Germany - FRA connecting from International to EU

I will be connecting in FRA on a flight from US on United 747 to a Lufthansa flight to VNO. I have 1 hr and 5 min to make the connection. The flight arrives at 09:45 on Wed. Do I have to retrieve my checked luggage to clear customs?
Help... The booking was made by United.
Thanks Kestas

While I haven't been to VNO, in general, US to FRA to EU means no baggage pickup in FRA - only at last stop. Sometimes, everybody walks through EU customs; at other airports, your luggage comes out at a special carousel where you have to walk through customs.

since FRA-VNO flight is within Schengen Area, you go through passport control at FRA.

you'll pick up your checked bags at VNO and clear customs.

Moving thread to FT Germany Forum.
Obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

As others have already said luggage can be checked through to VNO and you don't need to retrieve it but you will go through passport control in FRA. I hope you are on one ticket since 1 hr 5 min between intercontinental and EU flights in FRA is very tight.

You may want to check the FRA connection guide (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/miles-more-lufthansa-austrian-swiss-other-partners/982019-beginners-guide-connecting-fra-fra-connection-thread.html) in the M&M forum as well.

Thank you all for the very helpful comments. I have a bit more confidence that we can make it even if we have to sprint. It's a lot easier sprinting without the bags. I have never connected in FRA so I was very happy to see the replies with the helpful comments. Thank you all, Kestas

no problem, as long as you can do stairs and maybe walk a great distance. two people is a bonus. one walks and leads the other while the second reads signs. i have had many tight connections at fra, but never missed a plane(luggage has, many times). on a couple 3 occasions, the gate is closed. find the gate attendent. chances are they will have you driven out to the plane in a separate vehicle. i think all small planes are loaded from bus(and i presume the vno express is not a 747)

Thank you all for the very helpful comments. I have a bit more confidence that we can make it even if we have to sprint. It's a lot easier sprinting without the bags. I have never connected in FRA so I was very happy to see the replies with the helpful comments. Thank you all, Kestas

Nothing to add to the correct posts before regarding automatic luggage transfer and immigration at FRA and going through customs at VNO only.

But it might be interesting for you to look at other peoples baggage labels upon arrival at VNO.
You´ll recognize two different types:

1) the common (black letters on white label) type used for your luggage
2) labels with green stripes on either side of the white label

That makes it easy for customs to determine which luggage is to be considered domestic (Schengen) and which is not.

on a couple 3 occasions, the gate is closed. find the gate attendent. chances are they will have you driven out to the plane in a separate vehicle. i think all small planes are loaded from bus(and i presume the vno express is not a 747)
You must have been lucky if they drove you from the gate to your flight because the last bus had left. I've never heard of anyone being driven in a separate vehicle from a gate.

Not all "small" planes use bus gates. Yesterday both VNO flights departed from a gate. This morning's flight seems to be using a bus gate but the evening flight is scheduled to use an A gate.

Nothing to add to the correct posts before regarding automatic luggage transfer and immigration at FRA and going through customs at VNO only.

But it might be interesting for you to look at other peoples baggage labels upon arrival at VNO.
You´ll recognize two different types:

1) the common (black letters on white label) type used for your luggage
2) labels with green stripes on either side of the white label

That makes it easy for customs to determine which luggage is to be considered domestic (Schengen) and which is not.

Green stripe has nothing to do with Schengen but with EU. Luggage from ZRH will not have a green stripe, although it is Schengen. Luggage from LHR will have one, although it is not Schengen. Two different animals.