Austria and Germany extend border controls until March — Poland joins in October

The European Commission confirms that Austria and Germany renewed, from 16 September, controls at their internal Schengen land borders for six more months — until 15 March 2027. Poland joins the group from 2 October, until 30 March 2027.

Who is affected

Austria keeps controls at its land and river borders with Slovakia, Czechia, Hungary and Slovenia — the same perimeter as previous periods.

Germany extends controls to all of its land borders: France, Luxembourg, Belgium, the Netherlands, Denmark, Austria, Switzerland, Czechia and Poland. It is the longest stretch of border under control among the countries currently keeping this measure.

Poland starts its own period, from 2 October 2026 to 30 March 2027, with controls at its land borders with Germany and Lithuania. Confirmed by The Local, which first reported Austria’s extension on 15 September.

What changes in practice

There is no border closure or quota system — this is a documentary check, with stops to verify identity and cargo at crossings that normally flow without stopping. For professional drivers, this means unpredictable extra time at these points, especially at peak traffic hours, and the need to always have vehicle, cargo and driver documents ready to show.

The regime has already run, with successive renewals, since 2015 in some of these countries — so it isn’t new in itself, but the renewal date and Germany’s extension to all its land borders, including France and the Benelux, is what changes for anyone planning routes through this corridor over the next six months.

Anyone crossing Central Europe or the Germany-Poland corridor should factor this extra margin into driving-time planning, especially from October, when Poland joins the group.