Swiss Covid Certificate
 

So I’m reading that you now need a Swiss Covid certificate to enter bars and restaurants.

I’m also reading that as a tourist you cannot get such a certificate.

If both of those are true then traveling to Switzerland is really not an option, correct??

Read this thoroughly.

https://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home...nreisende.html

I don’t see anything that prevents vaccinated tourists from entering. There are one or two additional hoops that you have to jump through now, but it doesn’t seem to preclude travel. I have a friend in Switzerland who will be checking on this for me tomorrow.

I traveled there in July and have another trip in two weeks.

If you look at these FAQs it does say you can enter without the certificate, but you can’t get one as a tourist and you need one to go into bars and restaurants. Specifically says:

Do I need a Swiss Covid Vaccination Certificate when visiting Switzerland?

No, however, you may not be able to visit certain places that require one for entry (such as bars, festivals, restaurants, etc.).

I found this after my initial post. Also found some articles that state the Swiss Tourist authority is working as quickly as possible to find a solution to this. Obviously it makes no sense to travel to Switzerland if there is no way to go to a restaurant. Even read an article that states you cannot even go to the restaurant of the hotel you are staying at without showing this certificate.

Yes, they discovered that there is a problem for non-EU tourists (as in the EU, you have a compatible certificate that is accepted in Switzerland), so they are working for a solution...

Upon reading the info from the link below, I clicked on the Travelcheck link. Then, I answered the questions after which I got the message that all I needed to do was fill out an entry form.

https://www.sem.admin.ch/sem/en/home...tml#1668147653

I will be visiting next month, but via Lyon so we can obtain the French Pass Sanitaire, which looks like it will satisfy this new requirement.

All: I started a thread on this topic over in the Corona Virus forum. Extensive discussion on this issue. See here: :https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/coro...quirement.html

Bottom line: We are Switzerland bound Sept 18 and have researched this issue extensively. In my opinion all travelers need to pay attention (especially those that are not EU/EFTA) as it can significantly impact your trip and enjoyment thereof. While the rules don't really impact your ability to move about and use public transport they do impact dining and staying at hotels. Two of the hotels where I am booked sent me an email blast indicating they will not check me in without demonstrated compliance with the rules. That is, I must provide a QR code indicating that I am vaccinated or have taken a Covid test with negative result within a very narrow window (Swiss originating test only) . If I cannot provide these things they will not check me in. Period. No exceptions (I called the hotels to confirm). Not all hotels are being so draconian, but you don't want a rude awakening upon check in.

Yes - you can enter Switzerland. You just cannot go to restaurants or hotels (see post above).

The Swiss government announced that they will offer a central online platform where also tourists vaccinated outside of Europe can request a Swiss digital certificate with which they can access all places that require one - it should go live mid-October.

This is good news. In early November I have an overnight layover in ZRH (booked on purpose) on my way back to the U.S. and wanted to go into the city for dinner. I also want to check out the Swiss lounges at ZRH and I thought I read somewhere that I may need the certificate to enter the lounges.

I managed to get Swiss Covid Certificates for my husband and myself. I went through the Valais canton website as we’ll be staying in Zermatt. I submitted all paperwork and in both instances it took just about 24 hours.

The Zurich canton doesn’t yet have their electronic submission up and running but supposedly will on October 11.

Well now it seems they will charge 30CHF for it..... seriously.... way to get more tourists in.

:rolleyes:

Has the platform been launched yet?

October 18th, on each canton's page, it won't be a federal thing.