International borders you've crossed by land

[61653 HTAFC]

All in vehicles.
By car:
France -> Andorra
Germany -> Austria

By coach:
France -> Belgium
Belgium -> Netherlands
Netherlands -> Germany

By train:
France -> Spain
France -> Belgium
Belgium -> Germany
Germany -> Czechia

Also did each of the above in reverse. Note: whilst I transited through the Netherlands by coach, I did not set foot on Dutch soil.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

UK (England) - France via train under Channel Tunnel, if that counts
UK (NI) - Ireland via train, if that counts

France - Belgium by train AND by road
Belgium - Germany by train AND by road
Germany - Luxembourg by train
Luxembourg - France by train
Luxembourg - Belgium by train
Czech Rep - Germany by train
Austria - Czech Rep by train
Austria - Slovakia by train
Italy - Austria by train
Slovenia - Austria by train
Norway - Sweden by road
Denmark - Sweden by road
Croatia - Slovenia by train
Slovakia - Hungary by train

 

[baz962]

What was that all about?

Mind you, in my experience I found the border guards on the Canada-US border on or near the I-5 (encountered on a Greyhound bus journey in 2004) very suspicious - and that is as a UK citizen, I would imagine they would be even worse with citizens of non-western countries.

They did let me in, but only after asking me exactly what my final destination was two weeks later (the hotel I was staying in that night would not suffice) and were not at all friendly.

I guess it was particularly bad then because it was during the Bush era. By contrast I found the US border guards at Toronto airport in 2011 (the setup was that you went over the 'border' before joining your flight) much more friendly and respectful.

But to answer the original question, I have crossed several continental borders on footpaths over the mountains, including Austria-Germany, Austria-Italy, France-Spain and France-Italy, just. No borders at all, just unspoilt mountain scenery.

Others, not mentioned yet:

UK-France (Eurostar, arguably that counts as 'land' because no marine transport is required)
France-Germany (road, in the 80s so still a hard border though it seemed to be just a case of show your passport, so easier than hard borders 2020s-style)
Germany-Switzerland (road and rail)
France-Belgium (Eurostar)
Belgium-Netherlands (rail)
Netherlands-Germany (rail)
Belgium-Germany (rail)
Germany-Austria (rail, bus)
Austria-Switzerland (rail)

Strange you had that problem. I was visiting my ex partner just outside Seattle and decided to fly to Vancouver and drive down the I5 and crossed at that crossing in 2003. Had no problems crossing to US and back to Canada and they couldn't be more friendly.

 

[nw1]

Strange you had that problem. I was visiting my ex partner just outside Seattle and decided to fly to Vancouver and drive down the I5 and crossed at that crossing in 2003. Had no problems crossing to US and back to Canada and they couldn't be more friendly.

Maybe they have an "attitude" towards people that use Greyhound buses; I have heard of a rather snobbish attitude towards Greyhound users in the past.

 

[Calthrop]

Maybe they have an "attitude" towards people that use Greyhound buses; I have heard of a rather snobbish attitude towards Greyhound users in the past.

One does gather that a large proportion of Greyhound users are poor and disadvantaged folk; who don't have cars, or not ones able to handle long distances. This tends to generate the mentioned "attitude" -- trying to be fair to the "guardians of order", this is probably not solely a matter of unpleasant snobbery and feeling superior: the section of society concerned, does tend unfortunately to have among its members, a bigger-than-average quota of variously "dodgy" characters.

 

[DiscoSteve]

Picking up this oldish thread - my list is short and all in Europe
France-Belgium A16 - coach
Belgium-Holland E19 - coach
Belgium-Holland-Germany various - coach
Germany-Luxembourg-Belgium various - coach
France-Spain A9/AP7 - car
Italy-Switzerland (Simplon Tunnel Train and return through Gotthard Road Tunnel) - car
Portugal-Spain A22/A49 - car
France-Monaco (coast road) - car

 

[A S Leib]

France / Belgium, Belgium / Luxembourg, Luxembourg / France, Germany / Belgium (train)
Luxembourg / France (foot)
France / Belgium (road vehicle)

I can now add Germany / Austria and Austria / Slovenia, and will be able to add Germany / Czechia / Poland / Lithuania and Germany / Switzerland / France (all by train) soon.

As others have mentioned England–Wales / Scotland, I'll mention but won't count the bus via Cottonshopeburnfoot as well.

 

[AM9]

To add one that I'd forgotten in my earlier post: Italy to Switzerland by service bus (Menaggio to Lugano) and return to Italy.

