Classic German border, from all my travels nowhere in europe did I see as much heavy weapons, military and stressed out border people than between Germany and Austria and that's going on for years.
Have a inner seat in a travel bus? Expect a machine gun waving in front of your face.
As children when there wasn't any Schengen and there was actual border control there was WAY less military presence. We could just drive to Germany with our bikes without anyone stopping us.
I wonder where you're from, because my childhood memories of crossing into Germany from Poland were nothing like that - very much armed guards, long car inspections, having to get out and wait while they inspected every bolt and nut.....I remember once the guard said something to my dad, then he(my dad) disappeared in the guard booth for a bit, I asked him what was that about and he said they basically wanted to do an "enhanced" search of our vehicle which would mean they would have it for up to 24 hours to strip it apart while we wait at a hotel nearby, I asked why did they do that to which my dad said "well they wanted a bribe, of course. I gave his commander a bottle of vodka as a gift for his hard work and service and suddenly they didn't need to do the enhanced inspection anymore".
Austria. Our border was pretty tame, many shopping tourism to both sides. With a car or bus (there was a public bus line, every 15 minutes or so) there was a control but I remember them as short checking passports and nothing else.
I just think that a lot of it is for the show, you know? I crossed the Polish-German border in January of this year and there was a gigantic queue to cross, we waited almost 3 hours which wasn't great with a toddler, but anyway - I expected a full on inspection or at least a document check like there used to be.......but no, there were just a few guards waving cars through, no one was checking anything, looked like they had 4 inspections bays set up so I guess they do pull cars in for a check but there was no one there when we passed......so I was like, what did we just wait 3 hours for? Just so some dude could glance at our car for 10 seconds as we drive past? How does that improve border security in the slightest?
Do you know Walserberg? I haven't passed Walserberg once in the last 10 years without a machine gun in my face. Passing it maybe once a year usually from Austria to Germany. Afaik the other way is easier.
I know I can just drive a hour more to drive around it where there is no active control but police cars hidden in bushes in the whole German area.
I am not used to stuff like this, for me it's a creepy experience every time.
Edit:// just remembered they recently started to do the same on the Swiss border around Basel. Whatever Germans think that's not normal within shengen. I usually don't see anyone at all on french or Italian borders, especially not young army forces with machines guns
I went from Munich to Italy regularly from 2015-2019, haven't been controlled once at any of the borders.
Have seen French border police (sometimes) at the German-French border down here near Freiburg but not the German police.
But yes, German police was present in Basel some weeks ago when I crossed there. Although they had two cars they controlled and let everyone else pass in the long line that had formed, no matter the car plates.
Have a inner seat in a travel bus? Expect a machine gun waving in front of your face.
As children when there wasn't any Schengen and there was actual border control there was WAY less military presence. We could just drive to Germany with our bikes without anyone stopping us.