4 ms·

Live near the border with France. Buy everything there in EUR. Border is nonexistent for all practical purposes so this is very doable.

eli 13y ago
Don't you still have to go through customs and maybe pay duties since Switzerland is non-EU?
- arjunnarayan 13y ago
  No, it's Schengen area, so no border checks. You drive across just as you would from Massachusetts to Vermont.
  - Thrymr 13y ago
    My understanding is that that is true for immigration, but not for customs. There are still limits on the amounts that can be imported into Switzerland, even from the EU, without duties [1]. Some products are more restricted, e.g. a limit of 0.5 kg of meat per person per day [2]. Anecdotally, this is rarely enforced, except during summer barbecue season, and customs officials have the authority to stop vehicles within 10 km of the border. [1] http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04344/04571/index.html?lang=en http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04344/04... [2] http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04349/04850/index.html?lang=en&download=NHzLpZeg7t,lnp6I0NTU042l2Z6ln1ad1IZn4Z2qZpnO2Yuq2Z6gpJCDfH5_fWym162epYbg2c_JjKbNoKSn6A-- http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04349/04...
    - tsotha 13y ago
      Without border checkpoints official limits are sort of irrelevant, assuming you don't try to resell what you bought.
      - Thrymr 13y ago
        There are checkpoints, they are (usually) manned and funnel traffic through single lanes, it's just that they rarely actually stop people.
        mobiplayer 13y ago
        That's how they work. I was stopped at one of those between France and Switzerland. Stopped, searched (me, my gf at that time and the car) and drug-tested.
      - smoe 13y ago
        That's the point. They do check quite a lot of people for undeclared goods. However they're no after those who buy stuff for themselves, but for example restaurant owners who try to smuggle in cheap meat in big quantities.
  - smoe 13y ago
    The Schengen agreement does not include customs. That's in the European Union Customs Union, which Switzerland is not part of. You still have to self declare goods when entering Switzerland. Border patrol checks on suspicion.
- CalRobert 13y ago
  Completely open border; still part of the Schengen area.
_delirium 13y ago
This is common on the German border also. Lots of people living in the southern part of Baden-Württemberg and commuting to jobs in Zürich and Basel.
eloisant 13y ago
The thing is because of people working in Swiss but living in France, housing in the part of France close to Swiss (Haute-Savoie) is amongst the most expensive. It's almost the level of Paris.

eli 13y ago

Don't you still have to go through customs and maybe pay duties since Switzerland is non-EU?

arjunnarayan 13y ago
No, it's Schengen area, so no border checks. You drive across just as you would from Massachusetts to Vermont.
- Thrymr 13y ago
  My understanding is that that is true for immigration, but not for customs. There are still limits on the amounts that can be imported into Switzerland, even from the EU, without duties [1]. Some products are more restricted, e.g. a limit of 0.5 kg of meat per person per day [2]. Anecdotally, this is rarely enforced, except during summer barbecue season, and customs officials have the authority to stop vehicles within 10 km of the border. [1] http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04344/04571/index.html?lang=en http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04344/04... [2] http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04349/04850/index.html?lang=en&download=NHzLpZeg7t,lnp6I0NTU042l2Z6ln1ad1IZn4Z2qZpnO2Yuq2Z6gpJCDfH5_fWym162epYbg2c_JjKbNoKSn6A-- http://www.ezv.admin.ch/zollinfo_privat/04342/04343/04349/04...
  - tsotha 13y ago
    Without border checkpoints official limits are sort of irrelevant, assuming you don't try to resell what you bought.
    - Thrymr 13y ago
      There are checkpoints, they are (usually) manned and funnel traffic through single lanes, it's just that they rarely actually stop people.
      - mobiplayer 13y ago
        That's how they work. I was stopped at one of those between France and Switzerland. Stopped, searched (me, my gf at that time and the car) and drug-tested.
    - smoe 13y ago
      That's the point. They do check quite a lot of people for undeclared goods. However they're no after those who buy stuff for themselves, but for example restaurant owners who try to smuggle in cheap meat in big quantities.
- smoe 13y ago
  The Schengen agreement does not include customs. That's in the European Union Customs Union, which Switzerland is not part of. You still have to self declare goods when entering Switzerland. Border patrol checks on suspicion.
CalRobert 13y ago
Completely open border; still part of the Schengen area.

_delirium 13y ago

This is common on the German border also. Lots of people living in the southern part of Baden-Württemberg and commuting to jobs in Zürich and Basel.

eloisant 13y ago

The thing is because of people working in Swiss but living in France, housing in the part of France close to Swiss (Haute-Savoie) is amongst the most expensive. It's almost the level of Paris.