Book a vacation: Which countries you can go to without a test – and where there is a risk of quarantine

The delta variant is spreading in Europe and the individual countries are reacting to the situation with different entry restrictions. If you want to travel, you first have to know what holidaymakers have to do when entering the country of their choice – but above all, holidaymakers should also know what applies to the return journey to Germany. FOCUS Online gives the big travel overview.

Which countries are considered risk areas?

Travel warnings for risk areas were lifted in Germany on July 1st. Warnings now only apply to high-incidence areas and virus variant areas. Every Friday the Robert Koch Institute (RKI) publishes the federal government’s new corona classifications for other countries. You will find the always up-to-date list here.

The following are currently identified as a high incidence area:

A country is considered a high incidence area if the incidence is over 200. Virus variant areas are areas where highly contagious coronavirus variants have spread widely. These distinctions are particularly relevant when returning to Germany.

The virus variant areas currently include:

Interactive travel world map from FOCUS Online: Click on a country for up-to-date entry information. By clicking on “More Info” you will also find out whether and which measures apply on site:

Anyone entering from a high-risk area must be in quarantine

Air travelers from abroad who enter Germany generally have to prove a negative result of a corona test, which must not be older than 48 hours. This does not apply to those who have been completely vaccinated or who have recovered. They are also exempt from possible quarantine obligations. When entering from simple risk areas, this also applies to those who tested negative.

According to a report, Health Minister Jens Spahn is also apparently planning to oblige not only air travelers entering Germany to undergo a corona test in the future, but also all those entering the country, regardless of which route they take. According to Bavaria’s Prime Minister Markus Söder, the federal government plans to implement a corresponding regulation from August 1st.

In contrast to simple risk areas, a negative corona test does not protect travelers from a high-risk area from being quarantined. Unless they have recovered or are fully vaccinated, they must be quarantined for ten days. The quarantine can only be ended after five days with a negative corona test. This is particularly problematic for families whose children under the age of 12 cannot be vaccinated at all.

For travelers from a virus variant area, in turn, there is a 14-day quarantine obligation, from which fully vaccinated persons and genesis are not excluded. This does not currently apply to any European country. All returnees from high-risk, high-risk or virus variant areas must also register online via the entry portal of the Federal Republic of Germany www.einreiseanmeldung.de to register.

Entry into these EU countries is possible without a test

If you want to travel, you currently have to closely follow which entry restrictions apply in the destination country – because the regulations can be adapted to the corona situation and change within a very short time.

Germany is currently not considered a risk area in any other country in the world. In Europe, some holiday countries therefore allow entry from Germany even without a test. This includes:

• Albania
• Belgium (however, travelers must register using an electronic form
• Bulgaria (if proof of vaccination and recovery is available)
• Finland (if proof of vaccination or recovery is available)
• Liechtenstein
• Luxembourg
• Montenegro
• Netherlands (entry from Germany possible without a test, but those returning from travel must be in quarantine, as the country is classified as a high-risk area)
• Romania
• Sweden (if the EU has a Covid certificate)
• Switzerland
• Slovenia (if proof of vaccination or recovery is available)
• Spain (Entry without test possible, however travelers who are staying in a hotel or in a holiday apartment need to present either a negative corona test result or proof of vaccination or recovery)
• Turkey (if proof of vaccination or recovery is available)
• Hungary
• Cyprus

Here vacationers have to be in quarantine

However, a few countries have also introduced quarantine regulations for travelers. It also applies to vacationers from Germany. Short trips to these countries are therefore difficult. These include the following countries:

• Slovakia: All immigrants aged 18 and over must be in quarantine for 14 days. This can be ended with a negative PCR test after five days at the earliest. This also applies to those who have recovered.
• Poland: When entering from EU countries, there is a ten-day quarantine obligation. However, this does not have to be started by submitting a negative PCR test that is not older than 48 hours or can be ended early with a negative PCR test. Anyone who is fully vaccinated and recovered does not have to be quarantined.
• Malta: Anyone who is not fully vaccinated and cannot prove this by means of a digital COVID certificate from the EU must go into a 14-day quarantine and undergo a paid PCR test.
• Great Britain: Germany is currently classified in such a way that online registration, a Covid-19 test before entry and two further tests before / on day two and on / after day eight after entry as well as a home quarantine of ten days with the possibility of free testing on fifth day are required. According to a report by the Mirror, this quarantine obligation for people who have been vaccinated twice will no longer be required in the future. High-ranking ministers have already signed a corresponding plan. On Tuesday, however, it remained unclear when it would be possible for people who have been vaccinated twice to enter without the obligation to quarantine.
• Scotland: The same rules apply here as for Great Britain, but there is no possibility of free testing after five days of quarantine.