Hi,
Quick and easy questions.


1) where can I find updated information about which neighbouring countries (Austria, Italy etc) are allowing tourists from Switzerland. I see many offers from different hotels but they never say who is allowed and who not.
2) if these countries ask for a negative COVID test, where can I get this test done before travel for me and my family. I would like to avoid university hospitals and busy testing centers and would prefer an apotheke to avoid sick people (don't want to get sick by being in contact with other sick people). sometime back, there was some news that apothekes in Zurich are able to do some kind of rapid test quiet quickly (like the result will be out in 15 mins) but never found the list of apothekes tha are actually to carry out the covid tests. any inputs in this matter are highly appreciated.


Cheers
happycreature

Italy is still closed.

Tom

Germany also doesn't let tourists from Switzerland come (10 days quarantine, doesn't matter if you have a negative test), unless a miracle happens in the next few weeks and Switzerland is removed from the risk areas list.

I'd suggest you stay home this Christmas.

Google as usual is your friend. Austria info here

https://www.austria.info/en/service-...ry-regulations

Only applies to early December though so things may change before Christmas.

I wanted to go to Tuscany over Xmass and many parks and museums are temporarily closed. That is how I check the general situation and if it is even worth going anywhere.

I am going to Austria but don't need a hotel. I heard talk earlier this year that visitors would need a negative antibody test and have their temps checked at hotels but this is not firmed out, especially with the EU bunfight over skiing.

What is clear that movement will be limited in some ways by countries being closed and some by quarantine requirements either going or coming.

You can guarantee this is going to be in a state of flux.

The German word your looking for is "Schnelltest". The pharmacies in Zurich can be found under https://www.avkz.ch/coronatestapotheken

For some you need to make an apointment.

The hotels/accomodation in germany in currently for business trips only.
The rule is active until dec 20th 2020 (at least).

Same for Italy as they just mentioned on TG2.

Tom

Weird... I’ve just did a round trip to Italy and no one bother or stopped me at the border....
I went to Milano....

Are you sure that Italy is closed ?

Aren’t you confusing with the self declaration stuff ?

"And Italy's regional leaders are hoping to convince the government to allow hotels in ski resorts to open over Christmas, while closing international borders. Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has said the resorts will have to shut. Germany and France have shut ski lifts over the holidays but the Swiss are keeping theirs open"

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-55143938

You cannot go as a tourist, nor to visit family/friends, only for business.

Tom

The Local has made a summary of travel conditions between CH and other countries. Of course, this applies this week, next one who knows. https://www.thelocal.ch/20201201/exp...nts-travel-now

The greatest uncertainty I see I the reintroduction of 10 day quarantines when returning to CH from other countries.

This EU site has a good high-level overview for each country, and seems to be kept up to date:

https://reopen.europa.eu/en

One particularly useful aspect is that it gives the rules for transit through one country to reach another (e.g. the rules if you want to go to the UK via France).

I would strongly recommend, if you have Tweeter, to subscribe to the account similar to @BAG_OFSP_UFSP, on the country you will be visiting. They have pretty fast updates with links to the questions you posed

On the other hand, If you (like me) were travelling via plane ) to any EU country during the last 6 months, you don't need to do anything.... as will have been bombarded twice or thrice per week with SMS-Corona updates from the countries were you were (in my case, SP, CZ, GE, CH).

As the movie quote says "...you don't have to find us, we will find you"

This happens when you are too honest, and you give your phone number to the authorities, in the formularies that you need to fill (provided online or on paper by the airlines) .

Actually looking at the link above which is specifically for Austria, it is clear that residents of Switzerland can enter Austria without the need to show a negative COVID test after Dec. 6.


so we can indeed make a holiday in Austria around Christmas or new year time? or am I missing something obvious?


cheers
happycreature

Something obvious is they may bring in new regs between when the current one ends and Christmas/New Year.

Best to stay in Switzerland for Christmas/New Year really.

Austria decided today that Hotels will be closed. As will be restaurants. So if you rent an apartment you might be able so ski, the lifts are open but otherwise, no. See here for example https://www.tagesanzeiger.ch/oesterr...z-705878272226 (sorry behind a pay-wall) or here https://www.nau.ch/news/europa/oster...dicht-65829524
Hotels and restaurants are closed until January

Macron has announced restrictive measures will be put in place to deter the French from skiing in neighbouring countries. The BBC reports of 'border checks' but its not clear how Macron intends to do it or how it will be enforced.

you can go for the day. There are no hotels open for you to stay in but you can ski from 24th.

I think there may be some restaurants open but not on the mountains and no bars. Which is annoying as we had a list of restaurants that we were planning to book once they re-opened.....

New year parties will also not be happening which will have an impact.