Passport control at Zurich Airport

All flights from the US arrive at the "E" gates which are in a remote terminal, connected to the main terminal by underground shuttle train. Passport control is when you get off the shuttle train to the main terminal. Looking at today's flights, everything going to London is from the "D" gates in the main terminal, so he would have to go through passport control. I do see one flight to London City Airport, which is BA City Flyer leaving from "E" gates, but that could be just a one-off. I would go on the assumption that he will have to go through passport control.
https://www.zurich-airport.com/passengers-and-visitors/arrivals-and-departures/transfers

Thanks, Sam. This is helpful.

I'm hoping someone will read this thread and answer my question instead of having to start a new conversation.

I have not been to Europe to visit in about 20 years, although I have since passed through Paris in order to visit India three times. I'm quite "embarrassed" that I was not aware of the Schengen Area until I started reading this forum. I made our flight arrangements RT Boston to Rome, transferring in Zurich. We have a 90 minute layover BOS - FCO. On the return, unfortunately, we only have a 60 minute layover. If I had done my research, I would have increased that time. We are only using carry-on luggage specified by Swiss Air and will be strict with the dimensions and weight. With that said, we understand that in economy we may end up having to check our bags. I'm very unclear about what we do regarding passport control, even after reading the link above and going to various websites on the subject. Is it the same process arriving from and returning to Boston going through Zurich? Am I understanding correctly that we simply walk "through" the area of passport control and don't have to speak to anyone? Do we go through security again?
I appreciate this forum so much - very informative!
Thanks!

First thing, nothing wrong with starting a new thread, in fact it would be preferred to tagging on to an old thread. The Original Poster could be getting email notifications of new answers, and now he'll just find somebody else posting a new question on his(her) thread. If you start a new thread, then you will get notifications that somebody posted an answer.

Second, whether you have checked luggage or not has not much to do with it, assuming this is all on one ticket, your luggage would be checked to BOS from FCO, and you would not see it again until you got to BOS and went through USA Customs there.

Now, here is what will happen, based on past experience changing at Zurich. You will land at Zurich airport and have to go to the remote terminal via an underground shuttle train. During this process, you will go through passport control where they will check your passport and put an exit stamp in it. You may have to say something. I usually start with "Hello." They may or may not say anything, put just stamp your passport. then you go to your departing gate. At the gate going to USA, you may be selected for a random security check where they go through all your stuff, ask questions, take your boarding pass away and have it inspected to see that it is not counterfeit, then bring it back.

My experience with this is, they only select people that show up at the gate very early. The Swiss like to keep to schedule, so if you show up during the boarding process, you probably won't get "randomly" selected. I had to go through this once, and the inspector's attitude seemed to be, "I know this is a gigantic waste of your time and mine, but we have to do this to keep your TSA happy."

One hour should be OK if your flight from FCO is on time. Since you are also transferring at Zurich airport on your way to FCO, you will experience this going the other way, minus the "random" gate inspection, and the Schengen Immigration officer may ask a few questions like "Business or pleasure?", How long are you staying?", "What counties are you visiting?" The shuttle train will play for you the sounds of cowbells and yodeling, their way of saying, "Welcome to Switzerland."

Mari, I do apologize after reading Sam's response as I should have started a new thread. Sam, thank you very much for your thorough response! I'll consider my question answered and hopefully Mari won't get any more notices for my add-on question.
Grazie Mille!

Hi, SBB, no worries about tagging on to my thread! I predict that you won't have a problem with passport control on your way back to the US when you transfer through Zurich. They are unbelievably fast and efficient. Last month I flew back from the UK and landed at Zurich airport 15 minutes before a train to Bern (where I live) was departing. I wanted to make that train, because it was late at night, and if I missed it, I'd have to wait more than an hour and a half for the next one! Going through passport control took just seconds. I sprinted for the underground shuttle and caught it as the doors were closing. When it left me off, I ran the several hundred meters to the train station and got to the platform just as the train was arriving! So to recap, I deplaned, made it through passport control, and got across Zurich airport in 15 minutes! (I love telling this story.) Feats like this are only possible because of the famed Swiss efficiency--and also because flights within Europe are very rarely delayed. Have a great trip!

Mari,
Thanks so much! What an encouragement to hear your experience. We are looking forward to our trip. Lots of planning and reading of this forum! What a gift.
Thanks,
Sheila

So how did the flight for son go. Schengen-free or did he spend a day?

By the way - I'm confused. You say that you live in Bern on B permits but your profile text and residence line say you live in Prague as a free lance writer.

Do you live in both Prague and Bern?

I am reluctant to rehash a topic, but in the original question, the Son was arriving from a Non-Schengen country (the US) and transferring to another flight going to a Non-Schengen country (The UK), surely entry into the Schengen zone would not be required, he could just stay airside, typically there is a separate "Transit" exit to keep you in the International area rather than going through Immigration.

I read the linked page, it is a bit confusing, but it seems to indicate that only a security check is done, not immigration.

Hi, Nigel, you are reminding me that I have to update my account information! We lived in Prague for four years but moved to Bern this last July. Our son is going to have to spend a day in Schengen, unfortunately, because he has to connect through Amsterdam before coming to Zurich, and then he'll fly out to London on a new reservation. Such is the life of an expat!

That makes more sense then, Amsterdam will be Immigration before catching an inter-EU flight. The original question made it sound as though the flight into Zurich was direct from the US. Basically he will be arriving on a Schengen flight (Amsterdam to Zurich) the carrier does not matter, he then will need to go through Schengen exit in Zurich to get to "International" flights to the UK. So yes, a day in the zone.