Can I cross the following borders on foot (both ways)?

October 17, 2008 3:32 AM

Can I cross the following borders on foot (both ways)? Romania / Hungary, Hungary / Slovakia, Slovakia / Poland

Recently, I traveled from Romania to Ukraine and back, and it was impossible to cross the border on foot. I had to find a car willing to take me across the border. This was doable, but it took some doing. That said, I realize I was crossing outside the EU, and all the countries mentioned now are in the EU. So is it the same hassle, or can I do it by foot? I plan on hitchhiking, which is why I ask.

posted by Dee Xtrovert to travel & transportation (4 comments total)

Well, Hungary, Slovakia and Poland are all members of Schengen, meaning there are no border crossings as you may have traditionally experienced, between them, there's just a sign that says Welcome. There should be border crossings between Romania and Hungary, but I have no idea what they look like.

Oh, and I've personally crossed the border between Hungary/Slovakia and Slovakia/Poland on foot before Schengen (and Slovakia/Poland before the EU).
posted by jedrek at 4:44 AM on October 17, 2008

Poprad in Slovakia is not too far from Kraków, about 100 miles. Here's a link to the Poprad-Kraków route from Google Maps.

A quick look on a map shows that Ostrava in the Czech Republic, near the northern border of Slovakia, and Bielsko-Biała in Poland, are less than 50 miles apart; Kraków and Katowice look to be less than 100 miles away from Ostrava. I'd say your chances of getting a lift there would be better, and it looks like there are lots of towns and villages along the way.

Getting a good atlas of the region is probably a good idea; the big map publishers in Poland are Demart and Copernicus. Both companies have catalogues with a lot of material on the Tatras/Carpathians - worth a look if your journey will be on minor roads.
posted by mdonley at 3:28 AM on October 18, 2008

I haven't done it since Romania joined the EU at the beginning of 2007, but you used to be able to cross the Romanian / Hungarian border on foot with no problems. I've done it several times when visa rules were in flux so we had to cross out of Romania for a few hours then come back in to get a stamp in the passport.
posted by alicegoldie at 7:51 AM on October 20, 2008

Follow-up: It didn't seem to be impossible, but at the Romanian / Hungarian border in Valea Lui Mihail, they gave me a hard time about it. I don't think it would be a problem for EU residents, but with US citizens in smaller places, you may be subject to the whims of the guards.
posted by Dee Xtrovert at 4:14 PM on November 18, 2008