Long Wait Frankfurt Airport

twignme

I have a 7 hour wait at Frankfurt airport for my onward connection and wondered if anyone had any experience of the lounges there as I hear the general areas are not that comfortable. I will be in Terminal 1 and happy to hear of anything I could do to while away the time

Gileadi

I've had a similar stopover there and just taken the train into the city for a few hours, IIRC the train is about 30 mins and quite cheap.

Would be a better way to waste a few hours I'd have thought.

rossie1977

Train takes about 10 minutes to main station. I would recommend just a wander around city or there are plenty of hotels around €40-50 euro in close proximity of main train station.

Airport sleeping guide
https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/frankfurt-airport-guide.htm#more in terminal one the restaurants, fast food outlets and a supermarket are all in the lower level.

twignme

Gileadi wrote: »

I've had a similar stopover there and just taken the train into the city for a few hours, IIRC the train is about 30 mins and quite cheap.

Would be a better way to waste a few hours I'd have thought.

Thanks Gileadi, it's certainly an option.

twignme

rossie1977 wrote: »

Train takes about 10 minutes to main station. I would recommend just a wander around city or there are plenty of hotels around €40-50 euro in close proximity of main train station.

Airport sleeping guide
https://www.sleepinginairports.net/guides/frankfurt-airport-guide.htm#more in terminal one the restaurants, fast food outlets and a supermarket are all in the lower level.

Thanks Rossie, that's not too far into town. Any experience of any of the lounges in the airport just in case? I have heard reports of dreadful queues at all the various security checkpoints around the airport and if I can avoid having to go through any of them unnecessarily such as leaving and coming back in, that would be preferable.

robyntmorton

I did 7 hours in FRA in May en route to Thailand. My advice is simple - don't do it!

Frankfurt is a boring city.
A few hours in a good lounge would be better

Yamanoto

I used regularly have to go to Frankfurt for work. One of the few places I actually dreaded spending a couple of nights in.

LH's Senator lounges were great, though I'd imagine you can't just pony up to get in.

VG31

You could visit Mainz or Wiesbaden in that time. They're only about 30 minutes away by train.

twignme

bubblypop wrote: »

Frankfurt is a boring city.
A few hours in a good lounge would be better

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated. I'm generally of the same opinion as bubblypop tbh And also robyntmorton you won't believe how hard I looked to avoid doing this but it was either one hour or seven! The Senator Lounges are out unfortunately, thanks yamanoto for showing me what I will be missing

It's a pity they don't have the sleep cubes like at Hanoi - seven hours kip would suit me down to the ground!

Absolute kip of an airport. Give yourself plenty of time going through security as they have the worst staff I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Even worse than TSA.

jester77

Pop into the city, plenty of shopping possibilities around Hauptwache and Römer is also worth checking out.

rossie1977

twignme wrote: »

Thanks for all the replies, much appreciated. I'm generally of the same opinion as bubblypop tbh And also robyntmorton you won't believe how hard I looked to avoid doing this but it was either one hour or seven! The Senator Lounges are out unfortunately, thanks yamanoto for showing me what I will be missing

It's a pity they don't have the sleep cubes like at Hanoi - seven hours kip would suit me down to the ground!

What time are you arriving at Frankfurt. As stated there are loads of decent enough hotels a few steps from main train station that would be cheaper for a few hours than the lounges and probably better quality too, some allow check in around 9am if you enquire https://www.booking.com/searchresults.en-gb.html?aid=304142;label=gen173nr-1FCAEoggI46AdIM1gEaGmIAQKYAQm4AQnIARHYAQHoAQH4AQuIAgGoAgO4ApPPlOsFwAIB;sid=d721b33f5935b44d0ee7d639a38f6fbc;tmpl=searchresults;checkin=2019-10-01;checkin_monthday=1;checkin_year_month=2019-10;checkout=2019-10-02;checkout_monthday=2;checkout_year_month=2019-10;class_interval=1;dest_id=716;dest_type=landmark;dtdisc=0;group_adults=1;group_children=0;highlighted_hotels=44414;inac=0;index_postcard=0;label_click=undef;landmark=716;no_rooms=1;postcard=0;room1=A;sb_price_type=total;search_form_id=a1165a8a67570019;search_pageview_id=d5b25aa2dea3009c;shw_aparth=1;slp_r_match=0;srpvid=7d205aaa9c3f001d;ss=Frankfurt%20Central%20Station;ss_all=0;ssb=empty;sshis=0;ssne=Frankfurt%20Central%20Station;ssne_untouched=Frankfurt%20Central%20Station&;order=distance_from_search

