Recommended time allowance: FRA airport arrival to IC train departure

[Stealthflyer]

I’m not sure where the best place for this question is, so I thought I’d try open.

I plan to catch a train to Dresden immediately after my arrival in FRA. The cost of the ticket seems to jump quite sharply on the day so I thought I’d pre-book the train. I’ll have check in luggage and while I’ll have a priority tag, that doesn’t necessarily mean my bag will come out first. How long should I allow between my SQ flight arrival in T1 at 6.20am and my train booking? There’s a train at 7.35, and then the next one isn’t until 9.01.

9.01 will mean a lot of waiting around at the airport, particularly as I will have just endured a couple of long haul flights. But if that’s the better choice, is there anywhere nice to sit and chill at the airport? I didn’t pay much attention when I arrived in FRA last year.

 

[I love to travel]

9.01 would be my recommendation. Whilst you are in the terminal for the IC immigration took 50 minutes in August. It is 10 minutes walk from baggage to the IC area if you know what you are doing. Follow signs for Hilton. The area above IC area has Starbucks and a few other places very light airy and modern.

 

[Mattg]

This is Frankfurt Airport, so I'd book 09:01. The earlier train is cutting it too close for my liking, especially if there are long queues at immigration (common at that time of day - I once waited over an hour after a 7am arrival) or the bags take a while to come out.

You may get lucky and be able to make the 07:35 train, but if you miss it, you can always just grab breakfast or something in the plaza above the train station. There are worse places to spend an hour.

Is there any option to book seats on both trains, or a flexible train ticket?

 

[Gremlin]

If you're booking a non-refundable train ticket, that's probably a little tight for my liking. We were there recently and SQ26 was 15 mins late arriving. We were through passport control reasonably quickly, but our priority bags (all the bags really) took a while getting out. We would not have made a train at 07:35am.

I'd probably go for a Super Sparpreis First Class fare on the 9:01 than pay more for a 2nd Class FlexPreis Aktion fare that gives you the choice of either train. Looking at the timetable, it's also worth noting that the 9:01 gets in only an hour after the 7:35am with the extra connection you have to make.

Having opted for a coffee and pastry at Heberer's on the Arrivals level, I can highly recommend looking for alternatives.

As @Mattg suggested, some of the options at the Concourse level of the train station looked okay.

 

[dajop]

Just go the 7:35, with DB current's reliability it probably won't leave until after 8 anyway

Joking. I too would be very hesistant to book the 7:35 unless it came with a high degree of flexibility.

 

[RB]

Another vote for the 9.01. We had a similar dilemma at FRA in Aug 22 off SQ26. We were heading north & that involved a slightly hidden platform that we had to locate down an escalator-glad we gave ourselves the breathing space

 

[Stealthflyer]

Thanks all. I’ll go the 9.01. I’ll probably splurge on a 1st class seat as @Gremlin suggests. €10 extra is worth it. After the three flights from HBA to FRA, I’ll appreciate the extra space.

 

[tdimdad]

While we are at it, how long would it usually take in Munich T1, from a Schengen-area internal flight to the train station?

 

[Gremlin]

Thanks all. I’ll go the 9.01. I’ll probably splurge on a 1st class seat as @Gremlin suggests. €10 extra is worth it. After the three flights from HBA to FRA, I’ll appreciate the extra space.

The space is good. But the big thing is that first class tickets come with allocated seats. Nothing worse than hopping off a long haul flight only to find yourself standing room only on your several hour train leg. It’s a mistake you only make once!!

 

[Stealthflyer]

The space is good. But the big thing is that first class tickets come with allocated seats. Nothing worse than hopping off a long haul flight only to find yourself standing room only on your several hour train leg. It’s a mistake you only make once!!

It’s still prompting me to pay for seat selection, even with a first class ticket.

The main appeal for me is that the first class carriages have a single seat option, so no sitting next to anyone.

