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Crossing borders in your RV will be tense and contain days of preparation when you collect your passport, insurance coverage, vaccine information for pets, and visas.
We’ve by no means had a easy border crossing in our dwelling on wheels. Throughout our final border crossing in our RV, the customs agent locked himself within the RV and broke two door handles attempting to interrupt out…
😡😒
So after we deliberate to cross from France into Switzerland, we mentally deliberate on needing to get out of the RV, have it searched, present our passports, reply questions—the entire gamut. Switzerland just isn’t a part of the EU, so whereas we deliberate to cross into Spain and Andorra within the RV simply, we assumed this is able to be barely completely different.
We crossed from the small city of Les Rousses, a ski village within the Jura Mountains. Watch our border crossing ⤵️
Schengen versus the EU
Whereas Switzerland isn’t part of the EU, it is part of Schengen. This was one thing that we hadn’t realized in our fast Google search.
“Schengen Space signifies a zone the place 26 European international locations abolished their inside borders for the free and unrestricted motion of individuals” (supply). This meant that we might cross freely regardless that we aren’t European residents. We knew we didn’t want a visa, however we didn’t notice that Schengen additionally meant there wouldn’t be any bother on the border.
Plus we crossed in a really small city, making the crossing even easier!
Swiss Driving Allow (Required!)
You can not drive in Switzerland in case your automobile doesn’t have a vignette. Wherever Campers, the place we rented our RV, contains the Swiss driving allow affixed to the windshield. (Additionally they embrace permits for Czech and Austria the place related permits are required by legislation.)
In case your automobile doesn’t have a driving allow, you’ll must buy one for round $40. They’re out there at fuel stations close to the Swiss border or could also be out there out of your rental firm.
Paperwork
Switzerland requires foreigners to hold identification always, so that you’ll want your passports shut by. We additionally saved our rental settlement helpful in case we had been questioned about our RV. For the reason that border station the place we crossed was deserted, we didn’t find yourself needing both.
Crossing different French Borders
Throughout our month of RVing throughout France, we crossed into Italy, Monaco, and Andorra as nicely. We by no means as soon as wanted to supply our paperwork to French border management.
Nonetheless, whereas taking a cab from Italy into France ( to hop on a practice to Monaco), we went by a border checkpoint. Our Italian driver was requested the place we had been going and we had been waved by with out fuss. We didn’t want to indicate our paperwork or do something as passengers.
Crossing from Andorra into Spain was our solely actual border crossing we’ve skilled in Europe, as you possibly can see on this video:
COVID-19
We toured Europe in September and October 2022. There weren’t any COVID restrictions in place, so no assessments or proof of vaccination had been required.
My Greatest Border Crossing Tip
The simplest solution to cross any border is in small cities. We discovered a waterfall off our Google Maps route that allowed us to get away from the principle street and cross into Switzerland from a tiny border crossing versus the bigger crossings close to Geneva.
For those who’re planning to cross borders in your RV, pull up Google Maps (or an old-school atlas) and take a look at potential border crossings round your vacation spot. The smaller the city, the simpler your crossing will doubtless be.
Associated: What’s It Like RVing in France?