Spotting Tips: Zurich (ZRH/LSZH)
Last update: April 2010 (A380 spotting feature, Park Inn hotel, Midfield bus starting point map )
In Zurich you have both, some great traffic in combination with excellent spotting positions.
If you have further questions, e-mail me!
Introduction
Zurich airport is the only airport of the city of Zurich, Switzerland's centre of finance and economy. Located 13km northeast of the city, it is Switzerland's biggest and most used airport, and the home of (among others) our national flag carrier, Swiss.
There are about 100 airlines offering around 160 connections to every continent in the world except Oceania. In 2003 the new terminal E, also called "Midfield", was opened. In fall 2008, Terminal 2, home of the popular observation deck, is torn down partly. It will re-open in 2011.
Feature: Catch the A380!
 From 28 March, 2010, Zurich is receiving a daily A380-service from Singapore Airlines. This makes it the third airport in Europe getting scheduled A380ies, the first among german speaking countries - and the smallest A380-served city worldwide! The great spots around Zurich make it a blast to catch this beast here. In order to know where you need to go, click on the image to the left and you'll be provided with a guide containing all the necessary information.
Landing: Arrival is at 8am. This leads to an arrival on Rwy14 during weekdays, and a landing on Rwy34 on weekends and public holidays (due to noise abatement). The best spot to catch it here is spot 9 when 14 is in use, and spot 3 for 34-arrivals. Please be aware that the landing runway is switched from 34 to 14 at 9am at weekends - so if the beast's late, it might sneak in from the north!
Parking: The primary A380 gate is E67 in the northwestern corner of the Midfield terminal. That's good for you! You can stare down at the beauty from the observation deck on top of the terminal. Check the spot description below (spot 2) on infos how to get there. The first bus runs out there at 7.45 in summer - might be a bit tight to see it taxiing in!
Note that the plane's obstructed by various clutter while sitting at the gate. Therefore you'll have to stick to close-up shots (unless you don't mind some light poles on the photo, that is!).
Takeoff: Takeoff's at high noon, 12 o clock! Main takeoff runway is 16 (even with a slight tailwind). So you can either head to Spot 7 for some graceful line-up shots, or you can catch the real action at Spot 6 - where the beast rotates right in front of you! In the rare event of strong northerlies, runway 32 will be used - which will leave you with no good spots really (except for Spot 8 and a long lens).
Let the sample photos below spark your inspiration!
Landing Rwy34, Spot 3 (crappy weather - would look a lot better in perfect morning light!) |
About to land on Rwy14 (Spot 9) in perfect light! Photo included with kind permission of Manuel Müller of manuellmueller.com |
Sitting at Gate E67 on a rainy morning. Note the light poles obstructing the view - still a chance for close-ups though! |
The line-up spot for Rwy16 (spot 7) provides you with opportunities for all kinds of shots. From side-ons to the impressive ones, it's all there! Thanks to Tobias Albrecht for his photo! |
Desperate for some action? Position yourself at spot 6 for a Rwy16 departure and just wait for the magic to happen! See how close the people at the fence are to the roaring eighty? Not too bad, huh? |
Airport Layout
Runways
| Rwy | Length | ILS | Usage | In use | |
| 10 | 2500m | - | Departing runway with winds from the east. No landings | rare |  |
| 14 | 3300m | ILS | Main landing runway, no takeoffs | always |
| 16 | 3700m | ILS | Main departing runway for heavies, rarely a landing | frequently |
| 28 | 2500m | ILS | Main departing runway, landings in the evening | always |
| 32 | 3300m | - | Departing runway in the morning, no landings | rare |
| 34 | 2700m | ILS | Landing rwy morning, sometimes heavy-TOs | medium |
In order to spread the noise evenly, the runway usage concept is rather complicated.
