Passing through Austria on a train OK?
Jul 14, 2020 | 1:21 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: NW London and NW Sydney
Programs: BA Diamond, Hilton Bronze, A3 Diamond, IHG *G
Posts: 7,149
Passing through Austria on a train OK?
There is a night train from Zurich to Prague that would be perfect for a trip I am planning in August which is needed to complete some unfinished business that was meant to be done in May.
There are currently no restrictions on UK travellers going to Switzerland or Czechia, but this train passes through Austria for most of the journey and UK travellers are supposed to have a negative test in order to enter Austria or quarantine. However there is an exemption for transit. Do you think this train journey would count?
I'm not intending to get off in Austria but I wonder if/how they are enforcing this requirement given that the passengers on this train would mostly be expected to be Schengen residents who are (with I believe the exception of Sweden) currently allowed to go to Austria with no restrictions. Will Austrian police be waiting at every stop in the middle of the night to see if anyone unauthorised disembarks?
Also can anyone make sense of the message on the home page of https://www.nightjet.com/en/
I did some dummy bookings and the only available tickets are in a 3-bed shared compartment (at the expected price for 3 strangers sharing), which would obviously be irresponsible of them to offer at the moment - it won't give a price for a solo cabin, so do you think I should take it that if I booked the 3-berth compartment they won't put anyone else in it?
There are currently no restrictions on UK travellers going to Switzerland or Czechia, but this train passes through Austria for most of the journey and UK travellers are supposed to have a negative test in order to enter Austria or quarantine. However there is an exemption for transit. Do you think this train journey would count?
I'm not intending to get off in Austria but I wonder if/how they are enforcing this requirement given that the passengers on this train would mostly be expected to be Schengen residents who are (with I believe the exception of Sweden) currently allowed to go to Austria with no restrictions. Will Austrian police be waiting at every stop in the middle of the night to see if anyone unauthorised disembarks?
Also can anyone make sense of the message on the home page of https://www.nightjet.com/en/
I did some dummy bookings and the only available tickets are in a 3-bed shared compartment (at the expected price for 3 strangers sharing), which would obviously be irresponsible of them to offer at the moment - it won't give a price for a solo cabin, so do you think I should take it that if I booked the 3-berth compartment they won't put anyone else in it?
Jul 26, 2020 | 4:55 pm
#2
Join Date: Apr 2016
Posts: 348
Looks like you're in the clear as of tomorrow:
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria
https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/austria
From 27 July 2020 British nationals and EU/ ECA nationals resident in the UK and travelling from the UK will not need to provide a medical certificate or quarantine.
Last edited by tecate55; Jul 26, 2020 at 5:41 pm