Shanghai opens first direct flight to Geneva
Edited by Yang Jian. Subtitles by Yang Jian.
China Eastern Airlines started the first direct flight between Shanghai and Geneva on Monday morning, a new travel option between China and Switzerland.
Flight MU217 landed in Geneva at 1:25pm local time on Monday. The Airbus A350 carried 243 passengers, with a load factor of over 85 percent.
It is the first non-stop route operated by a Chinese airline between the two cities. During the 2025 summer-autumn travel season, flights will run four times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Passengers check in for the first non-stop route operated by a Chinese airline between Shanghai and Geneva on Monday.
Flight Schedule
From Shanghai to Geneva (MU217):
• Departure: 1:30am (Shanghai time)
• Arrival: 7:50am (Geneva time)
From Geneva to Shanghai (MU218):
• Departure: noon (Geneva time)
• Arrival: 5:30am next day (Shanghai time)
Flight MU217 landed in Geneva on Monday.
The airline will use wide-body aircraft, including Airbus A350 and A330 models, on the route. The planes offer an in-flight Internet service for passengers.
With demand growing and visa-free access expanding, Shanghai continues to attract international travelers. From January to May, over 16 million people passed through Shanghai airports.
The airports plan to add more international destinations this summer, including Almaty in Kazakhstan and Kumamoto in Japan. Flights to Milan and Kuala Lumpur will also increase.
A traveler for the inaugural flight at the boarding gate at Pudong airport .
