What are the geodetic coordinates of Zurich Airport (ZRH)?

Zurich Airport (ZRH / ICAO: LSZH) is located at geodetic coordinates 47.4647°N, 8.5492°E in Zurich, CH. It sits at an airfield elevation of 1,417 ft (432 m) MSL with 3 runways (16/34 (3,700 m), 14/32 (3,300 m)).

What direct Great Circle routes originate from ZRH?

ZRH connects to major global flight corridors including New York (JFK), Dubai (DXB), London (LHR). Calculate exact spherical distances, true bearings, and window seat solar recommendations on Orb Vector.

How do Great Circle routes from ZRH compare to flat map lines?

Flights departing ZRH follow spherical geodesics (Great Circle arcs), which represent the shortest three-dimensional atmospheric distance over Earth's curved surface rather than constant-compass Rhumb lines. At ZRH's latitude, Earth's axial rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,132 km/h.

Zurich Airport (ZRH) 3D Flight Route Map, Direct Destinations & Geodetic Profile

AIRPORT HUB INTELLIGENCE & GEODETIC PROFILE

Zurich Airport (ZRH) Hub Guide & 3D Flight Map

Geodetic Coordinates: 47.465°N, 008.549°E • Country: CH • Standard Timezone: UTCGMT+1 (Local: 04:44) • Solar Angle: -27.9° Elev, 87° Azim (Night)

Zurich Airport (ZRH) serves as a vital junction in global commercial aviation. Positioned in the Glatt Valley in Kloten 11 km north of Zurich, north of the Swiss Alps. Hover over or select radiating Great Circle spokes on the 3D globe to examine direct geodesic flight corridors, true departure bearings, nautical mile distances, and overflight paths radiating across the world.

ICAO / IATA & ELEVATIONLSZH / ZRHElevation: 1,417 ft (432 m) MSL

PRIMARY RUNWAY COMPLEX3 Runways16/34 (3,700 m) · 14/32 (3,300 m)

EARTH ROTATIONAL SPEED1,132 km/hMid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Northern Hemisphere) (0.92 Mach tangential)

HUB REACHABILITY (Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental)47 / 49 Global HubsWithin 14,815 km non-stop range

Direct Outbound Flight Corridors from ZRH — Top Direct Routes

ZRH → JFK296° True (WNW)

New York (US)

6,309 km (3,920 mi)•8h 29m

ZRH → DXB104° True (ESE)

Dubai (AE)

4,768 km (2,963 mi)•5h 3m

ZRH → LHR308° True (NW)

London (GB)

788 km (490 mi)•1h 29m

ZRH → LAX318° True (NW)

Los Angeles (US)

9,534 km (5,924 mi)•12h 5m

ZRH → SIN85° True (E)

Singapore (SG)

10,306 km (6,404 mi)•10h 19m

ZRH → SFO323° True (NW)

San Francisco (US)

9,376 km (5,826 mi)•11h 47m

ZRH → CDG293° True (WNW)

Paris (FR)

476 km (296 mi)•1h 6m

ZRH → HND38° True (NE)

Tokyo (JP)

9,587 km (5,957 mi)•10h 6m

ZRH → MAD236° True (SW)

Madrid (ES)

1,239 km (770 mi)•2h 3m

ZRH → FRA0° True (N)

Frankfurt-am-Main (DE)

285 km (177 mi)•0h 49m

Popular Route Vectors & Geodesic Azimuth Telemetry from ZRH

Route Corridor	Initial Bearing	Arrival Bearing	Great Circle Distance	Rhumb Divergence	Est. Flight Time
ZRH → JFKNew York (North / South Atlantic Track)	296° TRU (WNW)	233° TRU	6,309 km (3,407 NM)	+303 km (+4.8%)	8h 29m
ZRH → DXBDubai (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	104° TRU (ESE)	134° TRU	4,768 km (2,575 NM)	+50 km (+1.1%)	5h 3m
ZRH → LHRLondon (Continental Trunk Corridor)	308° TRU (NW)	301° TRU	788 km (425 NM)	+1 km (+0.1%)	1h 29m
ZRH → LAXLos Angeles (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	318° TRU (NW)	213° TRU	9,534 km (5,148 NM)	+1,212 km (+12.7%)	12h 5m
ZRH → SINSingapore (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	085° TRU (E)	138° TRU	10,306 km (5,565 NM)	+300 km (+2.9%)	10h 19m
ZRH → SFOSan Francisco (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	323° TRU (NW)	211° TRU	9,376 km (5,063 NM)	+1,371 km (+14.6%)	11h 47m
ZRH → CDGParis (Continental Trunk Corridor)	293° TRU (WNW)	289° TRU	476 km (257 NM)	identical path	1h 6m
ZRH → HNDTokyo (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	038° TRU (NE)	149° TRU	9,587 km (5,177 NM)	+1,370 km (+14.3%)	10h 6m
ZRH → MADMadrid (Continental Trunk Corridor)	236° TRU (SW)	227° TRU	1,239 km (669 NM)	+1 km (+0.1%)	2h 3m
ZRH → FRAFrankfurt-am-Main (Continental Trunk Corridor)	000° TRU (N)	000° TRU	285 km (154 NM)	identical path	0h 49m

