Switzerland lifts all COVID-19 travel restrictions
Alpine adventures, iconic rail journeys and chocolate shacks await travelers this summer as Switzerland lifts all pandemic-related restrictions on tourists on May 2nd.
In April, Switzerland lifted all remaining domestic restrictions, including the requirement to wear a mask and self-isolate after a positive test result. Swiss COVID-19 certificates used to enter public places have also been abolished.
Now Switzerland is poised to ditch its pandemic rules at the border as its mountain and lake resorts and Michelin-starred restaurants prepare for the busy summer travel season.
Currently, most countries outside the EU and the Schengen area remain on the list of Swiss risk countries. This means that people from those places who are unvaccinated or only partially vaccinated will be barred from entering the country, including American and British tourists.
That will change on May 2, when all visitors, regardless of departure location and vaccination status, will again be subject to the normal visa requirements. Visitors are not required to provide proof of vaccination or negative tests, or to fill out a passenger tracing form.
“With effect from May 2, 2022, entry into Switzerland from all countries in the world is again possible as before the pandemic,” says a statement from the tourism association. “Protective measures due to the corona virus no longer apply in Switzerland.”
Many countries in Europe have already lifted entry requirements, but Switzerland’s neighbors – France, Italy, Austria and Germany – still have measures of varying severity in force. If you wish to travel between these countries or if your trip to Switzerland involves a transit through one of these countries, you should find out about the entry requirements of the respective country before departure.