Swiss airports join Schengen area

GENEVA – Travellers to and from the 25 European nations in the Schengen area can now walk through Swiss airports without passport controls, Swiss authorities said.

Passport controls were removed from Switzerland’s land borders on 12 December 2008, after the country became a member of the Schengen policing agreement.

The abolition of controls at airports, which follows lengthy work to ensure passengers are channeled separately, came into force with the seasonal changeover in airline timetables on 29 March, the Swiss government said in a statement.

Twenty-five European nations are part of the Schengen area, including Switzerland, Iceland, Norway and most European Union members except Britain, Ireland, Bulgaria and Romania.

Travellers flying in or out of Switzerland from other countries will face systematic and reinforced identity checks, Swiss authorities said.

AFP / Expatica