What can be transported across the border?

An interesting trip to a neighboring country or beyond is a great idea. But when planning it, you need to take care of a lot of things. Of course, you need to start by collecting all the necessary documents, buying tickets, and exchanging currency. Insurance is also very important in the preparation process. You can purchase a travel insurance policy directly on our website. It will take 2 to 10 minutes.

But that's not all. You also need to figure out what products you can take across the border. This has become particularly important in recent years, when many loved ones are forced to live outside their home country. So, it is logical that when traveling abroad to visit loved ones, you really want to treat them to something Ukrainian. For example, it is worth finding out whether it is possible to transport honey and other products that Ukrainians most often want to put in their suitcases.

What products can be transported across the borders of different countries?

Before finding out what can be transported across the border of Poland or another country, you should understand why restrictions exist in the first place. The most important reason is to prevent the spread of dangerous infections, diseases, or even pests. Thus, they care not only about the health of people themselves, but also about the safety of the animal and plant world. 

Prohibitions may impose restrictions on the weight and import of certain products. Rules may also be established for packaging for transport. Next, let's figure out what you can safely put in your suitcase for a trip to a specific country.

Poland

If you want to bring delicious gifts to Poland, you can pack the following products in your suitcase:

• fruit and vegetables, except potatoes, up to 5 kg;

• seafood no more than 5 kg, and caviar up to 125 g;

• fresh, cleaned, or dried fish, up to 20 kg;

• coffee and similar beverages, no more than 500 g;

• tea and similar beverages, up to 100 g.

In addition, there is a list of products that can be imported, but no more than 2 kg. These include:

• eggs and products containing them;

• cereals;

• muesli, dry breakfasts, pasta, chips, and the like;

• pastries and cakes that do not contain meat or dairy fillings;

• sweets and chocolate;

• enteral nutrition mixtures, if indicated;

• pet food, if they are also traveling.

And a popular question, especially among lovers of natural products: can honey be transported across the border? If it is Poland, then you can safely pack up to 2 kilograms with you. 

There is only one “but” — honey, like other products permitted for transport, must be in intact and secure packaging. It is also important that they do not require refrigeration, even after opening the package. 

Slovakia

Those who already have a ticket to this beautiful country are interested in the question: what can be transported across the Slovak border? In general, the rules of this country do not differ significantly from those adopted by other EU countries. So, if you are packing your bags for a trip to Slovakia, you can make room for the following delicacies:

• chocolate, pasta, baby food, cookies, dry breakfast cereals, bread, and similar items up to 2 kg;

• fresh vegetables and fruits up to 5 kg;

• fish can be imported up to 20 kg;

• coffee can be taken 500 g;

• tea 100 g.

And of course, if you are packing a sandwich for a snack on the road, it is better to make it without meat and dairy ingredients.

Romania

When planning a visit to a European country, it is worth finding out in advance what you can take across the Romanian border. According to the rules, you can safely pack the following in your suitcase:

• 1 kg of sweets and chocolate; 

• up to 3 kg of vegetables and fruit;

• 200 g of tea;

• 500 g of coffee;

• up to 1 kg of cereals.

And, of course, if you have medicines for personal use, you can also carry them with you.

Hungary

Its borders are readily open to those who conscientiously follow the rules for crossing them. And to avoid unnecessary hassle at customs, you need to know what you can bring across the Hungarian border. The list of permitted items is quite extensive, but the main thing is to stick to the limits:

• cereals and pasta up to 5 kg;

• coffee no more than 500 g;

• up to 100 g of tea;

• up to 20 kg of sugar per person;

• up to 5 kg of baby food.

And don't forget about yourself. You can take food for personal consumption. Just make sure it has a long shelf life. In addition, the cost should not exceed €300.