Here's the normal concept. Changes may occur, so be sure to check ATIS!
| Weekdays (Mo-Fr) | Weekend, public holidays in south. Germany |
| 06.00-07.00 | Landing Rwy34
Departure Rwy32 | 06.00-09.00 | Landing Rwy34
Departure Rwy32 |
| 07.00-21.00 | Landing Rwy14
Departure Rwy16&28 | 09.00-20.00 | Landing Rwy14
Departure Rwy16&28 |
| 21.00-00.30 | Landing Rwy28
Departure Rwy32&34 | 20.00-00.30 | Landing Rwy28
Departure Rwy32&34 |
Terminals and parking stands
At Zurich airport there are three Terminals, Terminal 1 (former A), Terminal 2 (former B), Terminal E (called Midfield).
| Terminal | Airlines |
| Terminal 1 (A) | Swiss flights to Europe, Star Alliance flights to Europe. |
| Terminal 2 (B) | Long stay parking for foreign heavies. Regional jets (AF, LH, AZ) park on the apron surrounding it |
| Terminal E (Midfield) | All longhaul flights and most non-Swiss European flights (Air-Berlin, Edelweiss, British, etc.) |
| Mike-Stands | Way south of Terminal 2: Mostly medium airliners (A32X, B737, MD8X) of Swiss and others park here
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Transport
Getting to the Airport
Zurich airport is very well connected by public transport and there's no need to rent a car!
- Train: Frequent direct trains to Zurich Main Station (Zurich HB, travel time: 9-12mins) and other major cities. Timetable
- Tram: A tramway runs through the northern parts of the city to Zurich HB, travel time: 35min. Timetable
- Bus: The airport's the main bus hub for the surrounding area with services to Glattbrugg, Rümlang, Oberglatt, Kloten, Bülach, etc. Timetable
Getting to the Spotting Points
All spots can be reached from the airport via public transport and a maximum of 20 minutes of walking. Spot numbers refer to the guide below.
- Spots 1-5: At or near the terminal. See "getting to the Airport" above.
- Spot 6: From Rümlang Bahnhof, you need to walk for about 15mins (1,3km). See the Google Map below for the walk. Getting to Rümlang is easy:
From the airport: Take Bus Nr.510 (heading for Stadel) to Rümlang train station ("Rümlang Bahnhof"). The service runs hourly. Travel time 11mins.
From Zurich City (Zurich HB): Take the train to Rümlang (twice per hour, travel time 11mins). Timetables for both options
- Spots 7-9: From Oberglatt Zentrum, walk for about 20mins to spot 7, 8 or 9. See Google Map below for the walks. Getting to Oberglatt is easy:
From the airport: Bus Nr.510 (heading for Stadel) to the town center of Oberglatt ("Oberglatt Zentrum"). The service runs hourly. Travel time 17mins.
From Zurich City (Zurich HB): Take the train to Oberglatt (twice per hour, travel time 17mins), then take the bus to Oberglatt Zentrum.Timetables for both options
Traffic
Zurich is quite an important international airport, so there's lots to see!
- Swiss Traffic:
Flag carrier Swiss (RJ100, A319/320/321, A332, A333, A343), Edelweiss Air (A320/A332), Helvetic (F100), Darwin (SB20)
- European Traffic: Most European airlines have numerous services to Zurich, including rare ones like Ukraine International (B737)
- Longhaul: Heaps of Swiss Heavies, Asian and US intercontinental flights. See a list of all heavy flights visiting ZRH!!
To be up to date in terms of traffic the best thing is to have a look at the official online timetable which even displays the registrations!
In order to display the registrations and aircraft types, enter "spotter" in the search field!
There are certain waves of traffic and there are times when the airport is almost dead. This graphic should help planning your stay!
The following planes are best cought in Zurich, so you should look out for them! Search the online timetables for the regs to get their schedules!
