Driving through Europe - are extra border checks causing delays?

[4dogs]

We are due to drive to Bulgaria, leaving here this Thursday. We will go through 6 countries, all in the Schengen zone, on our way.

I've read that new checks are causing very long waits at airports and at Calais docks.

We will be travelling with our four dogs as well as dd (9) so I am terrified at the thought of getting stuck in very long queues at so many borders, possibly in intense heat.

I don't understand why but apparently it is only UK travellers who are being delayed.

Does any one have any information about the situation?

Hi there, I travelled through from Croatia to Slovenia to Austria and then into the Czech Republic a few days ago and had no problem at all, I know it is a different part of Europe but just in case it helps...

Thanks Splata, do you have a UK passport? Apparently the delays are just being caused to us, no idea why. Our route is France, Belgium, Germany, Austria, Hungary, Romania then into Bulgaria. We didn't take the dogs last year and didn't encounter any major delays at borders. The lorries did though. They were queued up for miles.

I am a real worrier and we have so many borders to cross I'm catasrophising and imagining the worst!

I have a UK passport, my other half has a Czech one and we have a few Mexican in our party too...we got stopped and asked a few questions at one border but only for a few minutes and no drama..we didn't see any queues either at any checkpoint...I think you should be fine..

It's not true that the delays are just for the uk (did you read that in the Daily Mail??) There are extra checks for people passing from Schengen to non- Schengen countries. Once you are in the Schengen area this shouldn't really affect you.

yes i read the DM allegretto! i did wonder if they were being less than accurate/honest!

Lol at the same papers wanting to "control our borders" moaning when controls are introduced. Is it just the UK who should control their borders? As someone else has said Uk has some of the strictest border controls not being part of Schengen and being an island.

I hadn't thought of it like that Caprianna but now you have mentioned it i am 😆😆😆 at the irony.

ILove, that was our experience last year, very little waiting around at borders. We are going via Dunkirk but taking an evening crossing so at least it won't be boiling hot if we are stuck in a queue for hours.