Germany lifts quarantine on British travellers

Strict travel rules are lifted from today

Berlin Brandenburg airport, which reopened to British arrivals on 4 January (Simon Calder)

Germany is lifting its mandatory quarantine for British travellers from today, 4 January.

The UK, along with nine other countries – including South Africa – has had the formerly harsh entry restrictions removed after being downgraded from an “area of variant concern” to a “high-risk area”.

The nations, mainly in southern Africa, were put on the areas of concern list originally due to their high numbers of Omicron coronavirus cases.

However, the Robert Koch Institute for Infectious Diseases (RKI) confirmed that countries will no longer be placed on the list due to the Omicron variant, as it is already prevalent within Germany.

Previously, travellers could only enter Germany from the UK if they were German citizens or residents or for a handful of other reasons.

Even then, arrivals had to quarantine for two weeks, regardless of vaccination status.

However, now the entry rules have been eased once more – although the UK’s status as a “high risk” area means there are still restrictions in place for travellers who aren’t fully vaccinated.

Those who can provide proof of full vaccination can enter Germany with no need to isolate, while those who can’t must quarantine for 10 days. This can be reduced to five days with a negative Covid test.

“The UK is designated a high risk area,” reads the advice from the UK’s Foreign Office.

“You may enter Germany from the UK for any travel purpose if you are fully vaccinated.”

However, travellers aged six and over who have been double or triple-jabbed must still present a negative PCR test result that is no more than 48 hours old at the point of departure if travelling to Germany by plane, train, bus or ferry.

If travelling by car, the PCR test must be no more than 48 hours old at the time of entry into Germany.