SHARE
COPY LINK

TRAVEL

TRAVEL: Is it now easy to fly between the UK and Germany?

On Friday the Robert Koch Institute struck Britain from its list of risk areas for the spread of the coronavirus. That decision eases travel between the two countries, but things still remain complicated.

TRAVEL: Is it now easy to fly between the UK and Germany?
A plane lands at Heathrow. credit: dpa | Hannah Mckay

The RKI’s decision to take Britain and Northern Ireland off its watch list is recognition of a vastly improved epidemic situation in the island kingdom.

Back in December, all travel from the UK was banned after the emergence of a variant of the virus that is believed to be more contagious. That decision led to dramatic scenes at German airports, where travellers from the UK suddenly found themselves stuck in arrivals lounges.

Since then though, a fast rollout of the vaccine programme has helped drive down new infections in the UK, and the 7-day incidence there is now around 30 per 10,000 inhabitants.

The RKI only puts countries with a 7-day incidence above 50 on its list of risk areas.

The UK’s new status means that Brits travelling to Germany will no longer have to quarantine upon arrival.

At the same time, a change to the law that was agreed upon by the government at the end of March, means that anyone who arrives in Germany by plane needs to present a negative PCR or antigen test, irrespective of where they are arriving from.

READ MORE: Germany’s new coronavirus testing rules for air travellers

The tests must have been conducted within the past 48 hours.

UK residents banned from travel

Unfortunately, the rule changes don’t mean that long-missed relatives can immediately book flights to Germany. 

The UK still bans foreign travel for any of its residents unless they have a good reason for needing to travel. Such reasons include funerals and business trips.

People who break these rules face fines of several thousand pounds.

Travelling to the UK

Similarly, the UK is being very careful about how it lets people cross its borders. If you want to travel there, you need to present a negative test and then go into immediate quarantine, either in a hotel or with relatives.

The quarantine lasts for ten days and the traveller needs to take two antigen tests, the first within two days of arrival and the second no earlier than eight days after arrival.

Travellers bear the costs of these tests, with the sum amounting to around €250.

Law changes coming soon

Nonetheless, as the British government successively lifts restrictions as part of its plan to return to normality by late June, travel will also become easier.

The government in London plans to bring in a traffic light system for travel, which will allow people arriving from countries classified as green to enter the UK with a negative PCR test.

Whether a country is classified as green will depend on the rate of infection, the percentage of the population who have been vaccinated and the prevalence of certain variants there.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.

TRAVEL

Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts

Catch the very tail-end of the wine season and autumn foliage in one of the lesser-explored corners of the Austrian capital: Mauer.

Explore Austria: Mauer, a charming wine-hiking spot on Vienna’s outskirts
Beautiful views and cosy taverns await you on the edge of Vienna. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Wine-hiking is an autumn must-do in Austria. There’s the official Wine Hiking Day (Weinwandertag) that usually draws in big crowds, but it’s also possible to follow the routes through beautiful scenery and wine taverns on your own.

Mauer in the southwest of Vienna is one of the routes that is mostly frequented by locals.


The footpath takes you through scenic vineyards. Photo: Catherine Edwards

You can reach this part of the 23rd district using Vienna’s public transport, and you have a few options. From the Hietzing station on the U4 line, you can take the tramline 60 or bus 56A. The former will take you either to Mauer’s central square or you can get off earlier at Franz-Asenbauer-Gasse to start the hike. If it’s too early in the day for wine just yet, you could start your day at the small and charming Designo cafe (Geßlgasse 6).

Otherwise, the residential area itself doesn’t have much to see, but keep an eye out as you wander between the taverns later — there are some beautiful buildings.

To start the hike, head west along Franz-Asenbauer Gasse, which will take you up into the vineyards, growing some red wine and Vienna’s specialty Gemischter Satz or ‘field blend’, which as the name suggests is a mixture of different types of grapes.

Photo: Catherine Edwards

The paved road takes a left turn, but the hiking route follows a smaller path further upwards. Here you’ll have magnificent views over the whole of Vienna.

If you stick to the official hiking route (see a map from Weinwandern here) you can keep the whole route under 5 kilometres. But more adventurous types don’t need to feel limited.

You can also follow the Stadtwanderweg 6 route (see a map here) either in full, which will add on a hefty 13 kilometres, or just in part, and venture further into the Mauerwald. If you do this, one spot to aim for is the Schießstätte, a former hunting lodge offering hearty Austrian meals.

EXPLORE AUSTRIA

In any case, you should definitely take a small detour to see the Wotrubakirche, an example of brutalist architecture from the mid-1970s built on a site that was used as a barracks during the Second World War.

Not far from the church is the Pappelteich, a small pond that is not only an important habitat for local flora and fauna, but a popular picnic spot for hikers. Its only water supply is from the rain, and due to climate change the pond has almost dried out in recent years, prompting the city to take action to boost its water supply by adding a permanent pipe.


The church is made up of over 150 concrete blocks. Photo: Catherine Edwards

What you really come to Mauer for, though, are the Heuriger or Viennese wine taverns. 

The most well-known is Edlmoser (Maurer Lange Gasse 123) which has previously been named as the best in Vienna. Note that it’s not open all year so check the website, but in 2021 it should be open between November 5th and 21st, and is also serving the goose that is a popular feature on Viennese menus this time of year.

Tip for translating Heuriger opening times: look for the word ausg’steckt, which is used by those taverns which aren’t open year round. They will also often show that they’re open by attaching a bunch of green twigs to the sign or front door.


Buschenschank Grausenburger. Photo: Catherine Edwards

Also worth visiting are cosy Buschenschank Grausenburger (Maurer Lange Gasse 101a), Heuriger Wiltschko (Wittgensteinstrasse 143 — located near the start of the hiking route, this is a good place to begin your tour) and Heuriger Fuchs-Steinklammer (Jesuitensteig 28).

SHOW COMMENTS