Caution in Italy and France 7 important travel changes you need to know about

There are numerous changes to travel in 2025. Caution is advised when traveling to neighboring Swiss countries, for example. blue News has the big picture.

The year 2025 will bring numerous changes for Swiss people planning to travel. Whether new rules, fees or technical adjustments - here are the most important changes you should be aware of before your next trip:

From now on, anyone shopping abroad can only import goods worth CHF 150 per person per day into Switzerland free of VAT. This applies not only to traditional purchases, but also to duty-free food, tobacco products and even vehicle repairs.

Previously, the limit was CHF 300. Important to note: The limit also applies to souvenirs from vacations.

Flights with Lufthansa and its subsidiaries will be more expensive. An environmental surcharge of between 1 and 72 francs will be payable depending on the route and class.

The subsidiaries also include Swiss. So anyone flying from Zurich or Geneva on vacation with Swiss will have to dig deeper into their pockets with immediate effect.

The travel portal "Travelnews" has summarized important changes in popular travel countries. Important for travelers in the EU, for example: Bulgaria and Romania have been part of the Schengen area since January 1.

This means that anyone entering the two countries from a Schengen state no longer needs to show an ID card. However, you must carry your ID with you, as random checks are possible at any time.

Anyone traveling to the UK in the future will have to dig deeper into their pockets: from 2 April 2025, travelers will need a digital ETA, which will cost 10 pounds, the equivalent of 11.20 francs. Applications can be submitted via an app from March 5, 2025.

There are also changes when traveling to France: the French toll is gradually being converted to an electronic system ("free flow"). In addition, the new Zones à Trafic Limité (ZTL), comparable to Italian traffic zones, will apply from April 2025. In this zone, unauthorized vehicles will be subject to either a general driving ban or a ban limited to certain times of day.

Be careful when traveling to Italy: the Italian government will be much tougher on traffic offences in future. Drivers who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs face draconian penalties. Anyone driving with a blood alcohol level of 0.5 to 0.8 per mille will face a fine of up to 2,000 euros (approx. 1,860 francs) and a driving license suspension of up to six months.

You can find the overview here.

Up to 2000 euro fineItaly toughens penalties for traffic offenses

Watch out if you are traveling to the Maldives from now on. Since December 15, the possession, sale and even use of e-cigarettes has been banned there. Travelers visiting the islands should be prepared to leave their vaping devices at home, as they could be confiscated upon entry. Failure to comply with the rules could result in a heavy fine.

You can find everything you need to know here.

Confiscations are imminentWatch out if you are traveling to the Maldives from now on

Anyone traveling on the freeways in Austria usually needs a vignette. There are only exceptions for a few sections along the border.

The prices for the vignette have risen this year. The annual vignette now costs 103.80 euros, the one-day vignette 9.30 euros. Attention: If you are caught on the highway without a vignette, you will usually pay a high fine. These are significantly higher than the price of a vignette.

In future, Swiss nationals traveling to Thailand will need an electronic travel permit. This will also be mandatory for vacationers. According to the Thai government, this will make it easier to track who is in the country.

Details on the exact introduction are still pending. Originally, the new system was supposed to start in December, but the authorities have backed away from this.