TRIP REPORT: Ljubljana - Porto via Frankfurt and Zurich

TRIP REPORT

At the end of July 2025, I had to take a business trip to Porto. However, given recent cost constraints, we’ve had to be very mindful of expenses. The outbound flight was with Lufthansa from Ljubljana to Porto via Frankfurt, while the return was with Swiss from Porto to Ljubljana via Zurich. The total price for the ticket was €263, including hand luggage only.

Initially, I considered a direct Ryanair flight from Venice Treviso Airport, but the return ticket would have cost slightly over €200, and that was without hand luggage (only an under-seat bag). Other indirect options, such as Iberia and TAP Air Portugal from Venice Marco Polo, were priced around €180 but had significantly less convenient schedules - either arriving in Porto around 11 PM or involving very long layovers. Flights with comparable timings to the Ljubljana route were more expensive. Additionally, I would have needed to take a GoOpti shuttle to Venice for an extra €80, making the Ljubljana departure the most reasonable choice overall.

Flight Ljubljana - Frankfurt

Flight number: LH 1463 (operated by Lufthansa CityLine)

Flight date: 22 July 2025

Aircraft type: CRJ-900LR

Aircraft registration: EI-FPG

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 06:20 / 7:28

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 7:50 / 8:34

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 1h 30m / 1h 06m

Load factor: 100%

I began my journey to Ljubljana Airport by taking a GoOpti shuttle from the city, as no scheduled busses operate that early in the morning. The ride cost €9, and we arrived at the airport around 5:00 AM. The terminal was nearly empty, with my Lufthansa flight to Frankfurt being the only departure at that time. Security took just five minutes, and I proceeded to Gate A1 to wait.

Boarding commenced at 5:50 AM, and within minutes, all passengers were on board, ready for departure. However, the captain soon announced that a storm was blocking all departure routes, resulting in an initial 45-minute delay. Later, he updated us that the airport remained closed, and we would only depart once weather conditions improved. Eventually, we took off with a 1-hour and 10-minute delay.

Most passengers were connecting in Frankfurt and grew increasingly anxious as the flight progressed, especially since the crew provided no further updates on our revised arrival time. The service was standard for a short European flight - a chocolate bar and a small bottle of water.

We landed at 8:34 AM on Runway 25R (north of the airport) and were directed to a remote parking stand. A further delay ensued as we waited for luggage - some carry-ons had been gate-checked due to the limited space in the CRJ-900’s cabin. The bus finally reached the terminal at 8:58 AM, leaving just 12 minutes before the gate closed for my Porto connection. Panicked passengers sprinted through the terminal - woman beside me had only two minutes to catch her flight to Vilnius.

Aboard the CRJ-900 for the flight from Ljubljana to Frankfurt

A storm cell is hovering over Ljubljana, preventing departures from both runway directions

A Lufthansa Airbus A340 operating long-haul flight LH439 from Dallas is landing at Frankfurt

Arrival and disembarkation at Frankfurt, with a Boeing 747 parked in the distance

Flight Frankfurt - Porto

Flight number: LH 1176

Flight date: 22 July 2025

Aircraft type: A321

Aircraft registration: D-AIEB

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 09:25 / cca. 9:40

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 11:15 / cca. 11:25

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 2h 50m / cca. 2h 45m

Load factor: 100%

Initially, I remained calm about my connection as the Lufthansa app showed just an 8-minute walk from Arrival Schengen West (ASW) to Gate B10 - well within my comfortable walking pace. However, my confidence wavered when the app suddenly flagged my connection as "at risk," raising concerns about potential removal from the passenger list.

Despite breaking into a sprint through the densely crowded terminal corridors, I reached the gate a mere three minutes before scheduled closure. The app's estimated transfer time proved grossly inaccurate - in reality, the journey would take at least twice as long as indicated.

Boarding was already underway when I arrived. Upon scanning my boarding pass, the automated system notified me that my seat had been reassigned to 30F, with an extra legroom.

The flight departed with roughly a 15-minute delay and proceeded uneventfully. I slept through most of the journey, and we landed with a slight 10-minute delay, disembarking via a jet bridge.

