Examples of trains that pass through other countries without stopping and without formalities

[Bletchleyite]

On another thread (amid confusion on the meaning of the term "cabotage", which doesn't mean this) there was mention of Korridorzuege - "corridor trains" - whereby a train passes through another country between two points in the first country without immigration formalities because there are no stops for boarding or alighting (though little would stop the use of the door release if stopped at a signal).

While Schengen makes it a bit moot, trains from western Austria to Wien pass through Germany in this way.

Also what is the correct English term for it?

 

[Gaelan]

I believe trains between Kaliningrad and the rest of Russia pass through Lithuania in this fashion.

Edit: ah, not quite right. A lot more detail here: https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/kaliningrad.261326/

 

[jfollows]

US to the west of El Paso goes through Mexico I believe. But we’re talking short distance.

 

[Nottingham59]

Also what is the correct English term for it?

I think they're called Transit rights.

That term certainly applies to aviation:
See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedoms_of_the_air#Transit_rights

 

[Mag_seven]

The line from Serbia into Montenegro briefly goes through Bosnia-Herzegovina

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Liechtenstein - trains between Buchs (CH) and Feldkirch (AT).

 

[dm1]

RE and IC trains between Zurich und Schaffhausen briefly pass through Germany (Jestetten/Lottstetten) without stopping.

 

[DanielB]

RE and IC trains between Zurich und Schaffhausen briefly pass through Germany (Jestetten/Lottstetten) without stopping.

Doubt if those are real corridor trains as the parallel S-bahn trains do stop at the German stations.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Doubt if those are real corridor trains as the parallel S-bahn trains do stop at the German stations.

I don't think the concept really applies any more within Schengen and the EU customs area, because there aren't really any immigration formalities to complete (unless temporary ones are in force). Thus it's in effect just a domestic train service.

 

[Tester]

The most interesting one I have used was from Austria (Wiener Neustadt) to Austria (Deutschkreuz) via Hungary (Sopron) in Iron Curtain days, when a visa was required for Hungary.

The train stopped at the border, and armed Hungarian guards rode shotgun, hanging off each side of the train until back in Austria again. I didn't take any photos!

 

[A S Leib]

Do any passenger services run through Monaco–Monte Carlo without stopping?

 

[Nottingham59]

in Iron Curtain days

I understand that the Berlin underground had lots of trains that went from West Berlin into East Berlin and back again (and vice versa)

 

[Taunton]

After WW2 the Soviet Union took over the Finland navy base of Porkkola west of Helsinki, whose land included the main line from Helsinki to Turku. Although there were no formalities for the passengers, screens were put up over all the windows at the border line, and Soviet troops manned every carriage door. Locos were changed to Soviet ones sent specially for this; as there were no turntables they had to work tender-first half the time. The transit only took about 20 minutes, no stopping, at the exit border screens were removed and locos changed again.

Here are the Soviet troops placing the covers over the train windows:

Porkkala Naval Base - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

In 1956 the Soviets left and the area reverted to Finland, no more controls. It was then apparent that nothing had been built visible from the line, which as always ran entirely through forest closely on both sides.

 

[35B]

It no longer runs, for obvious reasons, but a friend had the privilege of travelling on the military train to Berlin before the Wall came down.

 

[A S Leib]

There's at least some nonstop London to Brussels services left (06:16 to Amsterdam), although of course not without immigration controls.

I think the Optima Express, if counting it, runs without passenger stops through Slovenia, Croatia (Bosnia & Herzegovina?), Serbia and Bulgaria. Edit: I missed the "without immigration formalities" bit, which presumably there are at at least one end.

 

[Tester]

I understand that the Berlin underground had lots of trains that went from West Berlin into East Berlin and back again (and vice versa)

Yes that is correct, and I managed to do that too. Two lines as I recall, the longer of which had four 'dead' stations.

Very eerie - passing through at reduced speed, with an armed guard on the platform.

 

[The exile]

Doubt if those are real corridor trains as the parallel S-bahn trains do stop at the German stations.

If they run through without stopping then they are - even though the point is now moot and they probably no longer require transit treaties to do so.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2025 ==

Yes that is correct, and I managed to do that too. Two lines as I recall, the longer of which had four 'dead' stations.

Very eerie - passing through at reduced speed, with an armed guard on the platform.

One S-Bahn line as well - and you could of course change between Western lines at Friedrichstrasse although it was in the east.

 

[Tester]

It no longer runs, for obvious reasons, but a friend had the privilege of travelling on the military train to Berlin before the Wall came down.

My brother did that in 1976 as an army cadet at his school. He wasn't remotely interested but I was very envious!