Germany

If you are planning a trip to this wonderful country, you should definitely find out what you can bring across the German border. This information will help you cross the border quickly and without any problems. In general, the list of permitted products is quite short:

• up to 500 g of natural coffee and up to 200 g of instant coffee;

• up to 125 g of sturgeon caviar per person;

• no more than 2 kg of honey and mushrooms.

So, this is a country where the answer to the question of whether you can transport mushrooms across the border is yes.

What cannot be transported across the border?

You can pack quite a lot of things in your suitcase. However, the list of items prohibited from being transported across the border is quite long. So, if we were to list items that cannot be transported across the border of Poland or any other country, the first things that come to mind are meat products and meat, fermented milk products, and cheese. Also, most countries prohibit the import of more than 5 kg of vegetables and fruits. At the same time, you can import up to 20 kg of fish. However, you will need a permit to import sturgeon caviar.

And, of course, the list of items that cannot be transported across the border of Slovakia or other countries includes psychotropic and narcotic drugs. Also strictly prohibited are:

• weapons, accessories, and ammunition;

• explosive substances and gas cylinders;

• more than one household appliance;

• folk heritage, valuables, and works of art without permission;

• endangered plants and animals;

• poisonous and radioactive substances;

• unlicensed pornographic products.

This list is general. However, it is worth checking which list of prohibitions applies in a particular country. For example, it is worth finding out what cannot be transported across the Hungarian border.

Rules for transporting alcohol and tobacco products

There is a ban on the import and export of alcohol and tobacco. However, it only applies to those under the age of 21. Other citizens are allowed to transport these items. However, there are, of course, restrictions. So, how much alcohol you can transport across the border depends on the type of alcohol. 

In general, the restrictions are as follows:

• no more than 1 liter of beverages with a high alcohol content is allowed;

• up to 2 liters of beverages with an alcohol content of up to 22.3% is allowed;

• up to 4 liters of wine, except sparkling wine;

• up to 16 liters of beer can be transported.

There are also rules regarding how many cigarettes can be transported across the border:

• two open and two closed packs;

• no more than 10 cigars;

• up to 10 ml of e-cigarette liquid.

It is prohibited to transport more than these amounts. Therefore, when necessary, it is worth carefully reviewing the permissible norms and checking them.

What medicines can be transported across the border?

Medicines are subject to specific transportation rules. However, most countries allow the import of medicines that are not particularly strong. Therefore, you can carry painkillers, vitamins, anti-nausea and anti-allergy medicines in your suitcase. However, they must be for personal use only. The permitted quantity is 5 packs of 20 tablets each. The cost is also important. It must not exceed €430. Medicines being transported must be in their original packaging and come with instructions.

What medications are prohibited from being transported across the border?

If you are looking for a list of medicines that can be transported across the border, the following information is for you. According to the law, prescription drugs cannot be taken across the border. Also, narcotic or psychotropic substances will not be allowed. All EU countries prohibit the import of drugs containing ephedrine or codeine. These substances are found in Broncholitin, Nurofen Plus, and Ketanov, which are quite common in Ukraine. Also, drugs containing so-called barbiturates will not be allowed across the border. These include Valocordin, Corvalol, Barboval, and similar drugs. They can only be imported with a prescription.

There is an interesting situation with analgin. In some countries, it can still be purchased with a prescription, but in others, it is completely banned. For example, it is not sold in Australia, Denmark, Norway, the United States, Italy, Sweden, and Ireland.

How to take necessary medication abroad?

If certain medications are vital for a person, then some documents must be prepared in order to be allowed to take the necessary medications with them. Among these documents are the following:

• a copy of the medical card, which will confirm that the medications are necessary;

• a prescription with the doctor's stamp and signature;

• a pharmacy receipt for the medications.

However, even these documents will not allow you to carry codeine-based medications and take more than 5 packs of 20 tablets.

No matter how many rules there are, you may still need information about a specific product. This is especially true if you want to transport something you have produced yourself abroad. We wish you a smooth and quick border crossing! And this is possible with careful preparation :)