 

[GRALISTAIR]

Ireland -Northern Ireland by train, foot, car and bus
Belgium – Germany by train
France-Spain by car and bus
Morrocco-Ceuta by bus
Inter UK – Wales, Scotland, England – all possible options
Canada – USA by foot and car and bus
Argentina- Brazil by foot and bus
Brazil – Paraguay by bus

St Maarten - Dutch side to French side by foot and by minibus

 

[nw1]

I can now add Germany / Austria and Austria / Slovenia, and will be able to add Germany / Czechia / Poland / Lithuania and Germany / Switzerland / France (all by train) soon.

As others have mentioned England–Wales / Scotland, I'll mention but won't count the bus via Cottonshopeburnfoot as well.

I had to look up that place.

Is it pronounced as spelt, or, as is often the case, is it something like "Cosopburnfoot" ?

 

[RailExplorer]

Africa
South Africa / Botswana (bus)
Botswana / Zimbabwe (train)
Zimbabwe/ Zambia (train/foot)
Zambia / Tanzania (train)
Tanzania / Kenya (foot)
Kenya / Uganda (foot)
Tunisia / Italy (ferry)
Morocco / Spain (foot)
Djibouti / Ethiopia (foot)

South America
Ecuador / Peru (foot)
Peru / Bolivia (foot)
Bolivia / Chile (foot)
Bolivia / Argentina (foot)
Peru / Chile (train)
Chile / Argentina (bus)
Argentina / Brazil (foot)
Argentina / Uruguay (ferry)
Brazil / Paraguay (foot)

North America
Canada / USA (train)
Costa Rica / Panama (minibus)

Europe
Pretty much all of it way too many times

Asia
Finland / Russia (train)
Ukraine / Georgia (ferry)
Ukraine / Moldova (train)
Moldova / Romania (train)
Bulgaria / Turkey (train)
Azerbaijan/ Georgia (train)
Georgia / Armenia (train)
Turkey / Iran (train)
Iran / Turkmenistan (foot)
Saudi Arabia / Jordan (foot)
Jordan / Israel (foot)
Turkmenistan / Uzbekistan (foot)
Uzbekistan / Tajikistan (foot)
Uzbekistan / Kyrgyzstan (foot)
Uzbekistan/ Kazakhstan (train)
Russia / Mongolia (train)
Mongolia / China (train)
China / Hong Kong
Hong Kong / Macau
China / Laos (bus)
Laos / Thailand
Vietnam / Cambodia (boat)
Cambodia / Thailand (foot)
Thailand / Malaysia (bus)
Malaysia / Singapore (train)
India / Nepal (foot)
Japan / South Korea (ferry)

 

[Peter Mugridge]

France - Belgium.
Belgium - Germany

Not sure if UK - France in the Chunnel counts...?

 

[A S Leib]

I had to look up that place.

Is it pronounced as spelt, or, as is often the case, is it something like "Cosopburnfoot" ?

I'm not sure, although I did learn that Hawick's pronounced Hoick on that journey.

 

[Calthrop]

I'm not sure, although I did learn that Hawick's pronounced Hoick on that journey.

Brings to mind, a thing from my time at preparatory school -- a geography lesson, dealing with Scotland: in which came up, the Borders region, including mention of Hawick and its correct pronunciation. The master taking the lesson was usually a serious-minded guy, not much of a comedian: but he managed a rather nice sally on this occasion. A lad asked, "this 'Hoick' place -- is that where Scotch whisky is made?" Master responded: "No, that's where it's drunk."

 

[PeterC]

I feel quite deprived having only ever made one land crossing between Germany and Holland as a teenager. It was an air cadet camp in 1967 and the border formalities involved us all holding our passports in the air when the coach stopped at the crossing.

 

[507021]

Off the top of my head, all by car.

Cyprus/Northern Cyprus.
France/Belgium.
France/Luxembourg.
Moldova/Romania.
Romania/Ukraine.

 

[DanNCL]

Austria-Germany by foot
Austria-Slovakia by rail
Austria-Slovenia by rail

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some of mine which might not have figured before:
I've been to 27 countries in Europe on trains, and in each case have crossed at least one border to/from an adjacent country (Ireland/Estonia were by sea).
When Yugoslavia existed, I travelled Slovenia-Montenegro on the Adriatic highway, which now involves 4 external borders which used to be internal (although two of them involving Bosnia-Herzegovina are now bypassed by a new bridge).
Czechia-Slovakia now involves a new border, but the German internal border has disappeared.

Europe:
BRD-DDR at Gerstungen and Probsztella (train)
On the summit of the Zügspitze (DE-AT border) walking/cable car
Przemyzl-Lviv (PL-UE)
Giurgiu-Ruse across the Danube (RO-BG, train over bridge)

Global:
US-CA (Chief Mountain/Waterton MT/AB; Buffalo/Niagara (car)
RSA-Eswatini (Swaziland as was) by car (Jeppes Reef, Mahamba)
RSA-Zimbabwe (Beit Bridge) by car
RSA-Namibia (Vioolsdrif) by car
RSA-Botswana (Tlokweng/Ramatlabama) by car

Peered from US into Mexico over the Rio Grande in Big Bend National Park.
Peered from Zimbabwe into Zambia over the Zambezi at Victoria Falls.
Peered from RSA into Mozambique/Zimbabwe (tri-point) over the Limpopo from Kruger National Park.

