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LIVING IN SWITZERLAND

Switzerland to remove United Kingdom, India and Nepal from Covid variant list

Switzerland will remove Great Britain, India and Nepal from the Covid variant list on Wednesday.

Switzerland to remove United Kingdom, India and Nepal from Covid variant list
Switzerland will remove Great Britain, India and Nepal from the Covid variant list on Wednesday. Photo: JEAN-PHILIPPE KSIAZEK / AFP

The Swiss government’s relaxation of travel-related Covid measures has continued, with the Federal Office of Public Health saying on Tuesday it will remove all remaining countries from the “virus variant of concern list”. 

This change will come into effect on August 4th. 

READ MORE: How does a country ever get off Switzerland’s ‘variant’ list?

As at August 3rd, India, Nepal and the United Kingdom are on the list. 

What does the removal of these countries from the list mean? 

Put simply, it makes it easier for people from these countries to come to Switzerland. 

This applies both to Swiss citizens and residents who may have travelled to these countries, as well as people from these countries who are visiting Switzerland for various reasons. 

Prior to the change, people arriving from these areas who have been vaccinated within the past 12 months or recovered from Covid within the past six months — and can prove it — can enter Switzerland without any obligation to test or quarantine.

All others arriving from these areas had to show a negative PCR or rapid antigen test result and then go into quarantine. 

From August 4th, the same rules will apply to people from these countries as elsewhere. 

READ MORE: Who can enter Switzerland right now? 

Those who are vaccinated or recovered from the virus (and can prove it) can now enter without tests or quarantine. 

If you have not been vaccinated or recovered from the virus, you will need to present a negative PCR test (not older than 72 hours) or a negative rapid antigen test (not older than 48 hours) before boarding your flight to Switzerland

More information is available at the following official government page. 

Anyone wanting to enter Switzerland can use this official Swiss government tool to work out if they can – and what rules they must comply with. 

‘Travelcheck’: This tool shows you what you need to enter Switzerland

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TRAVEL NEWS

SWISS airline cancels flights to Munich and Frankfurt due to strike in Germany

If you are planning to travel to Germany in the next couple of days — be careful. German unions have called for a day-long strike in the transport sector on Monday, meaning travel will be disrupted.

SWISS airline cancels flights to Munich and Frankfurt due to strike in Germany

SWISS airline is canceling all flights between Switzerland and Munich on Sunday and Monday, with flights to Frankfurt being suspended on Monday.

The flights to Berlin, on the other hand, are not affected by the strike and are taking place as planned, according to the airline spokesperson Michael Stief.

He added that effects of the strike on flights from Switzerland to Dresden, Düsseldorf, Hanover, Hamburg, Nuremberg and Stuttgart “are currently being examined”.

The airline will contact all passengers with confirmed reservations to inform them of cancellations, and advise them how to re-book the flights free of charge.

As SWISS flies between Switzerland and German cities in codeshare with its mother company, Lufthansa, those flights will be impacted as well.

What about the rail traffic?

German rail operator Deutsche Bahn (DB) also announced on Thursday it would completely suspend its long-distance traffic on Monday, affecting connections to Switzerland as well.

As a result, Swiss Federal Railways, (SBB) said its usual Germany-bound trains will run only until the border.

Here too, cancelled tickets can be changed free of charge.

The strike in Germany is taking place in a row over pay as collective bargaining continues. Unions want to see employers offer pay rises to compensate for the steep inflation in the country. 

READ ALSO: What to expect during Monday’s ‘mega strike’ in Germany

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