Swiss quarantine for UK travellers

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@BobinCH, There are PCR test providers at airports who claim to give results in 3 hours (at roughly £130 per test). I've found many UK PCR tests are already booked out for next weekend (generally with 24-48hr turnaround), so a swift booking might be prudent!

The PCR test requirements are Swiss rather than UK however! "On boarding, everyone aged 16 and over intending to enter Switzerland by air or bus must be able to show the negative result of a PCR test (performed no more than 72 hours prior to boarding). If you cannot show such a test you will not be allowed to board the aircraft or vehicle. Note: For people entering Switzerland from a country with a variant of concern, the test requirement on boarding already applies to those aged 6 and over (https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/quarantaene-einreisende.html)".

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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@oui4ski, thanks. So if she switches her Swiss test from antigen to PCR she should be ok given it will be less than 72hrs??? Or has to test again in UK?

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@BobinCH, I think that she should be fine with a Swiss PCR on the 16th to both get into the UK on the 17th and also get back into Switzerland on the 18th based upon on timings BUT the UK passenger locator form (which must be submitted prior to UK entry) requires details of a pre-booked day 0-2 UK PCR test - so I'm not sure how you can achieve that without booking a second UK PCR test!

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Im flying into Geneva sunday but transiting straight through to France.The way i read it is that if your staying in Switzerland and are double jabbed you need a pCR test.If your just transiting through a lateral flow test will suffice.This is from the Federal Office of public health switzerland.Its states the exceptions to the test requirements here..
https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/quarantaene-einreisende.html#-924144951

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@saintnickle, I'm not so sure : I read it that you need a PCR to get on the plane ; after that a PCR or antigen is Ok to enter France

I am reading your linked page as having two testing regimes : Boarding test and General test.

Note - just my opinion, no expertise !

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@saintnickle, I'm reading that a PCR test is mandatory for boarding the aircraft "On boarding, everyone aged 16 and over intending to enter Switzerland by air or bus must be able to show the negative result of a PCR test (performed no more than 72 hours prior to boarding). If you cannot show such a test you will not be allowed to board the aircraft or vehicle. "

- the relevant bit of the transit exemption reads "People in transit who use a Swiss airport without leaving it before travelling on ..." - do you have a flight out of Geneva airport to France perhaps?

As above, I have no legal expertise, but I personally wouldn't risk trying to board with just an LFT.

Especially if the stories about overzealous check in staff are correct. Safe vs sorry?

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@saintnickle, re your link above, it states under “General exceptions to the test “ The following individuals are exempt from the obligation to be tested:
People transiting through Switzerland without a stopover;
I had this from our chalet too, which conflicts the advice on the same link if you were to enter the “plan your travel with our travel check”. I wonder which is actually correct?

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The Swiss testing requirements have just been updated https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/quarantaene-einreisende.html - but it appears to be clarification rather than major change.

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I have had the requirement confirmed for a lateral flow test and not a PCR one today from this site i have used regularly recently.
https://nwp-online.co.uk/ They stated as long as you are just transiting from Switzerland to France a lateral flow test is needed.

Just to add (I am not flying until GVA until 17 Dec so am ‘invested’ in this) that a PCR is going to be required to board a flight from UK to Switzerland. A supervised UK LFT is not accepted.

In addition and for those staying in Switzerland:

- Canton Valais have confirmed that a remote LFT is not accepted by the Swiss for the day 4 to 7 test. As others have said, a supervised test at an approved Swiss pharmacy, medical centre or test centre is required.

- the Swiss interpret the Day 4 to 7 test as meaning that if you are there on Day 4 (Day 0 being the day of arrival) the test requirement applies. This could be pretty inconvenient for those leaving on Day 4. What no one knows is whether you having had a Day 4 test will be checked on you departing. In order to board a flight back to the UK you will (for UK entry) need a negative PCR or LFT but, unlike Switzerland, for UK entry purposes a remote LFT is acceptable. This may be cheaper or more convenient for some. I suspect that the relevant Cantons will not pursue you if you have left the country on Day 4 but this could be an issue if you are a frequent visitor.

