Frankfurt am Main Airport receives hundreds of flights every day from all over the world. Tens of thousands of tourists, businessmen and guests of the country enter the Federal Republic of Germany through these air gates. But even an experienced traveler can face difficulties when arriving at the airport for the first time.
About the airport
Frankfurt Airport, also known as Rhine-Main Airport, was founded in July 1936. It is the largest hub of the flagship German airline Lufthansa and the largest airport in Germany. It is operated and owned by Fraport AG. IATA code - FRA, ICAO - EDDF.
Frankfurt Airport is a modern air harbor where automatic baggage sorting was used for the first time in the world.
The airport is like a small town, its developed infrastructure offers passengers and visitors many different services and opportunities. Its area is 23 km², and the terminal building is so large that workers move around the terminals on bicycles and electric cars.
Located in the center of Europe, Frankfurt am Main Airport is an important global aviation hub. From here, the world's most famous airlines operate flights to 311 cities in 97 countries.
Four runways provide takeoff and landing of nearly half a million aircraft a year. The airport occupies a leading position in Europe in terms of passenger traffic and the volume of freight traffic. In 2021, 64.5 million passengers were served here, the cargo turnover amounted to 2.29 million tons.
Frankfurt Airport terminals
At the Rhine-Main airport, flights are served by Terminal 1 and Terminal 2. A modern Terminal 3 is also under construction. The connection between them is carried out by shuttle buses and a special SkyLine train.
Opened in 1972, Terminal 1 primarily handles flights for Lufthansa and its Star Alliance partners. Lufthansa passengers arriving from Domodedovo arrive here, in the Russian-language pavilion.
Passenger traffic is divided into four sectors (A, B, C, Z), united into a common space in the departure area. When facing the entrance, A and Z will be on the right and C on the left of the relegation zone. Sector B in the middle.
Terminal 2, which has been operating since 1994, is mainly used by airlines from the OneWorld and SkyTeam alliances. Flights from Aeroflot, a SkyTeam member, are accepted here. The terminal has two sectors (halls, zones) - D, E.
Terminal 3 is under construction in the southern part of the airport in 2021. An ambitious project, estimated at 2.5-3 billion euros, is being implemented by Fraport AG, a subsidiary of Fraport AG, Fraport Ausbau Süd GmbH, specially created for this.
This terminal is expected to be the most modern in Europe. After its commissioning, the annual capacity of Frankfurt Airport will increase by 14 million people.
The Sky Line train, which stops on the 4th floor in the passenger and transit zones, departs every 2-3 minutes. (24 hours a day), driving time is less than two minutes. Outside, in front of the entrances to the terminals, there are bus stops that run between the terminals every ten minutes (5.30 - 23.45).
Travel on the Sky Line and shuttles is free. It is better to find your way in the airport terminal, the airport diagram presented below will help.
Services at the airport
Despite its enormous size, it is difficult to get lost in this mini-town. On the territory there are signs, information kiosks, interactive panels. Frankfurt Airport staff will always provide the assistance you need. Everything here is aimed at creating comfortable conditions for the passenger; travelers are provided with many different services.
- You can exchange money, send mail, visit the dentist.
- It will make it easier to wait for the flight to visit the shower room, bars, shops.
- If necessary, there is a hairdresser, dry cleaning, fax and copier at your service.
- Massage and nail salons, gyms will help relieve stress. You can spend time at the airport and even just relax before the flight.
In order not to interfere with things, clothes, hand them over to one of the three storage rooms. There they can be stored for up to three months: if during this time things are not taken away, they are sold at an auction.
Luggage storage on the first level in sector B of Terminal 1 is open 24 hours a day. On the second level between B and C from 6.00 to 22.00. In Terminal 2 - on the second level in D - from 6.00 to 22.00.
Smoking in unequipped areas on the Rhein-Main-Flughafen is prohibited. They smoke on the street.
In the first terminal near gates A 52, A 11, and A 66, B 23, B 43, Z 52, Z 11 and Z 66 there are smoking rooms.
Smoking pavilions are equipped for those who like to smoke in transit zones and before passport checks after security checks.
