 Poster: A snowHead
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@munich_irish, Thats a thought. Never considered Munich for a PCR. We definitely need one to get into Holland and Austria and obviously driving and a boat trip eat into the 48 hrs but we drive past Stansted to get to Harwich so we should be ok....unless we are positive  . I wouldnt risk not having a valid PCR as knowing my luck I would get stopped by the Austrian police on the boarder and like you said, a UK registered car is going to stick out like a sore thumb.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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@Blighty1066, @munich_irish, or Frankfurt airport? About 4/5 hours from border.
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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?
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Any news on the 12-16 age group (double jabbed & recovered) for both Germany and Austria? Flying to Munich feb half term - transfer to Zauchensee by coach (hopefully).
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@james75, no point in looking at what is happening now for Feb, the rules will definitely have changed by then. Follow the Austria travel thread in Trip reports section for details as they change.
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My goodness, travelling through German airports is deeply deeply unpleasant right now. Here in Munich, every coffee shop is barricaded, papers and ID need presented even if you leave to the toilets! They also refuse coffee to everyone without a ffp2 mask. Not to mention the staff are possibly the rudest people I have ever met (except the foreigners among them). It didn’t use to be like that (when we lived in DE).
This all seems like a hell of a performance because of a small part of society which refuses vaccination.
Anyway (and I haven’t even mentioned the border people’s attitude to Uk folk). I’d recommend avoiding transit through Germany if possible, especially with children in tow.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Useful phrase for escaping coffee shops:
Darf ich bitte eine fünf minuten pinkelpausen haben?
I’m not even joking 
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Just saw some foreigners refused entry to the cafe as their codes did not scan 
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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| JamesHJ wrote: |
My goodness, travelling through German airports is deeply deeply unpleasant right now. Here in Munich, every coffee shop is barricaded, papers and ID need presented even if you leave to the toilets! They also refuse coffee to everyone without a ffp2 mask. Not to mention the staff are possibly the rudest people I have ever met (except the foreigners among them). It didn’t use to be like that (when we lived in DE).
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There’s a certain type of German that always comes to the fore at times like these. The jackboot clicking type.
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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.
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| Gerry wrote: |
| JamesHJ wrote: |
My goodness, travelling through German airports is deeply deeply unpleasant right now. Here in Munich, every coffee shop is barricaded, papers and ID need presented even if you leave to the toilets! They also refuse coffee to everyone without a ffp2 mask. Not to mention the staff are possibly the rudest people I have ever met (except the foreigners among them). It didn’t use to be like that (when we lived in DE).
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There’s a certain type of German that always comes to the fore at times like these. The jackboot clicking type. |
The obvious stereotypes are of course based upon a grain of truth.
On this occasion however, I’d prefer to be charitable and note that everyone is simply exhausted from implementing dumb rules.
That said, I also detect a certain fatigue with foreigners (of all sorts) here. Things have very obviously changed in the 10+ years since we lived here.
Last edited by And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports. on Sun 2-01-22 9:34; edited 1 time in total
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All I can say is that my experience of German airports both last May (amidst full lock down) and in December the complete opposite was the case. The staff were very helpful, even when my friend could not get her PLF up on her phone I was simply asked if she had the same contact details as me then waved through.
In shops and restaurants by and large staff were far more tolerant of foreigners trying to comply with frequently changing rules than they were with their own citizens. But you are right in that many German are exhausted. I think much of the world is!
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You know it makes sense.
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^That’s good to hear. Might i ask which area of Germany you travelled through ? There can be quite a regional difference.
On the other hand, maybe we were/are just unlucky at the moment.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| Quote: |
This all seems like a hell of a performance because of a small part of society which refuses vaccination.
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about 25% - very roughly exactly the same as the UK.
It's not just the airports, but every single shop, bar, cafe, restaurant in the country (except pharmacies and food stores). No jab, no go. Not just the code you need to show but also some form of ID to show you are not borrowing someone's phone/QR code. Yes it will get tiring, but each town is introducing a wristband scheme, so scan once, go anywhere. And it will become more tiring for the unjabbed who can't do anything. Everyone who's scanned my code has been helpful and friendly.
Gotta be better than burying head in sand, surely, and hoping it will go away.
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Poster: A snowHead
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@JamesHJ, that's the reality of life here at the moment. You have to show your pass & photo id every time you go into a cafe or restaurant & FFP2 masks must be worn everywhere except sitting at a table, it is not just the airport. In the office we have to keep a record of everyone's vaccine certificate (including visitors) and for anyone not vaccinated they have to have daily tests which we have to check & record. The rules are being enforced. We couldnt even allow a pre christmas drink in the workshop as one person is unvaccinated, so social activities are banned (unless he was excluded) and there was a small chance the local health office would find out. No Downing St cheese & wine here! A bar in town got a €25,000 fine because there was a facebook post showing people going to the toilet not wearing masks! It is very similar in Austria & Italy.