 

[The exile]

My brother did that in 1976 as an army cadet at his school. He wasn't remotely interested but I was very envious!

I only did the civilian service train equivalent - that was weird enough!

 

[Sir Felix Pole]

Another curiosity was the line from Tiburg (Netherlands) to Turnhout (Belgium) which closed in 1973. In the Dutch town of Baarle and environs there are numerous Belgian exclaves which consist of just a street or even a few houses - the railway passed through Belgian territory no less than five times in a short distance. It is now a cycle path. I always wondered what happened in WW1 when the Netherlands were neutral and Belgium was in German occupation.

 

[Oxfordblues]

We once travelled from Zittau in Democratic Germany (DDR) to Seifhennersdorf also in the DDR via Varnsdorf in Czechoslovakia without stopping. It was surreal and I remember how run-down and neglected Varnsdorf station looked. (This was during the "glory days" of Socialism!)

 

[The exile]

If academic interest post Schengen but the line north from Cheb (via Bad Brambach( crosses the D / CZ border no fewer than 7 times.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2025 ==

We once travelled from Zittau in Democratic Germany (DDR) to Seifhennersdorf also in the DDR via Varnsdorf in Czechoslovakia without stopping. It was surreal and I remember how run-down and neglected Varnsdorf station looked. (This was during the "glory days" of Socialism!)

You should see it now!

 

[Bletchleyite]

One S-Bahn line as well - and you could of course change between Western lines at Friedrichstrasse although it was in the east.

I think the thing with East Berlin was that the East didn't mind Westerners coming and spending their plentiful money there, it was all about stopping their own people escaping to the West. Thus while no doubt if you pulled the cord and opened the doors at one of those stations you'd get more than a bit of a stern telling off, the main reason the guards were present was to ensure no East residents could board the trains.

 

[The exile]

I think the thing with East Berlin was that the East didn't mind Westerners coming and spending their plentiful money there, it was all about stopping their own people escaping to the West.

Indeed - didn’t stop it being a rather unnerving experience. Westerners, yes - West Germans and particularly West Berliners less so (as it gave them a chance to show “who’s boss” at the border- though the answer to that question was in fact “Moscow”)

 

[zwk500]

I think the thing with East Berlin was that the East didn't mind Westerners coming and spending their plentiful money there, it was all about stopping their own people escaping to the West. Thus while no doubt if you pulled the cord and opened the doors at one of those stations you'd get more than a bit of a stern telling off, the main reason the guards were present was to ensure no East residents could board the trains.

There was more than a bit of paranoia about western spying as well (not all of it unwarrented). The U-Bahn station next to the Berlin Wall Memorial (with the preserved section) has a fascinated set of displays about how the security was ramped up over time, and how the odd maintenance worker did manage to flag down a western U-Bahn train to escape!

 

[dutchflyer]

I don't think the concept really applies any more within Schengen and the EU customs area, because there aren't really any immigration formalities to complete (unless temporary ones are in force). Thus it's in effect just a domestic train service.

Thats right-it simply became all obsolete-and thus also all the special rules etc. that applied to it, when that combined Schengen-zone became into effect.
In the cases where the corridor went via the old communist hammer&red sickle countries, rules were far more stringent and applied. Best known example where the various trains to West-Berlin via the old DDR-DDR Borderguards would board and make sure noone would ´escape´ into their workers paradise then.

 

[gysev]

Before Austria joined the EU, there was a corridor service between Innsbruck and Lienz through Italy. It was the only diesel hauled train over the Brenner pass.

 

[dutchflyer]

Yes that is correct, and I managed to do that too. Two lines as I recall, the longer of which had four 'dead' stations.

Very eerie - passing through at reduced speed, with an armed guard on the platform.

But one of these allowed those nasty capitalist westerners-with their precious hard D-marks!- to alight and buy cheaper stuff (alco+tobacco mostly) at the ´INterShop´. As border as such was not recognised, there were thus also nu customs checks coming back in the west.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 21 Oct 2025 ==

Do any passenger services run through Monaco–Monte Carlo without stopping?

From my memory-no nor do I recall any such in the last 50+ years or so. But there may be the odd exception.
But then Monaco and FRance have been a kind of ´pre-Schengen´ passpt/toll union since at least some 60+ years now, so its all also obsolete.
Same for Lichtenstein and Switzerland, no effective border controls since last century between these two.

 

[The exile]

Before Austria joined the EU, there was a corridor service between Innsbruck and Lienz through Italy. It was the only diesel hauled train over the Brenner pass.

Did Austria not also pay for the South to East curve at Rosenheim - used almost exclusively by Austrian transit traffic between Kufstein and Salzburg?

