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COVID rules, was: Less travelled narrow gauge trains

Guerbetaler
 

Am 22.10.2021 um 22:12 schrieb David:
How was travel during COVID times? My final day to pay for a holiday
(Christmas/New Year’s) trip to Switzerland is coming up next week.
The thought of riding trains all day wearing a mask doesn’t exactly
thrill me. Evenings will be spent indoors where, I assume, masks will
be required.
The basic rules at the moment are:
- travlling in public transport is open for everybody but with mask
- Restaurants, also in hotels, can only be accessed with a certificate but then you are allowed to take off the mask
- Shops and take aways are open for everybody but with mask

However, rules might change until Christmas

Markus
john_dmj
 

The basic rules at the moment are:

- travlling in public transport is open for everybody but with mask
- Restaurants, also in hotels, can only be accessed with a certificate but then you are allowed to take off the mask
- Shops and take aways are open for everybody but with mask

However, rules might change until Christmas


Update from GOV.​UK for:

Switzerland travel advice

Switzerland travel advice

Change made:
Updated information on Switzerland’s COVID-19 restrictions and testing requirements: NHS COVID Certificates will be no longer be accepted for entry into indoor hospitality, cultural activities and indoor from 25 October (‘Coronavirus’ pages).

Time updated:
12:45pm, 21 October 2021

 


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Guerbetaler
 

Am 23.10.2021 um 13:17 schrieb john_dmj:
Change made: ... NHS COVID Certificates will be no longer be accepted
for entry into indoor hospitality, cultural activities and indoor
from 25 October
I can't find this update. But what is a "NHS COVID certificate"?

A general change is proposed (but not yet decided) in that rapid antigen tests no longer give a certificate. Only PCR tests are valid.

However, if you are not vaccinated, I can't recommend to travel abroad. independent from where you live.

If you are vaccinated but don't have an EU-COVID-certificate, from 25 October you must apply for a Swiss certificate here:

https://covidcertificate-form.admin.ch/form

Markus
Martin Baumann
 

On Sat, Oct 23, 2021 at 08:24 PM, Guerbetaler wrote:


what is a "NHS COVID certificate"
Health is run separately by each administration in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Residents of each can apply for a certificate confirming their vaccinated status, usually via an app. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/coronavirus-covid-19/get-digital-covid-pass/
Guerbetaler
 

Gordon sent a message to SwissRail, but online I found it corrupted and the photo was 2.4 MB. Thus I take his original post and send it this way.
Sorry for that, but I wasn't able to repair his message directly.
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On Saturday, 23 October 2021, 20:24:58 BST, Guerbetaler via groups.io <guerbetaler@...> wrote:
> I can't find this update. But what is a "NHS COVID certificate"?

Hi Markus,

I drove to and around Switzerland in beautiful weather last week.

Reference to an 'NHS Covid certificate' means the paper and/or digital QR coded certificate that we get from the UK NHS (in my case in England) if we are 'double jabbed' aka fully vaccinated. This was being accepted as proof for entry into restaurants etc during the 'interim period' but soon won't be. So I timed my visit perfectly in that sense.

Before I left the UK I made sure I had my original paper version of my NHS Covid cert, as well as the digital version on my phone (I also had the French Pass Sanitaire on my phone for the French section of my trip)

The paper certificate was requested by staff at Ibis Baden Neuenhof but only for getting past the tape barrier into the bar/eating area. For my one night at Ibis Wankdorf, I didn't need the certificate in the hotel as I went into town to eat.
On showing my paper NHS cert to the doorman at the Lotschberg restaurant, he panicked at the dreaded word 'Astrazeneca' but on me telling him that the actual vaccine (called Vaxzevria) is on the Swiss approved list he checked with his manager and all was well. For extra evidence I had downloaded on my phone the Swiss Health department's rules proving the above and showed it to him later as a matter of interest/courtesy

Sample photo from my trip: 11630 and 11345 between Reichenbach and Frutigen 14 October
Andrew Moglestue
 

In case this is of any interest.

Before travelling it is recommendable to check the official government websites rather than asking on forums as the rules can change quickly.

That said, I have crossed several borders over the last few weeks and been in about 6 countries and never once was I asked for any certificates.

I was only once questioned, by border agents in Buchs SG, but they didn't want to see my certificates but only wanted to check the receipts for the szlibovic I was bringing back to Switzerland. Fortunately my souvenir was well within the legal limits.

I wouldn't recommend chancing it, but my impression is that the implementation of enforcement of rules is not very strong.

That said, I have heard of people who had some trouble getting foreign certificates recognized in Switzerland. They could cross the border without any trouble but then found themselves unable to go into restaurants. So I would check out the details well before you travel and not wait until the last minute.
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