Time to transit through EU gateway airport to EU intercity flight

[ShadowzBtlr]

We are flying in November to Venice, Italy to catch a cruise. Usually we can fly direct from the US to an EU destination city to catch a ship. However this time, we must fly into an EU “gateway” city and change planes for Venice. I have 2 questions:

(1) I know that we will need to clear EU passport control in the gateway city, but will we also need to clear EU customs ( i.e., will we need to collect our luggage; go through EU customs; recheck our luggage; and then proceed to the EU intercity terminal/gate to catch the flight to Venice)?

(2) Will 1 hour - 1.5 hours be enough time for the transit at the EU gateway airport?

I know that this will depend on which EU gateway airport we fly through, but we have a number of airline/flight options (e.g. Amsterdam, Paris, Heathrow, Munich) with layover times from as little as 1.5 hours to as much as 3.5+ hours.

Based upon recent experience, any answers would be appreciated.

Vince

[CruiserBruce]

No, you will not clear customs until your final destination. EU customs is very simple. Red door- you have something to declare. Green door- you do not.

 

Whether or not that is enough time varies by airport and time of day. You didn't tell us airport involved, so a final answer is not possible. A little reading on the board here would tell you Paris and Frankfurt will be challenging. London also.

[UKBayern]

Like Cruiser Bruce says, we cannot really give proper advice unless we know what airport we are talking about and what time you have between flights. Also, knowing which carrier can be important, as flights from different carriers can leave from different terminals. For a LH to LH connection in Munich you need way less time than a connection between two carriers who have no affiliation leaving from different terminals at London Heathrow.

[slidergirl]

Flying with a connection in Europe is fairly painless, much like flying with a connection in the US. You do have passport control, but like cruiser Bob said, the customs is at the end and is based on an honor system with the red and green lanes. Depending on which country you connect in, you may have to fill out a form on board, just like you do when you come back to the US (I think I remember Spain having one).

With any of my connections, I like to have no less than 2 hours of layover time. Flights arrive late sometimes and I don't like to be rushed. As others have said, a lot does depend on which airport you are flying into, which airline you fly in with and which airline you are connecting with.

One thing about having extra padding for your layover - You can stand up and walk a bit to get rid of the cramps you've got from sitting in that flying metal tube for 6-11 hours. And, you can always grab a nice beverage, and shop;)

[Globaliser]

(1) I know that we will need to clear EU passport control in the gateway city ...

This, too, depends on which airport you're connecting in. At some gateways yes, at other gateways no.

 

In addition, the hassle at any particular airport depends not only on the airport, but also on the exact combination of airlines and ticketing arrangements. For example, if you were to connect at Heathrow within Terminal 5 from British Airways to British Airways, it's no worse than at most big hubs and rather better than many. However, if you were to connect from at Heathrow from BA to Alitalia on separate tickets, that's a connection that would give me the screaming heebie-jeebies.

 

So if you give us some of the options that you're interested in, we can give some more specific advice about them and their relative merits.

[ShadowzBtlr]

To all, thanks for your replies.

Have not booked a flight yet, but several potential flights only offered a 1 to 1.5 hour transfer time. You confirmed my gut feeling that it was not enough time and not worth the stress and aggravation. Will be flying from IAD, so there are a number of flight options with longer layover/transfer times.

Thanks again

Vince

[Globaliser]

Have not booked a flight yet, but several potential flights only offered a 1 to 1.5 hour transfer time. You confirmed my gut feeling that it was not enough time and not worth the stress and aggravation.

I think we can all understand it if you prefer to have more time.

 

But the point being made was that, for example, if you were being offered 90 minutes for Lufthansa to Lufthansa at Munich, that would be dead easy and a very comfortable connection time.

[UKBayern]

To all, thanks for your replies.

Have not booked a flight yet, but several potential flights only offered a 1 to 1.5 hour transfer time. You confirmed my gut feeling that it was not enough time and not worth the stress and aggravation. Will be flying from IAD, so there are a number of flight options with longer layover/transfer times.

Thanks again

Vince

 

OK, so you chose to read a confirmation of your worries from the few unspecific answers you got.

