london to germany travel restrictions

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Travelling to Germany

Includes travel advice and how to get married abroad.

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Germany travel advice

FCDO travel advice for Germany. Includes safety and security, insurance, entry requirements and legal differences.

Germany: mental health support abroad

Information about support for British nationals experiencing mental health difficulties in Germany.

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Can I go to Germany? Rules for travelling from the UK

In England , international travel for leisure has been permitted since Monday 17 May 2021. Germany was previously on the UK 's green list – but what are the rules for travelling there now? 

What are the entry requirements for Germany?

Fully vaccinated travellers – those who received their final dose at least 14 days before travelling – may enter Germany from the UK for any purpose. Anyone aged 12 or over must possess either proof of vaccination (find out the acceptable forms on the German government website ), proof of recovery from Covid for at least 28 days and no more than 90 days, or a negative Covid test prior to arrival. 

Those who are not considered fully vaccinated can only enter Germany if they are a resident or citizen, a spouse or other family member of a resident, serve in an important role or have ‘an urgent need to travel’, and they must have proof of a negative Covid test taken before entry (within 48 hours before departure for Germany if it's a PCR test, or 48 hours before the time of arrival if it's a rapid antigen test). Unvaccinated children up to the age of 11 are allowed to enter Germany from the UK, as long as they travel with at least one fully vaccinated parent. Children aged 12 to 17 can only enter if they are fully vaccinated, a resident (or the child of a resident), or have an urgent need to travel.

If you are fully vaccinated and have spent any of the previous 10 days in a country designated high-risk by the German government, you must complete pre-departure digital registration . If you have done so and are not fully vaccinated, you must quarantine for 10 days – with test and release available after five days. For more details, go to the UK government website . 

Can I travel to the UK from Germany?

As of 18 March 2022, there are no Covid travel rules in the UK, which means that anyone returning to the country does not need to test, quarantine or fill in a passenger locator form , regardless of their vaccination status. The government is also no longer managing any quarantine hotels in the UK, as of the end of March.

Germany Travel Restrictions

Traveller's COVID-19 vaccination status

Travelling from the United Kingdom to Germany

Open for vaccinated visitors

COVID-19 testing

Not required

Not required for vaccinated visitors

Restaurants

Not required in public spaces.

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Can I travel to Germany from the United Kingdom?

Most visitors from the United Kingdom, regardless of vaccination status, can enter Germany.

Can I travel to Germany if I am vaccinated?

Fully vaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter Germany without restrictions.

Can I travel to Germany without being vaccinated?

Unvaccinated visitors from the United Kingdom can enter Germany without restrictions.

Do I need a COVID test to enter Germany?

Visitors from the United Kingdom are not required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test or antigen result upon entering Germany.

Can I travel to Germany without quarantine?

Travellers from the United Kingdom are not required to quarantine.

Do I need to wear a mask in Germany?

Mask usage in Germany is not required in public spaces.

Are the restaurants and bars open in Germany?

Restaurants in Germany are open. Bars in Germany are .

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Covid: Germany tightens restrictions on UK travellers

Germany has become the latest European country to ban most travellers from Britain, to try to slow the spread of the Omicron variant.

German nationals and residents will still be allowed to enter from the UK.

They must have a negative test and quarantine for two weeks, regardless of whether they have been vaccinated.

The measures took effect on Sunday evening. France has already introduced similar curbs as coronavirus infections surge in Britain.

The Robert-Koch-Institut (RKI) - a federal health agency - announced the new rules as it classified the UK as a virus variant area of concern, the highest Covid risk level.

Denmark, France, Norway and Lebanon have also been added to Germany's high risk list and travel from those countries will also be restricted.

The decision was made by the RKI on Saturday, when the UK reported 90,418 new Covid cases - following days of record highs. On Sunday, a further 82,886 cases were reported.

Covid map: Where are cases the highest?

• How can I tell I have Omicron?
• What are France's new rules for UK travellers?

London Mayor Sadiq Khan declared a "major incident" in the capital on Saturday due to sharp rise in cases . On Saturday, 26,418 new cases reported - the highest number since the start of the pandemic.

Scientific advisers have warned that England's hospital admissions could reach 3,000 a day without further restrictions.

Although the number of new confirmed coronavirus cases in Germany is lower than in the UK, with 50,968 new cases reported on Friday, the number of deaths following a positive Covid test is rising. Germany reported 437 deaths on Friday.

