sruggieri

Hi everyone am due to move to Italy at the end of March me and my wife decided that I'll drive our landrover discovery with our belongings while my wife will fly over with the kiddies a few days after i arrive, my worry is because am transporting a car full of stuff will i need any sort of documentations with regards to the items i have in the car (clothing kitchen ware , bedding and personal belongings ) I'll also have a rental contract which will confirm to the border police i have a home in italy ( not a resident but will be in the next couple of weeks ) also have a italian passport , and one more thing i intend to have my uk registered vehicle in italy for about 12 months before I drive it back to the UK to sell as i believe it's a nightmare and highly expensive trying to register a foreign vehicle in italy , has anyone had to deal with the same issues looking forward to hearing from you soon thanks

Pulaski

Have you ever driven a private vehicle across a land border into Italy since 1997?

Margaret M

Just avoid Switzerland, they are likely to make you empty everything out of the vehicle for inspection.

Pulaski

A private car?

sruggieri

The last time drove to Italy was in 1993 but that was just for a couple weeks holiday so I would imagine things have changed since then

Pulaski

Yeah, you don't stop, and in deed there isn't actually anyone at the border whose job it is to routinely stop private cars.

Pica

We drove a UK registered car toItaly a few years ago and it was loaded with basic things-no problem. Then we used the car here for 5 years, had revisione done in italy.
Had it sent back to UK with an MOT booked on destination in UK. Then bought an Italian registered car just to stop other drivers staring at us as we passed on the roads.

sruggieri

I do believe they make you empty the entire content of the vehicle for inspection on the Switzerland boarder is this the case otherwise I'll have to drive on different route maybe Austria, my destination is brescia

sruggieri

Thats something to think about i will certainly look into once am settled in italy , thanks very much appreciated

Pica

Prego

Pulaski

I have driven through Switzerland to Italy, and back, albeit not recently, and the border stop was very brief, now Switzerland is a Schengen country and I believe you don't even have to stop. Again, it'd be different if you were driving a commercial lorry.

With respect, the idea that the Swiss would empty "the entire contents" of any vehicle that they don't have specific concerns about, for inspection is absurd.

heritagestanley

The Swiss will stop you at the border to make you buy a motorway vignette (unless they can see you've already got one on the windscreen). But otherwise, unless you're unlucky or look suspicious, you shouldn't have a problem: as explained above, Schengen.

Margaret M

Sorry, I was thinking of a van, although I am pretty sure friends with a car and trailer were stopped about 10 years ago. I could be confusing it with the time they brought a van load of their furniture down.

sruggieri

Thanks for your reply very much appreciated

ononno

Over the years been back and forth through Switzerland, and sometimes Mont Blanc tunnel via France, literally dozens of times. By car loaded with personal goods, by Landrover Discovery loaded with musical boxes to sell in UK, by Landrover Discovery towing a caravan, and by motorhome full of all sorts of personal stuff. On Swiss borders only ever stopped to check motorway vignette; standard practice; and once coming back at Weil am Rhein stopped to check motorhome weight.
Through France on the other hand been subject to a few stop and search episodes with the motorhome, both on the road and at Eurotunnel Calais.
With your Landrover Discovery you'll be fine going Calais - DuNkirk - Lille - Mons-Namur-Arlon-Luxembourg-Thionville-Metz-Strasbourg-Colmar-Basel-Gothard Tunnel-Chiasso/Como-Milano; and youll be fine in Italy with your GB reg as long as you have valid MOT and Insurance.
Buon Viaggio,
'o nonno