Hello,
We have a trip to Italy in September and will be flying back to Chicago from Florence on a Friday, with a change in Zurich. The flight departure time is 6:15 am. We plan to take a taxi to the airport but are wondering about passport control in Florence. What time does this open and how long does processing usually take? What time should we be at the airport to go through passport control to be in time for the flight? Thank you for any assistance!
Posted by
Gettysburg PA
6180 posts
I believe the airport opens at 4 am so that’s as early as you can arrive
Pretty sure you don’t go thru passport control til you leave Schengen in Zurich
Posted by
Atlanta
2473 posts
This is a tiny airport and things go fairly quickly as long as their computer is working. I had a 6 am flight from there last September, no problem.
Posted by
San Francisco Bay Area (USA)
15225 posts
Very small airport. Only about 8-10 flights at the most depart between 6 and 8am and there are 40 check-in positions available in the new terminal (they hope to expand operations once the new longer runway is finally approved and built), so the check in lines are usually very quick. Also the security procedures are not long, given the limited number of passengers departing. There is no passport control for flights to Zurich, which is part of the European Schengen Zone.
The airport opens at 4:00am but that would be way too early for you to show up If your flight is at 6:15am. I would plan to be at the airport by about 5:00am-5:15am. If you go much earlier you'll be bored because I don't even think the (one and only) coffee bar opens before 5
A taxi ride from the city center at that time in the morning takes about 15-20 minutes (the fare is fixed at about 25 euro).
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23315 posts
Most likely you will go through passport control in Zurich since that is where you are leaving the schengen zone. The flight to Zurich is basically a domestic flight. Get on and go. Around 5am will be adequate.