EU Travel amid pandemic is no more a dream but a reality as nations including Iceland, Cyprus, Greece, Germany and the UK are starting to open their borders. EBNW Story shares a few dates that have been announced so far across the EU/Schengen area and the U.K. to date.
1. Malta is open to travel to vaccinated travellers from June 1
2. UK allows quarantine-free travel only between 12 countries from May 17: Arriving and returning passengers from green-list countries can move freely without quarantine, but they need to have a negative PCR Covid-19 test result before travel and take another test on day 2 of arriving (back) into the U.K.
Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Brunei, Iceland, Faroe Islands, Gibraltar, Falkland Islands, Israel and Jerusalem, South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha, and Portugal, including the Azores and Madeira are the green countries.
3. Portugal opens to EU nationals from May 17: From Monday 17 May, Portugal announced opening its border for non-essential travel to all EU/Schengen area nationals, as well as the UK.
4. Italy opens to fully vaccinated UK, EU and Israeli arrivals from May 16: On 16 May, Italy opens to fully vaccinated UK, EU and Israeli arrivals and ends quarantine for U.K., EU and Israel passengers, if fully vaccinated. It allowed US travellers to visit from 16 May if they arrive into the country on a Delta Covid-tested flight.
5. Greece opens to all US, UK and EU travellers from May 14: Greece is the EU country to have allowed travellers from US, UK and EU travellers to visit Greece if they have been fully vaccinated or provide a negative Covid-19 test.
6 Germany opens up to vaccinated passengers from May 13 (some): Germany announced that arrivals should prove they are fully-vaccinated, have had Covid-19 or have tested negative via a PCR test in the 72 hours before arrival. However, the quarantine is in place for those coming from country it deems a ‘high-risk’ area.
7. Netherland opens up to and from low-risk countries from May 15
8. Cyprus allows vaccinated Americans to travel from May 10
9. Croatia allowed vaccinated travellers to travel from April 1 and said they don’t need to quarantine (but must pay for hotel in advance)