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COVID-19

What you need to know about getting a coronavirus test before overseas travel

Travellers to certain countries from Sweden are required to provide proof of a negative coronavirus test in order to enter the country. So how do you go about it?

What you need to know about getting a coronavirus test before overseas travel
Not organising your test before travel to a country requiring it could seriously disrupt your plans and cost a lot of money. Photo: Stian Lysberg Solum/NTB scanpix/TT

The test you need in this case is called a PCR or diagnostic test. It shows whether or not you have the coronavirus infection right now, and is different from the antibody test (which can be used to show whether or not you have previously had an infection).

Anyone with symptoms should be able to order a PCR test for free if they have symptoms via their regional healthcare service. But this won't provide you with a travel certificate (reseintyg), and you may not be able to take these tests if you don't currently have symptoms.

So for a test in order to travel abroad, you may need to use a private clinic. The Public Health Agency has published a list of clinics offering tests which can provide you with a travel certificate, including information for booking options if you don't have a Swedish personal identity number. See the full list here.

Check the requirements for the country you're travelling to. It's common that the test needs to have been carried out recently, for example within the last 24-72 hours, and that the travel certificate may need to be in English.

Some countries require incoming travellers to be tested for the coronavirus on arrival, which means that bringing proof of a recent test result from Sweden won't be enough. For example, Iceland requires travellers to either quarantine for two weeks or take a test at your own expense; bringing a negative test result from Sweden isn't sufficient to bypass this.

And if you're unable to provide the test results in a country that requires it, you may be refused entry or required to take a test (probably at your own expense) and to quarantine for a set period of time. 

For example, travellers to Austria without a test result must take the test within 48 hours of arrival (they're available at the airport), and quarantine until they receive a negative result.

Make sure that you've checked the current requirements from the country you're travelling to (and any countries you need to travel through in order to get to your final destination) and be aware that these could change at short notice as the coronavirus situation develops. Information about entry requirements for travellers from Sweden can be found from the embassies on Sweden Abroad.

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TRAVEL NEWS

What are the cheapest holiday destinations from Austria this summer?

If you are planning on a summer vacation, certain countries are cheaper than others, especially compared to Austria.

What are the cheapest holiday destinations from Austria this summer?

Travellers from Austria will enjoy the most affordable holidays in Eastern Europe and classic Mediterranean holiday destinations, according to calculations by Statistik Austria on the price levels of tourism products and services.

The calculations considered the purchasing power of people in Austria abroad for May 2024. 

“Inflation has reduced the holiday budgets of many people, but the most popular foreign destinations in summer, Italy and Croatia, still have a slightly lower price level than Austria”, Statistik Austria director Tobias Thomas said in a press release.

READ ALSO: Will my Austrian health insurance pay for medical expenses abroad?

He added: “The cheapest holiday destinations are Turkey and Bulgaria, where holidaymakers from Austria get almost twice as much for their money as in their own country.

“In Iceland, on the other hand, they have to dig deepest into their pockets: Tourist products and services, including overnight stays and restaurant visits, cost on average 51 percent more there than in Austria”.

Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean are the cheapest destinations

According to Statistik Austria, the purchasing power of €100 earned in Austria is significantly higher in Eastern Europe and the Mediterranean. In Bulgaria, it’s €187, in Romania, it’s €161, and in Hungary, it’s €149. For Mediterranean destinations, Turkey offers the best value at €198, followed by Portugal (€132), Greece (€126), Croatia (€124), Spain (€124), Cyprus (€115), and Italy (€109). 

Switzerland (€68) and countries in the north of Europe, such as Iceland (€66), Denmark (€76), and Norway (€76), continue to be the most expensive destinations by far. 

Most of the changes compared to the previous year were very small, except for Turkey and Poland. The recent strength of the zloty against the euro led to a 5 percent decline in purchasing power to €130 euros in Poland. 

In Turkey, a significant devaluation of the Turkish lira contrasts with even higher inflation, resulting in a 4 percent decline in the purchasing power of tourists, although it remains at a high level. 

READ ALSO: What are your rights if your trip is delayed or cancelled in Austria?

Overseas destinations

Differing developments in the euro exchange rates are causing changes in both directions for overseas destinations. 

For travellers to the United States, the equivalent value of €96 (May 2023: €95) in goods and services remains constant. Holidaymakers in Mexico are experiencing a loss of purchasing power (−7  percent; euro equivalent now €120 compared to €129 in the previous year) due to a stronger Mexican peso.

In Japan, on the other hand, low inflation coupled with a weak Japanese yen resulted in an increase of 14 percent to €129 (May 2023: €113). 

Holidays in Australia are still expensive, with €100 in Austria buying goods and services worth €82 (previous year: €83). In the UK, prices are close to Austrian ones, with €100 in Austria buying goods and services worth €102 there.

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