Frankfurt Airport Layover Without Leaving FRA
Part of the full Frankfurt Layover From FRA: Skyline, Old Town
Frankfurt Airport’s own Squaire building, 660 metres of shops over the train tracks, and Terminal 1’s free open-air deck past security fill a long connection without a trip into the city or a Sky Line ride to another terminal.
The Squaire, 660 metres over the train tracks
Built between 2007 and 2011 on top of the airport’s long-distance train station, The Squaire is a curved glass building on stilts, 660 metres end to end and one of the largest office buildings in Germany by floor area. It’s on the landside of security, connected to the terminal by a footbridge and moving walkway, so it doesn’t need a boarding pass to get into: about 250 shops and restaurants fill nine floors, from a Bavarian beer hall to an Italian counter to a REWE supermarket for anything you forgot to pack. It’s the better stop if you’re between trains rather than flights, or haven’t checked in yet.
Past security, Concourse B has a rooftop deck and a gate-view exhibit
Once through security in Terminal 1’s non-Schengen concourse, the Open Air Deck is a free, plant-lined rooftop terrace open from 5am to 11pm, with a telescope free to use and a screen showing the apron weather. A few gates along, the Fraport Visitor Center charges around 12 euros for a window over gates B and C with live data on the aircraft below. If neither appeals and the wait is just about getting comfortable, a bookable airside lounge near the gates covers seating, showers and food for a few hours.
Whichever side of security you’re on, the minutes that matter most are the ones spent moving between terminals or re-clearing security, not walking a few extra gates. Time spent hunting for somewhere to leave a bag is time that was never in the window to begin with.
Frankfurt is Germany’s busiest airport, and both the Squaire’s shops and the concourse fill up fast around peak bank of flights; neither is a quiet corner at 6pm on a weekday, so budget a few extra minutes for queues at the busier counters and gates.
Frequently asked questions
What should I do during a layover at Frankfurt Airport (FRA) in Frankfurt?
If you're still landside, The Squaire sits directly above the airport's long-distance train station, with roughly 250 shops and restaurants across nine floors, reachable without a boarding pass. Once through security, Terminal 1's non-Schengen concourse has a free open-air deck and a ticketed exhibition looking out over the gates. Both work for a two-to-five-hour window; there's no need to go into central Frankfurt at all, and doing so eats into the time you'd need to clear security twice.
Do I need a boarding pass to visit The Squaire?
No. The Squaire sits on top of the airport's long-distance train station, on the landside of security, and connects to the terminal by a footbridge and moving walkway. Anyone can walk in, which makes it the better stop if you haven't checked in yet or are between trains rather than flights.
Where can I store luggage at Frankfurt Airport without leaving the terminal?
The airport runs its own left-luggage counters: Terminal 1, Area B, Level 1 (Arrivals) is open 24 hours, while Terminal 3, Area J, Level 2 keeps shorter hours, 6:30am to 9:30pm. Both take cards or cash, and fees are tiered by the size and type of luggage rather than a flat rate, posted at the counter.
Is the Open Air Deck open overnight?
No. It runs from 5am to 11pm daily, so it's not an option for the middle of an overnight connection, though the concourse's shops and lounges around it stay open later.
How do I get between Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 without leaving the airport?
The Sky Line people mover connects the two, a ride of about eight minutes, and it's the same link the main Frankfurt guide covers for travelers heading back from the old town. Terminal 2 has been closed to passengers since June 2026 for a long refurbishment, so Terminal 1 and Terminal 3 are the only two in use.