For rest and relaxation, there are lounge areas with comfortable armchairs and soft sofas. Here you can watch TV, charge your laptop, smartphone. They are open around the clock. There are several such zones at the airport:
- Terminal 1 - on the second level in sectors A and B and on the third level in Z;
- Terminal 2 - on the third level in D, E.
Also, in all the halls you can relax on Silent Chairs (quiet chairs). These arched chairs reduce ambient noise. The chair is equipped with a power connector, USB port, built-in speakers and a small table.
In Terminal 1, Silent Chairs can be found at Pier A near Gate A58, at B at B23 and at Z at Z58. At Terminal 2, they are available at Pier D at Gate D4 and at E - D5.
There are yoga rooms on the second level 1 (C) and third level of the second (D) terminal. Clients meditate in them, find inner peace before the flight. In the Quiet Room, on the 3rd level of the 1st terminal in zone Z, you can simply enjoy the silence.
The air terminal is equipped with four special rooms for believers of the main confessions - Christians, Muslims, Jews. These rooms are open 24 hours a day.
An international passenger whose itinerary includes at least one non-Schengen flight can have a good rest in the MY CLOUD Transit Hotel located in the first terminal. The traveler settles in it without leaving the transit zone.
Reservations are possible for a period from 3 hours to a day, check-in - 5.00-22.00, cost - from 110 €. Near the first terminal are the luxury hotels Sheraton and Hilton Frankfurt Airport. There is also a hotel for animals at the airport, where four-legged pets are accommodated.
Passengers are provided with round-the-clock access to unlimited Wi-Fi free of charge. To do this, you need to register:
- choose the Telekom network;
- type your email address;
- enter the code you received;
- agree to the terms of use;
- get free access to the World Wide Web.
There are also computer terminals. This is an armchair, a table with a keyboard and a monitor. There are special places for charging phones and tablets in the halls - more than a hundred speakers from Oracle.
In addition, the smartphone can be charged in the electrical outlets located between the seats in departure sectors Z, A, and in the rest areas of gate sectors A, B and D.
At T2, near gate D8, there is a business lounge that can be used by every passenger. It works from 6.45 to 21.00, for a three-hour stay there you have to pay 30 €, for a day - 50 €.
The same hall on the third floor of the first terminal (B-C) is open from 6.00 to 21.30. The price includes food, drinks, use of the shower room. Also, many airlines have their own, with limited access, business halls.
In case there is a short interval between flights when connecting and you are afraid of being late, there is an expedited check-in service (SCSC). If you order the service, you will be met by a representative of the air carrier and will ensure the passage of registration, customs, and border guards. Then he will take you to the flight in a special car. Such assistance must be ordered in advance, the cost is from 99 euros.
The staff of a special escort service will help you to check-in, control customs officers, register your luggage. Its employees meet the client immediately after landing and accompany them all the time. Price for two people - 60 €.
For 119 € you can order a Gate to Gate - a transfer for transit passengers.Gate to Gate staff will wait for your arrival, meet and escort you before boarding your next flight. The service can be booked for 1-5 people (max 3 children of them) on one flight.
If heavy bags are available, Welcome Service is a good option. An airport employee will meet you at the agreed place and help you transfer your luggage (80 × 50 × 30 cm, no more than 4 seats, total weight up to 30 kg) to a suburban railway station. It will cost 30 EUR, for delivery to ICE you will have to pay an additional 20 EUR.
Also, in excess of the established amount, baggage weight exceeding 30 kg is paid. The staff of the service communicates in English and German, for 20 € an employee who speaks any other language is provided.
For the carriage of hand luggage, you can use the special luggage trolleys available in the arrival / departure areas - 1 euro. Payment is made in cash or by card. In transit zones, carts are issued free of charge.
The second terminal has an observation deck. Once on it, you will see the airport from above. You need to go up the escalator to the Food Plaza, then go left. Upon entering the site, the visitor passes through a metal detector, and hand luggage is also checked. Working hours - 10.00-18.00.