I have checked into and out of hotels same day after long flights

As for trains they leave every few minutes from airport to main station, SBahn costs about €4.50 one way https://reiseauskunft.bahn.de/bin/query.exe/en?ld=42181&protocol=https:&seqnr=4&ident=nt.017817181.1566910630&rt=1&rememberSortType=minDeparture&REQ0HafasScrollDir=1

jhegarty

Another vote for train to the city center.

veetwin

Deleted User wrote: »

Absolute kip of an airport. Give yourself plenty of time going through security as they have the worst staff I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with. Even worse than TSA.

Just wondering if you think FRA is a kip of an airport what do you consider as non kippy airports? I'm in FRA at least 4 times a month and never had a problem there. I prefer MUC but all things considered given the size and amount of traffic I think it's far from a kip

VG31

veetwin wrote: »

Just wondering if you think FRA is a kip of an airport what do you consider as non kippy airports? I'm in FRA at least 4 times a month and never had a problem there. I prefer MUC but all things considered given the size and amount of traffic I think it's far from a kip

Agreed. It's not a bad airport by any means. The main issue I have with it are the very long bus journeys from the remote stands and the long walking distances. I can only speak for Terminal 1, I've never been to Terminal 2.

I flew to Moscow recently from Dublin and it was one of the easiest connections I've ever made. We went straight from the airbridge into the B gates and it was only a 5 minute walk to the gate, no security or passport control.

paw patrol

I've been to Frankfurt many times. It's not the best city but it's grand.

the airport is a kip one of the worst in germany for pretty much anything

endofrainbow

There's a selection of eateries in the Bahnhof which is connected to the Airport. Had an outstanding meal in an Italian restaurant called Little Italy in The Squaire. another notable restaurant is Alex.

there are a couple of supermarkets located there also.

whippet

My issue with Frankfurt airport has only been the delays at security .. it’s painful ... last time I think we queued for about 80 minutes to get through

spurious

The Staedel Museum is worth a visit and has a nice coffee shop. Short enough walk from the main train station.

twignme

spurious wrote: »

The Staedel Museum is worth a visit and has a nice coffee shop. Short enough walk from the main train station.

I'm getting a great list together from all your ideas, thanks everyone. I did see there is a My Cloud transit hotel in Terminal 1 if you have one non-Schengen leg, but it's €80 for three hours :eek: The one in Hanoi is $30 for 5 hours and whilst it may be a little more 'bijou' than the Frankfurt one, it was perfectly fit for purpose. I have yet to look at the cost of day use rooms at the adjoining hotels to compare, but there are so many good ideas from you all I may just head out and explore some of the places you are suggesting anyway.

rock22

bubblypop wrote: »

Frankfurt is a boring city.
A few hours in a good lounge would be better

I couldn't agree with that.

head to city and look for the Romer area

munchkin_utd

rock22 wrote: »

I couldn't agree with that.

head to city and look for the Romer area

+1

Frankfurt is a grand city to spend days in, just the problem is that come evening (when all these people on business who claim Frankfurt is an outrageous boring kip have their free time) the interesting museums and whatnot are then closed and probably a lot of cafes downtown not to mention shops.

It reminds me of my only visit to Madrid. I arrived late in the evening and couldnt believe all the boarded up buildings around my hotel. Pure kip.
The next morning it was like a different area, all the shops were open with people everywhere, and turns out I was right in the centre of the city on one of the main pedestrian areas !

bullpost

Been a while since I was there but had some good times in this area https://www.frankfurt-tourismus.de/en/Media/Attractions/Buildings/Old-Sachsenhausen

rock22

rock22 wrote: »

I couldn't agree with that.

head to city and look for the Romer area

One OK looking square, grand for lunch. Most if not all the buildings are newly built copies of buildings destroyed in the war.
I normally find something I like anywhere I go, Frankfurt is boring!