German health minister Karl Lauterbach said he expected the Omicron variant to unleash a "massive fifth wave" of the pandemic.

He said Germany had to prepare for a challenge "that we have never seen in this form before" and the "more we can push back... the better".

Speaking on broadcaster ARD on Sunday, Prof Lauterbach ruled out a lockdown before Christmas, saying: "There will not be a lockdown before Christmas here. But we will get a fifth wave - we have crossed a critical number of Omicron infections."

The corona-expert council of the federal government - an advisory group made up of 19 members - warned of a growing risk to Germany's "critical infrastructure", saying hospitals, health services and basic utilities could be disrupted if further steps were not taken.

A number of restrictions are currently in place in Germany, most of them affecting unvaccinated people who are barred from most public places. Around 70% of the German population is now fully vaccinated.

France is also worried about the spread of Omicron in the UK and authorities there banned UK tourists from travelling between the two countries on Saturday.

Under its new rules, UK citizens now need a "compelling reason" to enter France, with trips for tourism or business banned.

Hauliers, transport workers and French nationals are exempt.

A rush of passengers travelling to France on Friday to beat the country's ban on UK tourists led to a knock-on effect on freight traffic, resulting in long queues of lorries.

There were lengthy tailbacks on the M20 motorway in Kent heading to Dover and at the entrance to the Channel Tunnel on Saturday.

Many people brought their Christmas travel plans forward to avoid the new rules.

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• Mobility and Travel

Travelling to Germany

Entering Germany, relaxing by the sea and vacationing in the mountains – what the coronavirus rules allow and what they don’t. We answer your questions.

What are the rules on entering Germany?

The answer is: it all depends. Because of the COVID-19 pandemic there are travel restrictions on entry from many countries . Anyone entering Germany from a risk area or by air must complete a digital entry registration, is subject to mandatory testing or must provide proof of immunity and must self-isolate (quarantine).

You will find detailed coronavirus rules on the websites of the Federal Foreign Office  and Federal Ministry of the Interior .

From which countries am I allowed to enter Germany?

Basically entry is possible from:

• EU member states
• Schengen-associated countries: Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein
• other countries from which entry is permitted on the basis of the EU evaluation of the epidemiological situation

From which countries am I not allowed to enter Germany to travel?

Entry to Germany from countries not listed above is only possible in exceptional cases. The prerequisite is an urgent need to travel.

A transport prohibition exists in relation to countries where virus mutations are widespread (so-called virus variant areas ). Transport companies, such as air or rail enterprises, are not permitted to carry passengers to Germany from these countries.

The Federal Ministry of the Interior answers other important questions here .

Do the coronavirus rules allow me to vacation on the coast or visit Neuschwanstein Castle and the Alps?

The answers to these questions are subject to daily change. Incidence rates are currently falling throughout Germany so that more and more tourist regions are opening for visitors.

You will find the best information on the Germany Travel website, which is provided by the German National Tourist Board here .

If you scroll down the page on the Germany Travel website, you will find information on the current situation in each German state regarding access not only to hotels, guesthouses and camping sites, but also restaurants and cultural institutions.

© www.deutschland.de

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Germany travel advice: Am I allowed to visit, what rules are in place and do I need a Covid test?

Everything you need to know about travelling to germany during the pandemic, article bookmarked.

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As one of the few European countries that’s managed to successfully keep coronavirus rates down (so far), Germany is becoming an increasingly attractive holiday prospective.

From the wild beauty of the Black Forest to the effortless cool of Berlin, there’s plenty of choice for tourists.

But with quarantine measures across Europe changing quicker than the British weather, are we still allowed to go? And what will happen when we return?

Here’s everything you need to know.

Am I allowed to travel to Germany from the UK?

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) issued a blanket warning against all non-essential international travel in March, but this was lifted for various destinations on 4 July. The list of “low-risk” destinations has constantly evolved since then.

Germany was put on the FCDO’s safe list, meaning it’s exempt from the advisory and travellers can go there without invalidating their travel insurance.

How can I get there?

Flights are operating between the UK and Germany.

British Airways, easyJet and Ryanair are all offering flights between London and Berlin; British Airways and Lufthansa offer flights to Munich; Eurowings and Ryanair fly to Cologne; and BA, Eurowings, Ryanair and easyJet fly to Hamburg.

Alternatively, it’s fairly easy to get to Germany by train by getting the Eurostar and changing in Paris – although you will have to quarantine on return if you do.