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See the A380! Visiting Zurich on the daily Singapore flight, arriving at 8am and departing at noon! |
Edelweiss Air's 3 A320 (HB-IHX/IHY/IHZ) and 1 A332 (HB-IQZ) are a beautiful sight! |
Former low-cost-carrier Helvetic is now mainly a sub-contractor of Swiss and operates 4 Fokker 100 (HB-JVC/JVE/JVF/JVG) |
PrivatAir operates All-Business flights to New York Newark on behalf of Swiss as LX18/19 almost daily (usually HB-IIR) |
Darwin is a small commuter airline based in Lugano in southern Switzerland. It serves Zurich on behalf of Swiss with its 4 Saab 2000 (HB-IZG/IZH/IZJ/IZZ) |
ATC
Using airband receivers in Switzerland is allowed. In fact they're hugely popular, and troubles with police are unheard of.
Here are the most useful frequencies
| Station | Frequency | Remarks |
| ATIS Arrivals | 128.525 | Weather info and rwy usage, also by phone: +41438162294 |
| ATIS Departures | 129.000 | Weather info and rwy usage, also by phone: +41438162295 |
| Arrival West | 118.000 | Arrivals via GIPOL |
| Arrival North/East | 120.750 | Arrivals via AMIKI and RILAX |
| Arrival | 119.700 | |
| Final | 125.325 | Used between APP and TWR if there's much traffic |
| Tower | 118.100 | Tower for all runways |
| Apron North | 121.850 | North of Rwy28 |
| Apron South | 121.750 | South of Rwy28 |
| Delivery | 121.800 | Delivery for all terminals |
| Departure | 125.950 | for all departures |
You can listen to Zurich ATC via computer, using the livestreams on LiveATC.net:
ZHAW-Radar shows all the flights in the Zurich area, live!
Spotting Positions
In Zurich there are plenty of spotting positions, and all of them are excellent!
Let the map below give you a brief overview. Clicking on the map takes you to Google Maps where you can zoom in to find the exact locations and the way to get there!
Positions 1-5 are located at or near the Terminals.
Position 1: Observation Deck Terminal 2
 This popular and fantastic spot on top of T2 is closed, due to construction work on the terminal.
A new observation deck at the same location is scheduled to open in 2011, together with the upgraded Terminal 2.
The bus tours around the apron and to the Midfield Terminal Observation deck (Spot 2), which previously departed from the observation deck on T2, now depart from a small shack outside the terminal building. See position on Google Maps
Position 2: Observation deck Terminal E (Midfield Terminal)
This one is located on the western end of the roof, and you have access to about 1/3 of the terminal.
It offers good views on departing runways 28 and 16, as well as on the big birds parked at Terminal E. The drawback is that most action is taking place south, meaning bad light most of the day!
In the early morning it is great though, epecially on weekends when Rwy34 is used for landings until 9am. A snack vending machine and toilets are available.
| Getting there: | |
Shuttle bus: Go to the elevators for Parking 3 and follow the signs. They will lead you out of the airport building to a small shack where buses depart from every 30mins, starting at 7.45AM See its position on Google Maps (red exclamation mark) or see the map below |
| Equipment: | |
Quite a large area, equipped with vending machines and toilets |
| View: | |
Aircraft at Terminal E, Takeoffs Rwy28, 16, 34, aircrafts taxiing to Rwy16 |
| Zoom: | |
Depending on the target, 300mm for runway shots. |
| Visiting time: | |
First half of the day (most action at the terminal is before 1pm, and good for looking west onto Rwy16) |
Taxiing to Rwy16 on Echo |
Takeoff Rwy16 |
Takeoff Rwy28 |
Takeoff Rwy34 |
Terminal Action |
Position 3: Car Park 3
Parking 3 is located on the western end of the airport buildings, abeam the treshold of Rwy34. This spot is perfect to photograph early morning arrivals to Rwy34 in summer, with superb light! You can also take pictures of aircrafts parked on the Mike-Stands, however, the aircraft may be covered by ground vehicles. Finally, shots of aircraft parked south of Terminal 2 are possible as well.
The one drawback is that the walls of the parking are vertically placed lamellaes, about 25cms apart. This can be annoying when taking pictures of moving objects, but you'll get used to it. See photo!
