Coronavirus (Covid-19) - Entry And Exit Travel Restrictions For Switzerland

If you are planning a trip to Switzerland for a meeting or a leisure holiday, this article is worth seeing and reading. Being one of the most famous holiday tourist spots in Europe, international travel has been seriously affected by the COVID-19 pandemic in Switzerland. Here we are updating the latest travel information about Switzerland to help plan your trip better.

After imposing the longest lockdown in history on public life to prevent further infection of the pandemic, Switzerland has eased its safety measures and re-opened its land borders. If you are looking for the best places to go in Switzerland, It is now open for travel from the EU and Schengen countries as most restrictions have been lifted. 

Although it is important to wear a face mask on all public transports while traveling throughout Switzerland. Also, all the travelers entering Switzerland from different countries and areas are at a high risk of infection and must go into quarantine.

• Around 35,000 people have tested positive to COVID-19 and approx 2000 have died in Switzerland.

• The number of new COVID-19 cases surpassed 200 on July 30 for the first time since the end of April.

• In public places such as restaurants, shops, and museums, people must follow the rules of hygiene and social distancing set out by the government throughout Switzerland.

Travel Restrictions And Guidelines In Switzerland:

1. Since 6 July 2020, travelers arriving in Switzerland from certain countries or areas with a high risk of infection (including the USA) have been legally bound to go into quarantine for 10 days. This list of these countries and areas was updated on 8 August 2020. If you were in any of these countries on the list at any point in time in the 14 days before entering Switzerland, you must go into quarantine for 10 days. It includes -

• Argentina, 

• Armenia, 

• The Bahamas, 

• Bahrain, 

• Bolivia, 

• Bosnia and Herzegovina, 

• Brazil, 

• Cape Verde, 

• Chile, 

• Colombia, 

• Costa Rica, 

• The Dominican Republic, 

• Ecuador, 

• El Salvador

• Equatorial Guinea

• Eswatini, Guatemala

• Honduras,

• Iraq, 

• Israel, 

• Kazakhstan, 

• Kosovo,

•  Kuwait,

•  Kyrgyzstan, 

• Luxembourg, 

• Maldives, 

• Mexico, 

• Moldova, 

• Montenegro, 

• North Macedonia, 

• Oman, 

• Palestine, 

• Panama, 

• Peru, 

• Qatar, 

• Romania, 

• Sao Tome and Principe,

• Saudi Arabia, 

• Serbia, 

• Singapore, 

• South Africa,

•  Spain (mainland),

•  St. Maarten, 

• Suriname, Turks and Caicos Islands, 

• The USA. 

2. Citizens and residents traveling from most non-Schengen countries including the US may not enter Switzerland except in some exceptional cases. It means these following countries are not affected by the ban and are free to travel to Switzerland. It includes -

• EU member countries, 

• Schengen member countries, 

• UK, 

• Australia, 

• Canada, 

• Georgia, 

• Japan, 

• New Zealand, 

• Rwanda, 

• South Korea, 

• Thailand, 

• Tunisia, and 

• Uruguay.

3. Partners of Swiss citizens and residents are also free to enter Switzerland but only after providing proof of the relationship.

4. Since August 1, travelers coming from Israel, Serbia, and Turkey are required to undergo a COVID-19 test if they fly into Basel airport.

5. Passport and Visa Requirements:

• The entry requirements may vary depending on the type of passport you carry for travel. So, you must check with your transportation company about passport requirements.

• If you have a regular Canadian passport, it must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the date of departure.

•  Switzerland’s adherence to the Schengen and Dublin agreements since 12 December 2008, Swiss representations abroad issues certain categories of visas as per the length of stay and purpose of the journey in Switzerland.

• A tourist visa is not required for stays up to 90 days

• Business visa is not required for stays up to 90 days

• A student visa is not required for stays up to 90 days

6. Wearing face masks are mandatory while traveling on Swiss Public Transport along with Basel and Geneva airports.

7. Swiss Public Transport - Since 19 March 2020, the local public transport in the country has been operating under a temporary decided timetable. But now as the restrictions on public life are to be relaxed, there is an extensive increase in public transport services from 11th May.

8. Public Trains and Buses

• Glacier-Express and Bernina-Express have been operating again since June 2020. Other train services that are operating include Gotthard Panorama Express, GoldenPass train, and mountain railways. Here is the online timetable and the safety measures in force on both the trains: 

• Glacier-Express -Trains 902, 903, 904, and 905 operate according to the timetable.

• Bernina-Express - Trains 950 and 951 operate. 

• Bernina Express Bus has been operating since 26 June 2020.

• Private airport transfer services have also been resumed in Switzerland with strict safety and security measures. Both the passengers and chauffeurs are recommended to wear face masks throughout the journey and must maintain social distancing. To avoid physical contact, the drivers will greet you through bowing and sanitize the car before and after every ride. 

Other Traveling Related Information To And From Switzerland In The Covid-19 Pandemic:

• Larger events are banned in Switzerland but public and private events of up to 1000 people are allowed since June 22 only after contact tracing. 

• The contact tracing app SwissCovid has been downloaded by approx. 1.2 million devices over two million times.