In the transit area on the roof of the first terminal (zone B), there is an open terrace from which passengers without a Schengen visa can watch the takeoffs and landings of aircraft. You can smoke here. Access to the terrace is open daily from 5.00 to 23.00.
The Travel Market in Concourse C of Terminal 1 offers group and individual excursions to the airport's attractions. Mini-tour 45 min. costs 8 EUR per person. A one and a half hour maxi-tour, including inspection of the Terminal 3 under construction, will cost 15 euros.
Business meetings are held at the airport. For this, several dozen conference rooms have been equipped here. It also provides for the provision of secretarial and translator services.
Each terminal has an ATM. On the first (B), second (area) and third (B) levels of Terminal 1, several banks offer their services. Here you can find out the exchange rate, exchange money.
Medicines are sold in pharmacies - on the second floor of sector B (Shopping Boulevard) and on the third floor of sector D (Shopping Plaza). Medical assistance is provided in the clinic, which operates around the clock at T1.
Playgrounds and children's rooms are equipped for children. Terminal 1 - one room each on the second level in sectors A, B, C and two on the third level in Z. Terminal 2 - in sector D on the second and third floors and in E on the third and fourth levels.
At the information desks and on the first floor of T1 (B) in the luggage storage room, strollers can be rented free of charge (for a child 6 months and older, up to a maximum body weight of 15 kg). Transit zone - at the information desk (No. 10). You can leave strollers in front of the boarding gate.
The terminals have dedicated facilities for mothers with babies. They can change diapers, breastfeed. The room has a table for changing the baby's clothes and water.
Children and adults alike can enjoy playing computer games. The gaming pavilions are located in the first terminal: on the third floor in zone Z and on the second floor in the transit zone in A. Films in different languages are shown on the second level in halls A and B, on the third in Z.
The operator Fraport AG is responsible for ensuring that people with disabilities get on or off the plane. Help for such people must be ordered 48 hours before departure. It includes: meeting upon arrival, escorting during transit, to public transport, passing through customs and border control.
In the first terminal on the 0, 1, 2, 3 levels, and in the second terminal on the second level, there are stands (with a gray-yellow symbol) with buttons to call for help for such people.
Rhine-Main Airport has 15,000 covered parking spaces. Each terminal has its own car park, providing direct 24-hour access to it:
- The underground parking of Terminal 2 is entered through the entrance P8, or P9.
- Terminal 1 parking is accessed via P2 and P3.
- There are special parking spaces for people with disabilities - entrance P 4 (T 1), parking lot 225; entrance P 8 (T 2), parking bay U417.
There are two filling stations at the airport.
Frankfurt Airport provides services such as organizing a wedding ceremony. By paying 1,500 euros, a couple can get married right at the airport. The price includes: reception for 15 people in one of the hotels, overnight stay for newlyweds, photo session, wedding cake, bouquets.
Shopping and food
There are over three hundred shops, restaurants and bars in Rhein-Main-Flughafen. There are special shopping areas. At T 1 - on the second level of Shopping Avenue and Shopping Boulevard, on the ground level - Airport City Mall. The second terminal is Shopping Plaza.
Specialized stores, boutiques present a wide range of products of famous brands: Porsche Design, Marc O'Polo, Esprit, Tiffany & Co, Bvlgari, Hermès, Montblanc, Swarovski - perfumes, clothing, jewelry, appliances, accessories.
Lufthansa branded products are sold at WorldShop. Most of the shops are open until 22.00.
Attracted by the low cost of quality goods Duty Free & Travel Value, where customers with boarding passes pay the price free of duty. There are about 30 Duty Free departments at the airport after pre-flight control.
A good option is to use the services of the Frankfurt Airport Online online store. Here you can buy both inexpensive souvenirs and luxury products. Choose an item via the Internet, and then pick it up at the airport from the Duty Free Shop.
For passengers who are not citizens of the European Union, the Tax free system is in effect. They are reimbursed for value added tax on purchases made in the EU. At the airport, you can get a VAT refund (19%) from Global Blue, TaxFreeWorldwide or Premier Tax Free.
