Rubber raft down the Danube from Vienna to Bratislava. Passport valid. Will we get stopped? Or shot?

Question

We want to take some crappy inflatable rubber boats down the Danube from Vienna to Bratislava. Is it feasible for individuals to cross the border in this way? Will our Australian passports get us thru? Should we get out of the river and walk across the border? Any suggestions would be welcome, we'll let you know how how we get on!

Answer 1

It's been my observation they just glance at you when you're in an automobile at a "normal" border crossing unless they're looking for someone. If you look like Turks you might get a heavy look and your car searched. And yet, I've been at such crossings and watched boats go by down below such a highway without anything apparent being observed by officials. Same thing on the bicycle paths, nobody, no gates.

But, having the right permits, paying duties and/or usuage fees at a river lock -- I've seen on TV they look over your paperwork at those stops.

I know Germany requires permits and inspections to enter their waters. All boats have to have a flag showing their country of origin. Germany also has licenses for sail and licenses for motorboat. That is my main doubt you can float rafts without anyone's disapproval.

Your Aussie passports should be good to go as tourists with 90 days no penalty. I'd check the counsulate page on the web of the countries you pass through.

Answer 2

We recently traveled via Hydrofoil from Vienna to Budapest.

1) You may need to portage around the two locks, or bypass using the river itself, it may be possible /maybe not to use river bypass. The locks are privately owned and operated, meaning they charge a fee for using the facilities. I do not know what they would charge a raft. But my memory says you can pull ashore before the lock and make a short portage, 300-400 yards, bypass the locks, and reenter the river as a worst case. My memory says there is an easy trail to access in both cases to work around the locks and get back into the river. There appears to be no border guard presence at the locks, both of which would be technicaaly in Austria I believe.

2) I suggest you pull up to the main boat wharf in Bratislava, pretty obvious as this is where the large tour barges and fast tourist hydrofoils make shore. The customs facility is in a building on/atop of this wharf. Present your passport, get it stamped, enter the country legally. Now that I think about it there is a passport control requirement at the fast hydrofoil facility in Vienna, get your passport stamped there, board your rafts and ta-da-legal passage. I would not mess with the customs folks, you will get on their lists, the USA lists, and welcome to interrogation and search wherever you go to europe, perhaps when you land in europe, and when you enter the USA forever more, not worth the hassle, get you stamps on the passport like every other danube sailing person.

Answer 3

You shuld be fine,. they are both EU - although take life jackets, just incase