So all Major EU Countries are now happy just for the traveller to have their NHS Vaccination Certificate ?
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Covid restrictions abroad: updates & observations
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Blindtraveler
Established Member
Can anybody tell me what the situation is for entry to Austria? I was vaccinated last year but never actually got my booster so am now theoretically classed as out of date. Not intending to go until the autumn but if they are still playing cautious with unvaccinated travellers then I should really think about going and restarting my vaccination as now
Yes, that's right. In fact it's just Portugal, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Germany and Finland that impose restrictions or bars on unvaccinated arrivals. All other European countries (except Ukraine!) are open and have no entry requirements.
There are no entry restrictions whatsoever for Austria, you don't even need to be vaccinated. Within Vienna, they still require FFP2 masks on public transport and in supermarkets though!
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Blindtraveler
Established Member
I'm still wearing a mask on UK public transport although realise that last night I sat and had a phone conversation on a bus without one, totally out of character for me these days.
Thanks
Having just read your post above, I have another supplementary question. If I were to travel on the night jet from Brussels to Vienna which obviously goes through Germany does that change my situation?
Thanks
Having just read your post above, I have another supplementary question. If I were to travel on the night jet from Brussels to Vienna which obviously goes through Germany does that change my situation?
Fair enough - though I must say that I found FFP2 masks intolerable over longer periods of time when I visited Italy recently.
As you are transiting Germany rather than entering, the rules are slightly different. From my understanding, you would need to have a Covid pass (though not necessarily a vaccination-based one - it can also come from a PCR/lateral flow test) to transit. Whether that would actually be enforced, given it's all Schengen, is another question.
I would probably avoid it personally speaking.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Thanks. I'll maybe send OBB an email as they will doubtless have had this before and have a procedure for it.
I certainly don't intend avoiding the nightjet as when I did it last time it was an extremely hassle-free and enjoyable experience and knocking off so many miles while sleeping has always been attractive to me
I certainly don't intend avoiding the nightjet as when I did it last time it was an extremely hassle-free and enjoyable experience and knocking off so many miles while sleeping has always been attractive to me
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
I think the mask requirement in Austria has been lifted except in Vienna.
Italy needs FFP2 masks on public transport but the end date, unless extended, is presently June 15.
Think Holland as well as the NHS Cert, you need to do the written Netherlands Gov Covid declaration form as well. (for some reason, as it just duplicates the NHS info!)
There is no need for any vaccination, test or recovery certificate for Germany as restrictions were lifted from 01 June. Hopefully they will see sense soon as remove their mask mandate on public transport.
In addition The Netherlands cannot keep their restrictions when all around them are finally beginning to realise they are not needed.
Class 33
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I'm getting confused here as I thought the Netherlands finally scrapped all their restrictions weeks ago and reports here that the country is practically back to normal! But maybe not, according to some posts on here!
So Germany has finally scrapped mandatory face muzzles(apart from on public transport for some reason) and socialdistancing nuisancing restrictions too then? About darn time too! Thought that they were going to drag that nonsense on for months longer! Though they just need to hurry up and scrap face muzzles on public transport now.
So Germany has finally scrapped mandatory face muzzles(apart from on public transport for some reason) and social
I agree it can be confusing. The Netherlands, as far as I can work out, is EU/Schengen countries no restrictions - others still banned. Of course how that works if someone from the UK flies into an EU country without any restrictions then drives or trains into The Netherlands where there are no border checks!
Just shows how much of a farce it all is.
I agree about Germany removing the mask on public transport requirements, even though there are exemptions, although I wonder with the introduction of the 9 Euro ticket and the expectation of busier trains that may have sealed the fate of the requirement remaining?
As far as I can see, that is perfectly legal. You can only enter the Netherlands as an unvaccinated British citizen if you take sufficient steps to actively increase your chances of being infected by taking a roundabout route and spending more time in close proximity to others to get there.
I don't speak enough Dutch to check the actual legislation, but every official interpretation suggests that it is entirely based on whether the country you enter the Netherlands from (i.e. the single country you were last in, immediately prior to entry) is an EU/Schengen country, and not the country you commence your journey in.
This is the direct opposite of the UK's former rules, where it was a criminal offence to enter the UK having been in any country other than Ireland in the past 10 days without disclosing it, and following the harshest set of restrictions that applied to the countries you'd been to
I've seen the comment above about changing restrictions which perhaps render my observations superfluous for now, but I caught the Brussels to Vienna Nightjet a couple of weeks ago while they were still in force. No Covid paperwork was checked and as Belgium had lifted its mask rules, most passengers didn't bother putting one on until alighting at Vienna Hbf. The only bother was a significant delay to the service and everyone's breakfast choice forms going AWOL overnight! The Nightjet from Vienna to Milan also didn't check Covid paperwork, but most people did wear masks in common areas on that one, as was required in both countries.
P Binnersley
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Because you entered from Belgium (an EU country) there were no restrictions on unvaccinated travellers.
I nearly had a business trip to Sweden last year. Entry direct from the UK was banned (vac & un-vac), but fine if I flew via Helsinki!
AlterEgo
Veteran Member
It was. About 2011 I think.
Yes I also did the same in Sweden. A bonkers policy. The hotel was glad to see me and said they thought the policy was insane as well!
bengley
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Has Germany definitely scrapped entry restrictions? It was showing as green on Sherpa the other day but has now reverted to orange. Plus the German govt website has too much information on it and it's hard to work out whether it's current.
