Hi everyone,

I'm coming to Scandinavia next month. Will I need to clear customs at each of the following junctions in my trip? Thanks in advance for your replies. Also, if not,how hard is it to receive a stamp in my passport? My itinerary goes as follows:

Hel-Tallin (ferry)
Tallin - Stockholm (ferrry)
Stockholm - Oslo (plane)
Bergen - Copenhagen (plane)

Hard to say. I think Estonia is now EU. When I was in Denmark several years ago, I rode the train from Copenhagen to Sweden, and just strolled right on in, likewise coming back to Denmark further north.

It will likely vary from border to border.

JP

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by j379pa:
Hard to say. I think Estonia is now EU. When I was in Denmark several years ago, I rode the train from Copenhagen to Sweden, and just strolled right on in, likewise coming back to Denmark further north.

It will likely vary from border to border.

JP</font>

Normally there are no checks for passengers from the trains across Oresundsbro from Copenhagen, Denmark to Malmo, Sweden. However, there is an occassional stop for some -- a stop usually based on racist perceptions.

Ferry passengers from non-Nordic countries to Nordic countries do get checked occassionally -- related to smuggling and excise taxes.

[This message has been edited by GUWonder (edited 07-19-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">I think Estonia is now EU </font>

No it's not. It may well be on the list of countries that have been accepted for future membership, but it is definitely not a member now - so full customs and immigration checks apply.

The other countries are all members of Schengen (including Norway which isn't a member of the EU), so you should be able to move between them freely.

Passport control depends on whether the countries you travel between participate in the Schengen agreement. Custom checks depends on whether you cross an EU border. Not all EU countries are in Schengen-land, and not all Schengen countries are in EU.

When you leave/enter Schengen, your passport will be checked. Within Schengen it will not (but the airline will ask to show it as identification). You will have to clear customs on EU borders. In theory you will have to clear customs also between EU countries, but if you if don't have more luggage than you can carry yourself, it is unlikely the custom inspectors will have any interest in you.

Helsinki - Tallinn

Here you will cross both the Schengen and EU border. Estonian authorities will probably stamp your passport on arrival.

Tallinn - Stockholm

Again EU and Schengen border. You probably get an exit stamp from Estonia in your passport.

Stockholm - Oslo

Both in Schengen, but Oslo not in EU.

Bergen - Copenhagen

Again intra-Schengen, but you enter the EU.

Good luck!

Mårten

Anytime there's a flight, you will have to show your passport during the checkin and boarding process. It's hard to remember now, but it seems to me that after our flight from London Stansted to Aarhus, Denmark there was a two-part line in the Aarhus Airport - one for EU passports, and one for non-EU passports. We went through the non-EU one and got stamped there.

Coming back from Torp Airport (near Oslo) to London Stansted, we again went through a non-EU passport line, and I think we got stamped again (but I'd have to pull my passport out to check, which I won't do, as it's in the safe).

No checks at all on trains, ferries, or buses going between Scandinavian countries.