Cargojon

Right, except when you either have to connect there or fly outbound.

NeedstoFly

I flew in and out of FRA. General impressions include lots of walking, poor signage for transport to the city, bus gates both ways, rude brusque security, huge lines at duty free with inexperienced staff, no water fountains at gates. Dunno about worst but there's a lot of room for improvement.

Flying Lawyer

You US guys should feel very much at home in TXL. No international transfer, very limited transfer between flights without passing security again.

TXL is an airport for point to point connections and was designed as such. I do not know any other place, with the exception of GATs, where I can arrive by taxi 15 minutes before departure and where I am in a taxi 5 minutes after arrival.

WorldLux

LCY if immigration is not too busy and you don't get a parking position near the GA parking area.

I can't think of any other airport being similar quick. That's definitely a perk most airports lost over the years, when terminal were expanded to allow 777s, 747s and A380s to use the fingers: Every parking position adds another 200 ft or so to the length of the terminal (unless you build round, triangular satellites or terminals).

Flying Lawyer

Walking distances at LCY can be by far longer. And transfers in LCY are by far more painful than they are in TXL.

But from last weekend's experience at least one better example in Germany: GWT. From seat 2C on an AB A320 to the taxi in two minutes ;-). Not running, slowly walking, believe me.

The transfer, however, from GWT T1 to T2 in GWT is painful as you need either to take a taxi or walk in the fresh sea breeze for about 800 meters. To my believe, however, notbody wants to transfer at GWT.

bruce80

When speaking of airports that are quick to transition through, don't forget LUG. While there is not really a taxi or any other connection, you literally walk about 100m from the door of your plane to the parking lot in front of the airport.

This is by the way also the only airport where I've actually walked from and to the airport (ok, let's ignore the train ride from Lugano to Agno), which really feels a bit weird, particularly as you're walking on side roads.

To answer the OP's question: While I really dislike FRA, I believe than AMS is even worse. Depending on where you need to check in and where your plane will depart, you'll really have to take a hike that might also bring you to your destination by foot. Security check is usually quite unfriendly and circumstantial, and considering the frequently extremely long taxi (for example from RWY36L/18R to the terminal and vv.) which may easily take 20 minutes, this definitely makes for my least-favourite airport in the world.

lhrsfo

I have only ever connected at FRA and I find the process painful in the extreme. Yesterday it was from a Z gate to a B gate and, with no particular delays, it took 60 minutes from wheels down to reaching the departure gate. Very long taxiing, quite efficient deplaning. A very long walk to a train (including, weirdly, having to walk around the end of the train to reach the opposite platform). Short train ride. Very long walk to security. Short wait for *G security, but inefficiently handled. Long walk to gate, which was at final boarding when I arrived.

LondonElite

Hmmm, I connect through FRA almost every week. For my needs I find it totally painless and efficient. Certainly much better that LHR, my 'home' airport.

offerendum

Connected the first time a few weeks ago. Long way yes but without any problems

Flying Lawyer

Did you ever do a transfer from LHR T5C to T4? Given that i do not see what was painful inthe extreme in your report. Efficient deplaning. Short waits and only an hour from wheels down to the next gate (probably with 25 minutes taxiing).

Sometimes the easiest thing in Frankfurt is simply walking. In particular from A/Z to B.... and this never Takes me more than 15 to 30 minutes depending on security.

McFlying

I found FRA to be a very efficient and functional airport. It might not be the fanciest one when compared to other major airports of the "developed world" but is surely does it's job well. As already pointed out in this thread I think that the airports in Berlin could be categorized the way the thread title implies (especially SXF). But afaik they are building a new airport.

irish_goat

I find signage in FRA could be better but on the plus side you can get lovely pints of apfelwein and decent sausage platters at the bar.

Juju2014

FRA is a zoo in the mornings. And yes, it's huge, so you will walk. Otherwise, I find it's well run.

Antonio8069

FRA Airport is the worst airport in Europe for connections. Here is why:
- FRA makes extensive use of remote gates. This adds 20-30 minutes to your connection.
- FRA is more crowded (IMO) than any of the alternatives (ZRH, BRU, VIE, MXP),
- FRA is also expensive to fly into. Not sure if this is landing fees.
- Ees at FRA exhibit customary German aloofness, arrogance, etc.
For entering the Schengen zone, FRA would be my last choice.
I wrote to the airport authority after my last FRA cnx. and they confirmed this. I suggested they move short haul operations to lesser airports. Their response below says that is not happening:

Scrooge McDuck

Comparing FRA with ZRH, BRU, VIE and MXP is the very same like comparing apples with peaches. FRA has about 64.5 mio passengers/year, ZRH 29.4 mio, BRU 24.7 and VIE 24.4. FRA is more than twice the size in terms of passengers than any of the aiports mentioned. You would need to compare to LHR (75.6 mio), CDG (69.4) or AMS (63.6). Each one of these airports observes its own share of problems, some more, some less. Very much as FRA is doing. Other, i.e. smaller, airports/hubs are indeed better for immigration and/or connection. This is exactly the same for airports in the US or Canada.

FRA uses indeed quite an amount of remote parking positions, and things got worse in the past. Currently, they are building another terminal to solve this problem, However, it will be a few more years until this terminal is used. BTW, this terminal alone shall be able to host another 25 mio passengers (when fully constructed).