 

[stadler]

The line in Mauritania from Nouadhibou to Zouerat passes through Western Sahara (Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic) for a couple of miles. It is the iron ore train but it carries passengers too. The train makes no stops and there is no border control. Most people do not even realise that they are in another country for a couple of miles. Western Sahara is a disputed and partially recognised country. Morocco claims all of it but Mauritania recognises their independence. About 90% of the land is controlled by Morocco and about 10% is SADR controlled. The area that the train passes through is SADR controlled land. Mauritania has always had good relations with SADR (and supported their independence) so they allow the trains to pass through unrestricted. I think this is probably an example of what you are looking for.

Within the Schengen area in Mainland Europe there are also some similar ones of trains briefly passing through another country. Although of course with the Schengen area it is a lot simpler. No border control anyway.

On the line from Gorlitz (Germany) to Zittau (Germany) you get the train passing through Poland twice. It is between the stations of Hagenwerdwer and Hirschfelde that it happens. The first time it crosses from Germany to Poland and calls at Krzewina Zgorzelecka in Poland before crossing back in to Germany again. Then just about twenty seconds later it briefly crosses a second time from Germany in to Poland and then back in to Germany again. There are no stations in Poland on the second section. But this means that there are two section of railway in Poland that are disconnected from the rest of the Polish network and one section of railway in Germany that is disconnected from the rest of the German network.

On the line from Zittau (Germany) to Hradek Nad Nisou (Czech Republic) you pass through Poland without calling. So the train goes from Germany then briefly in to Poland then in to Czech Republic from there. There are no stations in Poland at all which is surprising as Porajow seems a large enough place to build a station. I imagine most people have no idea that they are in Poland breifly.

The terminus of Seifhennersdorf (Germany) is completely disconnected from the rest of the German network and trains have to pass through the Czech Republic to get back to Grossschonau (Germany) again. So they leave Germany and breifly call at three stations in the Czech Republic (Varnsdorf Pivovar Kocour then Varnsdorf Stare Nadrazi then Varnsdorf) and then cross back in to Germany again. The stations in the Czech Republic are connected to the rest of the Czech network so it is only German trains that have to pass through another country.

The line between Neusalza Spremberg (Germany) and Taubenheim Spree (Germany) breifly passes through the Czech Republic for about sixty seconds. This is an entirely domestic line from Zittau to Dresden along the South border of Germany but breifly passes through the Czech Republic for less than a minute. I reckon that most passengers have no idea that they are in the Czech Republic and probably think it is entirely a domestic railway. It means that there is a short section of railway in the Czech Republic that is disconnected from the rest of the Czech railway network.

The line between Vojtanov (Czech Republic) and Raun (Germany) crosses the border seven times within about five minutes. It goes from Czech Republic to Germany to Czech Republic to Germany to Czech Republic to Germany to Czech Republic to Germany all in about five minutes or so. I doubt many passengers even realise that it crosses the border seven times in such a short section. This line has three separate sections of Czech railway that are disconnected from the rest of the Czech network and three separate sections of German railway that are disconnected from the rest of the German network.

The line between Neuhausen Rheinfall (Switzerland) and Rafz (Switzerland) passes through Germany for a few miles. It leaves Switzerland and calls at two stations within Germany (Jestetten then Lotstetten) and then goes back in to Switzerland again. So the section of railway line in Germany is completely disconnected from the rest of the German railway network.

The line from Podcetrtek (Slovenia) to Imeno (Slovenia) passes through Croatia for a short period of about thirty seconds. The line leaves Slovenia and enters Croatia very breifly and then enters back in to Slovenia again. Again i reckon most passengers have no idea that they are in Croatia for a short period. It is an entirely domestic line otherwise. So this means the Croatia has a short section that is disconnected from the rest of the Croatian railway network and Slovenia has a short section that is disconnected from the rest of the Slovenian railway network due to it being a terminus line.

The line from Rogatec (Slovenia) to Hromec (Croatia) crosses the border an incredible fifteen times. That is fifteen border crossings within about ten minutes. This railway line goes from Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia to Slovenia to Croatia all within a space of around ten minutes or so. This line has seven separate sections of Slovenian railway that are disconnected from the rest of the Slovenian network and seven separate sections of Croatian railway that are disconnected from the rest of the Croatian network. With fifteen border crossings it must hold the world record for the most amount of times that a train crosses the same border.

Not quite the same but Luxembourg has two separate railway lines that termiate just over the border in France and are disconnected from the rest of the French railway network. Audun Le Tiche is one of them. Volmerange Les Mines is the other one. Both lines are basically considered part of the Luxembourg railway network (free travel even extends to them along with Athus in Belgium oddly) and France has almost zero involvement in these lines.

