Switzerland relaxes travel testing requirements from today

Rapid antigen tests will now be accepted

Switzerland is changing its testing rules (EPA)

As countries across Europe step up travel restrictions in response to the threat of the omicron variant, Switzerland is relaxing its testing requirements for inbound travellers.

From today, 20 December, fully vaccinated arrivals – who must present a negative Covid test to enter the country – are permitted to use a cheaper, quicker rapid antigen test instead of a PCR.

Both test types are now accepted for entry after Switzerland’s Federal Council agreed to expand the testing protocol.

Prior to this, only PCR tests were accepted; children under the age of 16 remain exempt from testing requirements.

While PCR tests can be taken anytime within the 72 hours prior to entry into Switzerland, travellers opting for an antigen test must take it within the 24-hour window prior to arrival.

The requirement for travellers to take a second Covid test between four and seven days after arriving into the country has also been scrapped for those who can prove full vaccination or recovery from Covid-19.

It comes as Austria’s national lockdown, which began on Monday 22 November, comes to a halt for vaccinated citizens on 20 December.

“The infection situation in Austria has eased,” reads a statement on tourist board website Austria.info.

“With Vienna reopening hotels and restaurants/cafés/inns on December 20, the nationwide lockdown in Austria comes to an end. Travel to Austria for touristic purposes is possible again for vaccinated and recovered people!”

However, testing requirements for entry have also been changed, and are now contingent on whether travellers have had a booster vaccine shot or not.

From 20 December, fully vaccinated people who have not yet had a booster must also provide a negative PCR result from a test taken within the 72 hours before arrival.

“When entering Austria you must provide either proof of Covid-19 vaccination, or proof of recovery from Covid-19. Additionally from 20 December 2021 you must provide evidence of a current negative Covid-19 test, if you have not had a booster,” reads the current Foreign Office advice.

Those who have had a booster dose are exempt from the on-arrival PCR test, and booster jabs are deemed valid from the first day after they’ve been administered.