Just wondering what people use for minimum connection times in Frankfurt.
I land from Singapore with Singapore Airlines at 2040 and want to make a Lufthansa connection to Brussels at 2125. I am in business class and have onboard only, and probably could be checked all the way through to Brussels.
It will be a stretch I would hope for 90 minutes due to the sheer size of the airport. If ithe booking system allows you to do it on a single ticket then if you miss it, LH has to reaccomodate you etc. I wouldn’t do that if you were on two separate tickets.
You've got a good chance but are cutting it fine. You'll probably be arriving at the B Gates and have to go to A, which takes a while. And you'll need to clear immigration, which depending on whether you've had the misfortune to arrive behind an Air China flight, can take quite a while.
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Have transited through FRA, and found it very slow on each occasion. Security, even though you have come on an inbound flight, is horrendous. It you are booked on one ticket, you will be fine, as it has to be honoured. Maybe a later flight, but at least you will still arrive at your final destination.
If travel is on the same ticket Lufthansa are very adept at dealing with missed connections in Frankfurt. If it’s a separate ticket, then I would make a longer connection if it is available, or you may end up giving yourself some stress!
On the last transfer I did in Frankfurt - which was Schengen to Schengen, so no immigration - we had: flight 20 minutes late, long taxiway pauses (congestion), arrived at a gate, but had to take the stairs down to a bus, then a really long walk - this ate up over 45 minutes.
Immigration is a lottery, depending on who landed just before you. And it’s a massive airport, can involve very long walks. Or not! It’s so unpredictable at Frankfurt, but you can be lucky.
If both your flights are one the one ticket it means then its possible to get to your flight by the minimum time allowed by the FRA airport itself (its a condition to be able to sell connecting flights). so if this is the case it theoretically can be done on 45 minutes FRA airport is saying that is the minimum time to do it.
Having hand luggage only will save you at least 30/40 minutes at FRA waiting for luggage.
So, again if its on the one ticket look for the FRA Airport staff at the top of the airbridge with all the connecting fights written down who will offer assistance - run, run very fast or wait and we will all take a bus.
I normally allow at least 90 minutes so as not to rush and always have luggage.
A 45-minute non-schengen to schengen is risky. Even if it is on the same flight, I would check the possible next flight that the airline might put you on if you miss the connection as it may actually mean an overnight in Frankfurt.
Personal opinion, but that airport is a giant confusing maze that makes me wonder if German efficiency is a myth! This means it may take some time to make your way through the airport, unless you are already familiar.
With a 45 min connection time, you're making a lot of tricky assumptions, which include:
that SQ will arrive on time (what if the flight is 10 mins late?)
that you'll pull in to an aero-bridge terminal and not a remote stand (what if it's stairs and bus?)
that you'll clear customs and immigration in the bat of an eyelid (you're a non-Schengen arrival)
that you don't need to make a terminal transfer
that the gate will be close and easy
that your hand luggage is within allowable size and will fit through the check frames. They check - routinely.
As others have indicated, Frankfurt (FRA) is a large and complex airport - it's also usually quite efficient. That said, I have had immigration staff who have been either lightening fast and others that are glacially slow. @quantumreality makes a great point about the possibility of an overnight stay should you miss the connection. The good NIMBY's of Frankfurt are red hot on noise abatement and FRA has an evening curfew - so you'd be advised to check whether your Brussels (BRU) flight is/isn't the last of the evening. One redeeming feature of FRA is that the airport has an international rail station located in the basement.
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Minimum Connection times at Frankfurt Airport
Uqsthom6
Uqsthom6
Member since 15 Mar 2017
Total posts 21
Hi,
Just wondering what people use for minimum connection times in Frankfurt.
I land from Singapore with Singapore Airlines at 2040 and want to make a Lufthansa connection to Brussels at 2125. I am in business class and have onboard only, and probably could be checked all the way through to Brussels.
Am I possibly cutting things fine?
SimonFrost
SimonFrost
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 10 Jul 2013
Total posts 70
45 mins....? Probably!
StuParr
StuParr
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
Member since 01 Mar 2012
Total posts 203
It will be a stretch I would hope for 90 minutes due to the sheer size of the airport. If ithe booking system allows you to do it on a single ticket then if you miss it, LH has to reaccomodate you etc. I wouldn’t do that if you were on two separate tickets.
Rufus1
Rufus1
Member since 04 Dec 2013
Total posts 70
You've got a good chance but are cutting it fine. You'll probably be arriving at the B Gates and have to go to A, which takes a while. And you'll need to clear immigration, which depending on whether you've had the misfortune to arrive behind an Air China flight, can take quite a while.
Chris C.
Chris C.
Member since 24 Apr 2012
Total posts 1,116
Red Cee
Red Cee
Member since 15 Feb 2018
Total posts 151
Have transited through FRA, and found it very slow on each occasion. Security, even though you have come on an inbound flight, is horrendous. It you are booked on one ticket, you will be fine, as it has to be honoured. Maybe a later flight, but at least you will still arrive at your final destination.
RR
RR
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 17 Aug 2012
Total posts 45
If travel is on the same ticket Lufthansa are very adept at dealing with missed connections in Frankfurt. If it’s a separate ticket, then I would make a longer connection if it is available, or you may end up giving yourself some stress!
On the last transfer I did in Frankfurt - which was Schengen to Schengen, so no immigration - we had: flight 20 minutes late, long taxiway pauses (congestion), arrived at a gate, but had to take the stairs down to a bus, then a really long walk - this ate up over 45 minutes.
Immigration is a lottery, depending on who landed just before you. And it’s a massive airport, can involve very long walks. Or not! It’s so unpredictable at Frankfurt, but you can be lucky.
Taylor
Taylor
Singapore Airlines - The PPS Club
Member since 19 Mar 2016
Total posts 53
If both your flights are one the one ticket it means then its possible to get to your flight by the minimum time allowed by the FRA airport itself (its a condition to be able to sell connecting flights). so if this is the case it theoretically can be done on 45 minutes FRA airport is saying that is the minimum time to do it.
Having hand luggage only will save you at least 30/40 minutes at FRA waiting for luggage.
So, again if its on the one ticket look for the FRA Airport staff at the top of the airbridge with all the connecting fights written down who will offer assistance - run, run very fast or wait and we will all take a bus.
I normally allow at least 90 minutes so as not to rush and always have luggage.
Hope that is of some use.
Taylor
quantumreality
quantumreality
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 16 Jan 2018
Total posts 62
A 45-minute non-schengen to schengen is risky. Even if it is on the same flight, I would check the possible next flight that the airline might put you on if you miss the connection as it may actually mean an overnight in Frankfurt.
kimshep
kimshep
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
Member since 11 Oct 2014
Total posts 412
With a 45 min connection time, you're making a lot of tricky assumptions, which include:
As others have indicated, Frankfurt (FRA) is a large and complex airport - it's also usually quite efficient. That said, I have had immigration staff who have been either lightening fast and others that are glacially slow. @quantumreality makes a great point about the possibility of an overnight stay should you miss the connection. The good NIMBY's of Frankfurt are red hot on noise abatement and FRA has an evening curfew - so you'd be advised to check whether your Brussels (BRU) flight is/isn't the last of the evening. One redeeming feature of FRA is that the airport has an international rail station located in the basement.