Charles de Gaulle airport
Oct 19th, 2006, 01:27 PM
#21
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Limey - Italy and France are both in the Schengen common travel area, so there's no passport control between them. And my guess is that your final destination is in it too. So, it'd be like flying from Houston to Boston via Chicago. Different states, but no passport control among them. No security either if both flights in the same "finger" of 2F.
The list of Schengen countries can be found at www.eurovisa.info.
The list of Schengen countries can be found at www.eurovisa.info.
Oct 19th, 2006, 02:03 PM
#23
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Yes, that changes things because Ireland is not Schengen. So you need to go through passport control to get out of Schengen, and most likely security (though I'm not 100% sure about the latter).
You will be going between the two "fingers" (as I like to call them) of 2F.
You will be going between the two "fingers" (as I like to call them) of 2F.
Oct 19th, 2006, 03:18 PM
#24
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To go from the Schengen side of 2F (where you arrive) to the non-Schengen side of 2F (where you depart) requires going through passport control, then security. If you look at a map of CDG, 2F is divided into two separate peninsulas.
Oct 19th, 2006, 09:37 PM
#28
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So, let me get this straight, within the Schengen countries, one can travel to and from without going thru passport control? I just checked the website and most of the EU is part of this.
We are traveling from SFO to Madrid via CDG on AF arriving in 2E and departing from 2F on another AF flight - we have a 1 hour transit and I am getting very nervous.
We are traveling from SFO to Madrid via CDG on AF arriving in 2E and departing from 2F on another AF flight - we have a 1 hour transit and I am getting very nervous.
Oct 19th, 2006, 10:49 PM
#29
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People seem to be getting very confused about the Schengen issue.
If, <b> as applies to Limey </b>, you're arriving at CDG from non-Schengen and continuing to non-Schengen, <b> you don't ordinarily go through passport control </b> "Ordinarily" means you'll have to under slightly odd circumstances - such as if you're connecting to an airline like Ryanair that has check in only outside the secure area. Rkk - for the first time in history - is just wrong, though there is routinely a boarding gate airline passport check on all flights from anywhere to the UK/Ireland.
If, <b> as applies to DMary, </b> you're arriving at CDG (or any other Schengen airport) and you're going on to another Schengen destination, <b> you go through immigration as you arrive. There is then no more immigration as long as you stay within Schengen </b> The CDG-Madrid bit has no immigration control: but you have to go through immigration at CDG to get into Schengen.
If, <b> as applies to Limey </b>, you're arriving at CDG from non-Schengen and continuing to non-Schengen, <b> you don't ordinarily go through passport control </b> "Ordinarily" means you'll have to under slightly odd circumstances - such as if you're connecting to an airline like Ryanair that has check in only outside the secure area. Rkk - for the first time in history - is just wrong, though there is routinely a boarding gate airline passport check on all flights from anywhere to the UK/Ireland.
If, <b> as applies to DMary, </b> you're arriving at CDG (or any other Schengen airport) and you're going on to another Schengen destination, <b> you go through immigration as you arrive. There is then no more immigration as long as you stay within Schengen </b> The CDG-Madrid bit has no immigration control: but you have to go through immigration at CDG to get into Schengen.
Oct 20th, 2006, 12:44 PM
#32
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Patty,
I found a good map of CDG on the internet. It looks like the flights from Rome will arrive at the gates to the left as there appaers to be no control(Schengen), while the gates to the right have security, immigration etc, just before entering the non Schengen area. Any thoughts on that and will we make our connections in an hour?
I found a good map of CDG on the internet. It looks like the flights from Rome will arrive at the gates to the left as there appaers to be no control(Schengen), while the gates to the right have security, immigration etc, just before entering the non Schengen area. Any thoughts on that and will we make our connections in an hour?
Oct 20th, 2006, 01:44 PM
#33
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Limey - You're looking at the right map. Your understanding is correct.
However, what makes CDG so difficult for passengers to use is its unpredictability. I once stood at the passport control going from non-Schengen to Schengen at 2F (right to left) and took me a good 20 minutes in line when 5 lines merged into just 3 officers working.
During that time, I was looking at the people going the other way (i.e. left to right, Schengen to non-Schengen, like what you're be doing). When I first arrived at the queue, nobody was going that direction, so the wait is zero minutes. But by the time I went through, the opposite direction was even worse than my side.
You should understand that you don't have to use those passport control lines. If the line looks ridiculously long, go back out and exit that side of 2F, and then use the passport control from the main hall into the non-Schengen area. <b>Maybe</b> the line will be shorter there, but who knows.
However, what makes CDG so difficult for passengers to use is its unpredictability. I once stood at the passport control going from non-Schengen to Schengen at 2F (right to left) and took me a good 20 minutes in line when 5 lines merged into just 3 officers working.
During that time, I was looking at the people going the other way (i.e. left to right, Schengen to non-Schengen, like what you're be doing). When I first arrived at the queue, nobody was going that direction, so the wait is zero minutes. But by the time I went through, the opposite direction was even worse than my side.
