy highways.

THE LOOK

Zurich won't wow you with its design brilliance, but this is still a smart, functional airport that always feels airy and spacious thanks to its high ceilings and extensive use of glass. The airport has been here since the early 1900s, though frequent extensions and renovations have kept it apace with modern demands.

CHECK-IN

It's always a little disappointing to descend into cliche so early on, but here we go: right from check-in, the Zurich experience goes like clockwork. Things happen the way they should here. No surprises. No hassles. There's a short line at check-in, but within 10 minutes or so I have my bag checked and my boarding pass in hand. Tick, tock.

SECURITY

Given Zurich Airport predominantly services countries within the European Schengen Area, there's no passport control to enter the main airside terminal – just a security screening, which again has a small queue that takes 10 or so minutes to negotiate. From this terminal, passengers travelling outside Schengen have to descend to a lower level, pass through a very quiet passport control area, and then take the underground Skymetro train to Terminal E.

FOOD AND DRINK

Though Zurich Airport has an app – free to download – that gives passengers live information on waiting times in security queues, I'm still more comfortable heading airside before I sit down to eat, which means I miss The Circle, the landside shopping and dining area. Still, there are a few reasonable options past security, including the casual Marche Bakery and Restaurant, and the more formal likes of Villa Antinori da Bindella, and Chalet Suisse. I'm travelling business class, so I have access to the Swiss Business lounge, though all passengers can choose to spend CHF36 ($55) to access the Panorama Lounge.

RETAIL THERAPY

No need to panic if you feel insufficiently loaded up with Swiss chocolates: Zurich Airport has you covered. There are four – count them, four – outlets of Confiserie Spruengli spread throughout the terminals, each of which sells pralines, truffles and other incredibly good chocolates by the fancy boxful. Elsewhere you will find all of the standard shops, from high-end fashion to electronics to outdoor gear to souvenirs to – of course – purveyors of fine Swiss timepieces. But it's all about the chocolates for this traveller.

PASSING TIME

Travellers with children should head directly to the Family Services centre near the A gates, a facility that has playrooms, toys, arts and crafts, computer games, change tables, rooms for sleeping and breastfeeding, and even a kitchenette with a microwave and eating utensils. Admission is free. Those without rugrats, meanwhile, can hire day rooms for a quick snooze, have a shower for about $20, use 60 minutes of free Wi-Fi, or even take a stroll in the airport park.

THE VERDICT

Zurich Airport just works – that's all there is to it. It's a clean, spacious and efficient hub that may not boast some of the eye-popping facilities of the major Asian and Middle Eastern ports, yet still provides a pleasant travel experience, particularly for those with young children. Just… try to keep them away from the chocolates.

OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE

★★★1/2

Ben Groundwater travelled as a guest of the Austrian National Tourist Office.