Some of the information posted by the British Embassy in Berne is misleading (for examples stating that the return to UK test must be within 48 hours when in fact it is at any time on the 2 days prior to your flight back.

Apologies if this duplicates other posts (which is inevitable).

You know it makes sense.

@chrisJersey, thanks for confirming this. Much appreciated.

I was hoping we could do a remote day 4-7 test as it is cheaper and more convenient.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

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Anyone know what test will be needed to return from france via GVA?

I was going to buy the chronomics pack. This is fine to get back to UK however is not a pcr and was wondering if this will be accepted to get into GVA?

Thanks. This is getting stressful.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

@james75, yeah it is a tough one, you'd be gone by the time they realise and the airline is only really checking your UK requirements. I am staying for two weeks but my girlfriend is in the same dilemma as you as she's staying 6 days.

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@albob. Many thanks

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The link from @sugarmoma666, is much more 'user friendly' than mine ... Wink

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Skiers given quarantine exemption as Switzerland reverses COVID-19 restrictions before for Alpine Ski World Cup in St Moritz
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Wednesday, 8 December 2021
The FIS Alpine Ski World Cup is due to go ahead in Saint Moritz ©Getty Images
Skiers have been given a quarantine exemption for the upcoming International Ski Federation (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup in St Moritz on Saturday (December 11) and Sunday.

After Switzerland updated its COVID-19 restrictions meaning those entering the country from 12 countries, including Canada - where the last FIS Alpine Ski World Cup in Lake Louise, was held - had to conduct a 10-day mandatory quarantine, the World Cup going ahead was thrown into doubt.

The FIS announced it had secured a quarantine exemption for athletes from the countries included, stating the canton of Graubünden "granted participants exceptional entry into Switzerland".

The FIS said the exemptions mean "people who are necessary for the races are permitted to travel to St. Moritz without a 10-day quarantine period."

However, the Swiss quarantine rules were since reversed, meaning the World Cup is free to go ahead without any COVID-19 international travel restrictions.

Announcing the decision to scrap the mandatory 10-day quarantine, Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset said it "no longer made sense to maintain quarantine for people coming from countries where this variant is circulating, because it’s also circulating here."

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Just to put another viewpoint.. we are currently in ischgl Austria where you can ski over the mountain ridge and ski in samnaun Switzerland which we have done everyday so far. We have eaten in Swiss mountain restaurants, got on the bus in samnaun and at no point have we been asked for any additional requirements to ischgl. In fact the flask mask requirements are less stringent than in ischgl.

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Given this morning's news from France our plans to drive through France to Switzerland early in the New Year are now in need of urgent revision!

We live in the north of England so an overnight ferry from Newcastle to Zeebrugge or Hull to Rotterdam (the old Hull to Zeebrugge route which we have used in the past seems to have stopped ) is reasonably convenient. From there it should be possible to drive through Belgium/Netherlands, Luxembourg and Germany to Switzerland and it seems from the useful info linked from earlier posts in this thread that the exemption for tests if you come in from adjoining areas of France into Switzerland applies equally to coming from Germany. I'm still slightly nervous of using that exemption as it seems too good to be true but hopefully we will hear reports soon of Snowheads who have tried it and we will see if it works.

The risk of course is that any of Belgium/Netherlands, Luxembourg or Germany increases its restrictions but at the moment as far as I can see there is a testing requirement to get into Belgium or Netherlands if you arrive by ferry but after that nothing problematic (assuming of course the Swiss entry rules are what they seem to be).

Anybody see any problems with this (apart from the fact that lots is likely to change over the next few weeks....) or has any experience of the drive down from Zeebrugge/Rotterdam to Switzerland? According to the AA website it is around an 11.5hr trip so I guess we will need to stop over somewhere en route.

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Don't think any Ferries now run UK - Zeebrugge now : it is Hull - Rotterdam or Newcastle - Amsterdam

Hull - Zeebrugge was stopped after the start of COVID - last used it 3 years ago.

