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Immigration / Customs - Making the Most of Layover Time

Posted by on

Travling LAX -> CDG -> VCE - with no checked baggage on separate tickets. I understand that I will have to pass through immigration at CDG.

If one arrives LAX -> CDG Terminal 1 and connecting flight leaves CDG -> VCE from Terminal 2D; is one able to manage the terminal transfer while staying in the Transfer Zone so as to not have go pass through customs?

OR, in the alternative as the layover between flights is 3.5 hrs. - as long as I have to go through immigration/passport control - it appears I will have plenty of time on my hands; if I were to go through customs @ CDG would the case be that I am now cleared for both immigration and customs upon arrival in VCE and can immediatly get to the Alilaguna to get to my hotel?

Also, I will have nothing to declare if that makes any difference to the advice which may be given ... I just want to knock off as much red tape delay as possible to getting to my hotel in Venice and then off to explore!

Thanks for any advice in this regard!

Posted by
2608 posts

You go through immigration when you enter the Schengen at CDG. You make your way to your second flight.

If you have no goods to declare then customs is a non-event and you walk out of the airport.

Posted by
3 posts

Thanks for the reply Ramblin'on... so there won't be any kind of line for customs where they'd want to look in my backpack or something at VCE? I've had other experience where you have to go through customs and the line has been backed up and I have to waste time waiting to get to the table to declare nothing and they waive me through. Is there a separate line for those with nothing to declare at VCE or something?

Posted by
3522 posts

Every European airport I have been through in the past 10 years has 2 customs lines after you clear immigration. One line is GREEN, nothing to declare, the other is RED, things to declare. If you have nothing actually to declare, go through the GREEN line. In 50 trips, I have never spent more time going through customs than it took me to walk through the green line. This does not mean you will never be stopped.

The only place I have spent interminable time in a customs line with nothing to declare is returning to the US.

Posted by
3300 posts

You will go through immigration and customs at CDG, nothing at VCE. As mentioned above, customs is basically a walk through. You will also have to go through security to board your second flight. Here’s some info on getting from Terminal 1 to 2.

BTW from Marco Polo take the bus not the Alilaguna. The bus is cheaper, faster, easier to deal with luggage and doesn’t smell like diesel fumes.

Regards from an almost relative,
Philip Kunzelmann

Posted by
12022 posts

To Paris-CDG
In the event that your baggage is not checked-through or if you booked your flights separately (you have arranged your own flight connection),
you will have to pick up your baggage at Paris-CDG and recheck-in with the airline which operates your connecting flight.
→ Follow the ″Baggage-Exit″ signs, leave the transfer zone (there are no check-in counters in the transfer zone) and proceed to your departure terminal respecting the check-in deadline.
You should allow extra time to clear baggage reclaim, transfer between terminals, then check in for your outbound flight.
When coming from a Non-Schengen country and need to leave the transit area to pick up baggage and check-in, you must clear immigration, please ensure that you comply with entry & visa requirements.

The above from this site--https://easycdg.com/passenger-information/connecting-flight-connections-paris-cdg-airport/transit-information/

Your originating flight arriving on time and how long it takes to go through immigration, and as I read it, security, will be more of a concern than customs.

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