Covid rules on travelling to different countries around Europe

With borders opening up many of us might be considering hitting the slopes at this time of year.

However entering another country is not as simple as it was two years ago as travellers are asked to check the testing and quarantine rules before you travel from Wales or any other part of the UK to your holiday destination.

Here’s everything you need to know about vaccination status and the testing process in popular European holiday destinations.

Read more: For our latest stories on coronavirus, click here.

France

Entry requirements

If you’re planning on travelling to France and you are fully vaccinated and from the UK you must:

• Present a negative PCR or antigen test result taken within 24 hours pre-departure if aged 12 years and over
• Provide a completed ‘sworn statement’ or déclaration sur l’honneur form self-certifying you’re not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight

If you’re planning on travelling to France and you are not fully vaccinated from the UK:

• You will need to self-isolate on arrival in France for 10 days, which is subject to police checks.
• You must also provide a negative PCR or antigen test result taken within 24 hours pre-departure if aged 12 years and over.
• You’ll have to provide contact details before you travel to France, including the address they will be staying at, to the French authorities via an online form which can be found here.
• You’ll have to provide a completed international travel form to prove the reason for essential travel. This can be found on the French government’s website. However, in exceptional circumstances, the French Consulate in London may be able to assist with travel for a compelling reason not listed as an ‘essential reason for travel’.
• You’ll have to provide a completed ‘sworn statement’ or déclaration sur l’honneur form self-certifying you are not suffering from symptoms associated with coronavirus and have not been in contact with confirmed cases in the preceding fortnight.

Further information on reasons for essential travel or the ‘sworn statement’ can be found on the French Government’s website here.

Children

The same measures applied to vaccinated adults are applied to any minors, who are under 18 and are travelling with them, whether they are vaccinated or not.

In other words if an unvaccinated child arrives in France with a vaccinated adult they may follow the rules of entry for those who are fully vaccinated.

Unvaccinated minors aged between 12 and 17 accompanied by unvaccinated adults or unaccompanied unvaccinated minors are subject to the same travel regulations as unvaccinated adults (PCR/ antigen test less within 24 hours pre-departure, essential reason for travel, ‘sworn statement’, digital platform registration, and self-isolation on arrival).

Children under 12 are exempt from all Covid-19 travel restrictions but must still complete a ‘sworn statement’.

Testing

You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test from a private coronavirus testing provider. Test results must be certified by an approved private test provider to be accepted.

Travellers might be asked to take a test upon arrival in France including at Gare du Nord for Eurostar arrivals. Anyone testing positive for Covid-19 will be subject to mandatory self-isolation for 10 days.

HGV or van drivers arriving in France from the UK are able to continue doing so without providing a negative Covid-19 test to enter France.

Vaccination status

The French Government recognises the following vaccines: Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Johnson & Johnson. “Fully vaccinated” depends on the completion of a vaccination schedule, for example:

• One week after the second dose of Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca.
• Four weeks after the single and only dose of Johnson & Johnson.
• One week after the single dose of any of the above vaccines if you have previously tested positive for Covid-19.

Austria

Entry requirements

If you’re planning on travelling to Austria and you are fully vaccinated from the UK you must:

• Show either proof of full vaccination or recent (within the past 180 days) recovery from Covid-19 to enter Austria. You should also present a negative PCR test not more than 72 hours old when you arrive.
• If you received a booster vaccination 120 days or more after your second shot you do not need to provide a PCR test. For arrivals on and after February 1, 2022, this reduces to 90 days. Proof of recovery in the past 180 days alongside two vaccinations count as a booster.
• If you are without a negative PCR test or proof of a booster at the time of entry you must fill in a pre-travel clearance form and enter quarantine. You can leave quarantine with a negative PCR test result.

If you’re not fully vaccinated and cannot prove recovery from Covid-19 in the past 180 days you cannot enter Austria. However there are exemptions including:

• Residents of Austria or an EU/EEA country, pregnant women, regular commuters for work.
• Educational and family purposes and people who want to visit their partner.
• Pregnant women and people who cannot be vaccinated without risk must carry a medical certificate.

More information on exemptions from the Austrian Embassy can be found here.

Children

Children under the age of 12 do not need proof of vaccination/recovery or a PCR test if accompanied by a fully vaccinated or recovered adult. If the accompanying adult has to quarantine the child must quarantine also. The child can then leave self-isolation at the same time as the adult.

Children aged 12 or over and born on or after September 1, 2006, can use the first PCR test of their Holiday Ninja Pass to enter Austria. A Holiday Ninja Pass is a pass similar to an NHS Covid Pass that children from the age of 12 can use in the country even if they are not double-jabbed. You can get a Holiday Ninja Pass here.

For anyone born before September 1, 2006, the adult entry rules apply.

Testing

You should not use the NHS testing service to get a test in order to facilitate your travel to another country. You should arrange to take a private test from a private coronavirus testing provider. Test results must be certified by an approved private test provider to be accepted.

HGV drivers from the UK entering Austria do not have to show a negative Covid-19 test, proof of vaccination, or proof of recovery and do not have to quarantine.

Vaccination status

BioNtech/Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Covishield, Covaxin, Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, Sinovac, and Sinopharm are valid for entering Austria.