The fatigue & grumpiness is with those who are not vaccinated & there is a loud but small minority of the unvaccinated who are getting very aggressive and even violent. I can understand that working in the airport is not easy at the moment. The staff are dealing with people who dont understand the local rules but that would not be an excuse if they get caught by the health office not applying the rules properly. Up until a month or so ago everyone was pretty laid back but that has changed recently. Unless people need to be here at the moment I would not advise any sort of tourist trip and minimising the time spent at the airport.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| JamesHJ wrote: |
^That’s good to hear. Might i ask which area of Germany you travelled through ? There can be quite a regional difference.
On the other hand, maybe we were/are just unlucky at the moment. |
Both trips were in and out of Hamburg airport. I think its always possible to come across a place of work in general thats having a bad day. One grumpy person on a team at an airport for example can quickly bring everyone down!
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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?
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@andy, hadnt heard of the wristband thing, sounds like a good idea. I havent been into town for a couple of weeks just too much grief maybe if the wristband thing happens here that might change. I guess the issue might be fake wristbands, know some folk here have been trying to get counterfeit certificates rather than get jabbed!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Some great insights into life in Germany above, thanks.
I should say that we have nearly the same rules in France, yet things seem to be a bit more flexible. As an example, the Covid pass is done at the table usually, without a big queue outside.
Strange times indeed. The work thing is especially tiring. I have a friend on the verge of quitting her new job in Munich, as she has never felt so alone/bored. I imagine that is replicated across Europe too.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Tbf though, beer with breakfast is pretty acceptable in the south. Things are looking up already here
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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so tagging you like sheep to monitor you?
Just let the unvaccinated wonder around. They will soon pick up the virus.
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Yup they caught some idiots here trying fake vaccination certs, so I expect they'll have the book thrown at them. The 2G wristbands also have a QR code on them but I've not seen any scanned, just people skipping the queue. I guess it's each town that implements such a scheme, rather than the Länder.
Around here Saturn, Galeria/Kaufhof/Karstadt, Henschel, etc. are all in the scheme as was the Christmas market, plus you can collect wristband at the main carparks too. I avoid going in stores as much as possible, and have done since lockdown #1 (I loathe shopping anyway), but I live right in the middle of the city centre (1 block from the pedestrian zone), so don't really have much choice about going in to town.
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@JamesHJ, Munich breakfast = Weißbier + Weißwurst 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| JamesHJ wrote: |
| Tbf though, beer with breakfast is pretty acceptable in the south. Things are looking up already here |
Yep. They even used to advertise for it. Walter Sedlmayr* smiling down at us with a Paulaner Weissbier and Weisswurst saying "my second breakfast".
I can only confirm what @munich_irish has said. Life is a bit strenuous here right now, but it's surprising how quickly people seem to get used to the idea of showing your Covpass + id at every non-foodstuff shop. Not really a problem. Also wearing FFP2 masks is a bit of a bind but also not really a problem, and seems to actually work, given I have not had a cold or flu since this whole mess began!
I live in Würmtal, south of Munich. Can honestly say this is as friendly a place as it has always been. People still greet each other in the street, everyone knows everyone else and helps each other where and when they can (this is Gauting, things may well be different in Starnberg!).
*Popular Bavarian actor who was murdered under very strange circumstances in 1990
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We are seeing some resistance from unvaxxed idiots, but in a similar vein we are also seeing pro vax demonstrations. Not sure what the situation with ICU capacity is in UK right now, but here it is close to critical. Was chatting with the Prof who leads the ICU at one of Munich's big hospitals recently who was telling me that the ICU is full, mostly with unvaxxed, and that they had to turn away a motorway crash victim and fly him to Nürnberg by helicopter. Died on the way... They are talking about triage and triage strategies now.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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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.
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@Steilhang, NHS are currently building 8no backup units nationally, ironic really because it’s only about 6 months ago that the government decommissioned and removed the ones they’d built previously at great expense that were never used. The new ones in different locations, can’t beat a good plan.
Another point - Was chatting with a friend yesterday who’se out in AUT for a few weeks skiing/ working remotely, said they were in Saalbach last week and the crowds are horrendous, lifties pushed him and his OH into a gondola with 4 drunken lads, thinks they were Russian, one pulled his mask down and stared them out defiantly as the doors shut, his mates laughing, no windows open. Carried on up with no mask. It’s stuff like that scares the bejeezus out of me, idiots. My mate did not kick off but said it was very unpleasant….
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@Markymark29, yes, big crowds here as well. Was in Oberstdorf on Friday & decided not to ski because of that.
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You know it makes sense.
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| Steilhang wrote: |
| We are seeing some resistance from unvaxxed idiots, but in a similar vein we are also seeing pro vax demonstrations. Not sure what the situation with ICU capacity is in UK right now, but here it is close to critical. Was chatting with the Prof who leads the ICU at one of Munich's big hospitals recently who was telling me that the ICU is full, mostly with unvaxxed, and that they had to turn away a motorway crash victim and fly him to Nürnberg by helicopter. Died on the way... They are talking about triage and triage strategies now. |
Oh that’s awful!
