Train THROUGH Schengen countries, if you are over the 90 days??

1.> No website needed, just application of a little logic.

2.> No, you can't travel trough Schengen countries without activating Schengen day counts.

3.> Trains are not sealed tubes that can fly over countries. They travel on the surface of them, and they stop at various places along the way where people get in and out.

4.> I'm not aware of any lessening of border controls in Mediterranean countries.

5.> Nobody here will tell you how to break laws.

6.> 34 hours to Sarajevo, of course half of that will be in Schengen countries.

Look on your passport at your previous Schengen stamp. If you flew into the Schengen Zone, you'll notice a picture of a plane landing, the country of arrival and the date. When you leave, there's a picture of an airplane leaving, the country and the date. Same if you arrive by train. The train stops, the border police walk through the train and stamp everyone's passport, but this time, with a picture of a train arriving.

"I know boarder control is suppose to be more calm in the mediterranean than germanic countries" If you've been following the news for the last year, you can see that nothing could be further from the truth right now.

Overnight in Turkey-I'd choose that any time and add a couple of days on. Why would you even consider the train?

Just an FYI - If taking the Eurostar from GB into France, your passport and immigration check occurs before your departure. You might not even be able to board the train.

I forget when immigration is handled on ferries - before boarding or on arrival.

I also concur with the other poster - why not fly to Turkey and have a few day layover? Or check one of the discount airlines.

Also - you don't want to be caught on an expired tourist visa. You will be fined, bared from re-entering for several years and put on the next plane to the US at your expense.

You say you have exceeded the 90 day Schengen limit, but was that 90 continuous days? If that was 90 days with breaks out of the zone, you might still have some time there. The rule is 90 days in any 180 day period.

Most airports have "quarantine" areas where people coming from outside the Schengen zone, going to outside the Schengen zone, can stay waiting for their flight without "entering" the zone, ie, going through passport control. The 'Z' concourse in Frankfurt is one of these zones. Check with the airline.

Update: I found an early morning connection out of Dublin to Dubrovnik via Heathrow (not in Schengen) and Zagreb (also not in Schengen).

Nigel, when I said "I am almost positive this will not work" That is exactly what I meant; I found it wise to double check to see if anyone knew something about this that I did not know. Months ago, I asked if we were even allowed to have a lay over in a country that we could not be in, and I thought this would not even be allowed, but once I asked this, I found out this is possible. Logic would tell me I can't even land on a plane in that country, so logic didn't get me far. Also, Nigel, I am never trying to "find a way to break laws" I thought you would have assumed that seeing as I was asking the question in the first place in order not to break the laws. If you are referring to when I said "boarder control is suppose to be more calm in mediterranean countries" as where I was somehow implying I wanted to break the law, then you are mistaken. We are traveling for 9 months- that is a red flag enough for immigration so even if we are technically not doing anything illegal, they still would be more difficult for us, because of this I would like to afford immigration in more stick areas (Which, by the way, from both traveling over here, speaking with people we have meet, and blogs such as this one, all have told me mediterranean are less tough.

Tom, thank you for input- if your point is that we will go through immigration even on the train, then I would say that from our experience we have found this only happens once in a while, and is less of a big deal than flying (Look at would I said to Nigel about immigration) but I am not sure what you mean by "following the news in the last year" and immigration in the mediterranean...Since I am traveling, not watching/reading the news daily like I do back home, but again, everyone we speak to says mediterranean is less tough, but regardless, I guess it really doesn't matter, it is just the hassle of it we would like to avoid.

Bets, Thank you for that advance, I think we will stay in Turkey! And to answer your question: I personally hate flying, so to do anything that keeps in on the ground (even if it is longer) I prefer. We also have an extra bag with us, so flying is a hassle with so much crap. But more so it is because of what I have explained to Nigel about how immigration always has a nice long list of questions for people who are traveling for so long; the hassle of taking out reservation proofs, account statements, etc. is just annoying!

Douglas, Thank you for the FYI, but we would have never even attempted to do this if it was not ok with schengen rules. And we just took a ferry not too long ago from France and they did immigration once we docked in England. Also, we are looking at discount airlines, difficult since there are less routes in the winter and the baggage limits. Also, we have no tourist visa at all, so no need for concern!

Lee, Yes, the 90 days were continuous so we are all out of days, but that is a really good detail for someone if they were trying to do this and had a few days left! And thank you for the “quarantine” note; If I had not looked this up months ago, this is exactly what I would be looking up now! Thanks!

"if your point is that we will go through immigration even on the train, then I would say that from our experience we have found this only happens once in a while," No, it happens EVERY time a train enters or leaves the Schengen Area. This is not optional, it's a requirement of the Schengen treaty that any member nation who shares a rail border with a non-signatory country MUST maintain immigration checks. Otherwise, that would be a huge loophole in the system.

"everyone we speak to says mediterranean is less tough" At least once a week over the past two years, you see a story about the Spanish/French/Italian/Greek coast guard intercepting a boat full of refugees from the Middle East or Africa. Their guard is definately up.

Enjoy Turkey; it's a very special place. Also, you'll see that Turkish Airlines is excellent; you won't have to feel hassled about the extra bag. You'll be treated very well.