Frankfurt Main Airport

Continent: Europe

Country: Germany

Frankfurt Main Airport
Location	Frankfurt, Germany
IATA code	FRA
ICAO code	EDDF
Airport type	Commercial
Website	http://www.airportcity-frankfurt.com
Overview map	Google Maps
Communications
Tower	119.900, 124.850 Mhz
Ground	121.800 Mhz
Clearance	121.900 Mhz
Approach	118.500, 120.800 Mhz
Departure	120.150, 136.125, 352.400 Mhz
ATIS	118.025

Official Spotting Locations

FRANKFURT has now only got one observation deck, which is on Terminal 2 and is confirmed as fully open.

Terminal 1, Concourse B Observation Deck

THIS OBSERVATION DECK IS NOW CLOSED DUE TO REDEVELOPMENT READY FOR THE A380.

Terminal 2, Concourse E Observation Deck

The observation deck is in Terminal 2, Concourse E right next to McDonald's.

This observation deck is now fully open. It is open between 10:00 and 17:00 daily with an entrance charge of €4.00. Visitors must pass through a security check that carry the same restrictions as if you was going through security to departures.

Viewing Platform next to rwy 18 and approach 07

Right next to rwy 18 (south departure) there is a concrete platform for viewing purposes. However there is a fence between you and the runway, and you will need a small ladder to shoot over it. An A321 will need 100mm right in front of you. From here you can also see the 07L/R approach. For an A321 on 07R you need around 180mm, for an A330 around 110mm. For 07L approach you need around 240mm for a 747...

There is a road right next to the airport called "Airportring". Take that from the Terminal towards the west, which is where rwy 18 is located. The road will make a left turn and shortly after another left turn. Right in the middle of that second left turn there is a parking lot on the right where you can park. From there you can walk to the platform. It is just a 2-3 minute walk from there.

Getting there by bus/train Take bus 5514 from Terminal 1. It runs usually every 30 minutes. Get off the bus at "Tor 31", you have to walk back from this bus stop to runway 18W (point 3) but be prepared for a 20-30-minute walk. Another possibility to get to 18W is to exit bus 5514 at "Tor 26" and passing the threshold of 07L and 07R. This takes also about 20-30 Minutes. Try www.rmv.de for timetables.

Other Spotting Locations

25L/R approach

If the winds are in favor of the 25L/R being used, which is the case most of the times, there is one spot in particular where you can take really good photos of the approaching aircraft. Especially on the weekends you will run into quite a few fellow spotters there. Since this spot brings you pretty close to the action you won't be needing a lot of focal length to get good results. 200mm will be enough to cover the aircraft coming in on 25L. However, since you will be standing closer to 25L the right approach will still be kind of far, so to ensure that you can get all the pictures you want you might actually need a 400mm lens. Just a few examples to show the different motives at this spot.

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  Saudi Arabian B777-200 taxiing in between 25L/R.

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  Yemenia A330-200 right over my head.

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  Aero Flight A320 taxiing to rwy 18 using the backway.

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  Lufthansa A340-600 approaching 25L.

To get to this location from the airport you will have to get on the Autobahn A5 towards Basel. Get off at the first exit called "Zeppelinheim". After getting off the Autobahn you just drive straight for about 400m and then take a left. There will be a sign for a Recreational Area. Just follow that. That will lead you into a forest and there will be a small parking lot. Park there, since that will be as close as you can get with your car. From there it is a 5 minute walk towards the airport. You will cross the A5 on a bridge and then you're there. Just pick a spot and have fun!

Getting there by bus/train From the airport you have to go to Sportfeld with S8 or S9 first and change there for Zeppelinheim on line S7. From Zeppelinheim Station take the exit to the west. The road through the forest will lead directly to the spot. An easy alternative is to take bus OF-64 which runs usually every 30 minutes from Terminal 1 (when in you are in Terminal 2 get on the bus at "Hugo-Eckener-Ring" - a bus station at the big road in front of T2). Bus no. OF-51 runs every 60 minutes from Terminal 2. In both cases you have to exit at the stop Luftbrückendenkmal (US-Air-Base) and walk back a few meters along the airport fence. From the Main Station just take S7 to Zeppelinheim. Try www.rmv.de for timetables.

07L/R Approach

Should the situation of a 07L/R approach occur, you have two choices. You can either go to the platform next to rwy 18 as I described already, or there is a small parking lot on either side of the road on the way to the platform, where you can park and then spot. You will be right in between of the left and the right approach. No matter which choice you like better, the approaching planes can't be seen until they're almost right in front of you, so you won't know long in advance what's coming in.

Just take the "Airportring" as described in how to get to the viewing platform next to rwy 18, but park in the lots shortly after the first left turn.

Getting there by bus/train Take bus 5514 from Terminal 1. It runs usually every 30 minutes. Get off the bus at "Tor 31", you have to walk back from this bus stop to runway 18W (point 3) but be prepared for a 20-30-minute walk. Another possibility to get to 18W is to exit bus 5514 at "Tor 26" and passing the threshold of 07L and 07R. This takes also about 20-30 Minutes. Try www.rmv.de for timetables.