Parking tariffs can be found here, the homepage of parking 3 including a detailed map here
| Getting there: | |
You'll find elevators to the Car Park in the rearmost corner of the food court, near the train station. Follow the signs! |
| Equipment: | |
10-storey car park. The airport food court with lots of shops and restaurants is 2 minutes away |
| View: | |
Landings on Rwy34, aircraft parked on Mike-Stands and on the regio-stands south of Terminal 2 |
| Zoom: | |
200mm or more |
| Visiting time: | |
Early morning (for Rwy34-arrivals), Night |
Arrival Rwy34 |
Final Rwy34 in the breathtaking morning light! |
Touchdown Rwy34 |
Aircraft on their way to/from the Mike stands |
View on the regio aircraft parked south of Terminal 2. |
Position 4: Car Park 6
This is the best point to photograph aircraft using Rwy28, since you're looking right down on the threshold. Of course, that's also possible at night.
The one drawback is that the walls of the parking are vertically placed lamellaes, about 25cms apart. This can be annoying when taking pictures of moving objects, but you'll get used to it. See photo!
The rates for the parking can be found here, the website of Parking 6 including a map is located here
| Getting there: | |
Leave Terminal 1 to the east heading for the crew and freight area. After 200m you reach the car park. Elevators in the basement |
| Equipment: | |
Car park wih 10 floors, vending machine at the entrance (ground floor). Shops/toilets in Terminal 1 are 5 minutes away |
| View: | |
Aircraft taxiing on A & B; Lineup and takeoff Rwy28. Landing Rwy28. Aircraft vacating Rwy14 (quite far away though!) |
| Zoom: | |
100-300mm |
| Visiting time: | |
You are facing north, light is good almost all day. Best in the afternoon though (great line-up shots!), also possible at night |
Lineup 28 (evening) |
Vacating Rwy14 |
Final 28 |
Flaring, Rwy28 |
Touchdown 28! |
Position 5: Final Runway 28
Another quite famous point is located just behind the treshold of Rwy28. Here you can see planes approaching very low over your head to land on Runway 28. This is most impressive with heavies.
Photos of aircraft lining up and taking off are not possible, as the view is too obstructed.
Because the planes are approaching very low you might have to go away from the runway axis to get good sideviews. This is no problem as you can easily move to the left and right.
| Getting there: | |
Exit Terminal 1 to the East, pass by the Crew Building (OPS), the freight area and the GAC. 15mins walk. See Google-Map above for the walk |
| Equipment: | |
A small park, popular with walking couples and inline skaters. No shops, restaurants or toilets though! |
| View: | |
Landings Rwy28 |
| Zoom: | |
18-200mm |
| Visiting time: | |
Second half of the day in terms of light, and the runway's mostly in use in the evening |
This is the standard view! |
Right in the runway axis |
The planes are very near and very low... |
Big planes seem even bigger here, and they are very impressive |
Shots onto the runway need a lot of luck |
Position 6: "Heligrill"
Nope, no grilling of helicopters here, the spot's just named after the small takeaway there.
Is amazing spot is located on the western side of the airport, just next to Rwy16 in the southwestern corner of the runway crossing. So you have a great view on aircrafts departing Rwy16 (Heavies!) and Rwy28.
The airport authority cut some 10 holes in the fence (big enough for all lenses), but they are quickly occupied on beautiful weekends! You can take your ladder with you if you wish.
This is one of the spots you shouldn't miss, as you see a lot of action there!
| Getting there: | |
See transport section above: Bus 510 from the airport, 15min walk. See the Google-Map above for the walk |
| Equipment: | |
Takeaway, simple toilets, holes in the fence. Parking space available |
| View: | |
Departures Rwy16&28, aircraft taxiing to Rwy10. Biz-jets parked on the western apron |
| Zoom: | |
28-135mm is enough, more than 200mm is great! |
| Visiting time: | |
Noon (great for the noon outbound wave!!) and second half of the day |
Takeoff Rwy16! Great view, huh?! |
Close-up on TO Rwy16 |
Rotate! |
Takeoff Rwy28 |
Taxiing to Rwy10 |
Position 7: Lineup Rwy16
This interesting point is located at the beginning of Rwy16. On a small hill above the training area of the firefighters, you have a wonderful view on aircraft lining up on Rwy16. Aircraft landing on Rwy16 can also be photographed from here, although this doesn't occur very often.