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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@Markymark29, you will always get some knobs especially with the drink on board. I noticed towards the end of my trip (came back 23rd Dec) once the Christmas/New Year people had arrived the number of knobs increased significantly. More people=higher percentage of knobs.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| PCcorner wrote: |
| https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/germany-to-remove-uk-the-southern-african-countries-from-virus-variant-areas-list-on-january-4/ |
I missed my flight at Christmas to Innsbruck due to Covid. My next opportunity to ski is early feb (half term). I booked Switzerland due to the very high costs of flights to Innsbruck in the school holidays.
Flights and car hire to Munich are affordable. I know there are no Cristal balls but any thoughts on flying to Munich and driving to Solden?
Thanks for any help on this. If there is a more suitable thread to discuss travel to Germany please let me know.
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Gerry wrote: |
| JamesHJ wrote: |
My goodness, travelling through German airports is deeply deeply unpleasant right now. Here in Munich, every coffee shop is barricaded, papers and ID need presented even if you leave to the toilets! They also refuse coffee to everyone without a ffp2 mask. Not to mention the staff are possibly the rudest people I have ever met (except the foreigners among them). It didn’t use to be like that (when we lived in DE).
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There’s a certain type of German that always comes to the fore at times like these. The jackboot clicking type. |
TBF, in my many visits to Germany (well before the pandemic) I did not come across them, and alway found those at transport hubs courteous and helpful (the police were extremely helpful once when Mrs and I got lost in a pre-mobile age, trying to make our way back to a river cruise boat). I strongly suspect the reasons for the problems JamesH has confronted relate to the stress various locals are having to cope with.
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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?
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@Tom H, the crystal ball has a habit of breaking down however a quick peer into the depths suggests that travel to Austria via Munich is likely to no big issue. Unless something very odd happens Germany is very unlikely to reintroduce restrictions on folk from the UK.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I am meant to be flying from Dublin to Munich and driving to Niederau on 5th Feb, 2 adults with 2 vaccinations + booster, 15 and 14 year old with one vaccination each ( i will get them a PCR test before travel) and an 11 and 9 year old. Am i correct in thinking that the 11 and 9 year old don't need a PCR test?
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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| peter2512 wrote: |
| I am meant to be flying from Dublin to Munich and driving to Niederau on 5th Feb, 2 adults with 2 vaccinations + booster, 15 and 14 year old with one vaccination each ( i will get them a PCR test before travel) and an 11 and 9 year old. Am i correct in thinking that the 11 and 9 year old don't need a PCR test? |
Lufthansa advised us by email that any child over 6 required at least a negative LFT within 48 hrs of transiting Munich. This was checked at check in.
This was from a non-Schengen EU country. Also don’t forget ffp2 masks if you want a coffee/beer!
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Dear Lufthansa Passenger,
Please inform yourself about the current entry regulations for your destination. As a transit passenger with an onward flight in Frankfurt or Munich, you also have to fulfill the German entry regulations - in addition to the local entry regulations. All passengers at or over the age of 6 years must have a proof of vaccination or immunity in German, English, French, Spanish or Italian ready upon departure. Alternatively, a negative PCR Corona test carried out no more than 48 hours before the scheduled departure time will also be accepted. If it is a negative Antigen test, it must have been carried out within 48 hours before the planned arrival time. Please upload the documents to https://www.lufthansa.com/de/de/formular-digitale-dokumentenpruefung up to 12 hours before departure. Further information can be found here:
www.lufthansa.travel-regulations.com
Best regards
Your Lufthansa Team
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(Forget about the preflight upload, it doesn’t work anyway)
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Thank you James, it really is a mine field 
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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@peter2512, these https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/InfAZ/N/Neuartiges_Coronavirus/Transport/Archiv_Risikogebiete/Risikogebiete_aktuell_en.pdf?__blob=publicationFile are the current regulations. I would suggest that as you are only transiting through Germany it is more important you ensure you comply with the Austrian rules. I have lost the plot with the rules for teenagers in Austria and it is currently different for Ireland than the UK, which most of the answers on here are about. I believe you need to sort a Ninja Pass for them but might be wrong on that (ask on the Austria thread).
I have had no issue uploading the forms with Lufthansa and it made checking in much easier. The German https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de/#/ arrivals form is simple, just put Munich Airport as your address in Germany (I did put the post code above somewhere but it is easy to look up) as you are transiting (in theory you dont need to fill in the form as you are transiting it just makes the check in process for the flight easier)
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Thank you Munich Irish, i have been told by Aer Lingus that children under 12 don't need testing for flying into Munich but i think from the information kindly provided by yourself and James that Aer Lingus are wrong.
Adults
Vaccinated 3 times, nothing needed for outbound flight or entering/skiing in Austria. LFT required before flying back to Dublin.
Teenagers
PCR/LFT for flight to Munich, Ninja Pass for skiing in Austria, LFT for flight back to Dublin
Kids (over 6)
PCR/LFT for flight to Munich
Hopefully we get good snow
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FAQ
