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HELP!!
Need to fly one way from Munich to Florence, Italy in August. I would specifically like to know airline reputation before I try to book on line. And would like to know how long to allow for customs in Munich before boarding plane to Florence.
It's a long story, so won't get into it, but we have flights from USA to Munich and from Florence back home, but agent couldn't book the flight from Munich to Florence. I have looked on line, but not sure which airlines are most reliable.
Thank you so much for any help.
Linda

To clarify: We will be spending several days in Munich before flying to Florence. So really only need to allow the time from the train in downtown Munich to the airport.

Posted by
2480 posts

Air Dolomiti offers up to four flights per day from MUC to Florence. It's a subsidiary of Lufthansa and has a good reputation.

Since that is a intra-Schengen flight there is no passport or customs control. You have to pass, of course, through security. If you have to check luggage you should arrive ca. 90 min before departure at the airport (https://www.munich-airport.com/check-in-261005).

Posted by
14752 posts

It sounds like you are going to fly in to Munich, then immediately take a flight to Florence, right?

One issue is that this separate ticket will not be protected like it would be if your agent had booked a flight from your home to Florence via Munich. If your plane is late in to Munich or for some reason your flight is cancelled you will lose the separate ticket you purchased for the Munich->Florence flight. Keep that in mind when you book. If the ticket is on a Low-cost carrier, then are usually inexpensive and it may not be too bad if you have to lose the ticket price.

On a protected ticket flight, my personal rule is to allow 3 hours when you are processing thru Immigration (where they look at and stamp your passport for entry) in an arrival country. Customs is where they can look at your baggage and in Europe is usually just a door you walk thru. For a separate ticket such as yours I would probably do 4-5 hours or try to spend a night in Munich.

Posted by
11507 posts

We have flown on many inter europeon flights.. last year took five flights alone.

We have used Vueling, Easyjet, Ryanair, Tuifly, AirBerliner, and Air Aegeon, all were fine.. and have used them all more than once ( except AirBerliner ) .

Read all terms and condtions.. pay attention to luggage restrictions. and to check in times ( some are very strict, when they say check time is cut off.. its cut off.. pay attention )

We look at various airlines for whatever route we want.. and narrow it down by price and schedule.

Do note some airlines use alternate smaller or farther out airports for some destinations.. this can be a pain.. or not matter at all.

Posted by
980 posts

Air Dolomiti is your best bet. Reputable, inexpensive, multiple flight to choose and really good in flight snacks for such short flights.

I used to travel from Munich to northern Italy for work often and almost always used Air Dolomiti.

DJ

Posted by
19275 posts

Depending on whether you take the S1 or the S8 from downtown and from what downtown station you leave, the trip to the airport takes about 40 minutes. I would say that in the Hbf (tief) station there is only one platform for both directions. (Tief is German for "deep", the underground S-Bahn station.) The S8 goes through that station going towards München Ost station; the S1 goes through that station going the other direction, towards Pasing. Whichever one comes by first will get you to the airport sooner.

Note: make sure you take the S-Bahn that says it is going to the Flughafen or Freising. The S-Bahn coming from the airport also go through the Hbf (tief), but they are going to München Ost (S1) or Herrsching/Weßling (S8). Also, if you get on the S1, get on the back of the train. The train splits at Neufahrn and the front half goes to Freising.

From Marienplatz the situation is different. S1 and S8 are on different levels, so you can't just stand on a single platform and take the next train to the airport regardless of direction. both S-Bahn leave on a 20 minute cycle, but 95% of the time the next one leaving would be the S8 from track (Gleis) 1, the higher of the two "stations". And the S8 takes 10 minutes less to the airport from Marienplatz. I would just go down to Gleis 1 and wait there.

You will undoubtedly fly into Terminal 2 at MUC. Most intra-Europe flights, except Lufthansa, leave from Terminal 1. No problem; you just might not want to retrace you steps and go back to the terminal where you flew in.

Posted by
89 posts

Thanks all. We have our flight from Munich to Florence taken care of now. Appreciate all of the suggestions.
Linda