Manchester Airport prepares for 80,000 summer passengers to Switzerland

As host nation for both the Eurovision Song Contest and the UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 competition, Manchester Airport is gearing up for an influx of passengers travelling to Switzerland this summer.

While the Alpine nation is traditionally a Winter tourism destination, more than 80,000 people from across the North are expected to fly to the country from Manchester Airport in the coming months.

Many will be travelling for the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday 17 May, or for UEFA Women’s Euro 2025 between the 2 and 27 July, where England’s Lionesses will look to retain their crown, and Wales prepare to make their first ever appearance at a major tournament. And all of the host cities for both showpiece events can be reached quickly and easily via direct flights from Manchester Airport.

Basel

Near the borders with France and Germany, Basel is the host city for Eurovision and will also be the venue for the Euro 2025 final, as well as three group games and a quarter final.

Basel is served by Basel-Mulhouse-Freiburg airport, which is just a 20-minute bus ride from the city centre and has direct flights from Manchester with easyJet.

Geneva

Geneva will host a semi-final, a quarter-final and three group games at Euro 2025.

easyJet serves Geneva Airport with direct year-round flights from Manchester.

Zurich

Switzerland’s largest city, Zurich, also hosts a semi-final, a quarter-final and three group games, incusing two England games.

Swiss Airlines and easyJet both link Manchester to Zurich with direct flights.

Bern

Swiss capital city Bern was the birthplace of chocolatier Theodor Tobler, creator of the Toblerone. Three Euro 2025 group games and a quarter final will be played in Bern.

To get here from Manchester, fly to Basel and then jump on a train. The direct service between Basel and Bern city centres takes around an hour.

Lucerne

Three Euro 2025 group games will be played in Lucerne, including Wales’ opener. To get here, fly into Zurich from Manchester – your connecting train from the city centre will take around 40 minutes.

Thun

Thun Castle towers over the quaint Old Town and its City Hall and is Thun’s biggest attraction. Visiting football fans can take in the tournament’s opening game here, plus two other group games.

The quickest way to get here from Manchester is to fly to Basel and then get the connecting train direct from Basel city centre, which takes an hour and 25 minutes.

St Gallen

England and Wales meet in their final group game at the Arena St Gallen. For a visit to St Gallen, the nearest international airport is Zurich, less than an hour away by train.

Sion

Sion (pictured) is the smallest city to be hosting Euro 2025 group games, but boasts possibly the most dramatic location, locked in a steep sided valley between huge Alpine mountains.

To get to Sion from Manchester, fly to Geneva and then take the train. The journey time is a little over two hours.