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UPDATE: When will Americans be allowed to travel to Switzerland again —and vice-versa?

With the number of vaccinated people in both countries increasing each day, is there a chance that travel between Switzerland and the United States will be allowed this summer? If so, when?

Published: 19 April 2021 15:39 CEST
Updated: 9 June 2021 17:26 CEST
UPDATE: When will Americans be allowed to travel to Switzerland again —and vice-versa?
SWISS is expanding its destinations for ther USA. Photo by Fabrice Coffrini / AFP

Please note: Switzerland in mid-June announced it would be opening its borders to vaccinated American travellers. More information is available here. 

As things stand now, while travel restrictions have been somewhat relaxed, tourism between the two countries is still not allowed.

Travellers from the United States are permitted to enter Switzerland in some circumstances. 

They include people with Swiss citizenship, permanent residents or valid visa holders returning to Switzerland, as well as transit passengers who connect to other flights at one of Switzerland’s airports.

Unfortunately for people wanting to holiday in Switzerland, this does not include tourists. 

EXPLAINED: Can people from the United States and Great Britain come to Switzerland?

A similar rule is in place in the United States, which only authorises entry for US citizens and permanent residents returning from abroad.

Neither country has said anything definite about opening its borders for foreign travellers, but there are some hints as to what might happen if the pandemic is curtailed.

US media has recently reported that President Joe Biden might revoke the travel ban on foreign tourists by mid-May.

If that happens, people from Switzerland, the European Union, the UK, and some other nations may be able to travel to the United States soon.

From the Swiss side, there is no official announcement about allowing American tourists back anytime soon. However, there is mounting pressure from the tourist and aviation industry to ease restrictions on tourist travel. 

READ MORE: Swiss airlines and unions unite to demand return of air travel

And there are signs that some kind of relaxation might be on the horizon.

SWISS airlines is expanding its US-bound flights to include eight “holiday” destinations, including Las Vegas, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Florida.

This doesn’t mean, however, that the airline will actually fly to all these places in the United States; if the travel ban is not lifted, then the flights will be cancelled.

It is more than likely that Switzerland will not lift any travel restrictions unilaterally; rather, it will act in accordance with EU guidelines as it has done since the start of the pandemic. 

At the start of June, Switzerland rolled out its Covid-19 health pass, which is incorporated into the EU’s travel recovery plan. 

However, as yet this has not changed the situation for Americans entering Switzerland. 

READ MORE: How to get Switzerland’s Covid-19 health pass

French president Emmanuel Macron said on a US news programme that France is planning to allow entry to vaccinated American tourists this summer.

In such a case, Switzerland, as France’s neighbour and part of the Schengen area, will probably open its borders to Americans as well.

But ultimately, the evolution of the Covid pandemic will determine whether travel between the US and Switzerland is a possibility this summer.

Member comments

  1. Biden no longer remembers that the US has a border crisis. Kamala has been on a vacation since January. #aduhelm

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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.

Published: 12 November 2021 17:03 CET
Updated: 24 September 2023 08:20 CEST
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).

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