Frankfurt Airport arrival and time to train

Hille, With only carry-on, it's certainly possible that you could make the connection. A lot will depend on how many flights are arriving at that time, and how quickly you can get through Passport control. There are two stations at Frankfurt airport, and for a trip to Koblenz I believe you'll be using the Regional station. If my memory is correct, it's across the street from the Terminal building and "underground". Regarding the departure time, if you miss that train there's another one at 10:58 (one change in Mainz). The schedules for October aren't posted yet, so these may change slightly. Happy travels!

If your plane is on time, you should be able to make it. Immigration at Frankfurt, in my experience, rarely takes very long (emmigration seems to take much longer, for some weird reason). If not, you probably won't have to wait too long to find another connection.

Thanks for the quick reply, Ken! I guess if time seems to be getting tight, I could always skip the coffee and pastry! :)
I just looked, and it says Fernbahnhof, so that helps a bit, timewise, doesn't it?

Hey, Tom, thanks! Looks like we were typing at almost the same time! I've never flown into Frankfurt, but Amsterdam and Hamburg have always been pretty quick. It's not a big deal if I miss that train either. I'm just trying to get my ducks in a row. :)

Sounds like a connection I have made before. With carryon luggage is takes me less than an hour to get my tickets and leave on the S-Bahn from the Regionalbahnof. Of course, I always come in on Lufthansa, to Terminal 1. On the way in from the concourse, I pass by an ATM for Deutsche Bank. I'm not sure you will need to plan for coffee and a pastry. On Lufthansa you'll get an adequate breakfast just before landing. On USAir, just so-so coffee and a greasy dounut. The 9:58 train appears to be an IC from the Fernbahnhof, which is farther out. However, I don't think it has ever taken me over an hour to get through immigration and to be in the Fernbahnhof ready to leave. The big caveat here is when your plane actually arrives. In maybe four trips, I have been an hour late into Frankfurt at least once. The key is not to have a committed ticket and to know the schedule, not only when you expect to arrive, but later.

I'll be on a Delta flight from Detroit. Do you know which terminal that'll be? And, yes, I think you're right, I may not need coffee/pastry.

11 years ago, I was on a NW flight from Detroit to Frankfurt. It came into Terminal 2. Delta took over NW. Sound like the same flight. According to the Frankfurt Airport arrivals, Delta flt DL 142 arrives from Detroit at 7:50 at Terminal 2D. The two rail stations, the Fernbahnhof, for express trains, and the Regionalbahnhof, for regional trains including the S-Bahn, are attached Terminal 1. Here is my crude drawing of the stations and terminals at the Frankfurt airport. There are two ways to get from Terminal 2 to Terminal 1. You can go out to the sidewalk in front of Terminal 2 and catch the shuttle bus. It takes 14 min to Terminal 1. It comes about every 10 min, but is very irregular (sometimes a min apart, sometime 15 min apart). The shuttle drops you off in front of Terminal 1; you'll have to go inside for access to the stations. The other way is the Skyline, an automated people mover from the top floor of Terminal 2 to the top floor of Terminal 1. You mighty want a luggage cart. You'll find them scattered around Terminal 2. You can take it up the escalators to the Skyline (follow the signs) but you can't take it in the car. You leave it in the station and collect one on the other side left by someone going the other way. Either way, you'll end up in the great hall of Terminal 1. There are stairs going down just inside the outside wall of the terminal, leading to a passage under the street. The Regionalbahnhof is under the building across the street. To get to the Fernbahnhof, go up the escalator to the mezzanine, then across the pedestrian bridge to the second floor of the building and out through the hallway to the Fernbahnhof.

Which station you use probably depends on whether you have a rail pass. Without one you probably want to take regional train from the Regionalbahnhof. Go down the steps (or escalator) to the passage under the street and into the Regionalbf. There should be ticket automat right in front of you and a ticket counter father in. If you feel comfortable with the ticket automats, use them. If not, go to the counter. A one-way ticket to Koblenz is €21,80. If you are going beyond Koblenz you might want to get an S-Bahn ticket (3,70) to Mainz and a Rheinland-Pfalz-Ticket for €21 (from the automat, €2 more from the counter). If you arrive a little early, you might make the 7:58 S-Bahn to Mainz. It arrives in Mainz Hbf on track 1. The MRB (25318) to Koblenz leaves on track 11. They are not 10 tracks apart. Track 11 dead ends against the station building on the left hand side (as you get off the S-Bahn), right across the platform from track 1. It's a five minute, cross platform change, although you might have to walk a little to your left to the end of the station building. If you miss the 7:59, the next train, at 9:24, is a direct (no changes) RE (Regional Express) to Koblenz. If you get a rail pass, you could still use those connections. You can validate the rail pass at the counter in the Regionalbf. Or, for a little faster trip, you can walk 10-15 min over the pedestrian bridge and out to the Fernbahnhof. The ticket counter is on your far left as you enter the atrium of the Fernbhf. There is a1h12m ICE/IC connection at 8:58. That train leaves from the Fernbhf and has a 5 min, cross platform change in Mainz. After the 8:58 is the 9:24 RE from the Regionalbhf. Then there is a 9:58 direct IC from the Fernbhf.

Lee, you are amazing! Thank you so much! I will print this out and study it, and take it along. This is SO helpful!! I haven't decided yet about the railpass. You may recall that I've been undecided for months! :)

Do take the Skyline from terminal 2 to terminal 1. It only takes a minute or so and comes every 2 min. Nobody walks between terminals or takes the shuttle bus that I know of. The whole trip between terminals, including walking to the Regional train station only takes about 6 min. If you need to walk to the Long Distance station, add about 10 min. as it is quite a distance away. If you take the Regional train to Koblenz it will be cheaper, you get a great view riding along the Rhine and you won't need to get your tickets ahead of time.

I only suggested she use the ICE/IC connection if she got a railpass, because it is faster (and 8:58 is the next available connection with a rail pass). The ICE goes to Mainz; according to the Bahn's IC/EC "Streckenkarte", that IC goes down the Rhein to Koblenz.