Switzerland earlier this month joined the Europe reopening party by announcing that it will be welcoming back American travelers as of June 28. The country joins France, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Greece, and Iceland in opening up to U.S. travelers after being closed to most visitors from the United States since March 2020.
Starting June 28, fully vaccinated travelers from the U.S. can enter Switzerland and will not need to quarantine or provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test result. They will just need to provide proof that they are fully vaccinated.
Unvaccinated travelers will need to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test from within 72 hours of travel, or a negative COVID rapid antigen test result from within 48 hours of travel.
Travelers, regardless of vaccination status, will need to fill out an online form before entering Switzerland.
“I have long believed that Switzerland, with its small boutique towns, rustic villages dotted along picturesque valleys, and wide-open alpine landscapes is the natural choice for a post-COVID holiday,” stated Claudio Zemp, director of the Americas for Switzerland Tourism.
Currently, Switzerland considers proof of vaccination to be valid for up to 12 months, beginning two weeks after receiving the second dose of a COVID vaccination. Travelers age 18 and younger can enter Switzerland even if they are not vaccinated as long as they are accompanied by vaccinated parents—if they are without their parents, they must be fully vaccinated to enter Switzerland.
All international passengers age two and older flying into the U.S. (including returning U.S. citizens and permanent residents) must provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test procured within three days before boarding their flight to the U.S.
COVID-19 testing sites in Switzerland can be found online.
Switzerland has reported 19,000 COVID cases in the past month, according to Johns Hopkins University, down from a record high of nearly 173,000 cases in November 2020. Just over 27 percent of the population has been fully vaccinated.
>> Next: This Spiral Museum Just Opened in a Swiss Alpine Village
