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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.

Published: 3 August 2021 18:26 CEST
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

Could new night trains from Zurich to Rome and Barcelona be derailed?

The planned new night trains from Zurich to Rome and Barcelona could be scuppered due to a lack of funding, media reports on Friday claimed.

Published: 20 September 2024 09:52 CEST
Could new night trains from Zurich to Rome and Barcelona be derailed?

As the Swiss media reported on Thursday, there is good news and bad news concerning international night trains. 

The good news is that the national railway company, SBB, is committed to night trains connecting Zurich to Rome and Barcelona.

The first trains could be running as early as next year, SBB boss Vincent Ducrot told SRF media recently adding that it could also be 2026 before they start.

The bad news is that government funding is needed to get the project on the right track.

This money, however, could be difficult to obtain, because the Federal Council is looking into ways to cut spending, as Switzerland is facing a deficit of several billion francs.

Under Swiss law, no more than 30 million francs can be spent each year to promote international trains.

However, the law considers financing night connections as an optional provision, so the government is not obliged to spend any money on them.

And the problem for SBB and passengers keen on the night trains is that they are not very profitable and experts believe they won’t contribute much to Switzerland achieving its climate goals.

SBB boss Ducrot believes that if the promised subsidies are withdrawn the new night trains will simply not be feasible.

Existing night trains to and from Switzerland are popular. There are daily connections from Zurich to Berlin, Hamburg, Vienna, Graz, Amsterdam, Budapest, Zagreb and Prague.

But there are reasons they don’t make much profit.

Beds, sleeping compartments and toilets take up more space than seats on day trains so the maximum number of tickets that can be sold per train is therefore reduced. 

Normal daytime trains are in use for up to 18 hours a day but night trains are only used at night so spend much of the day unused.  

If subsidies do prove hard to come by there is hope cantons or cities that are interested in having night train connections could step in and help fund the services.

READ ALSO: The night trains to take from Switzerland around Europe

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