I shelled out an extra €20 for a first class ticket last year for a 10 hour train journey from Kassel to Trento and concluded that it was definitely worth the money.

 

[Kazb61]

I’m pretty sure DB has changed from free seat reservation in first to having to pay a fee now. But totally worth it to have an allocated seat. I always try to choose one that is near luggage storage

 

[thrillho]

Have made a 45 minute connection once with no checked baggage. If you're picking up bags, maybe just bite the bullet on 9am.

 

[Stealthflyer]

I’m pretty sure DB has changed from free seat reservation in first to having to pay a fee now. But totally worth it to have an allocated seat. I always try to choose one that is near luggage storage

Yeah I think it’s worth it.

If I’m travelling with a check in size luggage, I usually shove my suitcase in the gap between the back to back seats. It only fits if I don’t expand my case so it’s a good incentive to keep my shopping at a minimum . This trip I’ll only have a carry on size suitcase so I reckon it’ll go above me.

 

[Mattg]

While we are at it, how long would it usually take in Munich T1, from a Schengen-area internal flight to the train station?

If it's just a Schengen area internal flight, 45 minutes should be fine. I find MUC easier to navigate - however at times there can be delays in the checked bags coming out. The longest I've waited was a bit over an hour after arriving on an Air China flight.

Obviously if the flight is delayed though, then you'll have issues with a 45-minute connection.

 

[tdimdad]

If it's just a Schengen area internal flight, 45 minutes should be fine. I find MUC easier to navigate - however at times there can be delays in the checked bags coming out. The longest I've waited was a bit over an hour after arriving on an Air China flight.

Obviously if the flight is delayed though, then you'll have issues with a 45-minute connection.

Me and my backpack only, and no border control (yahoo!). I love the domesticity of intra-Schengen travel.

 

[Gremlin]

Me and my backpack only, and no border control (yahoo!). I love the domesticity of intra-Schengen travel.

I'm not sure when you are travelling, but there's substantial construction work happening right now on the train lines in and out of Munchen Flughafen. Due to be completed in a couple of weeks, but lots of 'rail replacement buses' in the interim.

 

[tdimdad]

I'm not sure when you are travelling, but there's substantial construction work happening right now on the train lines in and out of Munchen Flughafen. Due to be completed in a couple of weeks, but lots of 'rail replacement buses' in the interim.

Sounds like they might have just completed it before my trip. At least both DB and ÖBB show their schedules as train from/to the airport on my travel days.

 

[Mattg]

I’m currently at Frankfurt Airport having just arrived from SIN.

Based on my arrival experience this morning, I would reiterate the advice to book the later train. It took an hour just to clear immigration this morning between 6-7am.

 

[OZDUCK]

We will be arriving there at 06:00 on 23/11 and I hope to beat your time. We have booked a two night stay anyway but I would have allowed about 4 hours.

 

[Stealthflyer]

This is Frankfurt Airport, so I'd book 09:01. The earlier train is cutting it too close for my liking, especially if there are long queues at immigration (common at that time of day - I once waited over an hour after a 7am arrival) or the bags take a while to come out.

You may get lucky and be able to make the 07:35 train, but if you miss it, you can always just grab breakfast or something in the plaza above the train station. There are worse places to spend an hour.

Is there any option to book seats on both trains, or a flexible train ticket?

This morning’s airport flow was ridiculously quick. Disembarking was slow - I only stepped off the plane at 6.45, but then I passed through immigration and had my bag by an impressive 7.03am. The train station coffee joints don’t have much seating and what they had was chockers, so I trotted back to airport departures where there’s a Starbucks with windowside seating. I’m having a macchiato and waiting for my brain to register dawn. If my brain wakes up enough I *may* even try and do a bit of work before my 9.01 train given I was lucky enough to score an economy lie flat row of 3 from SIN-FRA (such a score!)

Meeting connections is so much about luck. No regrets about my decision to book 9.01, even though in this instance I would have made the 7.35. Thanks everyone for your advice!