EWR to CPH via Zurich

We're flying to CPH via United out of EWR with a layover in Zurich which will be a Swiss flight. Will we have to go claim our luggage and go through customs since this is a continuation of an international flight?

You will have a passport check in Zurich. Your bags will be checked through to CPH. You won't see them until CPH.

As the other poster said, all you will go through in Zurich is a passport check and security. You will go through customs in Copenhagen, however customs within the Schengen region of Europe is almost non existent compared to US standards. You will barely notice when you go through customs. In almost all cases you simply walk through with a chance that a dog might sniff near you.

Assuming this is all booked as one ticket, which it sounds:

You will go through immigration in Zurich (this is where your passport will be checked and stamped)

You will go through customs in Copenhagen (this is just walking through one of two hallways - green if you have nothing to declare, and red if you do)

Just keep in mind that immigration and customs are different things, and you'll go through immigration upon your entrance to the Schengen Zone, of which both Switzerland and Denmark (and most of Western Europe) are part of.

You will barely notice when you go through customs. In almost all cases you simply walk through with a chance that a dog might sniff near you.

I remember arriving in Naples, Italy a few years ago. We followed the signs for customs and found ourselves at the exit door. There wasn't even a red light/green light thing, no dogs, nothing. We looked around at each other, shrugged, and walked outside to find out driver.

I remember arriving in Naples, Italy a few years ago. We followed the signs for customs and found ourselves at the exit door. There wasn't even a red light/green light thing, no dogs, nothing. We looked around at each other, shrugged, and walked outside to find out driver.

Barcelona was the same. I kept expecting something like the mess we have to go through here in the US and next thing I knew I was getting breakfast and having coffee. :D

As the other poster said, all you will go through in Zurich is a passport check and security. You will go through customs in Copenhagen, however customs within the Schengen region of Europe is almost non existent compared to US standards. You will barely notice when you go through customs. In almost all cases you simply walk through with a chance that a dog might sniff near you.

Same experience.

Thanks for the replies. We were pretty sure that our luggage would be checked through to CPH, but we wanted to be sure. We've been to various European cities, but this is the first time our connecting flights are with 2 different airlines.

Thanks for the replies. We were pretty sure that our luggage would be checked through to CPH, but we wanted to be sure. We've been to various European cities, but this is the first time our connecting flights are with 2 different airlines.

If you're on one ticket all the way through, your bag is all set to go all the way through too. United and Swiss are good partners via Star Alliance so they play nicely together. Unlike the US, you won't go through Immigration and Customs in the same place in this case, so don't worry about getting your passport stamped in one place but not seeing your bag there. Of course, when you check in with United, do make sure your bag tag shows CPH as the final destination, but I don't see why it wouldn't.