Geography, Airfield Operations & Notable Aviation Facts: ZRH

PRIMARY HUB CARRIERSSwiss International Air Lines · Edelweiss Air

EXACT GEODETIC ANTIPODE47.465°S, 171.451°W (South Pacific Ocean)

FURTHEST MAJOR HUBSydney (SYD) — 16,568 km (10,295 mi)

01Uses an intersecting three-runway layout tailored around Alpine topography and wind shifts.
02Home hub of Swiss International Air Lines connecting Zurich to global financial capitals.
03Features an integrated underground high-speed SBB rail station directly beneath the terminal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Zurich Airport (ZRH) located and what are its coordinates?: Zurich Airport (ZRH, ICAO: LSZH) is located in Zurich, CH at geodetic coordinates 47.465°N, 008.549°E (Latitude: 47.4647°, Longitude: 8.5492°). At this latitude (Mid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Northern Hemisphere)), Earth's rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,132 km/h.
What are the runway orientations and airfield elevation at ZRH?: Zurich Airport (ZRH) sits at an airfield elevation of 1,417 ft (432 m) above mean sea level and operates 3 runways, led by 16/34 (3,700 m), 14/32 (3,300 m), 10/28 (2,500 m).
What time zone and solar lighting conditions apply to ZRH?: Zurich Airport operates on civil timezone UTCGMT+1 (approximate local clock time: 04:44). Based on real-time solar ephemeris calculations, the sun is at an altitude of -27.9°, placing the airport in night.
How many major outbound flight corridors radiate from ZRH?: Orb Vector indexes 3 connected flight corridors and 10 popular outbound route vectors radiating from ZRH. The longest featured corridor from ZRH is ZRH → SIN (Singapore), spanning 10,306 km (6,404 mi / 5,565 NM) along an initial bearing of 085° TRU (E).
What is the exact antipode and furthest global hub from ZRH?: The exact geodetic antipode (diametrically opposite point on Earth) to ZRH lies at 47.465°S, 171.451°W (South Pacific Ocean). Among the world's major aviation hubs, the furthest from ZRH is Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) at a Great Circle distance of 16,568 km (10,295 mi).
What is a Great Circle?: A Great Circle is the intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the sphere's center. It represents the largest possible circle that can be drawn on a sphere and defines the shortest path between two points on the surface.
Why do flight paths look curved on 2D maps?: Most 2D maps use the Mercator projection, which distorts size and shape as you move away from the equator. A straight line on a Mercator map (a rhumb line) is actually a longer path than the curved Great Circle route. Pilots fly the Great Circle route to save fuel and time.
How accurate are the distances?: Orb Vector calculates distances using the Haversine formula, which accounts for the Earth's curvature. While the Earth is not a perfect sphere (it's an oblate spheroid), the error margin is negligible for general flight planning and visualization purposes, typically within 0.5%.
Can I measure multi-stop routes?: Yes! You can chain multiple airports together to create a complex itinerary. The tool will calculate the distance for each leg of the journey as well as the total cumulative distance.
How is flight time estimated?: Our flight time estimator uses a standard cruising speed of 900 km/h (approx 485 knots) and adds a 30-minute buffer for takeoff and landing per leg. Crucially, it also accounts for the Jet Stream: eastbound flights are calculated as ~15% faster due to tailwinds, while westbound flights are slower due to headwinds.
What are the "Discover Routes"?: We've curated a selection of extreme and interesting aviation routes, such as the world's longest flight (Singapore to JFK) and the "Island Hopper" across the Pacific. Use the "Discover Routes" menu to instantly visualize these famous trajectories.