Last Updated
This article contains news from Summer/Fall 2020. For the latest and current entry requirements for Switzerland please visit —> “Switzerland's Covid-19 Entry Requirements Guide”
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Who can currently travel to Switzerland?
We have the full country list updated below, which includes the EU/EFTA nations that can currently travel to Switzerland, as well as the third-party countries outside the EU that have just been given permission to travel to Switzerland starting on July 20, 2020.
Switzerland first reopened to EU and EFTA tourists on June 15th 2020.
Switzerland’s official government tourism site posted the announcement on June 5th 2020 stating: “Switzerland will open the borders to all EU and EFTA states and Great Britain on June 15”
Here is the current list of EU/EFTA nations allowed to travel into Switzerland:
(accurate as of Jan 1, 21)
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- Estonia
- Finland
- France (some areas)
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Liechtenstein
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- United Kingdom
*People arriving in Switzerland from red countries and areas are required to go into quarantine for 10 days. A negative test result does not exempt you from the mandatory quarantine requirement. See more details
Switzerland Reopens Borders For 14 Countries Outside the EU
On June 30th, The EU officially published the list of countries that will be allowed to travel to the European Union for the purpose of tourism starting on July 1st, 2020.
Switzerland originally responded to the EU’s suggestion of opening its borders to 14 of the 15 approved countries. Since then, the list has been updated several times.
Third-party countries granted entry
In line with EU guidelines, Switzerland has lifted entry restrictions for the following third-party countries: (accurate as of Jan 1)
- Australia
- Japan
- New Zealand
- Rwanda
- Singapore
- South Korea
- Thailand
- Uruguay
The list of third=party countries is to be regularly updated, at least every two weeks.
High-Risk Countries with a Mandatory Quarantine
Travel by APPROVED categories of travellers (as in: Swiss national returning home, essential workers, spouses of EU nationals, etc) is possible from the below high risk nations, but with a mandatory 10-day quarantine period. (accurate as of Jan 1)
Germany:
- Land Sachsen
Italy:
- Region Friuli Venezia Giulia
- Region Veneto
Countries and areas*
- Andorra
- Belize
- Croatia
- Georgia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Montenegro
- San Marino
- Serbia
- Slovenia
- Sweden
- South Africa
- United Kingdom of Great Britain
- United States of America
Transit Rules
As of 31 August, it will no longer be possible to enter Switzerland from a high-risk country on a transit flight via a non-high-risk country. However, passengers travelling from a non-high-risk country will be able to enter Switzerland even if they have a stopover in a high-risk country, provided they do not leave the transit area of the airport. Until now, it has been possible to circumvent the entry restrictions by travelling via airports in countries not on the high-risk list.
Country of departure now counts, not stopover country.
Under the new rules, which apply from 31 August, the country of departure, not the stopover country, determines whether travellers may enter Switzerland. For example, it is no longer possible for third-country nationals to fly to Switzerland from the USA via Toronto. This new regulation aims to prevent people circumventing the entry requirements by travelling in transit via countries not on the high-risk list.
Is entry into Switzerland based on physical location for the last 14-days, or nationality?
Border Control from the Federal Justice and Police Department in Switzerland gave us this statement:
“Nationality is not determinative for entry. Entry into Switzerland by land will be possible for people who have entered the Schengen area legally. Entry restrictions apply to persons arriving directly in Switzerland by plane from a country for which we have not yet opened our borders.”
Is there testing or quarantines upon arrival in Switzerland?
No. For the approved countries listed above in black text, at this time, there is no mandatory testing or quarantines upon arrival.
Passengers should expect a health screening from a border officer, as well as agree to temperature scans.
Have Flights Resumed Into Switzerland?
Yes, flights from all over the EU are flying directly into Swiss airports multiple times daily. Flights from the newly approved ‘third-party’ countries are also starting to resume.
Direct flights are coming in from almost every major city throughout the EU on airlines like: Swiss Air, EasyJet, Eurowings, Air France, Edelweiss Air, Austrian Airlines, and more.
Direct flights are now resuming from third-party countries like:
- Tokyo to Zurich 2-3x’s a week on Swiss Air starting in July
- Algiers to Geneva 2-3x’s a week on Air Algerie starting in July
- Toronto to Zurich 5-7x’s a week on Air Canada starting in July
- Calgary to Zurich 1x a week on Edelwiss Air starting in August
- Bangkok to Zurich 3-5x’s a week on Swiss Air and Thai Air starting in July
Can the USA Travel To Switzerland?
No, not at this time.
Switzerland and the #LoveIsEssential Movement
The Swiss government recently made some changes to their entry requirements and are now allowing un-married, inter-national couples to reunite in Switzerland. This means that an American with a partner in Switzerland can how have the chance to reunite, even with the current bans.
Switzerland will now recognize un-married couples who:
- Have minor children together
- Have proof they are in a real relationship with actual face-to-face meetings before the pandemic set in
What’s Open in Switzerland?
Mostly everything is open in Switzerland, even if it may have different capacity levels or operating hours. For more details, check out our Switzerland Reopening For Tourism guide.
Sources: Federal Council of Switzerland / myswitzerland.com
Read More: See our complete guide of countries now reopen for international tourism, which countries are expected to be able to travel to the EU, and which cruise ships have reopened for sailings.
Disclaimer: Switzerland's reopening news is ever-changing and being updated constantly. We do our best to keep this article up to date with all the latest information, but the decision to travel is ultimately your responsibility. Contact your consulate and/or local authorities to confirm your nationality’s entry and/or any changes to travel requirements before traveling.
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Originally published July 1, 2020 with updates
Lynn
Wednesday 2nd of June 2021
I have been planning a trip to switzerland for nearly two years. Paid for and ready to go. Seems like everyone other than US can enter. Do you see this changing by end of August beginning September 2021?
Kashlee Kucheran
Thursday 3rd of June 2021
Their intentions are to change it for July, but we will have to wait and see
Rami
Wednesday 14th of April 2021
I am polish, want to take a flight from warsaw transit zurich to cancun, Mexico don't require PCR, do I need one to transit zurich. Thank you.
Kashlee Kucheran
Thursday 15th of April 2021
I am not 100% confident right now if they do or not. To be safe, I would personally get one. A PCR test no older than 72hours
Dawn
Monday 29th of March 2021
Do you anticipate Switzerland will be open for COVID-19 vaccinated tourists by June for residents from the USA?
Kashlee Kucheran
Thursday 1st of April 2021
Very hard to say at this point
Debbie
Friday 5th of February 2021
I have my EU can I go to Switzerland from the USA?
mary
Friday 5th of March 2021
I am from Venezuela. I have been in USA for the last three months. Now, I plan to travel to Switzerland from Cancún Mexico to Paris and then to Zurich in orden to visit my daugther who Lives there. May I Come? Thanks a lot.
WILLIAM TATE
Friday 29th of January 2021
Does taking the vaccine affect travelling abroad?