The views are good and totally unobstructed. 90°-shots are possible here while aircraft line up. But remember, that most medium sized planes will depart from Rwy28, so this spot is only good during the intercontinental outbound waves.
If you prefer more action, you should head to Spot 6.
| Getting there: | |
See transport section above: Bus 510 from the airport, 20min walk. See the Google-Map above for the walk. |
| Equipment: | |
Just a grass hill! Please note that it is a natural reserve area - please KEEP TO THE PATHS and DON'T LITTER! |
| View: | |
Line ups and landings Rwy16, takeoffs 34. Landings Rwy14 can be seen, they're a bit far away for photography though (400mm+)! |
| Zoom: | |
100-300mm |
| Visiting time: | |
Second half of the day, best during the noon outbound wave! |
Lining up Rwy16 |
Lined up |
Starting the takeoff roll |
Landing Rwy16 |
Landing Rwy14 |
Position 8: Parking Rwy14/16
This is one of the most popular spots. It's a parking lot on the main road from Oberglatt to Bülach, located right under the approach pathes of Rwy14 and 16.
The parking is surrounded by farmlands and lots of gravel roads. It's very popular for people going for a stroll on nice weekends.
Spotters like the place, because they can see all arrivals here, since Rwy14 is the only arrival runway. Since you can move in a wide area, there are lots
of different views to try out!
| Getting there: | |
See transport section above: Bus 510 from the airport, 20min walk. See the Google-Map above for the walk. |
| Equipment: | |
Parking lot with takeaway store, toilets and park benches. A wide area accessible by gravel paths. Ice cream stall in summer! |
| View: | |
Approaches and Landings Rwy14/16 |
| Zoom: | |
50-250mm |
| Visiting time: | |
All day |
Landing Rwy14 |
Evening arrival |
Looking down on Rwy14 |
Just north of the parking lot |
Welcome to Switzerland! |
Position 9: Touchdown Rwy14
Within walking distance from point Nr.8, there is another beautiful place. On the eastern side of Rwy14, a little behind the touchdown zone is a little hill which allows views on aircraft shortly before touchdown on Rwy14.
The best time to visit is in the first half of the day, prefereably during workdays (Mo-Fr) when Rwy14 is in use from 7am. You'll get a bunch of heavies in beautiful light conditions here. But the point is also excellent for sunset-shots!
If you don't wanna walk that much, you can stop halfway on the parking lot (which is also accessible by car).
| Getting there: | |
From 8: East 200m, turn right before bridge. Walk on to parking lot (100m), down to fence. Follow for 10mins to the hill. See the Google-Map above for the walk. |
| Equipment: | |
Nothing! At the parking lot, there's a food stall sometimes. |
| View: | |
Landings Rwy14 |
| Zoom: | |
150-300mm |
| Visiting time: | |
First half of the day // Sunsets |
Final 14! |
Final Rwy14! |
Close-up |
Touchdown Rwy14! |
Sunset Landing Rwy14! |
In a nutshell
- Aviation photography is no problem in Zurich and ignored by the police.
- Going around the airport is no problem. Most of the area is forest and farmland. It is SAFE!
- Using airband receivers is allowed and no problem
- Using ladders isn't a problem. The only use for them is at Spot 6 though, if all holes are occupied.
- Summers can be very hot (>35°C), winters can be freezing cold (<-5°C)
- There might be a lot of spotters and normal visitors on nice weekends. Some places may be a bit crowded.
- Most traffic can be seen in the morning (6-13) and evenings (17-22). Inbetween, there is a big gap with almost no movements.
Itinerary for a complete day at the airport
I have never done the following itinerary in one day, but it is possible. It is based on a summer's day with standard runway usage on weekends. Check ATIS!
