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QUARANTINE

Switzerland to scrap quarantine requirement for all arrivals

Switzerland is to remove the need for travellers arriving from any country to enter quarantine. From Saturday it will replace the requirement with more extensive testing measures.

Published: 3 December 2021 15:19 CET
Updated: 3 December 2021 17:36 CET
An Airbus A320 plane of Swiss International Air Lines is landing on November 12, 2012 in Geneva. The company owned by German airline Lufthansa said it would cut flights to Athens and Madrid, both hard-hit by the eurozone crisis, and would expand its flights to more lucrative destinations. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)
Switzerland on Friday announced new entry rules. AFP PHOTO / FABRICE COFFRINI (Photo by Fabrice COFFRINI / AFP)

Please note, new measures are now in effect. Click here for more information. 

Switzerland’s expanded Covid measures, which will apply from December 6th, will include an expansion of the Covid certificate requirement, a shortening of the period antigen tests are valid for as well as a more comprehensive mask requirement.

The quarantine requirement for arrivals will also be scrapped from Saturday, December 4th, with tougher testing requirements put in place to control the spread of the Omicron variant. 

READ MORE: Switzerland announces tighter Covid measures

From Saturday, all countries currently on Switzerland’s quarantine list, which included the UK, Australia, the Netherlands and Denmark, will be removed. 

The announcement is a boost for Switzerland’s struggling ski industry, who were set to again incur big losses if the requirement would have been kept in place. 

All countries removed

“All countries are removed from the quarantine list as of Saturday,” the government said. Everyone entering Switzerland must present a negative PCR test, except those crossing the border from neighbouring Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Liechtenstein.

Instead, people arriving will need to complete two PCR tests, one before arriving and one between four and seven days after arrival. 

This will be for all entrants, regardless of vaccination status.

“In order to prevent the introduction of the new Omicron variant as far as possible, a more stringent test regime now applies to all entries into Switzerland. This compulsory test also applies to vaccinated and recovered people. “

People will need to pay their own test costs. 

One important point to note is that those travelling from the following border areas of Switzerland’s neighbouring countries are not subject to the testing requirements.

Areas in Germany: State of Baden-Württemberg and State of Bavaria.

Areas in France: Regions Grand-Est, Bourgogne / Franche Comté and Auvergne / Rhône-Alpes.

Areas in Italy: Piedmont, Aosta Valley, Lombardy and Trentino / South Tyrol regions.

Areas in Austria: Land Tirol and Land Vorarlberg.

Territories in Liechtenstein: entire Principality

Around 340,000 workers a day cross the border into the landlocked country. People must be tested again between the fourth and seventh day after entering Switzerland.

Those already in quarantine are immediately free to go but must do the day four to seven test.

The Swiss government also said non-vaccinated foreign tourists from any region deemed at risk in Europe’s Schengen open-borders area would no longer be able to enter. Covid-19 vaccines will remain free and easily available in 2022, the government announced.

Infections increasing for weeks

Swiss Health Minister Alain Berset said the expansion of measures was necessary due to the deteriorating Covid situation in the country. Switzerland has recorded record new infections over the past week, while ICUs in several cantons are at full capacity.

“The infections have been increasing sharply for a few weeks. In addition to local outbreaks, mainly in schools and in old people’s and nursing homes, the virus is also spreading again among the broader population” the government said in a statement. 

While the measures will be stricter than those currently in place, they are more relaxed than those initially forecast by the federal government on Tuesday, with the controversial Covid certificate requirement in private homes being rejected by the cantons.

READ MORE: How will Switzerland enforce the Covid certificate in private homes?

The measures will be in place until January 24th at the earliest.

Member comments

  1. My friend is flying from Spain in Saturday and has no time to take PCR and get the result. Does the new rule apply from Saturday ? I can’t see anything that there will be some transition period? I assume lots of countries will be in same situation of needing a PCR but no time to take it on Saturday. Thanks for any advice

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TRAVEL NEWS

Why is Switzerland going to collect a database of flight passengers?

Twenty years after the US began sharing a database of those flying in and out of the country in the wake of the 9/11 attacks, Switzerland is set to follow suit - but not without some outside pressure. 

Published: 16 May 2024 15:51 CEST
Why is Switzerland going to collect a database of flight passengers?

Passenger Name Record (PNR) systems are databases that operate by flagging and tracking individuals who may pose a security risk. 

The data includes the name, destination, means of payment, and type of baggage for each passenger arriving or leaving a country via its airports. 

Until now, Switzerland has not participated in a PNR system in a way that allows data to be freely accessible to partners such as the EU and the US. 

Indeed, for years, it has been possible to circumvent the EU’s PNR systems by flying into Switzerland and crossing a land border with the EU. 

Now, however, Switzerland is being forced to comply. 

The United States has threatened Switzerland’s place in their Visa Waiver Program unless they share data. 

Similarly, the EU has applied significant diplomatic pressure to join their efforts – and considerable progress has already occurred, with agreements signed. 

Other countries have also signalled that Swiss carriers may withdraw their landing rights or impose heavy fines if Switzerland does not begin participating in a compliant PNR system. 

Changes in effect 2026

On Wednesday, Justice Minister Beat Jans announced at a press conference that a PNR program that worked in collaboration with other countries would come into effect in 2026. 

The reason given for the length of time it would take to go into effect was that a legal basis for the move does not yet exist in Swiss law—a dispatch on proposed legislation has only just been sent to the Federal Council.

Once passed by the Federal Council and then by the Council of States, the federal police will be responsible for tracking passengers via a new group – the Passenger Information Unit (PIU). 

The PIU will examine passenger manifests a day before and immediately before flights taking off or landing and compare them to shared lists of individuals involved in terrorism, organised crime, or who have committed violent crimes. 

If there is a match, information will be forwarded to authorities at the relevant airport.  

Privacy concerns 

Understandably, for the privacy-conscious Swiss, concerns have been raised. 

Both the right-wing SVP, the Greens and the SPD have voiced doubts about the security and privacy of passenger data. 

In response, the government has announced that all passenger data except for that relates to those linked to terrorist groups will be deleted after six months. 

To further ease concerns, Switzerland’s PNR system will be constantly monitored by the Federal Data Protection and Information Commissioner to ensure compliance with the Data Protection Act.

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