The below mentioned validity dates are only valid for entry into Austria:

• Two-dose vaccinations are currently valid for 270 days after the second or any additional dose. There need to be at least 14 days in between the first and second jab and between the second and third one.
• The Johnson & Johnson vaccination is valid for 270 days from 22 days after the first dose. It should be noted however that since January 3 you need a booster to gain “2-G” status in Austria if you have only received one Johnson & Johnson dose. The “2-G” rule means “vaccinated, recovered”. For entry only one dose is currently still accepted.
• If you are both vaccinated and recovered the first dose is valid for 270 days.

For further information on entry regulations for Austria click here.

Switzerland

Entry requirements

You are eligible to enter Switzerland for any travel purpose if you are fully vaccinated.

Travellers will no longer be required to take follow-up tests for to seven days after arriving. Further information on this can be found on the Swiss Federal Office of Health’s website here.

If you’re not fully vaccinated then upon entering Switzerland you must either have a:

• Negative PCR that can’t be older than 72 hours (in your country of departure).
• Or a lateral flow test that can’t be older than 24 hours (in your country of departure).

Travellers who are not fully vaccinated are only eligible to enter Switzerland from the UK if they are:

• Swiss or Liechtenstein nationals
• EU or EFTA nationals

Or are holders of the following documents:

• a residence permit, for example, a Swiss residence permit (L / B / C/ Ci permits)
• a cross-border permit (G permit)
• an FDFA legitimation card
• a D visa issues by Switzerland
• confirmation of notification for the cross-border provision of services up to 90 days
• holders of a ‘laissez passer’ issued by the Swiss Embassy in situations of special necessity

Travellers who are not fully vaccinated and do not meet one of the exemptions outlined above are not eligible to enter Switzerland.

All travellers must complete a passenger locator form if travelling by air or long-distance bus service only. Further information on the form can be found here.

Children

Unvaccinated children and young people arriving from the UK under the age of 18 are allowed to enter Switzerland if they are accompanied by fully vaccinated adults. Children under the age of 16 are exempt from testing.

Testing

Fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to take a test. There are also exemptions for cross-border workers and workers transporting passenger or good through Switzerland. Exemptions apply to both antigen and PCR tests. Other limited exemptions apply.

Non-vaccinated travellers must be able to produce a negative PCR test (not older than 72 hours) or lateral flow test (not older than 24 hours) on boarding a plane to Switzerland and on entry. It should be noted that this test must be taken in your country of departure. A negative Covid-19 test will not grant your entry to Switzerland if you are not eligible to enter.

Vaccination status

BioNtech/Pfizer, Moderna, AstraZeneca, Janssen, Sinopharm, Covishield, Sinovax and Coxavin are valid for entering Switzerland.

Switzerland will accept the UK’s proof of Covid-19 recovery and vaccination record, which is your Covid Pass, and a proof of Covid-19 vaccination issued in the Crown Dependencies. However a screenshot or a photo is not sufficient.

Your final vaccine dose must have been administered within the 12 months prior to your travel and in the case of the Janssen vaccination at least 22 days prior to travel.

From January 31 the validity period of vaccination certificates has been shortened to 270 days. If you are travelling with a printed PDF proof of vaccination status, it must be dated from November 1, 2021, so that the certificate can be scanned successfully.

Italy

Entry requirements

If you travel from the UK to Italy and can demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated you can enter the county without needing to self-isolate but you must:

• Fill in the passenger locator form (EU PLF) before you enter Italy to get a QR code to show to your travel provider and the Border Police. You can ask for the paper form if you do not have an electronic device. For more information on the form click here.

If you are not vaccinated, exempt from vaccination, or cannot demonstrate that you are fully vaccinated, you must:

• Fill in the passenger locator form (EU PLF) to get a QR code to show to your travel provider and the Border Police.
• Show evidence of a negative PCR test within 48 hours before entering Italy or a negative lateral flow test taken within 24 hours before entering Italy.
• Notify the prevention department of the local health authority of your entry into Italy. You can find out the contact details for each local Italian health authorities here.
• Travel to your final destination in Italy by private transport only.
• Remain in self-isolation for five days.
• Take another PCR or lateral flow test at the end of the five days’ self-isolation.

Children

Children aged 17 or under do not need to quarantine if they are travelling with a fully vaccinated parent and for those over the age of six have a negative PCR or lateral flow test. Children aged five and under are exempt from testing.

Testing

Alongside your passenger locator form (EU PLF) then if you are fully vaccinated you must show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before entering Italy or a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours before entering Italy.

If you are not vaccinated you must also show evidence of a negative PCR test taken within 48 hours before entering Italy or a negative antigen test taken within 24 hours before entering Italy along with other needs such as filling in the passenger locator form, five-day self-isolation, and taking another PCR test (as stated under ‘Entry requirements’ section above).

Regardless of your vaccination status all arrivals from the UK to Sicily will need to undertake a rapid lateral flow test on arrival which is administered by the local health authorities free of charge.

Vaccination status

Italy will accept the UK’s proof of Covid-19 recovery and vaccination record, which is your Covid Pass. From this month you must have had your final vaccine within 180 days for your vaccination certificate to be valid when visiting Italy.

The Italian Government recognises BioNtech/Pfizer, Moderna, Oxford/AstraZeneca, and Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) vaccines.

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