You should understand that you don't have to use those passport control lines. If the line looks ridiculously long, go back out and exit that side of 2F, and then use the passport control from the main hall into the non-Schengen area. <b>Maybe</b> the line will be shorter there, but who knows.
Oct 20th, 2006, 03:09 PM
#34
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This might or might not apply. My trip from JFK to CDG to Barcelona I had to go thru passport control but it was a breeze at about 9:00am. My return from Barcelona to Paris was about Noon. Our line thru passport control took about 45mins with virtually body search for everyone with a minimum of attendants. Our flight was an hour late taking off of which created a dominoe effect. The Air France attendants were profuse with apolgies and contended that this was going on for about 6 weeks (3 weeks ago). Maybe this applies to only US destination flights. My contention is that the AF people that I contacted prior to my flight did not mention any of this or offer any solutions to my concerns. The 5:35pm arrival at my destination ended up being 2:00am the following day. I feel that AF or any other airlines involved with this should "fess up" and let their travelers know what's happening. BS
Oct 20th, 2006, 03:47 PM
#36
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Limey,
Hard to predict but I think you have a good chance of making a 1 hour connection from 2F1 to 2F2 if your inbound flight is on schedule. At the same time, you should prepare yourself for the possibility of taking a later connecting flight. Have you checked what time the next one departs?
Hard to predict but I think you have a good chance of making a 1 hour connection from 2F1 to 2F2 if your inbound flight is on schedule. At the same time, you should prepare yourself for the possibility of taking a later connecting flight. Have you checked what time the next one departs?
Oct 21st, 2006, 04:27 AM
#37
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Good Morning and thanks to all of you for the information. We are prepared(checked next flights etc.) for the worse when transiting CDG, but we leave in 24 hours for Rome for 8 days before going on to Dublin via CDG . Thanks again all and I will say a prayer at St. Peters and drink at least 1 pint of the Black Stuff in Ireland, well maybe more than 1.
Limey
Limey
Oct 24th, 2006, 07:59 AM
#38
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This is just fyi if you've a connection from 2D to 2E. Be prepared to be shuttled if you travel on Air France regardless of whether the flight is intra-Europe or to/from the US.
It is possible to walk from 2D to 2E and we chose to do so rather than wait for the sporadic shuttles. However, it is an extremely long, long walk. 2E is very modern and spacious though. We didn't get to see any shops as we were on a 55 minute connection time. But no worries as to missing our connecting plane to the States as they hold the plane until every passenger is on board.
Immigration was a breeze. There was a line, but it flowed quickly.
What is frustrating is that when you get to your gate you will need to take another shuttle to the tarmac for boarding. You may get pulled aside by security. Unfortunately if you travel with others (e.g. spouse, friends, etc.) you may get pulled aside and they may not. What happened to us and to another couple is that the wife got pulled for checking while the husband went into the shuttle unaware that the wife was pulled aside due to being in a rush to get to the shuttle. Luckily we nor that other couple didn't get separated as the husbands realized quickly what occured.
Expect this secondary security search to include a full hand search of your bags, shoe check, and a wand search.
We now know why the planes are held up for 45 mins. or more. Our seatmate complained that he was sitting there for over 45 minutes and heard that many passengers were late in arriving, but he didn't know the real reason why.
It is possible to walk from 2D to 2E and we chose to do so rather than wait for the sporadic shuttles. However, it is an extremely long, long walk. 2E is very modern and spacious though. We didn't get to see any shops as we were on a 55 minute connection time. But no worries as to missing our connecting plane to the States as they hold the plane until every passenger is on board.
Immigration was a breeze. There was a line, but it flowed quickly.
What is frustrating is that when you get to your gate you will need to take another shuttle to the tarmac for boarding. You may get pulled aside by security. Unfortunately if you travel with others (e.g. spouse, friends, etc.) you may get pulled aside and they may not. What happened to us and to another couple is that the wife got pulled for checking while the husband went into the shuttle unaware that the wife was pulled aside due to being in a rush to get to the shuttle. Luckily we nor that other couple didn't get separated as the husbands realized quickly what occured.
Expect this secondary security search to include a full hand search of your bags, shoe check, and a wand search.
We now know why the planes are held up for 45 mins. or more. Our seatmate complained that he was sitting there for over 45 minutes and heard that many passengers were late in arriving, but he didn't know the real reason why.
Oct 25th, 2006, 04:36 PM
#39
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we're sort of resigned to the fact that we might have to catch a later flight to Madrid. We have a 1hr connection between 2E and 2F. Luckily there is another flight 2 hrs later - with luck we will be in Madrid by 4:30pm.
Oct 25th, 2006, 06:52 PM
#40
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True. You can always catch the next flight to Madrid. Hopefully you will be able to make the original flight though. Unfortunately these days Air France and CDG are a bad combination so I made sure to book a two hour connection for my husband to make his Florence flight.
