The ‘Schengen Shuffle’ sounds like a sort of political dance – and it is, in a way.
But in truth, it’s more of a tactic to make the most of travelling the world, all while keeping in line with EU travel rules and requirements – and without having to apply for a visa.
The Schengen Area is made up of 29 European countries, allowing free movement.
However, since Brexit altered travel rules for the EU, travel has become more complex. Now, the total stay in the Schengen area must be no more than 90 days in every 180 days for Brits.
And while it may sound complex, many Brits have adopted the ‘Schengen Shuffle’ – defined as ‘the act of organising your travel movements around the Schengen allowance in order to optimise your possible travel time whilst still keeping within the rules’.
This includes Kath Cross, 49 and her partner Stuart Hall, 48, who’ve ditched their ordinary UK lifestyle for a far more adventurous one.
For part of the year, the pair are based in the UK, with Stuart working as an HGV driver – but for months at a time, they swap their Southampton base for life on the road in Europe.
And they claim to have spent just £4,000 in over 100 days.
Kath Cross, 49 and her partner Stuart Hall, 48, are ‘Schengen Shufflers’
The duo travel for up to six months at a time, in line with Schengen rules
The pair share details of their adventures on social media, through their Youtube account and Facebook page Vanavigation.
How are their journeys possible, with Schengen 90-day limits?
Kath says: ‘We’re on day 115 and we’ve spent 41 days in the Schengen so far on this trip. We’ll rejoin the Schengen at the next country, which is Croatia. And we came down through France, entered Italy (both Schengen).
‘We crossed in on a ferry from Italy to Albania (non-Schengen). So we used 21 days getting to Albania, and then we spent two weeks in Albania.
‘And then we crossed into Greece (Schengen), where we spent another 20 days back in the Schengen area.
‘Then we crossed from there into North Macedonia (non-Schengen), where we spent 15 days. Then we spent 15 days in Kosovo.
‘Then we crossed from Kosovo to Montenegro (non-Schengen), where it was so beautiful, we couldn’t drag ourselves away and leave. We ended up being there for around 25 days.
‘From there, we crossed into western Serbia (non-Schengen) for eight days, and then three days ago, we crossed into Bosnia (non-Schengen), where we’ve planned to spend around two weeks before crossing into Croatia and then making our way directly home.’
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They have travelled all around Europe, to the likes of Albania, Croatia and Montenegro
With their pooch Nala in tow, they escape the gloomy UK during the winter for sunnier climes
It’s quite the journey – and there are plenty of advantages to the nomadic lifestyle, first and foremost the money-saving aspect.
‘We find it cheaper to be on the road,’ Kath explained.
‘We work on a budget of around £30 to £40 a day. But because we travel long-term, we don’t treat our travels as though they are a holiday. We are living on the road. So although we eat out maybe once a week or once a fortnight, we don’t eat out every night, the way you would if you’re on holiday. We’re not off doing special excursions every day.
‘The advantage of being in these non-EU countries is a lot of them are very cheap, particularly when we went to Morocco.
‘We do find in Southern Europe, particularly Spain, the fuel is very cheap. Food is cheaper. The cost of living is cheaper. Eating out is cheaper.’
Unfortunately, though, rising fuel costs in Europe, as a result of the ongoing war in the Middle East, have led to the pair adapting their plans.
For instance, they budgeted €1.30 (£1.10) per litre for fuel in Bosnia, but it turned out to cost €1.60 (£1.40). Similarly in Greece, the rate has risen from €1.50 (£1.30) to €1.88 (£1.64).
Kath says: ‘We’ve actually extended the trip because we have regular wages coming in every month from my freelance social media work – so that’s the budget we work to.
‘To stick to our budget, we’ve actually slowed down and we’ve travelled less distance every day, which means that we will be away longer this trip than we were originally planning to be.’
What is a typical day like for our Schengen Shufflers?
‘Kath gets up and is straight on the laptop,’ Stu says. ‘I’ll go up and tidy up from the night before, take the dog out and just general prep for whatever we’re doing for the day. Then we usually plan wherever we’re going to go that day. We think about where we’re going to sleep that night and make plans for that. And then we just head from one spot to the next, usually picking something to explore along the way. We don’t move every day, but we do move most days.’
Italy is one destination within the Schengen zone that the pair have visited
What are the Schengen area rules for UK travellers?
According to the GOV.UK website, you do not need a visa for short trips to the EU or countries in the Schengen area if both of the following apply:
you’re staying for 90 days or less in a 180-day period you’re visiting as a tourist or for certain other reasons
It adds: ‘You can travel to more than one country in a 180-day period. How long you can stay in each country depends on whether or not it’s in the Schengen area.’
The countries in the area are Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Italy, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, and Switzerland.
You can use the Schengen Shuffle calculator to work out your limits.
Standout activities as of late include visiting Montenegro’s national parks, and exploring the ‘Serpentine’ Uvac River in Serbia.
Aside from the fun of travel, there are plenty of other advantages.
Kath says: ‘It certainly beats living in a traditional house in the UK, and then taking one two-week holiday a year. We probably spend less on a trip like this than most people do spend on a package holiday.’
In Morocco, for instance, they drove for 101 days and spent just £4,000 – ‘probably less than most people spend on a decent package holiday for the family each year.’
She says: ‘I spend more than that living in my house in the UK. When you think how much rentals are, and the cost of living is in the UK, then for us, we can be off on an adventure for cheaper than most people are living in the UK. I realise we’re in a unique position, because we have one income on the road, but we’ve set our lives up in such a way.’
She adds: ‘It’s a different way of travelling, but we would highly recommend it. We’re like snails. We go around with our home on our back. It’s a great way to travel.
While Kath and Stu’s tale is thrilling, it is far from unique.
Capitalising on the travel restrictions as a result of the Schengen zone visa rules, many other travellers have adopted a similar technique to make the most of their experiences without having to apply for a visa.
There’s even a dedicated website to the tactic, inspiring savvy holidaymakers to plan excursions around the rules.
Travelling in their van, Kath works remotely while they are on the road
Those who’ve tried it for themselves are quick to dish out advice.
One Reddit user wrote: ‘If you haven’t already, pick a place you might like to live and spend two months there. Long enough to have a daily routine and feel like it’s more than a hotel/temporary stay. I think breaking the seal is the hardest part. Living somewhere for two months is a much bigger leap than extending two months to three or more.
‘It also prevents you from looking at a place with “vacation goggles” which always makes a place seem more livable than it is. You need to be there long enough to be annoyed with something about the culture to know if you can do it long term.’
And with the new European border rules in force, it’s even more important than ever to obey the rules.
Another Instagram account explains: ‘With the new Entry/Exit System (EES), every day is now tracked. Overstaying can result in hefty fines, entry bans, or even deportation. The 90-day shuffle doesn’t make you a resident – you’re simply a visitor who cannot work or establish residence without proper visas.
‘Many shufflers spend their 90 “out” days travelling elsewhere, visiting family, or exploring non-Schengen countries like the UK (which offers six-month visa-free stays). Successful shufflers plan meticulously, use Schengen calculators, book travel in advance, and keep proof of onward travel.’
It’s clear those keen to travel in Europe are taking the tightened rules – and making the most of them.
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