UVAhoo06

Like you, I'm definitely overly cautious, especially when I'm connecting on a separate international ticket. I'm thinking that I'll just suck it up and take the first flight out of MAD (at 6:15 AM ) and get into MXP around noon. If I miss my connection in FCO (which is currently 70 minutes), there are at least two more flights that day to MXP. Even in an IRROP situation, I imagine that AZ will somehow get me on one of those two flights. I think this sounds like a more prudent plan. Thoughts?

KLouis

That's much more safe. As you say, even if late (hardly probable, you're taking the first AZ flight of the day from MAD), they'll definitely put you on a later flight out of FCO: It's the same ticket! And should something happen like ...... (fill-in here the most unlikely possibility that comes to human mind), you can always take a train from FCO to MXP and arrive there hours before your connecting flight.

San Gottardo

I haven't transited in Rome for what must be 10 years or more, so here's a question: arriving from Brazil at 7am on a Saturday morning, connecting to a European (Schengen) flight at 7.55am. It is sold as a legal connection by Alitalia.

When following the "normal" transfer route, are there bottlenecks at security and/or passport control? Are there fast lanes?

Alternatively, is going landside at Terminal 3 through arrivals and re-entering Terminal 1 from landside an option that will accelerate things? Are there fast lanes at security when going from landside to airside at Terminal 1, i.e. not through the transit route?

For what it's worth, I have a EU passport and no checked luggage, I fly in Business and have a Skyteam Elite+ card.

Thanks!

KLouis

No security airside from T3 to T1 and no fast-track for immigration. But the lines at the EU passport control are usually very short. If you dock at the satellite (which is what I presume), you'll need about 20 minutes from deplaning to the gate at T1 (walking fast, mind you). Bussing will cost you an extra 10 minutes.

Landside, the distance may be a little shorter and yes, there is fast-track for security. The same as above is valid for immigration and I doubt that you'll be significantly faster, although the walking distance should be marginally smaller (smaller radius of an inner semi-circle).

I think that the only difference between landside and airside would be to possibility to breath some "fresh" air when you choose the former.

San Gottardo

Thank you KLouis ^

Just a quick question: are you saying that there is no security when transfering airside between T3 and T1 - which would mean that one needs to go through security landside anyway? Or simply that there is no fast track when going through airside security?

Thanks.

KLouis

There is no security check at all when transferring from T3 non-Schengen to T3 Schengen and T1. At least that's what I remember (did this, last time, a couple of years ago). If I remember wrongly, it would be because I did not have to wait at all. Certainly there is none in the opposite direction, from T1 and T3 Schengen to T3 non-Schengen (did this recently again).

There is fast-track wherever you have security (both T1 and T3), but none at immigration (T3).

San Gottardo

OK, thanks.

Whilst I actually can't imagine that there is no airside security between T3 to T1 (security-less transfers work between Schengen countries, and when going from Schengen to non-Schengen; but not when going from non-Schengen to Schengen), it is good to know that it sounds painless.

straniero

There is actually a security (passport control) check between T1 and T3; it's in the T1 part of the airport before getting to the train.
I can confirm it's normally painless for EU passport holders.

KLouis

Italians, like Greeks, are often strange, one never knows with them!

Please let us know when you're home.

katzsama

Has anyone done a transfer in FCO from a US-originating flight to a Tel Aviv-bound flight? Is 90 mins enough time? Is there any additional security I'll need to go through in FCO since I'm going to TLV? Thank you!

KLouis

That is more than enough for non-Schengen transfers, with plenty of time left for... shopping. Given your connection is a flight to TLV, though, I can't answer the question on security as flights to Israel from many airports in Europe require extra security checks and I've never flown to TLV from FCO. Sorry!

NickB

The security check on arrival from non-Schengen can be rather chaotic and scrum-like (it certainly was on my IST arrival last week). OTOH, passport control is straighforward and painless, especially if you have a biometric EU passport and use the automated lanes.
You would get fast track security by going landside which you do not get by transferring airside. I do not have enough experience of transit at FCO to determine which would be reliably faster.

ok986

Guys, I've never transfered Schengen -> non-Schengen at FCO, but will be flying FLR-FCO-JFK (all on AZ) next week, with about 80 min to transfer in the morning (8am-ish).

Do I need to clear security again at FCO? Is there a priority lane for passport control?

NickB

No priority lane for passport control and you should not have to clear security again coming from an intra-Schengen flight.

Loran

I flew JFK-FCO on DL then FCO-TLV on AZ a couple of weeks ago, and with on-time flights 90 minutes should be no problem even if you are bussed from your US flight to the terminal. You will go through security check on arrival in Rome but no passport control. There was no additional security check on the TLV flight.