I'm flying Alitalia into FCO Terminal 3 and have a connecting flight to Palermo from Terminal 1 with connection time of 1.5 hours. I will have one piece of checked luggage. Will I go through passport control at FCO? Will my bag go straight to Palermo or do I have to collect it and take it through customs? How do I get from T3 to T1?
Posted by
St Pete, FL
216 posts
Visit the Ron in Rome website (Google it). There is a wealth of information about the arrival in FCO.
Glenn
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23666 posts
FCO is about like any airport. The big issue is getting through immigrations. Last May, it took us close to two hours so don't be afraid to say something to a uniform personal and show them you ticket so that they will jump you in the line if the line is excessively long. Two, your luggage will be checked through to Palermo and you will go through customs in Palermo - walk through the green door - Nothing to Declare. You walk from T3 to T1.
Posted by
Seattle, WA, USA
7737 posts
I'm not an expert on this, but I think it depends on what airport you're arriving from. In 2011 we flew into FCO from Amsterdam and I don't remember any passport control on arrival. (Since we only had carry-on we pretty much walked off the plane and out the terminal to find our bus to Ostia Lido.) However, we did have to go through passport control in Amsterdam because we had flown direct from the US.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23666 posts
You are correct. You go through immigrations the first time you touch down in a Schengen country. Made the assumption that Chani was coming from out side of the Schengen zone. Otherwise not much point to her question.
Posted by
Eastern Iowa, USA
8254 posts
If FCO is your first stop in Europe (specifically the Schengen area) then yes, Immigration at FCO.
If it is truly a connecting flight, meaning you purchased a ticket from some point in the US to Palermo on the same or partner airlines, then your bags will go through to Palermo. If you for some reason booked a flight from the US to FCO, then a flight to Palermo separately, then you will likely need to get you bags at FCO, and re-enter security after checking into your second flight.
Customs will be in Palermo (again assuming the first part of the above statement is true), though if you have nothing to declare (unlikely that you would) then you walk out the green passageway that indicates "nothing to declare", if you did have something, find the Customs area to declare your items.
The easiest way from T3 to T1 is to walk, they are not far, I can recall walking more at OHare MXP or Atlanta
Posted by
OP
Tel Aviv
15798 posts
Thank you all. Yes, I am flying from Israel (non-Schengen) and I am ticketed through to Palermo on Alitalia. I am relieved to hear that my bag should be routed straight to Palermo so I don't have to wait around FCO to collect it and then check it in again. I guess the worst case scenario is that my bag arrives in Palermo on a later flight.
Posted by
Tresana, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
23666 posts
With an hour and half your bags will make the transfer. Immigrations will be the wild card for you.
Posted by
The Hague, NL (AMS)
2207 posts
Chani, when you come into the Immigration hallway, look for the signage for "connecting" flights. Get in this line and then you will exit the Passport Control Area still INSIDE the AIRSIDE secured area. From there, you simply walk to your next gate. You'll land from Israel probably in the G or H gates, go through Passport control, and then probably have to walk to the B gates (Alitalia to Palermo usually leaves from here)... It is perhaps 15 minutes walking time once you exit passport control.
If you're traveling with another person and you don't see the connecting signage, have them jump in line for you and then go ask someone, telling them you have a tight connection. Good Luck!