Tourist trains will run on new routes in the next year and a half
Starting September 16th, Germany will reintroduce passport control at all its land borders. This decision was announced by German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser. The news has sparked fierce criticism from neighboring countries, as they,along with Germany, are members of the Schengen Area. According to the principles of the Schengen Agreement,movement within this zone is supposed to be carried out without document checks. Border controls are only implied at the external borders of the Schengen Area.
Since March 1995, a single Schengen visa has been used to enter all countries of the union. This created favorable conditions for tourism, which began to develop at a rapid pace. However, in recent years, some Schengen Area countries have begun to restore their borders, contrary to previous agreements. It is stated that this is a temporary security measure in the face of growing external threats.
Germany claims that border controls will be introduced for a period of 6 months. However, the history of the issue contradicts these intentions. For example, document checks have been "temporarily" carried out at the German borders with Poland, the Czech Republic, and Switzerland since October 2023. And border control with Austria has been extended since September 2015.
However, the Schengen rules allow for such measures to be taken "in extreme cases" on a temporary basis. Apparently,other countries in the union are also concerned about "extreme cases". These include Austria, which has introduced checks at the borders with Slovakia and the Czech Republic until October 15, 2024, and with Slovenia and Hungary until November 11 of this year.
Denmark is also conducting checks at its land and sea borders on citizens arriving from Germany. This measure will be in effect until November 11, 2024. Italy is "temporarily" conducting border checks, which it intends to extend until December 18 of this year.
France has also introduced checks at its borders with Schengen Area countries until October 31, 2024. Norway will conduct border control at sea for ferries arriving from the Schengen Area until November 11, 2024. Slovenia has resumed control at the border with Croatia and Hungary until December 21 of this year - all of them are members of the Schengen Area. As well as Sweden, which has tightened border control until November 11, 2024.
It remains only to hope that these deadlines will not be extended, and tourists with Schengen visas will be able to freely travel to all countries of this union.