My understanding is the restrictions are only for those travelling from "areas of concern" however Germany also states there are currently no areas of concern. I presume by keeping that part of ther regulations they can easily add areas of concern should they wish.
How a virus knows where a person originally travels from before it enters another country is beyond me! It is well beyond the time when everything with the workd "covid" attached to it is confined to history never to be seen or heard of again.
Unfortunately those who peddaled masks, lockdowns and other restrictions are very relucant to accept that Sars-CoV-2 is rapidly becoming the 5th endemic Human Coronavirus and is evolving in a manner that is entirely consistent with expectations and other similar viruses, such as HCoV-OC43 and that everyone is going to be exposed to Sars-CoV-2 multiple times throughout our lives.
A strong argument can of course be made for at least some restrictions during the period where we didn't have vulnerable people protected through vaccination (or at least offered that protection), but we've been past that stage for about a year now; any restrictions should have purely been on the basis of the understanding that the spread should be mitigated purely to avoid overwhelming healthcare systems at a time when vulnerable people were not protected and that should have been it.
Those who claimed the virus would disappear or be eliminated if we had strict enough measures are very reluctant to admit they were wrong. It's become a political matter, with people of certain political persuasions trying desperately to prolong the epidemic for as long as possible, either due to their ignorance, or their wish to control peoples lives or their desire to simply be seen as important or perhaps to keep themselves in a job or seen as 'relevant'.
A strong argument can of course be made for at least some restrictions during the period where we didn't have vulnerable people protected through vaccination (or at least offered that protection), but we've been past that stage for about a year now; any restrictions should have purely been on the basis of the understanding that the spread should be mitigated purely to avoid overwhelming healthcare systems at a time when vulnerable people were not protected and that should have been it.
Those who claimed the virus would disappear or be eliminated if we had strict enough measures are very reluctant to admit they were wrong. It's become a political matter, with people of certain political persuasions trying desperately to prolong the epidemic for as long as possible, either due to their ignorance, or their wish to control peoples lives or their desire to simply be seen as important or perhaps to keep themselves in a job or seen as 'relevant'.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
I largely agree with everything @yorkie says above. I'm happy to continue following "advice" and "guidance" purely as I've enjoyed getting my life back or at least most of it and have no wish for any of it to be taken away from me again by anybody, gentile or Jew who stop voice perhaps feels that we've all been getting away with a bit too much and then a few extra restrictions might do their ego some good.
Thanks to the very helpful people in this thread for the advice given and it has helped me plan forward and make decisions
I will likely be back as quite honestly the ever shifting goalposts and complex websites of different countries make it especially hard for someone like myself who uses a screen reader
Thanks to the very helpful people in this thread for the advice given and it has helped me plan forward and make decisions
I will likely be back as quite honestly the ever shifting goalposts and complex websites of different countries make it especially hard for someone like myself who uses a screen reader
Butts
Veteran Member
Rumours that the USA is going to announce the end of inbound Covid Testing shortly 
(Midnight on Sunday)
Will this be the death knell for the remaining Test Centres at Major Airports, as these trips must form the largest part of their income ?
(Midnight on Sunday)Will this be the death knell for the remaining Test Centres at Major Airports, as these trips must form the largest part of their income ?
I have noticed in Italy this week that mask compliance isn't as high as I'd have expected. On some buses and trains around Bari it was near zero. That said, in Rome, its very high on public transport.
Unfortunately staff on trains are religiously enforcing mask wearing still, which is great with temperatures reaching 34 degrees!
Unfortunately staff on trains are religiously enforcing mask wearing still, which is great with temperatures reaching 34 degrees!
Yes, been on Bloomberg and CNN that the need for tests will be dropped as long as you are jabbed. (but yet to be officially announced)Rumours that the USA is going to announce the end of inbound Covid Testing shortly
Will this be the death knell for the remaining Test Centres at Major Airports, as these trips must form the largest part of their income ?
They have dropped masks on transport from today if I read the Gov.uk email right !
kristiang85
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Hallejujah! Now hopefully the last holdout nations with these idiotic testing requirements will start to fall like dominoes.
gabrielhj07
Member
What is the situation regarding vaccination for US entry?No more negative COVID tests required to enter the US from this Sunday.
You still need proof of vaccination for entry to the US.
While I've known about this rather unpleasant approach for some time, I just had a quick dig around for the *legal* backing for it.
It appears to be due to a 'Presidential Proclamation' issued in October last year, which can be found here
A Proclamation on Advancing the Safe Resumption of Global Travel During the COVID-19 Pandemic | The White House
The continued spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global threat to our health and safety. COVID-19 has resulted in more than 733,000 deaths in the United States and more than 4,932,000 deaths worldwide. New variants of SARS-CoV-2 have also...
and includes such gems as
which nonsense is pretty much the entire rationale put forward for this continued requirement
And later
Charming, thanks Joe!
As with many things that have happened in the last few years, doesn't this feel like something the legislature should have some say about?
nedchester
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No more negative COVID tests required to enter the US from this Sunday.
And just as I was about to order s for our visit to the USA in a couple of weeks.
Saved me some money and unnecessary worry! Excellent!
D6130
Established Member
Here in Tuscany, mask wearing on trains and buses is still about 99% and is rigorously enforced by bus drivers and train conductors. We're due another government review of the regulations to come into effect on 15th June, but there's still no word of what - if any - changes it will involve.
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