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frankfurt airport layout

We will be traveling to Lisbon via Frankfurt airport. Could someone tell us where you get the layout of the airport so we know something about it before we get there. We have a two hour layover going but an hour and 20minutes connection coming back.

Posted by
19052 posts

Frankfort is the capital of Kentucky. Do you mean Frankfurt (with a U) am Main.

Here is the airport map provided by the airport (scroll down to about the middle of the page).

Frankfurt airport has two terminals. Terminal 1 is dominated by Lufthansa and the Star Alliance airlines (including United) and consists of three concourses, A, B, and C. Terminal 2 is used by non-Star Alliance airlines, like American and Delta from the US and other European carriers. Terminal 2 has two concourse, D and E. There is a shuttle, the Skytrain, between terminals. You can also take the shuttle bus from in front of the terminal or walk. For the most part you will have to go through security to change concourses.

Use the Frankfurt airport website to determine which terminal and concourse you will be using.

Since you are coming from another Schengen country and leaving Schengen (I assume you are flying from Frankfurt to the US), you will have to go through outgoing passport control.

I haven't changed planes in Frankfurt since early 2002, but then I did it in under an hour (Concourse A to B), and that was 4 months after 911 and security was tight. We went through security three times between gates.

It looks like both Lufthansa and TAP Air fly between Lisbon; both use Terminal 1. RyanAir also flies from Lisbon; it uses Terminal 2.

Posted by
19638 posts

Q: Is the capital of Kentucky pronounced "Louaville" or "Louieville"?
A: It's pronounced "Frankfort".
Very old trick question.

Posted by
268 posts

I think it is important to point out the difference. There have been reported cases of people ending up in Sidney instead of Sydney and the like. Also, not knowing the name of your destination is a sign of being unprepared.

Posted by
3985 posts

We will be traveling to Lisbon via Frankfort airport. Could someone
tell us where you get the layout of the airport so we know something
about it before we get there.

Jerry&Stelly, I just googled "Frankfurt airport map" and there are MANY maps available to you. Even if you misspelled it and googled "Frankfort airport map", google corrects the spelling as it provides MANY maps for your perusal.

As for the 80 minute stopover before your transatlantic flight, is your flight on one itinerary? If so, assuming your inbound from Lisbon isn't late (that IS an assumption), you should be fine. If that inbound flight is late on one itinerary, the airline for that transatlantic flight will put the you both on the next available flight. Keep in mind, that could mean the next day. Also keep in mind that your transatlantic flight could close 30 minutes before departure so you may only have 50 minutes to catch that flight, not 80 minutes.

If what you have are 2 separate flights NOT linked by one itinerary, 80 minutes is too much of a risk. If you miss the transatlantic flight, the two of you will have to buy one-way tickets to your home destination. If you don't have those funds budgeted for your trip, change to an earlier flight to Frankfurt. When I travel on 2 separate tickets, I give myself a 4 hour cushion as flights can ALWAYS be late. It's not worth the risk.

Please stop calling people out for misspelling Frankfurt. It is rude
and uncalled for.

One could also describe the above admonishment as equally "rude and uncalled for". Spelling matters to people ESPECIALLY regarding a destination for the reasons chris-s gave above. Besides, what Lee wrote was NOT rude but rather polite & informative.

Posted by
323 posts

Thank you very much for the reply of how rude it was to call us out for spelling. We are very prepared Chris-s We have been traveling for 11 years now using Rick's books. We spelled Frankfurt with an "o" because that is the way it is usually spelled by most of us. We were well aware it is spelled with a "u" because we do read and we do travel as locals.

Posted by
323 posts

Thank you continental. We will be leaving from Bilbao, and we have a connecting flight in Frankfurt Airport.

Posted by
7049 posts

I think it is crazy that someone would even think about giving advice
about a airport who has not been there in 16 years.

Except for the fact that every question about an airport layout only requires a Google search to find that airport's official website. Every airport has their current layout published somewhere on their web page. One can even see what gate they'll likely be arriving at, and departing from by looking at arrivals/departures. And same with location of ATMs.

Posted by
19638 posts

Except for Atlanta Hartsfield/ Jackson Airport. They have nice maps of each of the 5 or so terminals, nothing of the big overall picture. No where do they show how they are connected (underground train). More concerned with advertising their wonderful shopping rather than providing useful information for travelers.

Posted by
323 posts

we did look for airport layout on many sites including Google. We got lousy maps. Just thought someone might have a better web site. This is the most replies we have gotten to anything we have posted in a long time. Couldn't resist changing Frankfort to Frankfurt so that the first reply must look a little silly by now. Oh,well!

Posted by
8934 posts

I am at the Frankfurt airport all the time, like 4-5 times a week, so please let me know if you have questions about it.
Deleted my other comments as they make no sense now of course. :-)

Posted by
268 posts

Sorry if I sounded a bit harsh.
Actually, I should have pointed out the following: It is common advice for Frankfurt airport not to look at a map. A sufficiently detailed map to include security checkpoints, passport control etc. would be outdated quickly, and very hard to read. Overview maps leave out the mentioned information. Signage, on the other hand, is very good. On the other hand, there are a few cases in which more than one route is possible, and the signs only tell you one of them (which might be congested). But I am not aware of any maps that would have that kind of information.

Posted by
3586 posts

Is my memory playing tricks on me; or is there also a concourse Z,from which flights to the U.S. leave? I ‘ m also remembering an additional , but quick security check at the gate. We have often had short transfer times at FRA, even less than 80 minutes; but both we and our luggage have always made it. One time, because of a delayed flight to FRA, it was under an hour. I admit that I sweat that one a bit.

Posted by
19052 posts

No, your memory is not playing tricks on you, there is a Z concourse. Actually, it is the floor above the A concourse in the same wings. The Z concourse is officially "outside" Schengen. One probably comes into the Z concourse when arriving from the US and then moves down to the A concourse by going through Schengen immigration (pass port check). Then you are officially within Germany. Often, people coming from outside Schengen (like from the US) and going on to a non-Schengen country, like Turkey, will stay in the Z concourse and never officially enter Schengen (like the international concourse in London). When you are already in Schengen (like arriving on a flight from Italy or coming in on the train from another town in Germany), you start in the A concourse and go through outgoing emigration to the Z concourse.

Munich's Terminal 2 also has two levels, one for people waiting to go on to other places in Schengen, and another for people arriving or departing for the US.

but quick security check at the gate.

TSA has a security check at airport gates in Europe for flights leaving for the US.

Posted by
29 posts

There are several videos posted on YouTube that show how to make connections between terminals and from terminals to the train stations you may find helpful as well.

Posted by
19052 posts

I think it is crazy that someone would even think about giving advice
about a airport who has not been there in 16 years.

Was that aimed at me? I DID NOT SAY I had not been there in 16 years. I've used FRA three times in the last four years - twice (into and out of) last October, and a lot of times before then. I just haven't changed planes there since 2002. And that was a particularly difficult change. It was 4 month after 911, and security was tight. We flew into Concourse A from Munich and out of Concourse B to Denver. We went through security three times between gates and still made it in less than an hour.

Posted by
32171 posts

Jerry & Stelly,

I've found that Frankfurt is one of the best organized airports that I've used, although it's huge so sometimes takes awhile to get from one gate to the other.

If you'll be travelling with a smartphone, FRA has an app, which might help to figure out your bearings. You could also have a look at Gate Guru or similar apps.

Posted by
3809 posts

Just for the record... I want to register my offense at the offensive comments, the offensive emotions created by the offensive comments, and the offensive written responses to the original offensive comments, including offensive subtle digs at those who are offensive.