10 hour layover in Frankfurt; what can I do?

Question

Greetings,

I'm travelling from my hometown New York to Amman at the end of May and have a long layover in Frankfurt (10 hours and 15 min) from 11 am on a Thursday and then another 11 hour layover in Vienna. What are some things I can do to kill time? Do I need a transit or tourist visa (I am American) to leave the airport? Should I leave the airport or stay put? If I do need a visa, how much will it cost and do I have to get it before I go? Also, do I have to make my own accomodations for a hotel or will the airline provide it?

Thank you in advance!

marcopolko · Accepted Answer

Traveling on an USA passport, you do not need a visa for entering Germany, that is if you have spent less than 90 days in the last 180 days in the Schengen area of Europe of which Germany is a member. If you have, you cannot enter but can only transit, but that probably doesn't apply to you.

As to the airlines giving free hotel rooms, only the airline can tell you. Call them and talk to them. My son used to have a free hotel room when traveling from the Mid-East to the USA with Lufthansa, but that was years ago.

What you can do is visit Frankfurt, Mainz or Wiesbaden as the airport sits between Frankfurt and those other two cities which are across the Rhine River from each other. Or you could catch a train to some other more distant destinations if they would appeal to you more.

detbo · Answer

Frankfurt to Vienna is intra-Schengen, so I guess you have to go through immigration on arrival at Frankfurt and again when you leave the Schengen area at Vienna.

arismastven · Answer

You can go to Hotel Klein in frankfurt.I think, there is sale going on, that helps you entertains for an hours. also, you can prefer go to hotel frankfurt, that is one of best hotel in frankfurt area.

temjin68 · Answer

HI I have 9 hours of layover Is there any Chauffeur services realiable to recommend? There is Mittelalterliche Spectaculum in Oberwesel‏, is it worth going?

Bornheimgirl · Answer

If you only have a 9 hour layover, you do not have really have time to travel to Ober-Wesel. Depending on how long it takes you to get to the train station, after landing, ( estimate would be about an hour, but add in time to store your carry-ons) the train will take either an hour or 1.5 hours to get there, depending on which train you get. There is only a train every 30 min. For your next flight, you will need to be back at the airport about 2 hours before hand, leaving enough time for train delays, and time to retrieve your carryons from the luggage storage.

This is not a trip I would try to make with a layover of this length.

317ilana · Answer

I am going to Vancouver via Frankfurt from South Africa.I would like to see my son in Frankfurt airport for breakfast.Do I need a Transit visa?

the_holger · Answer

Hi,

looks like you need a full visa, I am afraid (transit visa only apply to very few nationalities and is valid for inside the airport only). But the German embassy would be able to tell you more.

Holger

Fearless802748 · Answer

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10 hour layover in Frankfurt; what can I do? - Frankfurt Forum

10 hour layover in Frankfurt; what can I do?

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