Frankfurt layover

Provided your plane lands on time, that should be enough time for a quick visit down town. The line to enter the country at immigration is usually pretty short. In contrast, make sure you budget enough time for the EU exit process as you come back to the airport for your flight. For some reason, this always takes much longer. Other than the attached Sheraton hotel, Frankfurt airport isn't a particularly good place to sleep.

You'll have plenty of time to go into town. It's a quick train ride from the airport. If you haven't yet, check out sleepinginairports.com. They do list some places to sleep in the Frankfurt Airport, along with other info, like where the luggage lockers are. I've never slept there, it tends to be a busy place, but we did check our luggage in the night before our flight once, around 9:30, and at least the front was dead.

One thing to consider is on what airlines you are flying in and out. If you are coming on a Star Alliance airline, you probably will be using Terminal 1 (Concourses A, B, C). Most other airlines use Terminal 2 (Concourses D & E). The Regionalbahnhof, which is the S-Bahn station, is under the building across the street from Terminal 1 and accessible from it via a passage under the street. From Terminal 2 you will have to get to Terminal 1, either via the Skyline (people mover) or a shuttle bus from the front of the terminals. If you know where you are going, it doesn't take that much extra time (maybe 15 min) but if you are flying out of Terminal 2, make sure you know how to get there before you go into town. Here is a map of the airport.

Kate, On our last couple times through Frankfurt we have gone through the VAT collection process, for which we needed to traipse all over the airport. I mention this because our route both times took us by an area where there were comfortable chaise lounge chairs set up on which people were sleeping. It may have been between terminals? The hall seemed to get little foot traffic. I am sorry this is so vague, and you will need the expertise of those much more familiar with the airport than I, but it always struck me as a great spot to camp out/rest if one had a long connection time in Frankfurt. Hope someone else can fill in the gaps here with more information!

Thanks for the replies!!! I think I will head into Frankfurt for breakfast!

If you arrive at Terminal 2, take the Skyline Monorail to Terminal 1. The whole trip will take all of 5 min. In Terminal 1, you can leave your carryon bag at the Luggage storage facility next to Arrival Gate B-1. Cost is 4 euro per bag. Then turn around and walk about 100 feet to the escalator going down to the Regional Train station. There are signs in English. At the ticket machines, just push the button that says Frankfurt Einzel Fahrt. Your ticket will be 3.80 and is one way. No validation needed. Go down to track 1 and catch any of the trains going past here, usually the S-8, or S-9. You can ride 3 stops and get off at the main train station - Hauptbahnhof, or ride 5 stops and get off at the Hauptwache. The Christmas market sort of starts here in the pedestrian passage going down to the Römer. There are bakeries everywhere, but for a real treat, at the Liebfrauen church, take a left and go through the Klein Markt Halle. It is sort of a yellow, huge, fairly unattractive building on the outside, with a wine bar uptop. This is an indoor produce market, but they have all kinds of yummy things to eat. Sausages, cheeses, pastries, etc. They open at 08:00, so this is a great stop early in the morning. (closed on Sundays and holidays)