We have an eight-day tour of Switzerland planned with the final two days/nights in Geneva (coming in via Montreux). Since neither of us has been to France, we'd like to hop over the border for the afternoon and/or dinner on our last full day -- is this feasible? Suggestions/recommendations for where to do it and what to see? Also, what are the local border crossings like? I know Switzerland isn't in the EU but I have the impression that the borders are still pretty easy. Thoughts?
Also, on our flight out, we inadvertently were booked for a flight from Geneva back to the U.S. via a 1 hr 10 min layover in Amsterdam -- tight connection, yikes. Since Switzerland isn't in the EU and AMS is, will we have security issues that will cause us to miss our flight?
Thanks for any advice on this.
Switzerland/France border, plus flight (AMS) question
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Hi C,
>I know Switzerland isn't in the EU but I have the impression that the borders are still pretty easy.<
When we were there in 2009 we were just waived through at the border.
Switzerland is now also in the Schengen zone. Meaning that there will be no more obligatory checks of passports or ID cards. Not being in the EU is not relevant.
But CH is not in the EU's customs union, so technically you can still smuggle stuff across the border.
But that will probably be a non-issue for you as you probably don't plan to drive around with bottles of booze or have bought expensive Swiss watches.
Going back via AMS, the procedure is the same as for any connection within the Schengen zone.
Security and no passport control in Geneva for your flight to AMS.
Passport control and security check in Amsterdam for your flight to the US.
Crossing the border from Swtiz to France will be essentially invisible.
However, I'm not so sure about your flight from AMS. Is this a single ticket - or separate ones? When you check in for the first flight will you also be checked in for the second? If not you are arriving after you should have checked in for the second flight.
If it is one ticket then you are protected if you miss the flight - which is possible - since you will have to deplane, make your way through security and then get to the gate for the ongoing flight. I wold check on what other flights are available that day - so you are prepared ato advocate for yourself if you miss the scheduled flight.
If this is two separate tickets, I feared you may be up a creek.
Thank you for your responses -- this is helpful. We will try to keep our cross-border smuggling to a minimum.
Our return flight is a single ticket so we shouldn't be up a creek, so to speak; we just may end up delayed in AMS. Looks like next direct flight is the next day, so I'm not sure how that will work out.