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TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS - Summary for Fully Vaccinated & Boosted People

 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Does anyone know whether the NHS PCR tests are acceptable for the outward leg to France (via Geneva)? Or is it only the paid-for private tests?
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Great help. Only issue seems to be those leaving France to travel to the UK via Geneva.

The Swiss seem to say you are exempt from testing requirements if you are simply transiting.

You will of course still need a lateral flow for the UK but this seems easier than getting a PCR in the alps?

Entirely possible I am misunderstanding something so do feel free to put me right!
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Lots of debate about testing etc but I have not seen ,or probably missed, what type of proof the pre-return travel test is needed and how or who will be checking and policing this. Is it proof of negative test required at check in or is it landing at a uk airport. If it’s a uk gov requirement I am not sure how they could force a foreign checkin desk to manage this.
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Mozzle wrote:
Does anyone know whether the NHS PCR tests are acceptable for the outward leg to France (via Geneva)? Or is it only the paid-for private tests?
The free PCR tests available via there NHS are not suitable, sadly.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
@Mozzle,

"..From 4 December, fully vaccinated travellers (12 years old or more), and whatever their nationality, have to provide the result of a negative PCR or antigen test (in paper or digital format) carried out less than 48h hours prior to departure. Self-administred tests, whose results are not certified by a laboratory (e.g.: tests provided free of charge by the NHS) are not considered valid for travel.

The NHS indicates that it will not carry out tests for travel purposes. Private entities offering the same service must therefore be used."
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Thanks @albob, @rob@rar. I don't mind paying the money, and if we could pay the NHS for I test I'd happily do it. I just don't like private companies profiting out of a national health issue and hastily imposed government rules (especially as I can't help thinking the owners of these companies are linked to government ministers). Sadly it looks like I'll have to use one.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
What on earth happens if you are staying in Zermatt or Breuil Cervinia and popping back and forward over the Swiss-Italian border almost on a daily basis? Puzzled
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
And what is the outcome if one does turn up at UK immigration (double vaccinated and boosted) without the appropriate certificate or whatever test result from whichever country you have arrived from?
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
Craghopper wrote:
And what is the outcome if one does turn up at UK immigration (double vaccinated and boosted) without the appropriate certificate or whatever test result from whichever country you have arrived from?


It shouldn't happen, because the carrier is supposed to check your documents and refuse boarding if you don't have them.
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Ski the Net with snowHeads
Craghopper wrote:
And what is the outcome if one does turn up at UK immigration (double vaccinated and boosted) without the appropriate certificate or whatever test result from whichever country you have arrived from?


10 days in a prison hotel. At your expense.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
Would a written (ie no QR code) entry in your covid pass suffice? Because the NHS PCRs taken appear there... Round here they come back in about 8 hrs. Drive through, no questions, result goes on your pass.
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
Bump
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Craghopper wrote:
What on earth happens if you are staying in Zermatt or Breuil Cervinia and popping back and forward over the Swiss-Italian border almost on a daily basis? Puzzled


There no restrictions on crossing the border between countries adjoining Switzerland

"...Border areas that have close economic, social and cultural ties with Switzerland may be excluded from the lists in accordance with paragraphs 2 and 3 even if they fulfil one of the conditions in paragraph 1. 1. The list of border areas is given in Annex 1a. 6

d. 11 entering Switzerland from areas listed in Annex 1a.

Border areas of Switzerland
Annex 1a62
(Art. 2(4), 3(2)(d) and 9a(2)(c))
Zones in Germany:
– Land Baden-Württemberg
– Land Bayern Zones in France:
– Region Grand Est
– Region Bourgogne-Franche-Comté
– Region Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes Areas in Italy:
– Regione Piemonte
– Regione Valle d'Aosta/Vallée d'Aoste
– Regione Lombardia
– Regione Trentino-Alto Adige/Südtirol Areas in Austria:
– Land Tirol
– Land Vorarlberg Zones in Liechtenstein:
– the whole Principality........"
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
@bezthespaniard, if travelling to France via Switzerland, shouldn’t there also be either a PCR test or Antigen test taken within 48hrs of travel?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
I'm hoping someone has a view of flying in and out of Italy and going to France?

Appears you need lft to get to Italy, but it's free movement from France to Italy and vice versa, then you just need an lft to return and a day 2 PCR?

Italy needs the digital form completed but no need for France, and UK needs our usual passenger locator form.

Does this sound right?
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Sounds right to me...
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Robrar - many thanks and so too NE1

I thought that the return pre-travel HAD to be PCR. If not, that’s much easier.
That’s great re purchasing commercial LFT and taking it with us. Will that satisfy the French authorities for re-entering France for the road trip home?

