Can anyone explain Covid restrictions inside Schengen?

[Kermit power]

Afternoon all,

I've been trying to figure out requirements for Covid vaccinations when travelling inside the Schengen area.

From what I can see, each Schengen member nation has different regulations for entrants coming from outside the Schengen zone, but once you're inside it, it seems like you can move around freely as usual, which I guess makes sense because how could they possibly control this anyway now that there are no border checkpoints?

Am I right in thinking that you could get a ferry to Zeebrugge in Belgium for example (which no longer has any requirements for UK citizens to produce any evidence of testing or vaccination) and then continue on to other countries that would require vaccination certs if arriving directly from the UK, such as France?

Or do Belgians have to show their vaccination status when crossing to France? And if so, where???

[zbc]

Driving between countries is mostly fine but you do need to show plfs and other forms sometimes if you are flying. Potentially you could get caught out if you were seriously sick with covid in another country and went to hospital and didn't have the right certificates but I'm not sure what would happen then.

[Dg504]

Dover to Calais ferry this morning and not a single utterance of the C word from anyone border staff/ferry staff/in France now sipping champagne - a registered lft with klarity is £10 if you need peace of mind

[theboss]

I just did a road journey in early June driving in France (Calais), Belgium, NL and Germany.

I was travelling as unvaccinated because mine had lapsed 270 days after the second jab without a booster.

My son was travelling as vaccinated.

I needed to take a PCR test and both the result for that and my sons proof of vaccination had to be uploaded to Eurotunnel to complete the booking.

Beyond that no problems, questions asked or restrictions encountered whatsoever.

Germany were the stricter ones but dropped it all from June 1st.

I believe France and Belgium are the same so if transitting a channel port in either country you'll need to produce proof of vaccination or a <72hr PCR result. Not sure if that situation has changed since 3 weeks ago.

[Kermit power]

theboss said:

I just did a road journey in early June driving in France (Calais), Belgium, NL and Germany.

I was travelling as unvaccinated because mine had lapsed 270 days after the second jab without a booster.

My son was travelling as vaccinated.

I needed to take a PCR test and both the result for that and my sons proof of vaccination had to be uploaded to Eurotunnel to complete the booking.

Beyond that no problems, questions asked or restrictions encountered whatsoever.

Germany were the stricter ones but dropped it all from June 1st.

I believe France and Belgium are the same so if transitting a channel port in either country you'll need to produce proof of vaccination or a <72hr PCR result.

Perfect, thanks. I've been travelling, but I'm fully vaccinated. My worry was my teenager who isn't, so you've allayed my concerns.

[Amateurish]

Kermit power said:

Am I right in thinking that you could get a ferry to Zeebrugge in Belgium for example (which no longer has any requirements for UK citizens to produce any evidence of testing or vaccination) and then continue on to other countries that would require vaccination certs if arriving directly from the UK, such as France?

Yes

The last few times I've been to France, I've travelled by air to Geneva airport then car into France. Switzerland has no restrictions. So no need to show proof of vaccination / test. No border checks.

[RC1807]

Kermit power said:

//SNIP//
the Schengen zone, but once you're inside it, it seems like you can move around freely
//SNIP//

This ^^^ is the situation.
We cross borders without Covid or passport controls.

[DuckDuck]

Kermit power said:

Afternoon all,

I've been trying to figure out requirements for Covid vaccinations when travelling inside the Schengen area.

From what I can see, each Schengen member nation has different regulations for entrants coming from outside the Schengen zone, but once you're inside it, it seems like you can move around freely as usual, which I guess makes sense because how could they possibly control this anyway now that there are no border checkpoints?

Am I right in thinking that you could get a ferry to Zeebrugge in Belgium for example (which no longer has any requirements for UK citizens to produce any evidence of testing or vaccination) and then continue on to other countries that would require vaccination certs if arriving directly from the UK, such as France?

Or do Belgians have to show their vaccination status when crossing to France? And if so, where???

There is no ferry to Zeebrugge anymore

[Muzzer79]

I did Folkestone to Calais last week on the Eurotunnel. Travelling to Belgium via France.
Previous week I flew to Germany and crossed to NL by car.

On the Eurotunnel trip I had to upload Covid docs online before I left, but once travelling no mention of Covid.

