Frankfurt Airport

Scores

Getting there

Iranians need a Schengen visa before travel. The regional station under Terminal 1 has S-Bahn S8 and S9 trains to Frankfurt Hauptbahnhof every 15 minutes, about 11 to 15 minutes, around 6.90 EUR (RMV price level 4); the long-distance ICE station is a 5 minute walk from Terminal 1. Terminal 3 is another 10 to 15 minutes away by the free SkyLine train. Iranian bank cards do not work, so carry euros or a foreign card.

Terminal and queues

Terminal 1 serves Lufthansa, Turkish Airlines and the other Star Alliance carriers; the new Terminal 3, opened in April 2026, took over Qatar Airways, Emirates, Air France, KLM and the other airlines that used Terminal 2, which is now closed. Walks are long, a terminal change means a new security check, and non-EU passengers go through the EU Entry/Exit System with fingerprints and a photo at passport control. Ranked 51st in the 2026 Skytrax survey.

Connections and transit

Iranian passport holders need a German airport transit visa (category A) even to stay airside, unless they hold a valid Schengen or EU visa or residence permit, or a valid visa for the USA, Canada or Japan. Iran Air's Frankfurt flights have been halted since the EU and German sanctions of autumn 2024 and Lufthansa does not fly to Tehran, so you reach Frankfurt via Istanbul, Doha or another hub. Allow at least 90 minutes for a non-Schengen connection, more with a terminal change.

Food, rest, SIM, prayer room

Muslim prayer rooms in every terminal, including Friday prayers, plus quiet zones, Napcab sleep pods, walk-in lounges and showers for 15 EUR. Free Wi-Fi around the clock. The airport sells an eSIM rather than physical SIM cards, so buy a SIM in the city or use an eSIM. Food and coffee are expensive.

Delays and cancellations

In SkyRefund's summer 2025 claims ranking Frankfurt was seventh in Europe for disrupted flights, better than Heathrow and Schiphol; Eurocontrol attributes most of its delay to weather. No airport-level on-time percentage for 2025 has been published for it.