Pyrzowice ready for Schengen

Despite that, the Pyrzowice airport is already prepared for opening the borders:
all systems and appliances at the new terminal have been tested and are ready
for operation. By the end of March the passengers in Pyrzowice will be divided into two groups: travelling to the Schengen zone (who will use the new terminal B) and travelling outside that area (who will use the old terminal A). Passengers travelling to Great Britain and Ireland will also have to go through customs at the old terminal. Both countries, even though they belong to the European Union, have not fully accepted the Schengen regulations.

At the new terminal, where 18 check-in points have been prepared, there will be no passport control, but the security check will still be compulsory. This means that even
if travelling to the Schengen zone, we will have to deposit our luggage for screening and pass through the security gates. The border guards also remind us that although our documents will not be checked, we have to have our ID card or passport with us, because the police in one of the Schengen zone countries may ask us to show such
a document.

When it comes to land borders, all obstacles, i.e. barriers, road blocks and even speed limits, which up till now have influenced the flow of traffic, will be removed this year.
We will not have to show any documents, stop or even slow down. What is more, crossing the border will be possible in every place and at any time, and not only at designated border crossings, as it is now. Besides, in the future most border buildings will be demolished and only small posts will remain.

The borders will be open but they will not disappear. At any time the controls may be reintroduced, for instance in the case of a terrorist threat. We should also remember that restrictions concerning importation of goods, especially those subject to excise duty, will still be in force. And this means that we will not be able to have with us more than 800 cigarettes (when entering e.g. Austria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Sweden and Great Britain only 200), 10 litres of spirit and 110 litres of beer.