Certainly no sniff of stopping at borders - I think it’s very much a free for all once you’re in.

[Julietbravo]

Muzzer79 said:

I did Folkestone to Calais last week on the Eurotunnel. Travelling to Belgium via France.
Previous week I flew to Germany and crossed to NL by car.

On the Eurotunnel trip I had to upload Covid docs online before I left, but once travelling no mention of Covid.

Certainly no sniff of stopping at borders - I think it’s very much a free for all once you’re in.

There is a quirky airline rule where, if the country that you are travelling to still has masks on public transport, you will have to wear a mask on the plane. Some Schengen internal flights are no masks, some (into Italy for example) are FFP2. Some airlines hand them out at the top of the steps. Some don't. But the proof of testing has gone.

[rdjohn]

As usual, Google is your friend.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/covid-19/

[Kermit power]

rdjohn said:

As usual, Google is your friend.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/covid-19/

As is often the case, no, Google isn't my friend, as that does nothing to answer the question, although fortunately many other posters on here have answered the question through actual real-life experience rather than trying to suggest Google is my friend.

It interesting to see, however, that apparently France are planning to ban anyone from entering the country from next year, given that there's an article saying they'll only let in people who can "prove their immunity to Covid"!

[Julietbravo]

Kermit power said:

rdjohn said:

As usual, Google is your friend.

https://www.schengenvisainfo.com/news/covid-19/

As is often the case, no, Google isn't my friend, as that does nothing to answer the question, although fortunately many other posters on here have answered the question through actual real-life experience rather than trying to suggest Google is my friend.

It interesting to see, however, that apparently France are planning to ban anyone from entering the country from next year, given that there's an article saying they'll only let in people who can "prove their immunity to Covid"!

https://reopen.europa.eu/en is what you need; it's the EU's own website - click on travel plan, put in arrival and departure country, and it gives you the requirement. UK is classed as 'rest of the world'. This site has been worth it's weight in gold over the last 2 years for someone in Schengen and travelling across it frequently. I used to walk the dogs into a neighboring country daily - and there were always exceptions for cross-border workers/day visitors of less than 24h! Essential when you needed to go shopping and by crossing a border the shop was cheaper and closer than your local Aldi.

[Amateurish]

Julietbravo said:

There is a quirky airline rule where, if the country that you are travelling to still has masks on public transport, you will have to wear a mask on the plane. Some Schengen internal flights are no masks, some (into Italy for example) are FFP2. Some airlines hand them out at the top of the steps. Some don't. But the proof of testing has gone.

Not sure that's right. I flew to Greece for half term and no masks were required on the plane even though they are required on public transport in Greece.

[Amateurish]

Kermit power said:

It interesting to see, however, that apparently France are planning to ban anyone from entering the country from next year, given that there's an article saying they'll only let in people who can "prove their immunity to Covid"!

I think that article is badly written. The proposal is to extend the existing restrictions into next year. So no change.

[Julietbravo]

Amateurish said:

Julietbravo said:

There is a quirky airline rule where, if the country that you are travelling to still has masks on public transport, you will have to wear a mask on the plane. Some Schengen internal flights are no masks, some (into Italy for example) are FFP2. Some airlines hand them out at the top of the steps. Some don't. But the proof of testing has gone.

Not sure that's right. I flew to Greece for half term and no masks were required on the plane even though they are required on public transport in Greece.

You are correct and it's a rule specific to Greece who have stopped requiring masks on all aircraft and intercity trains, but kept them on buses, trams and taxis. Apparently it's because aircraft and intercity trains have pre-allocated, numbered seating.

Edited by Julietbravo on Thursday 30th June 12:16

[Kermit power]

Julietbravo said:

There is a quirky airline rule where, if the country that you are travelling to still has masks on public transport, you will have to wear a mask on the plane. Some Schengen internal flights are no masks, some (into Italy for example) are FFP2. Some airlines hand them out at the top of the steps. Some don't. But the proof of testing has gone.

It's not governed by the country you are travelling to, but by the country where the aircraft is registered. If you fly from Heathrow to Madrid on a BA flight, you don't need a mask in either direction. Fly from Gatwick, though, and you need the sodding things in both directions because the flight (regardless of it having a BA parent flight code) is actually operated by Iberia Express!