customs
At the end of our trip we will be flying from Prague to Warsaw to the US via LOT airlines with a 2 hour and 25 minutes
layover.
Do we have to go through customs in Warsaw.
I want to make sure we have enough time to make our connection
layover.
Do we have to go through customs in Warsaw.
I want to make sure we have enough time to make our connection
0
Comments
Czechia (aka the Czech Republic) and Poland are both in the Schengen Zone. That means that travel within the zone is free of customs and immigration (it's like taking a domestic flight). Your bags will be checked to your final destination (the US).
However, when you leave Warsaw it will be on an international flight out of the zone. You will need to go through passport control (so they know you are leaving - they will stamp your passport with an exit stamp) and you will need to go through security again to enter the secure area for international flights. A few airports (like Amsterdam) let you transfer without going through security again (just a passport check), but that's rare.
So to answer your question, allow enough time to go through a passport line and a securtiy line. Two hours and 25 minutes should be plenty of time, especially since it is a short fight from Prague to Warsaw. You will go through customs and immigration at your first destination in the US.
We were through-booked on Delta/KLM and didn't have to go through customs at AMS enroute to Prague nor at AMS on the return flight from Budapest for the Blue Danube this past April. If there was customs in Prague it was minimal- our bags didn't make it until a few hours later however.
On the return we were late departing Budapest so late getting into Amsterdam. We were supposed to stop somewhere for an "interview" (Did you pack your own bags? Did anyone give you anything?, etc. which I think is a US security requirement(?)) and to get our boarding passes "approved" (?), before boarding our flight to the US. But since our connection was departing soon we zoomed, in a flat our sprint, right past the interview area which was off to the side of a main concourse and not blocking our path in any way- (it looked "voluntary" to me. : ) ) The gate personnel and flight crew were looking for us. They knew we were delayed but had recently arrived so were holding the plane thank goodness (Thank you Delta!). We arrived at the gate huffing and puffing, but "the checker" said we couldn't board since our boarding passes weren't annotated that we had "answered the questions." We claimed ignorance and said what questions? After a quick discussion and some harumphing, the gate personnel suggested that the checker ask us the questions right there. He begrudgingly complied and let us board. That was a close one- I think maybe a record- making a connection in Amsterdam in about 20 min.! It was supposed to be a 55 min. layover, too short to begin with- I'll never do that again!
This is the airport where on our tour to Tanzania/Zanzibar our flight arrived very late from the US, we sprinted through the airport to our gate, made it on the plane, but our bags didn't, only one flight a day, so anxious twenty four hours before our bags arrived. That's why, if we have a connecting flight we like plenty of time between flights and often pack two spare changes of clothing in our backpack. We wear shoes we can run in and our carry on is a small backpack in case of delays. We avoid connecting flights as opposed to nonstop direct flights whenever we can however much more that may cost us, it is not worth the anxiety
When we came back from the end of our Rhine/Moselle cruise a few years ago we flew Basel - Ams - Atlanta with a 2 hour layover in Ams. Thought that was plenty with time for some last minute duty free shopping. Wrong. Had to wait in a long line at customs then another security line before you could get down the wing where Delta's flights departed. Got to use a faster Sky Priority line but still had to head right for the gate. No shopping. Then of course after I went thru the gate my husband got flagged for random bomb residue check. He told me to go ahead and get on the plane but I refused and was standing there waiting for him and the bomb check people thought I'd been flagged too and checked my hands. Very nerve racking.
So.... I'm glad to hear this layover might not be so fraught and we can do customs in Budapest.
I wonder what things will be like if the new Administration/TSA proposal goes through- no security or baggage screening at low volume feeder airports- it will all be done at major/connecting airports. I can't see this happening. Despite the hassles we must endure, I feel much safer the way it is now. Even a small CRJ can do a lot of damage, and as many have pointed out, the 9/11 terrorists flew out of smaller airports.
Maybe Alan knows something I don't (or he was flying out of the Schengen Area when he went through AMS), but normally if you fly into the Schengen Area, you clear customs at the first country within the area. So if you're flying to Hungary (a Schengen country) through the Netherlands (also in the Schengen area) you would clear customs in Amsterdam. You would then recheck your luggage after customs (normally they have a desk for this right after the exit from customs).
My son didn't realize this and flew to Italy via Paris. He thought he would clear customs in Italy. When he got there, his bags were still in customs in Paris. It took a couple of days to sort this out.
The Schengen area includes most of Europe with the exception of the British Isles. Basically, it's the continental EU countries plus a few others like Norway and Switzerland. You can find a list here:
https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/schengen-visa-countries-list/
Check with your airline to be sure. That being said, a two hour layover should be plenty of time.
Boston-Amsterdam-Prague- passport control, but absolutely no forms, no customs at AMS. Bags checked through, BOS to PRG
Budapest-Amsterdam-Boston- passport control (and "questions that we skipped), but no form, no customs at AMS.
It is possible they had unmanned "nothing to declare" lanes or large exit doorway- either way that's not customs to worry about.
This matches the research I just did.
Thanx for the info guys.
Fast track is not guaranteed. It isn’t even sometimes available where we live at Philly airport.
I have Global Entry, which includes TSA Precheck, and have never had an issue with it in the US. I recall once, in Vegas, it was closed at the closest security checkpoint, but open at the next one.