Clousie

When flying from US>Frankfort>Athens will we go through customs/immigration in Frankfurt or when we arrive in Athens? Will we have to go through security again in Frankfort or only if we leave that concourse? We'll be flying Lufthasen so imagine they have several concourses there.

alanRow

As both Greece and Germany are members of Schengen you will pass through immigration at Frankfurt. You will also pass through security as you are arriving from outside Schengen and the authorities won't assume you are security checked

Heimdall

If you go through customs and immigration in Frankfurt, you won't have to go through it again in Athens. Travelling from one Schengen country to another is not much different than travelling from state to state in the US. BTW, "Frankfort" is in Kentucky. ;-)

Clousie

Yes, I saw the typo as soon as I sent the original message.

So is the security for our connecting flight to Athens the same as we're used to in the US? Shoes off, liquid in zip lock bags, body scan, etc?

J62

Security is similar to what you go through in the US, but you get to keep your shoes on.

You will NOT go through customs in Frankfurt, just immigration. You will go through customs at Athens. As with other Schengen zone airports customs is a self declaration. If you have goods to declare you go through the red line after baggage claim. If you have nothing to declare you'll just walk out through the green lanes. Most passengers won't even notice the red or green and will simply walk out after baggage claim. There will be Greek customs agents by the exit, and they reserve the right to pull anyone aside and inspect luggage.

clausar

In Athens if coming from a EU country there is no customs control !! ( this has nothing to do with Schengen)
All controls will take place at the first entrance to a EU/Schengen country

J62

Sorry clausar, but I respectfully disagree. By your logic clousie should therefore retrieve checked bags and Frankfurt and be prepared to open them for customs inspection, since customs is the control of goods (not people) into a country. But that won't happen. The bags will be checked all the way through to Athens from the US.

Oh, and EU & Schengen aren't the same thing. The membership in the 2 is different. The UK is a member of the EU, but not a Schengen country, among other differences.

clausar

Oh, and EU & Schengen aren't the same thing. The membership in the 2 is different. The UK is a member of the EU, but not a Schengen country, among other differences.

This is what i already said

When a flight from Frankfurt arrives in Athens, then this is an Intra Schengen flight, and there are no controls.

nytraveler

Since you enter Schengen at Frankfurt you will go through immigration there - but your bags should be transferred automatically and you won;t see them until Athens (make sure they are properly labeled when you hand them over).

And yes, you will go through security again getting on the next flight - since many of the passengers will be boarding for the first time in Frankfurt.

Make sure your carry-ons fit the standards of european airlines which are typically smaller than in the US. In Zurich I have seen many US passengers have their carry-ons gate checked since they were too large for euroepan standards (often 19" including wheels).