We can get a formal LFT test easily in CH clinic on the hill on Sat 1st Jan…
ski holidays
 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Hi, can anyone offer any advice ...we are going to VT Dec 27th flying into Geneva, pretty much know entry requirements test wise. However (and here's the kicker) we have a 15 year old daughter who will need a negative antigen every day for the health pass. We were wondering if we would be able to take a stash of kits with us to do there ( send photo to be verified so that would cover the self administered clause), this would avoid a trip to the pharamacy every day! The qr code however wouldn't be recognized on 'Tac Verif' or the digital health pass, but we would have a paper copy of a negative test. Anyone got any thoughts/suggestions?
Thank you and let's hope we all get to the slopes this year!
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@GillB, I had the same thought, but I've been told by our instructor that it's pass sanitaire that they need to see, not a random piece of paper/phone app that could be faked.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
So to clarify please (flying into Geneva to transit to France) if we can get a neg pcr test within 48 hrs (this would be Xmas eve) we can combine the 48 hr french and the 72 hrs Swiss requirement? I’d like to know exactly where these tests will be checked? Heathrow, Geneva, or is there a border check into France too? as that could make a difference as to where/how we get these tests done, Also we need a pcr rather than lft to go back to the UK via Geneva? thankyou.
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@feefee, in answer to your first question, that is what I’m doing - a pcr within 48 hrs. I don’t know who checks them though I suspect it will be the airline at boarding
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
I am pretty confused and hope all this nonsense has gone by the time i go in march. Almost to much hassle to make it enjoyable. We are a group of 3 families totalling 14 people. A lot of this testing is pointless in my opinion and nothing but a scam to line pockets
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
Do we feel confident that the big tour operators are still going to run their holidays as planned? I'm due to fly out with Crystal from Stansted on 14th and back on 21st. Flights are TUI charters. I still want to go, but don't want to drop a lot on in-airport PCR tests then have them turn around and change us to a different airport. They always try and swing a Stansted/Gatwick change as a 'minor' change, but to us it's the difference between a cheap taxi and a long drive round the M25.
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@valais2, This was my main question... The guidance stipulates that 'self-administered' tests were not acceptable... Does this mean you can't do the test yourself (as in you have to go to clinic whilst on holiday), or does it mean as long as the test (you take) is registered back with your private provider, you're ok...?

If it's the latter, Randox do some very comprehensively priced LFT and PCR tests for everything...

many thx folks...
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@feefee, We were checked for vaccination certificates by both the airline at check in and passport control at Geneva when arriving - so I am assuming that they will require PCR test results also. The border checks between France and Switzerland appear to my untrained eye to be random (although we have been briefly stopped most times entering Switzerland in a UK registered car).

To get back into the UK from Switzerland requires a PCR or LFT https://www.gov.uk/guidance/travel-to-england-from-another-country-during-coronavirus-covid-19
"Changes to pre-departure testing from 4am, Tuesday 7 December 2021
From 4am, Tuesday 7 December all people aged 12 years and over must take a PCR or LFD COVID-19 test before they travel to England from abroad.

You must take the test in the 2 days before your service to England departs. If your journey to England is a multi-leg journey, you must take the test in the 2 days before the start of the first leg.

This will apply whether you qualify as fully vaccinated or not.

Some people, including children aged 11 and under are exempt from taking the test."
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 snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
@oui4ski, thank you, I was thinking we need a pcr rather than lft on our return as Geneva will require it? Or is that not the case and we only need the test to satisfy UK requirements?
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 And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
feefee wrote:
@oui4ski, thank you, I was thinking we need a pcr rather than lft on our return as we are going via Geneva, but will a lft suffice?


Entry to the UK currently allows either LFT or PCR instead (from Geneva) - but page 1 of this thread may say something different if transiting from France, sorry but I'm only keeping up with the Swiss requirements.
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 So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
So if you're just off somewhere snowy come back and post a snow report of your own and we'll all love you very much
Does anybody know if ExpertMedical 2-day PCR tests are still valid? I only noticed that it was reported that they were removed from the approved list after I had bought one. I don't want to be turned back on Dec 22 when I try to leave France!
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 You know it makes sense.
You know it makes sense.
On the list of 'exceptions to the general test requirement' on the Swiss bag admin site, it mentions 'people transiting through Switzerland without a stopover'. Does anyone have any info about what is needed to prove this? E.g. transfer booking, proof of employment in France etc... (will be travelling from Spain not UK). And presumably 'stopover' means staying the night somewhere?
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 Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Not directly skiing-related but this morning friends of ours (a couple) were refused access to their flight to (well, via) Brussels by Brussels Airlines as they did not have the necessary Test documentation. Nothing had been posted on the Brussels Airlines website about pre-flight tests. A bummer - and a warning story. Sad
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 Poster: A snowHead
Poster: A snowHead
Craghopper wrote:
Not directly skiing-related but this morning friends of ours (a couple) were refused access to their flight to (well, via) Brussels by Brussels Airlines as they did not have the necessary Test documentation. Nothing had been posted on the Brussels Airlines website about pre-flight tests. A bummer - and a warning story. Sad


Where were they going? And which test did they need
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 Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
bezthespaniard wrote:
Craghopper wrote:
Not directly skiing-related but this morning friends of ours (a couple) were refused access to their flight to (well, via) Brussels by Brussels Airlines as they did not have the necessary Test documentation. Nothing had been posted on the Brussels Airlines website about pre-flight tests. A bummer - and a warning story. Sad


Where were they going? And which test did they need


To Cameroon (West Africa). Don't know which test exactly they were asked for but had not been advised of anything in advance.
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 Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Regarding NHS tests not being allowed for travel. Why? Are they no good? If so why give them out. If they are ok surely it is only a huge fraud on the British public. We have already paid for the NHS tests!
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@twoodwar, because you could just keep the same negative test in your pocket for months on end and whip it out anytime you wanted to show a negative result.