You STILL don't mention what your options are: what airline(s), what airport(s), what time of day. One hour to 90 minutes is more than ample time in Munich, and I would do 90 minutes in many other airports. I would even do an hour if it was not rush hour or the same airline or airline alliance or same terminal building.

[Gardyloo]

(1) I know that we will need to clear EU passport control in the gateway city, but will we also need to clear EU customs ( i.e., will we need to collect our luggage; go through EU customs; recheck our luggage; and then proceed to the EU intercity terminal/gate to catch the flight to Venice)?

You are obviously confusing EU (European Union) with Schengen countries. If your transit point is in a non-Schengen country (e.g. the UK) then you will not go through passport controls; you'll merely go to the connecting gate (with a security check at some point) and continue to Venice; you'll go through both passport control and customs there. If it's at a Schengen airport (e.g. CDG, AMS, FRA) then you will go through passport control there, but again, customs will be in Venice.

 

I know that this will depend on which EU gateway airport we fly through, but we have a number of airline/flight options (e.g. Amsterdam, Paris, Heathrow, Munich) with layover times from as little as 1.5 hours to as much as 3.5+ hours.

 

If the airline sells you a ticket that contains both flights (i.e. you're not "doing it yourself" with separate tickets) then they will automatically include a "legal" connection time, and you'll be protected to the next flight in the event you're delayed en route. So whether the connection is 60 min. or 90 min. or 3 hours, it will be deemed to be "doable" or else they wouldn't sell you the seats in the first place. Obviously some airports are easier for short connections, and terminal changes play into it, but these people move thousands of passengers through their systems daily and misconnections are still something of a rarity.

[ShadowzBtlr]

For those who asked, here are the flight options that I am looking at. I’ve already eliminated any flights with layovers of less than 2 hours. BTW overnight applies for flights from the US.

(1) British Airways --I AD-LHR-VCE overnight – 2hour 20 min layover at LHR

(2) US Air – IAD-CDG-VCE overnight – 4 hour layover at CDG

(3) US Air – IAD-FRA-VCE overnight – 3 hour 30 min layover at FRA

(4) Luftansa – IAD-MUC-VCE overnight – 3 hour layover at MUC

(5) United -- IAD-BRU-VCE overnight – 3 hour 30 min layover in BRU

(6) Delta – IAD-AMS- VCE overnight – 2 hour 10 min layover in AMS

I appreciate any comments.

BTW I also posted my original question on the Celebrity Cruise forum, but just noticed that the CC host moved that thread to this forum. So, there are now 2 threads on this forum from me with the same question. My apologies.

Vince

[CruiserBruce]

All of those work. I would take the UA or Lufthansa because we are UA frequent flyers.

[cruising cockroach]

I'll be comfortable with flights that connects at AMS with a short connection (~75-90 minutes) and have done it a few times. Time to clear may be longer in the morning but late morning into early afternoon, it is a breeze. I find the airport well laid out unlike other responders.

 

What you may consider for your itineraries are the number of flights there are from the European point of entry to VCE after the one you're scheduled to fly on.

 

BTW, all connections to VCE will be overnight. There are no daytime flights that will connect due to the 5-6 hour time change.

[Globaliser]

For those who asked, here are the flight options that I am looking at.

As you've already eliminated all the connections that might even have the potential to cause a problem, simply pick whichever you like out of these, taking into account departure time, arrival time, price and any other considerations. None of these is an obvious problem and I think all of them are generous or very generous connection times.

[PaulMCO]

Pick the one with most connections to VCE. Just in case you misconnect (flight delays or weather)

That case I would either book through FRA or MUC.

[cruising cockroach]

Pick the one with most connections to VCE. Just in case you misconnect (flight delays or weather)

That case I would either book through FRA or MUC.

 

Munich also has the advantage of a viable (and even direct) train service from the city to Venice.

[Alex71]

Familiarize yourself with the EU passenger rights: http://europa.eu/youreurope/citizens/travel/passenger-rights/air/index_en.htm

 

In case you fly with an EU airline and arrive at your final destination with a delay of more than three hours, you are entitled to receive 600 EUR in compensation. You can almost hope that your first flight is a little bit delayed so that you will miss you connecting flight. All that can happen is that you will be automatically booked on the next available flight and you will receie a generous compensation for this.