While the Dutch cabinet announced on 10 November that it will extend its temporary Schengen border checks until 8 June 2026, the same briefing from the European Commission shows Austria maintaining its own internal controls with Hungary and Slovenia through at least 15 December 2025.
Vienna first re-introduced checks during the 2015 migration crisis and has renewed them every six months, citing irregular migration routes through the Western Balkans. Lorry drivers report wait times of up to 45 minutes at Nickelsdorf and Spielfeld, adding cost to just-in-time supply chains. Logistics associations warn that rolling extensions erode one of the single market’s core freedoms—the seamless flow of goods.
![Austria keeps internal border checks until 15 December as neighbouring states prolong Schengen controls]()
For mobility managers the continuation means that employees driving rental cars or shuttle buses across these frontiers must still carry passports or national ID cards. Companies moving equipment between Austrian and Hungarian plants should budget for potential delays and consider electronic transit declarations to speed up processing.
Legal experts note that the European Court of Justice has previously ruled that internal checks should be strictly time-limited; however, member states argue that overlapping crises (terrorism, pandemic, irregular migration) justify consecutive periods. The Commission is expected to publish new guidelines in early 2026, but until then Austrian border police will keep mobile units in place.
Travel risk teams should monitor daily congestion reports and advise staff to use smaller crossings where available. Rail connections via the ÖBB Railjet remain unaffected and may provide a punctual alternative for cross-border commuters.
Vienna first re-introduced checks during the 2015 migration crisis and has renewed them every six months, citing irregular migration routes through the Western Balkans. Lorry drivers report wait times of up to 45 minutes at Nickelsdorf and Spielfeld, adding cost to just-in-time supply chains. Logistics associations warn that rolling extensions erode one of the single market’s core freedoms—the seamless flow of goods.
For mobility managers the continuation means that employees driving rental cars or shuttle buses across these frontiers must still carry passports or national ID cards. Companies moving equipment between Austrian and Hungarian plants should budget for potential delays and consider electronic transit declarations to speed up processing.
Legal experts note that the European Court of Justice has previously ruled that internal checks should be strictly time-limited; however, member states argue that overlapping crises (terrorism, pandemic, irregular migration) justify consecutive periods. The Commission is expected to publish new guidelines in early 2026, but until then Austrian border police will keep mobile units in place.
Travel risk teams should monitor daily congestion reports and advise staff to use smaller crossings where available. Rail connections via the ÖBB Railjet remain unaffected and may provide a punctual alternative for cross-border commuters.