It's still easy to game the ones that you do at home and upload, but it takes a lot more effort.
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 Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
BlueSky wrote:
On the list of 'exceptions to the general test requirement' on the Swiss bag admin site, it mentions 'people transiting through Switzerland without a stopover'. Does anyone have any info about what is needed to prove this? E.g. transfer booking, proof of employment in France etc... (will be travelling from Spain not UK). And presumably 'stopover' means staying the night somewhere?


Just put the relevant details in at this site https://travelcheck.admin.ch/home

Entering from the Eurozone is different than entering from a Third Country, i.e. UK
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OK, opinions folk. I did think I had this all sorted until looking on snowHeads today and realising the Swiss had changed it again on the 4th (I've just bought LFTs to fly to CH).

So flying MAN>GVA 14th Dec, immediate transit to Chamonix. Return Chamonix to GVA and onward to MAN on 1st Jan. Two triple jabbed, adults and a single jabbed 15yr old.

Flying to GVA from MAN it now appears we need a <72hrs PCR for the two adults, and nothing for the teen as <16yrs old. To then transit to Chx though we need a <48hr LFT with cert for the teen.

OK got that, no exception for transit passengers, still need those PCRs?

Return to UK, I know we need <48hr LFT to fly back and pre-booked <2day PCRs for the UK PLF. Do we need <72hr PCRs for CH even though we are coming from Haute-Savoie and have been there over 10days?

Any help, as I need to get a wiggle on and sort.
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 Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...
albob wrote:
BlueSky wrote:
On the list of 'exceptions to the general test requirement' on the Swiss bag admin site, it mentions 'people transiting through Switzerland without a stopover'. Does anyone have any info about what is needed to prove this? E.g. transfer booking, proof of employment in France etc... (will be travelling from Spain not UK). And presumably 'stopover' means staying the night somewhere?


Just put the relevant details in at this site https://travelcheck.admin.ch/home

Entering from the Eurozone is different than entering from a Third Country, i.e. UK


@allbob, I tried using the link, but how do you get beyond not being a eurozone resident even if you are coming from there. Do we think transferring from Chamonix to GVA will mean no one checks? I'm sure once at GVA the paperwork will all be about whether you can fly to UK (ie UK requirements, not Swiss).
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 After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
After all it is free Go on u know u want to!
midgetbiker wrote:
albob wrote:
BlueSky wrote:
On the list of 'exceptions to the general test requirement' on the Swiss bag admin site, it mentions 'people transiting through Switzerland without a stopover'. Does anyone have any info about what is needed to prove this? E.g. transfer booking, proof of employment in France etc... (will be travelling from Spain not UK). And presumably 'stopover' means staying the night somewhere?


Just put the relevant details in at this site https://travelcheck.admin.ch/home

Entering from the Eurozone is different than entering from a Third Country, i.e. UK


@allbob, I tried using the link, but how do you get beyond not being a eurozone resident even if you are coming from there. Do we think transferring from Chamonix to GVA will mean no one checks? I'm sure once at GVA the paperwork will all be about whether you can fly to UK (ie UK requirements, not Swiss).


OK, figured it out, use 'other' not 'don't know' and it appears that coming from UK or France you need the PCRs, so ho hum that's another couple of hundred quid. At least the under 16 is exempt so I'll just use 2 of the 6 LFT's I just bought to get her into FR and then home to UK.
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@midgetbiker, I tried with these
1 - enter Switzerland
2 - Confirmation of Notification (UK Nationals)
3 - France (coming from country)
4 - Transit (leave airport/change method of transport)
Result states - you need PCR and entry form

If you click - I live in border area (i.e. Cham), you do not need any of these ??
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@albob, Hmm, two thoughts occurred to me:

1 - Could a PCR taken in Chx be entered on the UK PLF and count as the neg PCR to leave UK quar? Bit of a gutter to be taking 2 PCR within maybe 24hrs of each other. Discounted this though a the UK test does specifically say after return within 2 days.

2 - On return to GVA on the 1st I might take LFT's to satisfy UK and then go down the 'live in border region' route as we'll have been there for over 2 weeks, have utility bills to support such (or more specifically the attestation of address you can download off EDF site) and the link offers 'live in border region' even after you haven't claimed 'have freedom of movement rights' (so you are effectively declaring you are not a full time resident, but rather have just been temporarily living in Haute-Savoie).

Either which way I'll just deal with the 2no PCR we need to leave and worry about those on return in 3 weeks time, as much could have changed by then!!!!
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