Intra-Schengen border checks in Germany?
Apr 21, 2025 | 8:25 pm
#1
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Intra-Schengen border checks in Germany?
Hi everyone,
Do you know if Germany still performs border checks at their internal Schengen borders? If so, is this limited to land borders?
Thank you!
Do you know if Germany still performs border checks at their internal Schengen borders? If so, is this limited to land borders?
Thank you!
Apr 21, 2025 | 9:25 pm
#2
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I have seen it at FRA airport, but not in a way where everyone from an intra-Schengen flight is sent through immigration. Instead, border control people were hanging out in the Schengen bus gate arrival area and spot checking some passengers .
Apr 21, 2025 | 9:41 pm
#3
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Thank you for letting me know. It seems that the checks are random, not systematic.
Apr 22, 2025 | 2:59 am
#4
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Arrivals from countries known to be on the outer perimeter of the EU (eg Greece) are met by Bundespolizei Officers who conduct random checks.
Apr 22, 2025 | 9:35 pm
#7
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I flew back from Poland end of last year and there was no check. My observations are that they were very diligent following the announcement of establishing those checks and it went to very random very fast. Only Greek flights are kind of a certainty of a check but this was true before already.
Apr 23, 2025 | 2:30 am
#8
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I have had documents checked flying back from Italy, Greece, Bulgaria, Spain and Romania. Each time they were checking everybody, not random people.
Our family has also gone through a border control checkpoint driving across the Czech / German border on the E50 / A6 but they didn't stop us.
My two older boys were recently on a Flixbus that crossed the Austrian / German border on the A8 / A3 and they were stopped and the whole bus checked. A middle-aged man who apparently had unclear visa status was held by the Bundespolizei, did not re-board the bus.
Our family has also gone through a border control checkpoint driving across the Czech / German border on the E50 / A6 but they didn't stop us.
My two older boys were recently on a Flixbus that crossed the Austrian / German border on the A8 / A3 and they were stopped and the whole bus checked. A middle-aged man who apparently had unclear visa status was held by the Bundespolizei, did not re-board the bus.
Apr 28, 2025 | 3:41 am
#9
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The answer is yes.
For flights, they are random. Last year, there was a contrle from CDG but it was as mentioned above, where the police were hanging out in the arrivals bus hall and verifying documents.
For land routes, they are there but not every vhicule is stopped/controlled. Usually the busses will always be controlled, and certain passenger vhicules. The NL/Germany border is far less likely to have these stops, but they exist for pretty much all the other frontires.
For flights, they are random. Last year, there was a contrle from CDG but it was as mentioned above, where the police were hanging out in the arrivals bus hall and verifying documents.
For land routes, they are there but not every vhicule is stopped/controlled. Usually the busses will always be controlled, and certain passenger vhicules. The NL/Germany border is far less likely to have these stops, but they exist for pretty much all the other frontires.
May 13, 2025 | 2:46 am
#10
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Note that as of last week; the internal contrles at the frontier have been reinforced. There is increased scrutiny including trains, transports publics (tram), and by road. People without ID will be refused entry on the spot.
So plan for queues and/or delays if entering from another neighbouring country.
So plan for queues and/or delays if entering from another neighbouring country.
May 17, 2025 | 9:12 am
#11
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That is not universal and I dont think this applies to FRA or other airport arrivals. Recently entered Germany from France and Switzerland and there was nothing.
May 17, 2025 | 10:11 am
#12
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At the aeroports they are random.
At land borders, there are contrles but not every vhicule is directed to the side for additional vrification. For trains and transits, everyone is controlled.
At land borders, there are contrles but not every vhicule is directed to the side for additional vrification. For trains and transits, everyone is controlled.
May 25, 2025 | 3:14 am
#13
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The checks at the airport are relatively quick. The federal police stands right outside the plan and does a quick visual check of your passport/ID. In case they need additional checks they will put the people aside in order not to block the debarkation.
On land borders it is a bit different. There are some delays because the traffic has to slow down which depending on the density of the traffic can cause a traffic jam. You might loose 30 to 45 minutes in a worst case (sunday afternoon during vacation season for example). Typical hot spots in Bavaria are the border on the A8 (Salzbug-Munich) , A93 (Kufstein-Rosenheim) and some larger Bundesstraen.
On land borders it is a bit different. There are some delays because the traffic has to slow down which depending on the density of the traffic can cause a traffic jam. You might loose 30 to 45 minutes in a worst case (sunday afternoon during vacation season for example). Typical hot spots in Bavaria are the border on the A8 (Salzbug-Munich) , A93 (Kufstein-Rosenheim) and some larger Bundesstraen.
May 25, 2025 | 7:31 am
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