Transiting through FRA
 

We are flying Lufthansa YYZ-FRA--NBO in a couple of weeks time. What should we expect in Frankfurt? We have about 3 hours to make the connection which is on one ticket and therefore I assume ‘legal’ and doabl . Just wondering if we will have to go through customs, security, change terminals? Google airport ratings seem about equally split between ‘fabulous’ and ‘a disaster” . I just like to be a little prepared after arriving on an overnight flight with 7 hours of jet lag.

Your luggage should be checked through to NBO so no customs when you arrive in FRA.

It's been a couple of years since I connected at FRA but I recall the procedure was simple. You deplaned, made your way to the connecting terminal, cleared an immigration/passport check point, and proceeded to the connecting gate. Sorry can't recall if we also had to do a security check. Regardless, the whole process took us under 45 minutes. So with 3 hours you'll have plenty of time.

You can, if you wish, purchase a VIP service which will have a personal representative meet you and those in your party (up to 5 people) and then escort you from your arrival gate to your connecting gate. go here for details.

https://www.frankfurt-airport.com/en...e-service.html

T1 and T2 are connected by a tram. You have plenty of time and FRA is not that complicated.

There's no immigration or customs as you aren't entering or leaving Germany. You follow the "Flight connections" route which involves a security check

Thank you for your responses. It is helpful to know we can remain airside without the immigration/customs check. We will likely be travelling with carry on only so baggage is not an issue.

RoamsAround, I took a look at the concierge serve: expensive! I’ll let my kids know about so they can purchase it for us when we get to the point that they think we are too old to manage travel ;-)

If you are feeling peckish while you wait, Caviar House has great sandwiches, freshly made, better than most of the other snack food outlets and priced about the same. We always get either a seafood or roast beef sandwich from them (btw, they're not at all snobby there). https://www.caviarhouse-prunier.ch/frankfurt-store

Thanks for the tip, WeisserTee. I ‘ll keep it in mind.

FRA is a big, busy airport, but I've never found it as difficult as some have. I transferred through there last year twice, and I just didn't have any issues. Distances can be long, as can lines, but that's not uniformly true. It just depends on your connection and the timing. To me it is infinitely easier than CDG or even LHR.

Thanks for the reassurance, Doug.

I made a connection in FRA (non-Schengen to non-Schengen, same as you) about three weeks ago, and although the info above is technically correct, the security process has been enhanced, and it took 45 minutes at least, maybe an hour, to get from our arrival gate to the lounge (we had longer than you have). They made you take out all electronics and liquids and were very strict. Almost everyone had to open their bags and have them checked by hand. There was no sense of time urgency on the part of the inspectors.

Useful to know, Traveler318. Not too surprising that security is enhanced in Europe these days. As it turns out we have decided to check bags anyway so we won’t be carrying much and as we will be arriving on a Sunday morning perhaps the lines will not be too bad.