There are return counters in each terminal, for example, Global Blue branches are located in hall D of the second terminal on the 2nd and 3rd levels. They are open daily: on the second floor from 8.00 to 18.00, on the third floor from 8.00 to 22.00.
For a non-cash VAT refund, you must fill out a special form and drop the documents into a box located next to the refund counter.
In order not to experience any difficulties when visiting stores, use a special free service. Order the help of a consultant who will help you complete a purchase and issue a VAT refund. Purchasing consultants are available to Japanese, Chinese and Russian passengers daily from 10:00 to 19:00.
There are many cafes and bars, pastry shops, fast foods on the territory of Frankfurt Airport. In both terminals, there are establishments on each floor where you can eat. Here is some of them:
- Burger King (T2, Sector D, 3rd Floor), 07.00-22.00;
- Reingold Bar (T1, Z, level 3), 06.00-22.00;
- Food Society (T2, D, Level 3) 06.00-22.00;
- Fried sausages, schnitzel, traditional German cuisine can be enjoyed in the Z sector in Deutsch from 6.00 to 21.30;
- Curry, sushi, rice dishes are served in the Japanese cafe MoschMosch from 7.00 to 22.00.
Gourmet meals are offered in restaurants:
- In Terminal 2, on the third level in sector D, there is an Italian restaurant AMO, opening hours - 06.00-21.00.
- On the second floor in this sector - Asia Snack Box (Indian, Thai, Chinese, Indonesian cuisine) - 10.00-21.00.
- On the first level of sector B, an Asian restaurant is open from 11.00 to 22.00, dishes are prepared here right in front of the client. Restaurants operate in all sectors and in hotels.
Popular questions
Here are the answers to some common questions.
Where is the transit area at the airport
The transit area at each terminal is behind passport control at all levels. The zones are united, you can freely move from one terminal to another.
How much is parking at the airport
A short-term ten-minute parking in front of the terminals costs from 2 euros. Thirty minutes of parking in the parking lot starts from 2 euros. All parking rates are shown below.
How to get from Frankfurt airport to the city
Unlike Frankfurt-Hahn (hhn), from which only buses travel to Frankfurt, you can get to the city from Rhein-Main-Flughafen by rail, bus, taxi. The most convenient way to get to the city center is by train. Suburban trains S8 and S9 S-Bahn leave from platforms 1-3 of the regional railway station located under T 1 around the clock, every fifteen minutes, to the Main Railway Station (Hauptbahnhof).
Train times are subject to change: S9 runs from about 5.00 am to 1 am, S8 runs around the clock. The cost of the trip to Frankfurt is € 4.25. The journey takes 15 minutes.
If you go to the Main Station, you need to get off at the third stop, to the city center - at the fifth stop (Hauptwache). Tickets can be purchased from the ticket office in Hall B or from ticket machines. The schedule is presented on the website of the transport company.
There are bus stops in front of the terminals. From the 1st floor of Terminal 1 and from the 2nd floor of Terminal 2 to the Südbahnhof station (South Station), buses No. 61, 77, 72, 58, 62 (during the day), No. 81 and No. 7 (at night). Travel time is 25-30 minutes. Tickets are sold by the driver.
Taxi ranks are located right in front of the terminals. It takes 20-30 minutes to get to the city center, the cost is 30-40 euros.
You can rent a car. The rental companies are located in Terminal 1 (A and B), and in Terminal 2 (D). It is very convenient to order a transfer (KiwiTaxi, for example) - you will be met upon arrival and taken to the specified place.
Where to see flight schedules online
All the necessary information is provided by the official website of the airport. Also see the flight schedule here. The online scoreboard allows you to monitor the arrival / departure of aircraft.
Conclusion
The largest air hub in Germany - Rhine-Main airport - consists of two terminals. Lufthansa flights from Russia are served by Terminal 1, Aeroflot - Terminal 2.
The airport, covering 23 km², looks like a real city. Its well-developed infrastructure offers visitors and millions of passengers many different services to make travel easier. Here you can comfortably spend time in a hotel or in special recreation areas, use free internet. And also make bargain purchases and just have fun exploring the local sights.
