New Direct Flights Connect Shanghai With Zurich

China Eastern Airlines will launch a new direct route between Shanghai Pudong and Zurich starting 18 June 2026. The service will operate three times per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays under flight numbers MU255 and MU256. The new connection becomes the airline’s second route to Switzerland after the introduction of flights between Shanghai and Geneva, further strengthening links between China and central Europe.

Flights MU255 and MU256 will operate three times per week, with departures scheduled overnight from China and afternoon returns from Switzerland. The timetable allows early morning arrival in Zurich and next-day arrival in Shanghai.

Flight schedule

• MU255 Shanghai – Zurich, departs 01:55, arrives 07:55
• MU256 Zurich – Shanghai, departs 14:05, arrives 06:40 next day
• Operates Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday
• Tickets available through China Eastern booking channels

The new route forms part of China Eastern’s wider expansion across Europe, where the airline has increased flight frequencies on selected services. Additional capacity is planned on routes linking Shanghai with Copenhagen and Barcelona, alongside adjustments to connections serving Marseille, Casablanca and Geneva. The airline currently operates multiple routes between major Chinese cities and 19 European destinations including London, Paris, Rome, Milan and Vienna.

Zurich is Switzerland’s largest city and one of Europe’s leading financial centres, while Geneva is known for hosting many international organisations and diplomatic offices. With direct flights linking Shanghai to both cities, travel between the Yangtze River Delta and Switzerland becomes less complicated. Fewer transfers make Alpine regions, historic towns and cultural sites across Switzerland and nearby countries easier to reach, so trips are easier to organise.

The new route allows passengers to fly between eastern China and central Europe without changing aircraft during the journey. A nonstop flight usually takes less time than routes that involve transfers at other airports. More frequent services on European routes also give travellers a wider choice of departure dates, particularly on connections between major cities often visited for business, tourism or study.