# Taking alcohol into Switzerland



## sonic650 (Feb 27, 2020)

Hello all and thanks for reading,
My wife and I are starting our spring tour on the 1st April sailing from Hull to Rotterdam and then slowly making our way down through Germany and into Switzerland where we will be house sitting for ten days before continuing our tour. I have to say I'm partial to beer and wine and understand Switzerland to be very expensive for most things. My plan is to stock up in Germany before crossing into Switzerland but understand there may be customs checks and duty to be paid. Please can you relate your experiences of the same and give your opinion on what are my chances of being checked at all
Many Thanks


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## colinm (Feb 27, 2020)

Go via Luxemburg, you will find all the areas near France and Germany have lots of shops with low duty drink which are visited by the French and Germans, also top up with fuel there.


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## John H (Feb 27, 2020)

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						Shopping tourism
					

When you bring purchases made abroad back to Switzerland, you may need to fill out a customs declaration form. This page will guide you through the steps to clear meat, wine and other goods through customs.




					www.ch.ch


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## barryd (Feb 27, 2020)

I think the limit for bringing in beer will be 5 litres as of 2014 but I wouldnt worry about it.   Switzerland is in the single market so freedom of movement for none goods vehicles.  You can even cross in many back roads without any border whatsoever. Even at a border your likely to sail straight through.  One time when the restrictions were even tighter I stocked up in Germany with several cases of cheap german beer (about fifty litres) and got stopped at the border but they were only interested in weighing the van which ironically was almost exactly 50kg overweight on its plate but they just let me through anyway.


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## SquirrellCook (Feb 27, 2020)

I have also been asked if I'm carrying Meat? as well as alcohol.  To which we replied no, and sailed though once we filled in the form and paid a few euros.


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## groyne (Feb 27, 2020)

Last time we crossed into Switzerland, we tried to stop but they waved us through.


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## colinm (Feb 27, 2020)

groyne said:


> Last time we crossed into Switzerland, we tried to stop but they waved us through.



The first time we drove into Switzerland was 40 years ago, and we weren't stopped, since then they have been part of Schengen zone.


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## mossypossy (Feb 27, 2020)

Not as expensive as you might think.
Cheaper than UK prices if you buy in Coop...avoid expensive Swiss wine though.

I would stock up on meat though!


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## mark61 (Feb 27, 2020)

50/50 whether you get stopped or not. 
Just checked a dash cam video. Asked if we had tomatoes and meat and if over 3500GVW, thats it.   
They did check assorts too.


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## Robmac (Feb 27, 2020)

Me and my mate walked from Switzerland into Germany for a beer, the border was unmanned, same later on when we walked back.


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## sonic650 (Feb 27, 2020)

Many thanks to all of you for taking the time to reply. We really value and appreciate your advice.


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