Deutschkreutz in Austria is similar to the Luxembourg examples in that it is a terminus station just over the border that is disconnected from the rest of the Austrian railway network. It is only connected to the Hungarian railway network. Most trains come from Austria and have to pass through Hungary and then back in to Austria again. Although they do call at stations in Hungary too.

Liechtenstein is another one which is a bit similar to this thread. It has four stations but only stopping trains call. All of the fast trains and intercity trains pass straight through Liechtenstein without calling. So they go from Austria to Liechtenstein to Switzerland without any intermediate calls. They only use the country to pass through.

Monaco could count for this thread too as the railway line passes through twice but only one of the lines has a station. The line from Cap D Ail (France) to Monte Carlo Country Club (France) firstly leaves France and breifly enters Monaco for about twenty seconds before then leaving Monaco for about twenty seconds and then entering Monaco for a second time and calling at Monaco Monte Carlo before leaving again. Monaco actually has two separate unconnected sections of railway line. This also means that France has a short section of railway line between the two Monaco sections that is completely disconnected from the rest of the French railway network. The railway line in France from the Eastern border of Monaco to the Western border of Italy is also a second section in France that is unconnected from the rest of the French railway network.

There is a section of railway line in the Northeastern part of Kazakhstan that is disconnected from the rest of the Kazakh railway network and used by Russian trains to pass through and a Russian section that is disconnected from the Russian railway network. On the line between Rubtsovsk (Russia) to Shemonaikha (Kazakhstan) the railway first goes from Russia to Kazakhstan then back in to Russia then back in to Kazakhstan again. So there is one section of Kazakh railway line disconnected from the rest of the Kazakh railway network and one section of Russian railway line disconnected from the rest of the Russian railway network.

Similarly in another area of the Northernwestern part of Kazakhstan there is a line from Cherlak (Russia) to Karasuk (Russia) that passes through Kazakhstan for a short distance. This section is also disconnected from the rest of the Kazakh railway network. It is used by Russian trains to pass through and is a fairly short section.

There is a section of railway line in the Northern part of Kazakhstan that is disconnected from the rest of the Kazakh railway network and used by Russian trains to pass through. The line from Troitsk (Russia) to Varna (Russia) passes through Kazakhstan for quite a distance. This one has two small stations within the Kazakhstan section.

Similarly in another area of the Northern part of Kazakhstan there is a line from Kablovo (Russia) to Ozinki (Russia) that passes through Kazakhstan for quite a distance. This section is also disconnected from the rest of the Kazakh railway network. It is used by Russian trains to pass through and serves the major Kazakh city of Uralsk too.

Lastly in the Eastern part if Kazakhstan there is yet another similar one here. The line from Verkhniy Baskunchak (Russia) to Kaisatskoe (Russia) passes through Kazakhstan twice. It goes from Russia to Kazakhstan to Russia to Kazakhstan to Russia all within a short period. So there are two sections of Kazakh railway here that are disconnected from the rest of the Kazakh railway network and one section of Russian railway here that is disconnected from the rest of the Russian railway network. This line is just used by Russian trains to pass through.

The railway line from Belgrade (Serbia) to Podgorica (Montenegro) has a section is Bosnia that is disconnected from the rest of the Bosnian railway network and a section in Serbia that is disconnected from the rest of the Serbian railway network. The isolated section in Bosnia has two railway stations (Goles and Strpci) and one of them has a service currently. The section in Serbia has thirteen stations and ten of them have scheduled calls currently. There was talk about Bosnia and Serbia swapping land to make this railway entirely within Serbia but it has gone quiet recently. I can not remember how border control works these days. There must be some border control as calls are made in Bosnia along the way.

The line from Sarajevo (Bosnia) to Ploce (Croatia) is another example like the Luxembourg one. The line in Croatia is a section completely isolated from the rest of the Croatian railway network. It is only served by Bosnian trains.

Simarly there is the line from Divaca (Slovenia) to Pula (Croatia) which is yet another example sort of similar to the Luxembourg one. The line in Croatia here is completely isolated from the rest of the Croatian railway network. It is mostly served by Slovenian trains.

There is a freight terminus in Austria that requires for trains to pass through Hungary to get there. The line leaves Mogersdorf (Austria) and the breifly passes through Szentgotthard (Hungary) and then goes back in to Austria to the freight terminus again. So it is only freight trains but the terminus is disconnected from the rest of the Austrian railway network and requires passing through Hungary to get there.

I am sure there are dozens of other similar examples like this. I suppose with Schengen it makes it much easier nowadays. In the past they would have needed to make arrangements with other countries to allow trains to pass through.