 

[Huntergreed]

By train:

Ireland - UK
UK - France
France - Germany
Germany - Austria
Austria - Slovakia
Austria - Czechia
Slovakia - Hungary
Slovakia - Czechia
Czechia - Poland
Romania - Bulgaria


By Bus:

Spain - France
France - Belgium

By foot:

Czechia - Poland (interestingly, my first ever visit to Poland was on foot!)

 

[superalbs]

Following on from the places you've been to thread, which international borders have you crossed by land?

For me:
Switzerland to France by both train and tram
Germany to Austria by train
Croatia to Montenegro by coach
Croatia to Bosnia & Herzgovina by coach
UK (Northern Ireland) to (Republic of) Ireland by coach
UK (Gibraltar) to Spain by foot
Italy to Vatican City by foot

These by train...
UK-Ireland
UK-France
France-Spain
France-Italy
France-Germany
France-Belgium
France-Switzerland
Belgium-Netherlands
Belgium-Luxembourg
Belgium-Germany
Netherlands-Germany
Germany-Luxembourg
Germany-Denmark
Germany-Poland
Germany-Austria
Germany-Czechia
Germany-Switzerland
Switzerland-Liechtenstein
Switzerland-Italy
Liechtenstein-Austria
Austria-Czechia
Austria-Slovakia
Austria-Italy
Austria-Slovenia
Austria-Hungary
Italy-Slovenia
Slovenia-Croatia
Slovenia-Hungary
Croatia-Bosnia
Croatia-Serbia
Serbia-Montenegro
Serbia-Bulgaria
Bulgaria-Turkey
Hungary-Romania
Hungary-Slovakia
Romania-Bulgaria
Romania-Moldova
Czechia-Poland
Czechia-Slovakia
Slovakia-Poland
Denmark-Sweden
Sweden-Norway
Estonia-Latvia
Poland-Ukraine
Slovakia-Ukraine
Hungary-Ukraine
Georgia-Armenia
Georgia-Azerbaijan
Kazakhstan-Kyrgyzstan
Kazakhstan-Uzbekistan
Singapore-Malaysia
Malaysia-Thailand

And these by leg or boat...
Spain-Morocco
Sweden-Finland
Finland-Estonia
Bosnia-Serbia
Latvia-Lithuania

 

[gswindale]

England - Wales more times than I can remember by car, coach & train.

France - Belgium by car & coach.

The following all by coach:
Austria - Germany
France - Germany
France - Luxembourg
France - Switzerland
Germany - Switzerland

Italy - Vatican City on foot

Canada - USA by car

 

[railfan99]

Interesting how Asian countries don't rate among the above contributors.

Singapore to Malaysia for instance that I did by train when Tampong Pajar station in the former was still open. (Now one has to commence at Woodlands).

 

[JRT]

School trips: Belgium into Nederland (Sluis) on a day trip by coach (don't remember any border control, all on a group passport).
Belgium by train to Berlin (1971), border check en route (as we were passing through East Germany).
Amongst later crossings (Schengen):
Walking over the border Slovakia to Poland (Zakopane) as the through bus service had ended the previous month!
Walked from Hungary to Slovakia across a field as I couldn't work out if the bus service from Rajka was still running and the railway service hadn't recommenced!
Some other journeys involved travelling by train to the station before the border, then a long one-hour walk to the station over the border, recommencing my journey at the station over the border, this was usually because there is no cross-border railway service, eg beyond Sátoraljaújhely.
Kerkrade (Ned) was once part of Herzogenrath (Aachen), and one street is half Ned & half Deutsch! so walked over the border for a German beer!
A football tournament in Belgium involved me staying at a hotel in Nederland, so the border was crossed twice a day!
Up in the Pyrenees, I think I crossed into France momentarily.
As mentioned in another thread, a day trip by train from Germany over to Danmark (Tønder) and Italy over to Switzerland (Chiasso) involved a passport check.
More recently, the big airport at Basel serves three countries, so had to cross a border to reach the Black Forest area (I think you can go directly to France without legally touching Switzerland but didn't look into that option).

 

[Calthrop]

Kerkrade (Ned) was once part of Herzogenrath (Aachen), and one street is half Ned & half Deutsch! so walked over the border for a German beer!
A football tournament in Belgium involved me staying at a hotel in Nederland, so the border was crossed twice a day!

