Bangs (AT) – Lienz (CH) border crossing

This border crossing is where the Austrian Rheinstraße crosses the aptly named Rheinbrücke and enters Switzerland becoming the Swiss Zollstrasse. Both Austria and Switzerland are part of the Schengen Area, which means there are generally no permanent passport controls for people crossing the border. Switzerland is not in the EU Customs Union, so customs checks still apply. Travellers must declare all goods carried if their total value exceeds CHF 150 or if they exceed duty-free allowances for items like alcohol and tobacco. Customs officers are authorized to perform random checks.

As with most western European border crossings, there were local and national signs, old and disused custom and passport controls and in this instance border markers on the bridge. This bridge had added interest as it was just north of the Austria – Switzerland – Liechtenstein (ATCHFLn) tripoint which is located in the river Rhine approximately 474m south west. Two members of the expedition rushed across this bridge in order to observe the tripoint from both sides. We visited this point as part of the IBRG LIVCO-25 expedition.