I don't want to put doubt about that that's what happened to you, but I am very surprised by this and would like to understand more. I searched online but did not find anything. The rule just seem completely unrealistic to me: with all the tourism shopping etc. it must be very common to spend more than 600 euros. Imagine someone buys a 600 euros bag, and then goes back to Switzerland - are they supposed to go to the commercial customs and queue between one truck driver and another? If it's Sunday the are just forbidden from crossing the border and must stay a night in near-border hotel waiting for Monday morning? What if they travel by train? And airplane? Of course, just because a law seems stupid does not mean that it can't exist - but in this case seems completely unfeasible
Give me Chf 1'000.-- and i will show you
Tom
It is not a medical emergency, no one forced someone to live in Switzerland and buy a 600 euros bag abroad. And being in between truck drivers is better than being, let’s say, in between bankers (plus there are also people moving, honest people declaring bags … if really truckers bother you).
There are some benefit in living outside the big €pean market (souk, to be more precise), it is up to you to accept the trade-offs. You can always move to €land, if you find Switzerland import laws draconian.
Tom
Just wanted to share an update on my trip to Milan recently to help others interested in tax-free shopping.
When my train arrived into Milano Centrale, I began by checking at the train station before shopping to understand how things work re getting tax back. I can confirm that inside the train station there is a money exchange shop which works with 'Global Blue' and it offers a service to review receipts and they have a service where they can give customers the VAT tax back as cash, there and then, after taking a commission of course. However, it would have still required customers to go to the border for an official customs stamp. As otherwise there is a penalty.
So I went to a few shops and sure enough, many of them work with Global Blue but I think there is another company too, the name escapes me, these companies act as 3rd party agents and take a fee for 'processing'. For example there is a large department store in Milan called La Rinascente and also other large chain high street shops also work with global blue and prepare a tax free receipt if you furnish them with your Passport/ ID card. In my case, they also gave me an envelope with instructions written on it about what to do -in English.
Be warned though, please check what they type into the system before leaving the store. As I only realised when I left the store and looked a the receipt over lunch that the lady who served me at the time had entered in my country of residence as Sweden and not Switzerland?!! I'm not sure how, or why, as I gave her my permit card and told her Switzerland.
Also, in the end, I never tried to get my cash back sorted. Whilst I could have claimed around approx 30-40euro back, I would have had to go to Chiasso to get a stamp added to the envelope and putting the stamped envelope into a box there for processing all before re-entering Switzerland with my shopping. As my direct train from Milano Central only stopped at Chiasso for 7min it just wasn't long enough to find customs, get the form stamped and then get back onto the train in time. At least, not the first time especially as I couldn't see the customs office on the platform from the doors of the train when we stopped.
So the lessons are:
1. Need to spend approx 150euro in each store to be eligible.
2. No need to go to the train station to get your cash back if you enter your credit card details into the system, but don't forget you need to get a stamp at the border.
3. Remember to check the tax free receipts the stores prepare for errors before leaving.
4. Consider return train trip that stops at Chiasso for long enough to allow for visit to customs before getting the train back.
Would I go back, yes, definitely, I enjoyed the shopping experience there !
If I go back and find out anything else, I'll update this thread.
Forgot to mention, in case you want to head to a shopping centre/mall where there are lots of high-street shops that have global-blue, there is a place called ilCentro. I never made it there but their website has a long tax-free section and I asked someone at the station about it. I think they are pretty geared up for tax-free shoppers and their website is also in English.
Also there is a shuttle bus that leaves directly outside Milano train station, it costs 5euro return, you have to buy the ticket in advance though either from the tourist information booth just outside the train station entrance or online before boarding. To find the stop, just walk out the main entrance and cross the road and the bus stop is on the opposite side and there is a flag with the logo of il-centro so you can’t miss it.
Link to buy the ticket is can be found via the shopping centre’s website and I’ve pasted it below to help
https://www.zaniviaggi.com/it/tour/b…ntro-di-arese/
I didn’t go to it on this occasion, but it’s useful to know about it.