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Connection in Frankfurt

Hi, I am flying from Valencia to Vancouver on Lufthansa, with a 1 hour connection in Frankfurt. I've been reading that 1 hour is not enough time but some people say it is a enough time. I'm just trying to get a lay of the land, because I am flying from a Schengen country to a non-Schengen country but both Lufthansa, will my flights be in terminal 1? And what about security checkpoints, like how many?

Posted by
18 posts

you can check on something like flightaware.com to see which terminal the flights from valencia to fkt normally fly into and same with fkt to van to see what terminal it normally flies out of.

1 hour seems kinda tight. i've flown into fkt and sometimes they park the plane away from the terminals and then you have to take a bus from the plane to the terminal. this was years ago so don't know if they still do that as much

Posted by
9150 posts

Lufthansa only uses Terminal 1, so you won't switch terminals.
You can check your flights by using Google. Type in your flight numbers LH .... and you will get a website called Flight aware that will show your flight history. Was it on time or late, which gate did it use. Do this with both your flights to get an idea of the gates they usually use. It doesn't mean they will use those same gates on your date of arrival, but it helps to see.

Posted by
268 posts

Assuming this is one ticket, I would say it is tight, but doable. Lufthansa only uses Terminal 1 (which is huge, though). You will have to clear a passport check, as you are leaving the Schengen area. I don't think there is any security checkpoint. Looking at past gate assignments, you may have to get from an A gate to a B gate, which involves walking through a connecting tunnel; but do check the gate number once you arrive, and follow the signs to that gate.
If your incoming flight is late and causes you to miss your connection, Lufthansa will put you on the next available flight to Vancouver. Given the tight connection, it may not hurt to check out the alternatives in advance, so you know what to expect.

Posted by
8889 posts

Valencia --> Frankfurt --> Vancouver

I guess this is a through booking, in which case Lufthansa wouldn't have booked it if they didn't think it was possible. And Lufthansa is responsible for getting you on a later flight to Vancouver if you miss your original flight because your flight from Valencia was late.
But it still sounds tight to me!

Technicalities:

  • You luggage will be labelled through to Vancouver, you will not see it until then.
  • You exit the Schengen Area at Frankfurt, so there will be passport control there; and if you have a Canadian (or other non-EU/Schengen) passport, it will be stamped there. This will add time.
  • You will almost certainly go through security again at Frankfurt before you can board your flight. Usually before passport control.
Posted by
11731 posts

Looking at Lufthansa's site it looks like its 75 minutes between flights, not 60. Every little bit helps. ( Just looked at random dates in the May/June time frame)

The Lufthansa website shows both flights use Terminal 1.

Posted by
348 posts

Indeed, it’s a lot easier to land in Frankfort than to change planes.
Every time I’ve changed planes there, the gate has changed with no notification at the gate or personel to direct us.
And there was a long distance between the original gate and the correct one.
Unfortunately, I didn’t see the gate change on my airline app. Use the Lufthansa app on your iPhone for the latest updates.

Without it there is a paucity of information at the airport. Have fun!

Posted by
7049 posts

Good luck and hope the originating flight takes off on time and you don’t have far to walk in Frankfurt, since there is very little time to spare. My wife and I prefer 2 to 3 hours to allow for late arrival, gate changes, or any number of things that can pop up, e.g., sitting 45 minutes on the tarmac waiting for a gate to open so we could de-plane (was at Heathrow not Frankfurt).

Posted by
4044 posts

If you are flying on two separate tickets, one hour is NOT enough time even though it's the same terminal and same airline. You won't even have that full hour because your transatlantic flight could close 15-30 minutes prior to departure. If your inbound flight from Valencia is late with two separate tickets and you miss your transatlantic flight, you will need to buy a one-way ticket to Vancouver.