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Santorini, Crete, Mykonos Removed From UK Travel Corridor

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Santorini, Mykonos, Crete and four other Greek islands have been removed from the UK corridor forcing mandatory quarantines starting Wednesday.

The UK Government announced a new policy to travel corridors allowing them to remove certain islands from the safe corridor list rather than the entire country of Greece. 

The small traditional village of Chora Sfakion in Crete, Greece

“Using our newly acquired Joint Bio Security data, we are now in a position to remove Greek islands where holidaymakers are at risk of spreading new infection back home.

Seven Greek islands will therefore be removed from the travel corridor list at 4:00 am on Wednesday 9 September,” said Grant Shapps, Secretary of State for Transport.

Beautiful sunrise at Little Venice on Mykonos island, Cyclades, Greece
Beautiful sunrise at Little Venice on Mykonos island, Cyclades, Greece

People arriving in England will need to self-isolate for 2 weeks starting from 4:00 am Wednesday September 9th if they are coming from the following Greek islands:

  • Crete
  • Lesvos
  • Mykonos
  • Santorini
  • Serifos
  • Tinos
  • Zakynthos 
Molyvos Castle and Beautiful Blue Sky in Lesvos Island

According to Schapps press release, the UK government now has the intelligence from passenger locator forms and tracing that has lead them to understand where COVID-19 has the most potential to spread to the UK from. 

Schapps also issued a harsh reminder for UK citizens that break quarantine rules. 

“Remember, breaching quarantine is not only an offence which can gain you a criminal record, but you are also putting the lives of your loved ones, and the loved ones of those you’ve never met, at risk.”

Santorini, Greece. Oia, white village with cobbled narrow paths, famous attraction of Greek Cyclades Islands, Aegean Sea.
Santorini, Greece. Oia, white village with cobbled narrow paths, famous attraction of Greek Cyclades Islands, Aegean Sea.

List of Countries With NO 14-Day Quarantine For Returning UK Travelers

  • Akrotiri and Dhekelia
  • Anguilla
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Australia
  • Barbados
  • Bermuda
  • Bonaire, St Eustatius and Saba
  • British Antarctic Territory
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • Brunei 
  • Cayman Islands
  • the Channel Islands
  • Curaçao
  • Cyprus
  • Denmark
  • Dominica
  • Estonia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • French Polynesia
  • Gibraltar
  • Germany
  • Greece (with the exception of Crete, Lesvos, Mykonos, Santorini, Serifos, Tinos or Zakynthos)
  • Greenland
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Hong Kong
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • Ireland
  • the Isle of Man
  • Italy
  • Japan
  • Latvia
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Macao (Macau)
  • Malaysia 
  • Mauritius
  • Montserrat
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Norway
  • Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Reunion
  • San Marino
  • Seychelles
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • South Korea
  • South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
  • St Barthélemy
  • St Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha
  • St Kitts and Nevis
  • St Lucia
  • St Pierre and Miquelon
  • St Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Taiwan
  • Turkey
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Vatican City State
  • Vietnam
Tinos island at Cyclades, Greece in the evening

UK Travel Corridor Rules

From 10 July 2020, travelers have not had to self-isolate when they are arriving in England, if:

  • they are travelling or returning from one of the travel corridor countries
  • have not been to or stopped in a country that’s not on the travel corridor list in the previous 14 days

This applies to all travel to England, by train, ferry, coach, air or any other route.

If a travelers has been to or stopped in a country that’s not on the travel corridor list, they will have to self-isolate until 14 days have passed since they left that country.

Shipwreck in the famous Navagio Bay, Zakynthos island, Greece

Both Italy and Portugal could be removed from the safe travel corridor as both countries reported their highest daily increase in coronavirus cases since lockdown was lifted in May.

Most of Portugal's 486 new cases were found in and around the capital, Lisbon, as well as the country’s second city, Porto. The rise in cases could see Portugal stripped of its travel corridor with England. Scotland and Wales have already removed it from their quarantine-exempt lists.

Santorini sunset over the village of Oia in Greece
Santorini sunset over the village of Oia in Greece

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Disclaimer: UK travel rules can change without notice and are 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.  Travel Off Path does not endorse traveling against government advisories

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