The Schengen Area continues to be one of the greatest advantages of European travel, but by the summer of 2026, the old, frictionless operation has not yet fully returned. According to the fresh Schengen report published by the European Commission on May 18, 2026, the foundations of the common travel area are stable, yet several member states continue to maintain temporary internal border controls. This is important for Hungarian travelers because on some of the summer car, train, and air journeys, checks, slower crossings, and a greater time buffer must still be expected.
The value of the news is not that Schengen is "ceasing to exist" or that free movement has suddenly disappeared. On the contrary: the Commission emphasizes that the region has remained resilient, and one of the goals of the next cycle is precisely the gradual phase-out of internal controls. However, the practical situation shows that this process does not happen overnight. Therefore, before the 2026 summer travel season, the most important question for the Hungarian public is how to realistically plan trips during this transitional period between Schengen freedom and the remaining controls.
What does the European Commission's fresh Schengen report say?
According to the 2026 status report, the Schengen Area has shown tangible results in several areas over the past year. The Commission highlighted that in 2025, the number of illegal border crossings decreased by 26 percent compared to 2024, while the return rate rose to 28 percent, the highest value in the last ten years. According to the report, the digital control of external borders has also reached an important milestone: the Entry/Exit System, or EES, is fully operational, and according to the Commission, tens of millions of entries and exits have been recorded since the system's launch.
At first glance, this may seem more like institutional and security policy news, but it also has direct tourist significance. In practice, Schengen means that most European holidays, city visits, road trips, and business trips can be organized so that passengers do not expect a classic internal border crossing. However, if several countries maintain temporary controls, it can cause congestion in car traffic, travel time risks in international bus and rail connections, and targeted document checks or slower ground processes in aviation.
Perhaps the most important sentence for Hungarian travelers in the report is that in the next 2026–2027 Schengen cycle, the structured dialogue with member states applying internal border controls will continue, specifically with the aim of gradual phase-out. This means that Brussels recognizes at a political level: the prolonged existence of internal controls is no longer just a security issue, but a mobility and tourism issue as well.
Where do controls remain currently, and what may directly affect Hungary?
Based on the European Commission's public, current list, in the second half of May 2026, several Schengen countries maintain or have announced temporary internal border controls. From a Hungarian perspective, the most important is that Austria maintains controls until June 15, 2026, including on the Hungarian border section. Slovenia also maintains controls toward the Hungarian and Croatian borders until June 21, 2026. Germany maintains internal controls at certain borders until September 15, 2026, France until October 31, 2026, Poland until October 1, 2026, while the Netherlands plans controls not only on land but also at Schengen air borders from June 9 to September 30, 2026.
In practice, this may affect Hungarian travelers in several ways. Those heading toward Austria, Slovenia, or Italy by car may encounter longer crossing times than previously accustomed, especially during peak periods, weekends, or around holiday periods. Those traveling by international train to Vienna, Graz, Ljubljana, Trieste, or further toward Germany should expect that a few minutes or, in some cases, longer control delays may be built into the travel time. For air travelers, the change is primarily important if they travel through a country where part of the Schengen internal border control is applied more intensively at airports.
The decision of the Netherlands deserves special attention, because the mention of "intra-Schengen air borders" indicates that a Schengen flight is not necessarily completely frictionless just because the route is on paper an internal movement. This does not mean that general passport checks should be expected on every flight, but it does mean that authorities may exercise the possibility of internal control more strictly if necessary.
What does this mean for planning summer holidays?
The most important practical conclusion is that in the summer of 2026, Schengen travel will remain easier than a classic external border crossing, but it is no longer advisable to rely solely on the previous, completely control-free routine. Hungarian travelers should be particularly cautious if they plan car or rail trips crossing several countries, choose compact transfer air routes, or depart at a time when high seasonal traffic is already expected.
One peculiarity of this summer is that the issue of internal border controls overlaps with several other European travel themes. The introduction of EES, for example, directly affects non-EU short-term passengers, but it can impact the entire airport operation. This is already visible from the example of Italian airports, where border processes can become a sensitive point in summer; we previously wrote about the EES pressure weighing on Italian airports on this page. The current Schengen situation is different from this because here it is not about the digitalization of the external border, but about the temporary bottlenecks of internal movement.
Those traveling with family should especially keep every passenger's valid identification document at hand. Although as a Hungarian citizen one can basically move freely in Schengen, due to temporary controls, it is not advisable to set off assuming that "they won't ask for it anyway." Airlines, railway companies, and authorities may also request identification, especially if a route affects several countries or if stricter-than-usual controls are in place due to the security situation.
What changes because of EES and ETIAS, and who is actually affected?
The Commission's current message is also important because it is not only about internal controls, but also about the digital modernization of Schengen. EES is already operational, and ETIAS, according to EU information, may start in the last quarter of 2026. These two systems are often confused in the travel press, so it is important to clarify the difference. EES digitally records the entry and exit of non-EU travelers arriving for a short stay. ETIAS will be a prior travel authorization for non-EU travelers who can enter Europe without a visa.
Neither system applies to Hungarian citizens in the same way as to a tourist from a third country. That is, a Hungarian traveler does not need to request ETIAS authorization to holiday within Schengen. The indirect effect, however, is very real: those traveling with a non-EU family member, partner, or friend must be careful that not everyone within the group will move according to the same rules. Additionally, the operation of airports and certain border points may change overall due to the combination of digital systems, traffic, and temporary internal border controls.
Therefore, in the summer of 2026, two parallel European stories are running at once. One is that the EU wants to strengthen and modernize Schengen. The other is that in the short term, several countries continue to exercise extraordinary or temporary control. From the travelers' perspective, the two do not exclude each other: it can be simultaneously true that Schengen is strategically stable and that there are still extra frictions in everyday travel.
What should a Hungarian traveler pay attention to now?
The safest approach is for everyone to build in a small time buffer when planning a summer European trip. For car travel, it is advisable to prepare with a more flexible departure, especially in the direction of Austria and Slovenia. For international trains and buses, it is better to avoid overly tight connections. For flying, it is recommended to follow the latest travel information from the airline and airport, even if the route is entirely within Schengen countries.
It is equally important that travelers treat the topic not as a political slogan, but as a practical transport and administrative issue. The current situation is not about the freedom of movement in Europe having ceased, but about several countries temporarily deviating from the norm of completely open internal borders due to security, migration, and geopolitical pressure. This difference is essential because it helps avoid excessive conclusions while not downplaying the real consequences affecting travel comfort.
For the rest of the summer, it is especially worth following the June meeting of the Interior and Justice Council, as member states will discuss the 2026–2027 Schengen priorities there, including the next steps for EES and ETIAS. If the gradual phase-out urged by the Commission actually gains momentum, it may make Schengen internal movement more predictable again in the long term. In the short term, however, the best strategy remains preparedness.
Summary
The fresh Schengen report published on May 18, 2026, is good news in the sense that the European Commission still sees the system of free movement as operational and strategically important. From the perspective of Hungarian travelers, however, the essence now is that in the summer season, not everything automatically returns to the old ways. Controls remain directly in the direction of Austria and Slovenia, which may slow down the crossing, while temporary controls are in place on several other popular European routes.
In short: Schengen works, but not completely frictionlessly. Those who factor this into their route planning in time will most likely avoid the most unpleasant summer surprises.