As of Monday, travellers can once again enjoy passport-free travel from Switzerland to Liechtenstein.
This content was published on
1 minute
swissinfo.ch and agencies
Liechtenstein, whose capital Vaduz lies on a bus route between the eastern Swiss towns of Sargans and Buchs, has joined the Schengen area to which Switzerland has belonged for the past three years.
Under the Schengen agreement people can move between member states without having to show travel or identity documents.
Now that Liechtenstein has joined too, video monitors on the bridges over the Rhine between the two countries have been dismantled, and the mobile controls in the border area have been reduced to what they were three years ago.
Switzerland and Liechtenstein have been in a customs union since 1923, and share the same currency.
Liechtenstein is the fourth non-European Union country to join Schengen after Switzerland, Norway and Iceland. The zone now has 26 members.
Most Read Swiss Abroad
More
Why Switzerland is an archaeological treasure trove
Is your place of origin, your Heimatort, important to you?
Every Swiss citizen has a Heimatort, a place of origin, but many have never visited theirs. What’s your relationship with your Heimatort? What does it mean to you?
What factors should be taken into account when inheriting Swiss citizenship abroad?
Should there be a limit to the passing on of Swiss citizenship? Or is the current practice too strict and it should still be possible to register after the age of 25?
Swiss businessman gets prison term for asbestos deaths
This content was published on
Stephan Schmidheiny has been sentenced to 9 years and 6 months in prison by the Turin Court of Appeal in a case against the former Eternit executive over deaths linked to asbestos exposure in Italy.
This content was published on
Swiss imports and exports reached new heights in the first quarter, driven by the chemicals and pharmaceuticals sectors. Shipments to the US rose sharply.
Italian in Switzerland accused of being Calabrian mafia henchman
This content was published on
The Office of the Attorney General of Switzerland has charged an Italian resident of the Anello-Fruci 'Ndrangheta clan in the canton of Aargau.
Swiss CFOs have a pessimistic outlook due to trade wars
This content was published on
In the wake of the trade wars launched by US President Donald Trump, Swiss companies are assessing the future much more pessimistically.
Swiss parcel bomber had links to military and intelligence services
This content was published on
The 61-year-old man who admitted to being Patek Philippe's blackmailer in Geneva had connections in the police and the army.
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.
Read more
More
Swiss airport transit fines are “embarrassing”
This content was published on
According to the Tages-Anzeiger newspaper, in 2009-2010 over 6,700 people received fines of SFr200-650 ($255-830) for legally spending over three months in another Schengen zone country but making the mistake of travelling back home via Switzerland. Under Swiss law, the limit for staying in the region without a visa is three months. Several Schengen countries –…
This content was published on
Systematic checks at the border have been abolished but the fight against crime has become more effective thanks to better international collaboration. By entering the “borderless” Schengen zone – comprising European Union members (without Britain and Ireland), as well as Norway and Iceland – Switzerland took a step closer to joining the large European club.…
This content was published on
“They” are the asylum seekers who arrive in Switzerland by plane in search of a new life. swissinfo.ch visited their temporary home – the new Schengen-compliant reception centre for asylum seekers at Geneva airport. Léonie* sat huddled up on the bottom bunk looking slightly anxious as the group of strangers bounded into her dormitory. “This…
This content was published on
The end of systematic checks on people entering and leaving the country at border crossings could lead to increased police checks in border areas. But the Schengen agreement will have no effect on the transfer of goods as Switzerland is not part of the EU customs union.
You can find an overview of ongoing debates with our journalists here . Please join us!
If you want to start a conversation about a topic raised in this article or want to report factual errors, email us at english@swissinfo.ch.