What is the current situation regarding travel to Austria

A snowHead

@ski for fun, yes all comfortably within the 48 hour window - flight lands 9am tests taken lunch time yesterday - and the Randox drop box results were received at 2am this morning - so less than 12 hours after dropping them off - very impressed!

A snowHead

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My mate just dropped a bombshell, that on the austiran gov site it says apres is currently closed and theres a curfew at 10pm . Has anyone got experience that this is still in place ??

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@Redmaximo, that's correct, no apres this year, pubs strictly shut at 10pm, when they are open table service only, no singing or dancing. Some places are doing low key live music but certainly no mass singing of "Sweet Caroline", "Jonny Däpp" etc

After all it is free

@Cacciatore, Very Happy

@Redmaximo, How's life under that rock? Bars are open with table service, but it's not “traditional” après. They have to close at 10pm. It will probably be in place until the end of the season.

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I'm too old to be out past 10 these days anyway, so as long as I can sit and have some gluhwein in a pilsbar when getting off the slopes, and maybe stamp my feet to the strains of So ein schoner Tag (which always comes around eventually in every Austria pilsbar I've ever been in) then I'll be happy.

Mind you, Mama Laudaaa seemed popular in Italy for some reason. And no one was sitting in the pilsbar there. I even got roped into a conga line Shocked

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Does Austria still require a passenger locator form filled in for entry ?

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@Roguevfr, I believe you only need to complete the form if you also need to do the quarantine – you can try and fill it in, but of you don't qualify (because you've had all your vaccinations etc.) it will boot you out will a message about not needing to do it.

Can someone try and clarify this, I have read, and reread the Austrian Embassy but it seems ambiguous to me.

I had Covid confirmed by the NHS 1st Jan and have since recovered and have my NHS Covid Pass back on my phone along with a Recovery Pass. I've had the 2 jabs last year plus the booster in Dec. For the life of me I can't be certain whether they require a PCR neg test or not??

You know it makes sense.

@king key, not as of Monday. If you are travelling before then, then yes.

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

Sorry, should have mentioned going on 29th Jan. So having had Covid at the beginning of the year won't require a PCR?, sorry if I appear to be repeating myself.

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Hi, hoping there's an Austrian travel guru lurking please? I've trawled back through the last 30 or so pages and couldn't find the information I needed so thought I'd ask here!

Would anyone please be able to tell me if it's necessary to pre-book for trains on the Austrian rail network, or is it possible to just get them on the day? My flight arrives into Vienna at 1220, so there isn't much wiggle room to catch the 1303 outbound, but, it might be possible, I've never flown into Vienna before so don't know how quick you can get away from a flight there. Alternatively, there is a 14:03 train, which is totally fine, but it seems that you need to book onto a train rather than book a fare. I'm not overly fussed about my departure time, just want to know which sort of flexibiity there is so that I can book my journey without worrying if I need to get this train or that.

Many thanks.

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@bit_hehe, you can book onto a train, but there’s no need. Download one of the travel apps in advance and you can buy a ticket when you know your schedule, or just before you get on. You choose the time you want, but the ticket should be valid for a departure within 2 hours, so if you miss it and have to get the next one, it’s generally not a problem. Try ÖBB or VVT tickets app.

You would only need to book in advance if you were getting a special rate fare on a particular service.

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Many thanks @Scarlet, answers my question perfectly Very Happy

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Live update from Edinburgh Airport flying to Salzburg with Jet2, arrived at airport approx 2.5 hours before flight just in case of queues. Walked straight up to check in which had loads of staff, quick check of Covid pass and PCR, no questions asked about pre travel forms so that appears to definitely be off the agenda despite what their website says. All in all very smooth so far.

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@bit_hehe, as Scarlet suggests, and from personal experience, the ÖBB Scotty app is extremely good for all forms of public transport.

Re Vienna airport: the train/airport system is quite well integrated. It’s about a 10 minute (max) walk from arrivals to the station, either over ground (walk out of the terminal, turn left and follow the signs to the Bahnhof, enter the building with lifts/stairs/escalator to the platforms. There is also a route inside…I can’t quite recall the exact directions, but it’s well signposted.

If you’re landing at 12.20, it might be a push to get the 13.03 train. I guess it will depend on how busy the arrivals is, but my guess is that by the time you’ve grabbed your luggage, it will be very tight.

After all it is free

Just as a quick addendum, if you do need to wait for the next train, the outside (mainly covered) walk to the station passes a nice little outside snack bar, with a covered seating area. The food is perfectly acceptable and they sell beer, too…and soft/hot drinks and other alcoholic beverages. I thought the prices were very reasonable.

The snack bar is literally right outside the foyer entrance to the lifts/stairs/escalators.

Using the OEBB app you can book seats separately to buying a ticket, it only costs a couple of Euros. If you are unsure which train you are going to be on it can be worth booking seats on two different trains and when you know which train you are going to use book the ticket .

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@munich_irish, never thought of that, good idea!

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Hi All, Still reading through the regulations on transit from Munich airport to Austria with children aged 6+. Anyone had experience of this please? Did the airline require tests for the children?

