Are border controls currently in effect in France?
According to https://ec.europa.eu/home-affairs/what-we-do/policies/borders-and-visas/schengen/reintroduction-border-control_en, France's temporarily reintroduced border controls due to 'Persistent terrorist threat' should have expired on October 31st.
But another article http://en.rfi.fr/france/20171012-france-prolongs-schengen-area-border-controls-anti-terror-fight says the controls are being extended until April, which does not seem to be possible according to the maximum period of 2 years that the Schengen agreement permits. Now am I confused. Are border controls currently in effect or not?
Background: I am planning a train trip and I would prefer avoid border checks/customs so I don't miss my connecting train if I get stopped. What can I expect crossing the french border by train from Luxembourg to Switzerland? Should I go through Germany (slightly longer trip) instead?
Best Answer
The EU commission is often lazy about updating their website, so given that the article was written on 12 October, most likely the border controls are still in effect.
That said, in my experience they have always been the exception in practice (unlike in Switzerland, where border checks are common on entry) - I have been only checked entering France twice by bus.
I now called the border police (PAF) who only said there can be checks at the border or anywhere in the country, and that you should always carry travel documentation on you.
Based on that, the answer is most likely yes, there can be checks, but usually not.
Pictures about "Are border controls currently in effect in France?"
Border Force Try to Stop a Potential Sex Trafficking Situation | Heathrow: Britain's Busiest Airport
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: vectors icon, Pixabay, Vladyslav Dukhin, Emiliano Arano