Flight time: Vienna to Zurich
Vienna International Airport (VIE) → Zurich Airport (ZRH) · short haul · intra europe
The flight from Vienna (VIE) to Zurich (ZRH) takes approximately 1h 18m to 1h 46m gate-to-gate, covering 603 km (375 mi). This short-haul intra europe route uses a cruise speed of 650–750 km/h with 30–50 minutes of ground and air overhead.
- Route:
- Vienna (VIE) → Zurich (ZRH)
- Distance:
- 603 km (375 mi)
- Flight time:
- 1h 18m to 1h 46m gate-to-gate
- Route type:
- short-haul, intra europe
- Cruise speed:
- 650–750 km/h
- Ground overhead:
- 30–50 minutes included
- Over water:
- No — continental
- Origin:
- Vienna International Airport, Austria (Europe/Vienna)
- Destination:
- Zurich Airport, Switzerland (Europe/Zurich)
Route details
| Origin | Vienna, Austria (VIE) |
| Destination | Zurich, Switzerland (ZRH) |
| Distance | 603 km (375 mi) |
| Flight time (low) | 1h 18m |
| Flight time (high) | 1h 46m |
| Route type | short-haul, intra europe |
| Cruise speed | 650–750 km/h |
| Ground overhead | 30–50 minutes |
| Over water | No — continental routing |
| Time difference | Same time zone |
Distance breakdown: Vienna to Zurich
The 603-km great-circle distance between Vienna (48.11°N, 16.57°E) and Zurich (47.46°N, 8.55°E) spans 0.6° of latitude and 8.0° of longitude, trending primarily west. In miles, this is 375 mi or 326 nautical miles. The great-circle path — the shortest distance over Earth's curved surface — is calculated using the Haversine formula from the two airports' precise coordinates.
Cruise speed and flight phases
Short-haul flights like Vienna to Zurich (603 km) spend a proportionally larger amount of time climbing to and descending from cruise altitude. Aircraft typically reach an effective cruise speed of 650–750 km/h, lower than on long-haul routes where most time is spent at optimal altitude. The climb phase alone takes 15–20 minutes, during which the aircraft covers only about 150–200 km. Combined with descent and approach, the effective average speed drops significantly from the theoretical cruise speed, yielding the 1h 18m to 1h 46m estimate for this route.
Ground time and routing overhead
Our 30–50 minutes overhead allowance covers: taxi-out at VIE, takeoff and initial climb, descent and approach at ZRH, and taxi-in to the gate. Taxi times at VIE are typically 5–15 minutes depending on traffic. At ZRH, arrival taxi and gate assignment can add 10–20 minutes, especially during busy arrival banks. Continental air traffic corridors between Vienna and Zurich may add 3–8% beyond the great-circle distance. Standard instrument departures and arrivals at both airports use predefined routing that adds distance but ensures safe separation.
Return flight: Zurich → Vienna
The return flight from Zurich to Vienna is generally similar in duration to the outbound — typically within 10–20 minutes. Continental routes like this one are less affected by the jet stream asymmetry that makes oceanic east-west routes so uneven. The main variables affecting any difference are: prevailing winds at these latitudes (modest effect), different standard instrument departures/arrivals at each airport (minor effect), and air traffic congestion patterns that vary by time of day and direction.
Seasonal variation in flight times
On this short 603-km route, seasonal flight time variation is minimal — typically under 10 minutes. The main seasonal factor is not wind (which has less effect on short flights) but weather-related delays: winter fog, de-icing procedures, and thunderstorm diversions in summer can extend actual gate-to-gate times. VIE and ZRH each have their own seasonal delay patterns that affect overall travel time more than en-route conditions.
Airport information
Vienna International Airport (VIE) serves Vienna, Austria as a significant international airport. Flight frequency is good on major routes, with moderate taxi times. Zurich Airport (ZRH) is a major international hub in Zurich, Switzerland. As a tier-1 airport, it handles high traffic volumes, which means longer average taxi times but also higher flight frequency and competition that can benefit travelers on pricing.