Deckter

Paging the thread experts. Checking on IATA, Poland requires a negative test issued max 24 hours before entering Poland from a non-EU country, but while completing the PLF, it says the test should be performed 48 hours before entering Poland. Is this 48 hours rule only for intra-EU travel or just a mistake?

megaloman

It's 24h before entering the country or up to 3h after. Few airports (WAW, KRK) have a mobile testing unit before immigration and test costs 150 PLN. You can also clear immigration and test afterwards - at WAW there's a testing point at the luggage haul before customs, there's also another one next to the train station. Everyone has to quarantine for 10 days; you're exempt if your test is negative and you're fully vaccinated.

I suspect PLF has not been updated.

st8dm

It's not clear what is happening for those who

a) connect from Schengen to Non-Schengen and vice-versa
you "cross the border" but not to Poland...
your are only transiting

b) have booster (3x doses)
many authorities require either a test or the booster

TPJ

A. No test if you have a connecting international flight departing within 24 hours. Show your itinerary to the Immigration officer to get an exception. No itinerary = bad luck = test needed.

B. Booster is not mandatory.

iamaho

Experienced this nightmare in WAW two weeks ago.

Schengen to Non-Schengen = no tests required as long as you are transiting onwards.

Non-Schengen to Schengen = test required even if transiting within 24 hours and never entering Poland. Border agents consider entering Schengen as “entering Poland” and everyone was sent to get tested in the transit zone.

Needless to say, many passengers missed their connecting flights because the process was so slow. I barely made it with seconds to spare while waiting in line for 2,5 hours to sign up and pay for the test, then 30 mins for the test to be done and certificate issued.

The border agents claim that even for transit, they interpret that as entering Poland. Even with boarding pass for onwards flight out of Poland in hand, they didn’t care. We need to see negative test.

The whole process made no sense as we were all discussing in line how if someone now tests positive, then they cannot return back to point of origin, nor connect onwards. So now they are stuck in Poland. Just as it happens, someone tests positive and panic sets in for everyone and that passenger is quickly escorted away by medical and airport staff.

Supposedly one can do the test past passport control but the border guards wanted none of that. Negative tests or nothing. Overall, a very unpleasant experience for everyone.

megaloman

That's my understanding reading the order in Polish - it talks about entering the Schengen border in Poland - so if transiting NS to S - test is required. Annoyingly test has to be done within 24h of arrivals to Poland, so in many cases test on arrival might be the only option.

Transiting NS to NS - nothing is requires since you won't cross the Schengen border - just make sure you follow the sign to NS transit - when landing at some gates it may be confusing and it may seem like going through immigration is the only option - backtrack and go to wards other end of the terminal, where (usually empty) transit security for Non Schengen connections is.

Deckter

Thank for your help. Managed to get an antigen test at my point of origin, as it was way cheaper than in the airport. The border officer glanced at the test result for 2 seconds before waiving us through to the egates, everyone else without one sent straight to the test center.

The actual date and time on the test were of no interest to him, just if it says negative.

oliver2002

New rules:

Flip42

How are transits Schengen to/from non Schengen EU countries handled? If flying MUC-WAW-OTP-WAW-MUC do I need a test?

acf1270

Will be flying BEG-VIE-KRK on OS with a EU passport. Will this still be considered as entering Poland from outside the EU and will a Covid test be required?

andywaw

You need a test when arriving at WAW on OTP-WAW flight in this itinerary

andywaw

No test required because you are entering Poland from VIE

andywaw

I hope they stop requiring these silly tests upon arrival from outside Schengen or outside EU.
Firstly, these tests don't prevent anything, Covid is still here, there, everywhere. Secondly, over a million refugees from outside EU entered Poland (from a country with a high number of Covid cases) without any test required, so why are there others required to present test results upon arrival from other countries? Because a Covid virus brought from country X is more dangerous than a Covid virus brought from country Y?

It would be logical either to end this requirement for everyone, or at least do the tests for free at WAW if the tests must still be required. It seems like the only purpose those tests serve is making money, PLN 150 for a passenger.

more4less

Thanks andywaw,

Flying BCN-AMS-WAW in a few days, it would be the same, correct?

andywaw

Correct.