Did Rotterdam-Hull on 1st Dec and it was only 10% full, heading back on the 28th (reverse route). It's about 2 hours further (8h50) by road from Geneva in real world conditions than Zeebrugge (6h40) due to having to drive round a few more major cities (Rotterdam, Antwerp, Brussels, Charleroi) and the road quality being worse until Reims.

You know it makes sense.

Sorry, you are quite right. It's Newcastle - Amsterdam not Newcastle - Zeebrugge. Thanks for pointing that out.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Driving through France tomorrow from UK, I have done an Antigen test for FRance, do I need also need to do a PCR test and fill in a Swiss Entry form ?

A snowHead

Thunderer21 - my reading of the Swiss rules is that you do not need to do any pre- or post-arrival testing nor fill in a Swiss entry form but whether Swiss border control will agree with that interpretation is unfortunately another matter. I and no doubt many others on this forum will be very interested to know how you get on...

A snowHead

@Thunderer21, are you staying in Switzerland? If so yes you do. Use the travelcheck website.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/krankheiten/ausbrueche-epidemien-pandemien/aktuelle-ausbrueche-epidemien/novel-cov/empfehlungen-fuer-reisende/quarantaene-einreisende/_jcr_content/par/image/image.imagespooler.png/1639641608686/Entering_Switzerland.png

To get into Switzerland.
Anybody unless commuter, professional driver, or border region person has...
1. PCR test within 72 hours
2. Entry form stating residence etc
3. Second test within 4 to 7 days.

The entry form asks by what mode of transport you are entering.

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@whollymoley, Try to use as many toll roads as possible, yes it will cost but you avoid the HGV traffic that utilise the German autobahn routes between Holland and Switzerland on the eastern side of the Rhine. I once assumed that an unrestricted German Autobahn would be quicker than tootling along a French Tolled Autoroute I was wrong. The Belgium and Luxemburg road systems are antiquated and slow. My advice is to pace your self and do not try to "beat the clock",

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Thanks David B, that's helpful.

Going back to the rules for entry to Switzerland, the actual rules (albeit in English not in a Swiss official language) are here:

https://www.fedlex.admin.ch/eli/cc/2021/380/en

The relevant bits I think are articles 3 (exemption 2d) and 9a (exemption 2c) and annex 1a, which indicate to me that if you enter via France through one of the regions listed in annex 1a (which I think you would have to as they are the ones next to Switzerland) you are exempt from the normal requirements. You would then fall into the "people from border regions" exemption referred to in the document which is linked from Goliard's post. It doesn't seem to be necessary that your journey originally started in those regions or that you normally live there.

But it does seem a wide exemption. For a more reliable view you could ask the Swiss embassy in London as I spoke to them once (about a different issue) and they were very helpful.

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We landed in Zurich today travelling from the UK. The process of getting through border control was relatively pain free, just showing the appropriate documents etc. However we landed at the same time as a Canadian flight so was stuck in the queue for nearly an hour! Something to bear in mind in case you have a tight transfer time

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The entry form asks from where you transited and from where your journey started.

After all it is free

Switzerland has updated its Covid regulations : press release

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home/das-bag/aktuell/medienmitteilungen.msg-id-86544.html

Nothing Major !!!

4 to 7 day test looks to have been dropped for fully vaccinated

https://www.newsd.admin.ch/newsd/message/attachments/69711.pdf

@albob, so actually it's a relaxation as regards entry requirements (although toughening up on mask wearing etc); rather than a negative PCR test done within the previous 72 hours before entering Switzerland you can instead do a cheaper negative lateral flow test within the previous 24 hours. Also no test required after days 4 to 7 (although of course the UK still requires a negative lateral flow test before you can fly back to the UK).

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@Alastair Pink, Yes -- some good news..

One note of caution -- new rules come into effect on the 20th of December.
I wonder how slow the airlines will be to catch up....

Help!!

Swiss quarantine for UK travellers

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