Will they let me in when I arrive?

Yes – border restrictions have been lifted for UK citizens. However, whether or not you need to produce a negative Covid test result, get tested on arrival or quarantine is dependent on where you’re travelling from – Germany has different rules in place for regions designated “high risk”.  

Will I have to take a Covid-19 PCR test?

If you’re travelling from much of the UK (and haven’t been somewhere high risk in the previous two weeks), you don’t need to get tested for Covid-19 before travelling to Germany.

But if you’re travelling from Northern Ireland, Scotland, North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and the Humber, the Midlands or Wales, all designated high-risk areas, you’re required to show evidence of a negative Covid test result from less than 48 hours prior to arrival; otherwise, you must proceed directly to your accommodation and quarantine for 14 days.

“Those who can provide evidence of a negative test taken in a European Union member state or a state with comparable quality standards less than 48 hours prior to arrival may be exempted from the requirement to quarantine,” says the FCDO. “Individual federal states are responsible for the implementation of quarantine regulations and local rules may vary.”  

Travellers are warned not to use the free NHS testing service to get a test – “You should arrange to take a private test,” reads the advice.

Will I have to quarantine when I arrive?

Possibly. You don’t have to quarantine if travelling from a destination that hasn’t been deemed high risk. But if entering Germany from Northern Ireland, Scotland, North East England, North West England, Yorkshire and the Humber, the Midlands or Wales, you’re required to self-isolate for 14 days or until you can provide evidence of a negative coronavirus test result. It’s likely that a negative test will avoid the need for quarantine, but it’s not a guarantee, as federal states have their own policies in place.  

Will I have to quarantine when I come home?

No. Germany currently remains one of the few countries that is still on the Department for Transport’s travel corridors list, from where travellers are exempt from the blanket two-week quarantine imposed on nearly all arrivals.

Can I travel within Germany?

Technically yes, but there are rules in place regarding travelling from places with higher rates of coronavirus to elsewhere in the country.

An “accommodation ban” has been introduced, requiring those hailing from high-risk areas, including Berlin and Frankfurt, to provide a recently taken negative Covid test in order to stay overnight in other regions.  

Mecklenburg-West Pomerania, a state in Eastern Germany, demands that arrivals from Covid hotspots quarantine until they have had two negative test results. Find the latest rules from the region you’re visiting here .

Are hotels open?

Yes – accommodation facilities, such as hotels, holiday homes, guest houses and campsites have been able to reopen since May.

Are restaurants, shops and attractions open?

Shops, restaurants, cafes, bars, museums and nearly all other attractions have all reopened with coronavirus measures in place.

Clubs, theatres, concert halls and opera houses remain closed.

Restrictions on opening hours vary between states; Berlin currently states that shops, bars and restaurants must close by 11pm and remain shut until 6am the following day.

What rules are in place?

You are required to wear a face covering while using public transport, in shops, at airports and in office buildings (employees are exempt while working at their desks). Failure to do so can result in a fine of €50 or more in nearly all of Germany’s 16 states (Saxony-Anhalt is the exception).  

People are also advised to stay a minimum of 1.5 metres (roughly 5 feet) away from those who are not in the same household.

Other measures vary from region to region; check here for individual states’ rules.

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Germany Travel Advisory

Travel advisory may 1, 2024, germany - level 2: exercise increased caution.

Reissued after periodic review with minor edits

Exercise increased caution in Germany due to  terrorism .

Country Summary:  Terrorist groups keep planning attacks in Germany. Terrorists may attack with little or no warning. They target tourist locations and transportation hubs. They also target markets/shopping malls and local government facilities. They target hotels, clubs, and restaurants. They also attack places of worship, parks, and major sporting and cultural events. They target schools, airports, and other public areas.

Read the  country information page for additional information on travel to Germany.

If you decide to travel to Germany:

• Be aware of your surroundings when traveling to tourist locations and crowded public venues.
• Follow the instructions of local authorities.
• Monitor local media for breaking events and adjust your plans based on new information.
• Enroll in the  Smart Traveler Enrollment Program  ( STEP ) to receive Alerts and make it easier to locate you in an emergency.
• Follow the Department of State on  Facebook  and  Twitter . 
• Review the  Country Security Report  for Germany.
• Visit the CDC page for the latest Travel Health Information related to your travel.
• Prepare a contingency plan for emergency situations. Review the  Traveler’s Checklist .

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