-
The day begins at 6am in Car Park 3. Before entering the parking you can buy your breakfast in the airport food court.
You will see all the early morning inbounds onto Rwy34 in beautiful light, with a fair share of heavies.
- Runways are switched at 9am (7am on weekdays!). Now you can head to the observation deck on Terminal E (Spot 2), stay on the car park for takeoffs Rwy16, or already catch Bus 510 to Heligrill (Spot 6) for takeoff shots.
- Be sure you're at the Heligrill (Spot 6) latest at 12:30, when the heavy outbound wave kicks in.
This outbound wave is over before 2pm, and the airport is virtually empty. Grab a bite to eat, but don't miss the Emirates takeoff in the middle of the afternoon!
- In the early evening, there is the next arrival wave, which you don't wanna miss. Catch Bus 510 on to Oberglatt and place yourself at Spot 8 for landings Rwy14.
Look out for the two Swiss Heavies, which usually arrive around 7pm. You can stay at this spot until sunset if you like.
- Runways are switched again at 8pm (9pm on weekdays!). Take Bus Nr.510 back to the airport.
If you are still alive and not fed up with spotting yet, you can then go to Car Parks 3 or 6 and try some nightshots.
Well done, you've just spent 15 hours at Zurich airport (and just as much time reading this I guess ;-))!!
Where to stay
Of course I don't know the following hotels from own experiences. I chose them by location and by reviews on Tripadvisor
The hotels are also marked on the Google Map featuring the spotting points above. Watch out for the red bed symbols!
Park Inn Zurich Airport
Best choice for planespotters! The hotel is located west of the airport near the town of Rümlang.
Here you're only a 15min walk from Spot 6 (Heligrill) to watch takeoff action. The public bus Nr. 510 that takes you either to the airport or to the spots in the north (7-9) stops almost on your doorstep. A 15min walk away you'll find the town centre of Rümlang featuring some shops as well as a commuter train station, where you can get to Zurich City (15min train ride).
In addition, the hotel boasts an airport shuttle and has a McDonalds attached right next to it. That's hard to beat!
It's a 4-star, but it's not that expensive and it's getting pretty good reviews.
Read Reviews!
Official Homepage: http://www.zurich-airport.parkinn.ch/
Radisson Blu Zurich Airport
Newly opened luxury hotel (2008) located on the airport grounds, next to the terminals.
It's getting great reviews and obviously the location is perfect. Currently rooms go away for as low as 100EUR which sounds like a pretty good deal!
Although one side of the hotel is facing the apron and Rwy28, it seems the building isn't high enough to be used for planespotting from your room.
Read Reviews!
Official Homepage: http://www.radissonblu.com/hotel-zurichairport
Novotel Zurich Airport
4 Star member of the Novotel chain. See Google Map above for its location.
Not as close to the airport as the ones below, but there's a tram stop right in front of the hotel. Trams run every 15mins directly to the airport (7 minutes) and the Main Station in Zurich's city centre (27mins). Seems to have a free airport shuttle and free hispeed internet. Is getting great reviews! Rooms starting from EUR86. Read Reviews!
Official Homepage: http://www.novotel.com/de/hotel-0884-novotel-zurich-airport-messe/index.shtml
Hotel Fly-Away Zürich-Kloten
Situated in Zurich-Kloten, the town next to the airport in the east. So it is only about 500 meters from the terminal. See Google Map above for its location
Middle class hotel; train station for trains to Zurich very close. Rooms from 83EUR. Read Reviews!
Official Homepage: www.hotel-flyaway.ch
Welcome Inn Zürich-Kloten
 The Welcome Inn is also situated in Zurich-Kloten, the town next to the Airport. So it is only about 500 meters from the terminal. See Google Map above for its location
3 star hotel with a free shuttle bus to the airport; train station for trains to Zurich very close. Other spotters liked it. Rooms from 76EUR. Read Reviews!
Official Homepage: www.hotel-welcomeinn.ch
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