As the current surge continues to worsen on both sides of the Atlantic, the rules and restrictions will be in a constant state of flux and past performance is no guarantee of future outcomes. I traveled from LAX to BRU via ZRH at the end of July. I proceeded to take the train to PRG, with stops in France, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Slovakia. The only time I saw any kind of document check at a train station was in BRU, but I assume it was only for people coming from the UK. The only time I was ever asked to show a document besides my ticket on the train was when entering SK from VIE, where I showed my vaccine QR code (obtained in France with my CDC card). The only times I recall being asked to show my proof of vaccination a handful of times in three weeks, including Disneyland (not asked at Europa Park), checking into hotels in AT, a couple museums in AT, and to enter a music festival in CZ. Restaurants in CH and AT have a QR code that you scan (usually at the table), to register that you were there for tracking purposes, but the staff never actually verified that we were registered. I did fill out the required PLF's for CH, BE, FR, CZ, and SK (nothing was required for travel via train from DE/CH/AT at that time).

All in all, I had a very enjoyable and long overdue trip. The only real stress from COVID was the initial fear of not getting a QR in France (we were the first people from abroad to get one at the pharmacy near Disneyland), and the constant uncertainty about the very unclear entry rules from CZ when coming from a red country (France was on the cusp of going red and CZ has been very reluctant to recognize vaccinations performed outside of the EU, which means we could have had to quarantine in CZ). Travel by train is definitely the way to go right now, as airports have become a bit of a nightmare with all the paperwork checks and changing restrictions. The long distance trains were rarely crowded, at least not in first class, so social distancing was not a real issue at all. None of the places we visited were swarmed with tourists as they usually are at the height of summer. Outdoor dining was widely available, but we found the indoor dining areas to be mostly empty and just ate inside most of the time.

You definitely want to get a European-issued QR code for your vaccination ASAP. as having it provides great peace of mind and it is more widely accepted/recognized than the much-maligned CDC card. It is also important to note that rules/restrictions in Germany are determined by the local states, much like in the USA. So you will want to familiarize yourself with the rules for the places you plan on visiting, in addition to whatever restrictions are in place by Germany. FFP masks are widely available at pharmacies for cheap, but surgical masks seemed to be accepted in place of FFP's everywhere that I went to. Cloth masks are generally not allowed in most places. I stuck with FFP's whenever traveling via transit or in a crowded place, for fear of testing positive before my flight home.