Prompted by this, to an admittedly non-serious post concerning international-border-crossing on foot. To do with the delightfully crazy -- if one likes that kind of thing -- situation of the small Baarle town(s), a little way north of the Netherlands / Belgium border. Thanks to long-ago wheeling-and-dealing between various entities: there is here "in town" and in the adjoining countryside, now a bunch of separate small enclaves within the Netherlands, of Belgian territory; with -- piece de resistance -- Netherlands exclaves within some of the Belgian enclaves. The intermingled town comprises Baarle-Nassau (Netherlands) and Baarle-Hertog (Belgium) -- with respective, and duplicated, municipal authorities and services.

With the EU and all that: none of this stuff is actually serious nowadays -- but the locals take advantage of it to do the maximum possible tourist-wooing. There are in town(s), lines of white crosses plus "B" or "N", painted across pavements, to show where one is about to step from one country into the other; and buildings along the streets, are marked with tiny insignia in the appropriate national colours. A point is made of having, in various ways, specifically Belgian stuff plying its trade in the Belgian parts -- likewise for Netherlands, "same-same". I made a day-trip to the Baarles, some fifteen years ago: with my enjoying these sort of ridiculous goings-on, I found it delightful -- and passed on foot between the two countries, more times than I could count.

 

[zero]

To do with the delightfully crazy -- if one likes that kind of thing -- situation of the small Baarle town(s), a little way north of the Netherlands / Belgium border.

This is the third thread where Baarle has come up in the space of a week!

 

[adc82140]

UK to Ireland: on foot
UK to France (Channel tunnel!)
France to Spain: on foot
France to Andorra
Andorra to Spain
France to Italy
France to Monaco: on foot
Italy to The Vatican: on foot
France to Luxembourg
France to Belgium
Luxembourg to Germany: on foot
Belgium to The Netherlands
The Netherlands to Germany
Germany to Denmark
Denmark to Sweden
Singapore to Malaysia

Land crossings have always fascinated me, particularly the unmarked or barely marked ones in Europe

 

[mikeg]

In rough chronological order of first crossing, most of these have a reverse too as most of these journeys were return. Mode of first crossing is listed, some have since been made by other means (typically the car ones by coach):

• Netherlands to Belgium - passenger in car
• Belgium to Luxembourg - passenger in car
• Luxembourg to France - passenger in car
• France to Germany - passenger in car
• France to Switzerland - passenger in car
• Switzerland to Italy - passenger in car
• Switzerland to Germany - accidentally as a result of a wrong turn -so swiftly back again - passenger in car, this was on the return trip from Italy after a stop off in Basel.
• France to Belgium - passenger on coach
• Germany to Czech Republic - passenger on coach
• Ireland to UK (NI) - train

If the Chunnel counts UK to France - coach on le Shuttle

The first four were crossed in 2003 as a family holiday in Germany
The next three 'first crossings' were for a family road trip of Italy, with a stop off in Basel on the outward and return
The others are coach journeys mostly, except the Irish ones, in particular there used to be an NX/Eurolines service form Victoria to Prague which took 22.5 hours, arrived on time despite spending several hours in a Belgian traffic jam. This was when I went with a uni friend to the 'Masters of Rock' festival in the Czech Republic in 2008 (Easyjet wanted ransom money for the dates we wanted)

Only the initial crossings in the first direction are mentioned. Some, such as France to Belgium, Belgium to Netherlands have been done many times since i've travelled extensively between the UK and NL via coach in the past. As far as I know this list is complete and in order, but memory may have failed me at some point!

 

[YorkshireBear]

By Road Vehicle:
France-Spain

By Foot:
Slovakia - Austria

By Train:
UK - France
France - Belgium
France - Switzerland
Switzerland - Italy
Belgium - Germany
Germany - Austria
Austria - Slovenia
Slovenia - Slovakia
Slovakia - Czechia
Czechia - Germany
Germany - Denmark
Denmark - Sweden
Sweden - Norway

 

[Cross City]

Travelled from my home in Birmingham to my Auntie's house in southern Turkey all overland by train and coach.

Birmingham>London>Paris>Munich>Vienna>Bratislava>Budapest>Belgrade>Sofia>Istanbul>Fethiye

Also, on foot:
US-Mexico
US-Canada
Italy-Vatican
Belgium-Netherlands

By Road:
France-Belgium
Belgium-Netherlands
Netherlands-Germany
France-Spain
France-Andorra
Andorra-Spain
Italy-San Marino
Italy-Slovenia
Slovenia-Croatia

By Train:
Belgium-Luxembourg
Belgium-Netherlands
Austria-Slovenia

By Boat:
UK-France
UK-Nethrlands
Turkey-Greece

 

[spyinthesky]

By minefield Saudi-Kuwait