Just back from Bad Hofgastien this afternoon, LFT shows I'm all clear but Kim is positive. I'm due to fly out to Cervinia next Sunday, that's now up in the air. Shocked

So that is two of our group of 6 tested positive on return.

You know it makes sense.

@JimboS, If Kim is your partner, give it another 24 hrs and you'll get the magic red line!

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A snowHead

I did a weekend in St Anton 2 weeks ago and to be fair it was far more lively than I thought it would be. The apres bars on the piste were pretty packed, if sitting only, but there was still a decent atmosphere. The bars in the town were pretty busy too. I wouldn’t be put off by the official government line that apres bars are supposed to be closed. It’s not playing out that way. However, they are really strict on the curfew and all the pubs had us marching out the doors by 9.55pm. Not too bothered about that since we had been drinking steadily since 3pm at the Moosewirt.

They were strict on the masks on the lift queues etc. As other posters have said. I was shouted at in front of scores of people for forgetting to put mine on.

As for the train, we took a train from Zurich to St Anton which was dead easy. There was hardly any border control on getting into Austria, we just had to change our mask from surgical to an FFP2 mask at that point. Farcical. I think train tickets are valid for 2 days, and we boooked them on the OBB website. I might be wrong on that, but as long as the prices for each train time are the same then I wouldn’t worry about pre booking your train too much. Alternatively you could just leggit to the station and if you get there in good time quickly buy the ticket on your phone as you wait on the platform. Incidentally, one of our group booked the ticket on the Trainline.com and one of the more stern ticket inspectors wouldn’t accept the Trainline.com app’s confirmation code, he wanted to see the OBB generated code that was emailed to my friend when he booked.

When we checked in at Manchester airport, we were asked to show various documents. When we met up with our friends who had flown with the same airline from Leeds Bradford, they had been asked to show different documents. I think it all depends on airport culture and who you get on the day.

Overall, it was well worth the effort, and the expense. And it all seems a lot easier from the 24th January as well… happy days!! Good luck all.

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Thought this might be helpful to those looking to transfer through Germany to Austria with not fully vaccinated children.

It says on the following website ...

https://uk.diplo.de/uk-en/02/coronavirus?openAccordionId=item-2330838-1-panel

"Minor children of third-country nationals are allowed to enter Germany if they are fully vaccinated (see information under “Important” below) or if there is an urgent need to travel"

Then on this website it lists the acceptable reasons for "urgent need to travel"

https://www.bmi.bund.de/SharedDocs/faqs/EN/topics/civil-protection/coronavirus/coronavirus-faqs.html

This includes "passengers in transit."

The rules for passengers in transit are as follows...

The traveller remains in Germany (as country of transit) only as long as absolutely necessary to travel directly to the country of destination or another transit country;

The traveller is permitted to enter the country of destination or another transit country

So as long as the requirements for Transit are met - I believe entry into Germany to travel to Austria is allowed for children yet to be vaccinated.

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Anybody clear about using 'recovered status' ? The regulations seem to state that its valid for 180 days which we meet. The downloadable form states that the individual recovered in the last 90 days. For us its 100 days. So these seem to contradict?

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@dedders, get the doctor to cross out the 90 and replace it with 100 the initial the modification

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I'm ok with that but aren't Austrians strict on rules, as in amending official forms? May have to chance it

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@dedders, the 180 day validity of a recovery certificate is correct. However, recovery alone is not enough to get you into Austria - you need three doses of the vaccine, or two doses plus recovery. If you are unvaccinated but have a recovery certificate, you will also need to produce a negative PCR. If your positive test was within the last 90 days, you may not be able to produce a negative PCR - in that case, the downloadable Annex I form is a way to have a GP certify that you have recently recovered, which avoids the need for the PCR test.

The Annex I form is only acceptable as an alternative to a PCR if you tested positive less than 90 days before. Amending it to 100 days will not work, as that exemption does not exist.

Even where it is relevant, getting a GP to sign that form is a bit hit and miss - some have achieved it with their local GP, some (including me) have been refused, and some have paid for a private medical certificate as an alternative.

See the section on "When you need a PCR Test" at https://www.austria.info/en/service-and-facts/coronavirus-information/entry-regulations

After all it is free

@dedders, There is a form that you can download from the Austria.info website which does not state 90 days. It’s a bit tricky to find but if you go to the FAQ’s section and click on the ‘what kind of negative tests are acceptable’ question, you’ll find it there.
Hope that helps

Thanks all.Great information. If a GP won't do it, will any doctor do ? Family friend who is a registrar?

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@dedders, the form requires "place, date, signature and seal of the certifying medical doctor" - i.e. it has to be officially issued. In effect, without something which looks like an official seal/stamp, it may be rejected. I have no doubt that a reasonable forgery or semi-official letter would pass the (very quick) checks, but of course if it doesn't then you get fined or jailed, and/or deported from Austria with a note on your immigration record to prevent you coming back.

If your infection was 100 days before your arrival, either arrange the booster, or take the PCR test. You'll most likely need the PCR test anyway if you're clutching at the straw of the Annex I letter.

Help!!

What is the current situation regarding travel to Austria

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