Europe's two closest airports in different countries once linked by 8 minute flight

Travel in Europe is hitting the headlines , new and the sheer amount of travellers who have their sights set on exploring some of its moat famous cities.

It's little wonder there are frustrations building as in 2023 there was a staggering 10.2 million flights, which is up by 10% compared to the previous year.

But the appeal for travel on the continent will doubtless endure, thanks to its rich history, scenic beauty and the fact that it's easy to get around. There are more than 2,000 airports in Europe with Germany boasting the most - with a staggering total of 103.

An intersting bit of trivia for travel buffs is that Europe has two of the closest which are in different countries and they were once linked by a super speedy eight minute flight.

Friedrichshafen Airport (FDH) in is just 12.4 miles (20 km) from St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport in . Back in 2016/17, for a few months, there were regular commercial services between the two that took just eight minutes.

St. Gallen-Altenrhein was built in 1925 whereas Friedrichshafen Airport was originally built in 1915.

Friedrichshafen Airport is also known as Bodensee Airport Friedrichshafen and is a minor international airport. It's the third biggest in the German state of Baden-Württemberg after Stuttgart and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, serving a total of 339,556 passengers as per stats in 2022.

The airport is a firm favourite among the skiing types due to its close proximity to the Austrian Alps. FDH airport is also used as an alternative to St. Gallen-Altenrhein Airport which is located northeast of St. Gallen's city center. This airport is close to Lake Constance with a short drive taking you to the city center in about 20 minutes.

St. Gallen-Altenrhein was one of five airports set for modernisation which terminated contracts with Austrian Airlines in 2011 and commenced their own airline known as People's (formerly People's Viennaline).

The Swiss airport has two runways, one of which is 1,500 meters long with a small passenger terminal building attached.

The airport handles around 85,000 passengers every year and is popular among tourists preferring to use this airport thanks to its easy accessibility to nearby cities like Zurich.

St. Gallen-Altenrhein airport takes just a one-hour drive to the main city with Davos and St. Moritz being a 1.5 hour and 2 hour drive away respectively.