Inside the cabin of the flight from Frankfurt to Porto

Croatia Airlines Airbus A319 (registration 9A-CTL) at Frankfurt

Flight path from Frankfurt to Porto, following France’s western coast. Source: Flightradar24

Final approach into Porto: The Douro River winds through the city as we descend over its iconic bridges

Planes on the tarmac at Porto

Upon arrival at Porto, I followed the clearly marked blue lines painted on the pavement that conveniently guide passengers to the metro (tram) station. The metro proved to be an efficient and cost-effective option at just €2.25 for the ride into the city center. Service was frequent and operated precisely on schedule.

Flight Porto - Zurich

Flight number: LX 2069

Flight date: 27 July 2025

Aircraft type: A321

Aircraft registration: HB-IOH

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 3:05 / 3:29

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 6:35 / 6:37

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 2h 30m / cca. 2h 08m

Load factor: cca. 95%

On my way home, I took the 3:05 am night flight from Porto to Zurich - a schedule that allowed me to maximize my time exploring the city.

The day before departure, Swiss notified me about a ground handling strike at Porto Airport, warning of potential delays at baggage drop-off and during ground operations. I monitored other flights throughout the day, but the strike didn’t cause significant disruptions (there were a few delays, but this is expected for the summer).

Just before midnight, I took the tram to the airport. It arrived on time, and I reached the terminal two and a half hours before departure. With only two flights scheduled overnight, Zurich and Geneva, the airport was nearly empty, and I cleared security instantly.

Unfortunately, Porto Airport only assigns gates about 40 minutes before departure, so waiting near the gate wasn’t an option. I tried charging my phone at the charging stations, but none of the plugs worked. Eventually, I found a wall plug, though it meant sitting on the floor to keep an eye on my device in the deserted terminal.

Boarding began at 2:30 am via bus transfer to the aircraft. The flight itself was uneventful and on time, with a small snack service, a bottle of water and a chocolate bar. Upon arrival in Zurich, we disembarked via jet bridge.

Porto Airport departure board shows only two flights, Geneva and Zurich, departing overnight

Aboard the plane from Porto to Zurich

Aboard the plane from Porto to Zurich

Flight path from Porto to Zurich over southern France. Source: Flightradar24

View of Zurich Airport through the terminal glass

Zurich Airport Wi-Fi kiosk and water refill station

Flight Zurich - Ljubljana

Flight number: LX 2272 (operated by Helvetic Airways)

Flight date: 27 July 2025

Aircraft type: E195-E2

Aircraft registration: HB-AZL

Departure time (scheduled/actual): 8:55 / 9:05

Arrival time (scheduled/actual): 10:05 / 9:54

Flight duration (scheduled/actual): 1h 10m / 0h 49m

Load factor: cca. 90%

Upon landing in Zurich, I attempted to check my connecting flight status to Ljubljana. Due to Swiss carriers being excluded from EU roaming agreements, I kept my phone in flight mode and sought airport Wi-Fi. Zurich Airport's free Wi-Fi requires either payment, or an access code obtained from kiosks (via boarding pass or passport scan). These black-colored kiosks blended into the airport's predominantly grey interior and weren't marked on terminal maps, making them slightly challenging to locate.

Like Porto's operations, Zurich assigns gates approximately one hour before departure. While waiting near the transfer area, I learned our Ljubljana flight would depart from Gate A52 - indicating a bus transfer to the aircraft. The connection process proved efficient, requiring just a five-minute walk from arrival gate to departure.

Helvetic Airways operated the Zurich-Ljubljana sector using an E195-E2 jet. During boarding, crew members identified passengers with oversized baggage, issuing tags for hold placement. However, with minimal enforcement, most passengers carried their luggage aboard despite instructions, causing overhead bin overfilled. This required several additional minutes for the crew to reorganize storage space.

We departed with a 10-minute delay but experienced an otherwise uneventful flight, arriving in Ljubljana with a matching 10-minute delay. Disembarkation proved swift - I reached the airport forecourt within 5 minutes of landing. Although my GoOpti transfer was scheduled for 10:45, they accommodated me on an earlier shuttle, arriving in Ljubljana by 10:40.

The overall Lufthansa Group experience proved satisfactory. Notably, both the CityLine-operated CRJ-900 and Helvetic's E195-E2 offered superior comfort compared to mainline narrowbodies, featuring greater legroom and more comfortable seating.