Coronavirus: travel

People arriving in Switzerland from countries and areas with an increased risk of infection are required to go into quarantine. For travel abroad, we recommend checking with your destination country to see which restrictions apply.  

Entering and returning to Switzerland

In the light of the coronavirus, two things must be borne in mind when entering or returning to Switzerland:

• Am I permitted to enter Switzerland? Holders of a Swiss passport or a valid residence permit for Switzerland may enter Switzerland from any country. For all other individuals, entry restrictions may apply. You will find information in this regard on the website of the State Secretariat for Migration (SEM). If you have any questions regarding the entry rules for Switzerland, please contact the SEM.

• If entry is permitted: Do I have to go into quarantine after entering Switzerland? The FOPH defines a list of countries and areas with an increased risk of infection. Anyone entering Switzerland from one of these countries or areas must go into quarantine. You will find all the information on the page Quarantine for persons arriving in Switzerland.

You do not need to produce evidence of a negative coronavirus test to enter Switzerland.

In some cases, the contact details of travellers will be collected upon their arrival in Switzerland. The collection of contact details affects all airline passengers as well as coach passengers from countries with an increased risk of infection.
There are two reasons for the collection of contact details: on the one hand, this guarantees traceability in the event that there were infectious passengers on board and a transmission of the new coronavirus is possible. On the other, the contact details are used by the cantonal authorities in order to monitor compliance with mandatory quarantine through spot checks.

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Information on travelling abroad

The federal government recommends refraining from non-essential travel. If you are nevertheless planning to travel, please observe the following:

• When abroad, continue to follow the rules on hygiene and social distancing. This is the best way to protect yourself and others against infection by the novel coronavirus.

• If your destination country is on the list of countries and areas with a high risk of infection, you must go into quarantine upon your return. Please be aware of the fact that it is impossible to plan trips with absolute certainty. It is not the classification of the destination country when you leave Switzerland that is decisive for mandatory quarantine but its classification upon your return.

• Do not travel if you feel ill or have individual symptoms indicative of an infection with the novel coronavirus. Instead, stay at home and perform the coronavirus check or phone your doctor.

Before travelling, always check directly with the embassy or consulate of your destination country to find out which restrictions are currently in place due to the novel coronavirus. These can differ from country to country and change at short notice. The following restrictions are possible:

• Changed entry rules, through to border closures
• Measures upon entering the country (e.g. mandatory quarantine)
• Measures within the destination country (e.g. compulsory wearing of face masks)

Travel restrictions imposed by the different countries may be tightened again at short notice depending on the epidemiological situation, and transport connections scaled down again. Before booking a trip, consult your travel agent and/or your travel insurer to find out what cover they offer.

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Information for incoming tourists

The FOPH defines a list of countries and areas with an increased risk of infection. Anyone entering Switzerland from a country or area on this list must go into quarantine. You will find all the relevant information on the page Mandatory quarantine for persons arriving in Switzerland.

Information on the rules applicable throughout Switzerland can be found on the page Measures and ordinances. Many measures are now determined by the cantons, however, rather than nationally. You should therefore also find out which rules apply in the canton to which you are travelling. These rules differ from canton to canton. A list of the of cantonal websites with information on the novel coronavirus can be found at www.ch.ch (in German).

You must observe the rules on hygiene and social distancing applicable in Switzelrand. In public places such as restaurants, shops and museums, you must follow the rules in the applicable set of precautionary measures. This information will be provided on the premises.

If you experience symptoms of illness after entering Switzerland, take these seriously and follow the instructions on the page Isolation and quarantine. This is the best way to protect yourself and your fellow human beings.

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COVID-19 statistics worldwide

You will find updates of the key figures for COVID-19 on covid19.admin.ch, the websites of the World Health Organisation and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC).

Last modification 22.01.2021