We arrive at Terminal 3 of CPH from California at 13:35 and leave for Madrid from Terminal 2 at 20:10. We plan to pay for access to a lounge (thinking the Eventyr Lounge which is inside of Passport control). But before we enter the lounge we figure we'll want to walk a bit after the long flight. Here are my questions:
1) Is there much space for walking if we stay inside Passport Control? Are the food options there similar to those outside Passport control?
2) If we leave Terminal 3 to walk, get food, etc can we get back inside to go to the lounge (the Eventyr staff say yes but would like confirmation)?
3) Eventyr seems to have the best reviews. Can you recommend any of the other ones (Aspire, Atelier, Aviator)?
Thanks!
Posted by
Green Bay
20002 posts
I am wondering why you want to stay inside the passport control area. Doesn't seem to be much there other than the Eventyr, a grab and go food stand, a 7-11. Why not go through Schengen Immigration and get your passport stamped and have the rest of the airport at your disposal, including to go outside for a walk. Are "best" reviews that important?
Posted by
Vienna, Austria
5369 posts
You will be required to go through passport control in CPH as it is your entry point into the Schengen. No way around it.
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
971 posts
I think the food options inside the passport control area is limited to a 7-Eleven. The rest of the airport on the other hand has some great (though expensive) food options.
I don't know anything about the lounges or if you can enter and exit the passport area, since I never hang around that long :-)
Posted by
Glostrup, Denmark
1319 posts
As Emily said: When you arrive from California you land inside passport control (more or less equal to finger C). The plane to Madrid will leave from outside passport control, i.e. the Schengen area.
I suggest you leave passport control area (and enter the Schengen area). This area has a number of restaurants and a number of shops (and a number of lounges, but like Morten I haven't visited them). The area is also large enough for a good walk to loosen up your muscles after the flight.
Here is a map of the airport.
Posted by
OP
15 posts
Thank you all for the replies. Looks like we'll walk in the Schengen area and if we feel we need a lounge see what we can find.
Posted by
Copenhagen, Denmark
70 posts
Copenhagen airport claims that it has multiple terminals, but in reality, this is not true. The designation "terminal 2" and "terminal 3" refer to two different check-in areas landside. After check-in, all passengers - regardless of check-in terminal - are funneled through the same security checkpoint and thus end up in the same point airside. Assignment of gates is not dependent of which terminal your airline has check-in counters located. Thus, seen from a passenger perspective, CPH airport has only one terminal with two check-in areas. Also, the airport has only one baggage claim area and one exit from baggage claim, this is located next to the terminal 3 check-in area.
So when you make a transfer, the terminal designation is completely irrelevant as: The arrival terminal is always stated as "terminal 3" since the customs exit is located near Terminal 3 check-in. The departure terminal for the next flight only applies to the location of the check-in desk but is not by any means related to the location of the boarding gate.
What does matter, however, is whether you are before or behind passport control. All European airports are divided into a Schengen and a non-Schengen area. When you arrive from the US, you will have to pass from the non-Schengen to the Schengen area, meaning passing passport control. I recommend you do that right away, as there is not much to do in the non-Schengen area of CPH airport. Almost all shops, restaurants, lounges etc. are located in the Schengen area of the airport. In theory, you can get back into the non-Schengen area although this means passing immigration again and there are sometimes lines at passport control.