eosphoros

I am flying FRA-MAD-JFK return booked on the following connections:

Day 1 IB8045 FRA 1215 - MAD 1450 (Air Nostrum)
Day 1 IB6253 MAD 1655 - JFK 1925
Day 5 IB6250 JFK 1800 - MAD 0710+1
Day 6 IB8044 MAD 855 - FRA 1135 (Air Nostrum)

For some reason, the IB website showed a higher price for searching a simple return FRA-JFK so I booked this through the multi-city booking tool, searching FRA-MAD-JFK-FRA. So as far as IB knows, I am stopping at MAD until I check in for my MAD-JFK sector. I have a few questions to the knowledgable FT folk:

1. Can I have my bags and myself through-checked from FRA to JFK? (Asking due to multi-city ticket and also Air Nostrum -> Iberia)
2. What are the transfer formalities at MAD? How easy is it to transfer from Terminal 4 to 4S and vice versa?
3. Where will I go through Schengen entry/exit formalities? I assume MAD on both counts?
4. How long will it take to clear FRA? I am looking to book a train connection that departs from Frankfurt Airport Regional Station at 1244. Should I give myself more time?

Thanks for your help.

totti

Even if you booked via multi-city it will be all under one PNR as long as you did not book two separate flights FRA-MAD-FRA and MAD-JFK-MAD which you obviously did not. So IB will realise that you will fly on to JFK anyway.

1. Yes
2. Don't now as I have only had T4-T4 connections so far. But apart from the long distances at T4 things should be fairly straight forward.
3. FRA-MAD-FRA is a Schengen flight. You will clear immigration in MAD both times but customs in FRA.
4. 1 hours is tight but doable. With hand-luggage only it will be no issue but with checked bags it can take some time. You need ~10-20 min depending on your walking speed to get from FRA T2 to the train station. Where are you going? If you just want to get to downtown FRA trains will run every 15 minutes and you can take which ever train you want. Hanau, Mainz, Wiesbaden will be served every 30 minutes IIRC.

Enjoy your trip!

eosphoros

Okay awesome thanks for the reply. Sounds like it'll all go smoothly. Wasn't certain that it would.

I will have checked luggage unfortunately. I do have a new tumi rolling duffle that I haven't exactly measured yet so that might work. If not that I will have to go checked which may be a pain at FRA.

I am actually going home south to Konstanz. The train that runs an hour later gets back home two hours later and requires many changes. The one at 1244 is a single no change IC service from Frankfurt Hbf allowing me to sleep the whole way (or enjoy the wonderful view through the black forest) which is a preferred connection. Would I be wasting money in booking that connection?

totti

Are you talkiing about Frankfurt HBF or the airport station. I am asking because you will most definitely not make it from FRA T2 to Frankfurt HBF in 1 hour with checked luggage. The prices for a regular ticket do not differ so you could simply buy a flexible ticket and try to catch which ever train you make. There are mich cheaper tickets though that force you to take a certain train and that are not refundable on the day of departure. A flex ticket costs ~75 EUR and discounted ones can be have for ~40 EUR. So in the end it is up to you to either take the risk and safe some money or have the flexibility.

HTH.

Cheers,
totti

eosphoros

The 1244 train is the one from Frankfurt Flughafen that goes to Frankfurt Hbf for a connection to the IC service. It's one of the connections off bahn.de

totti

Just to add: I think you should be able to make your connection. I was on IB8044 the other day. The flight was ~30 minutes delayed and I was still able catch the S-Bahn at 12:17 (I just had hand luggage though). Even with checked bags you should be able to make it.

I would much more worry about the connections in MAD. On my recent FRA-MAD-AGP trip all four flights were delayed even though the weather was perfect and the traffic was light. By delayed I am mean at least 30 minutes. IB must do something seriously wrong.