Austria, Switzerland, France, Italy: Which corona rules now apply in the winter sports countries?

Enlarge image

Samnaun: Skiers with FFP2 protective masks in the chairlift to the Viderjoch.

In Switzerland, the mask in the open lift is still voluntary.

Photo: Gian Ehrenzeller / dpa

The incidences in Europe are rising and rising - since Monday, almost 60 countries worldwide have been considered high-risk areas for corona infection.

Including now Switzerland - as before Austria, the Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia as countries that could be considered for winter sports in the vicinity.

France and Italy are not on the list of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), but the seven-day incidence in South Tyrol is on average four times as high as in the rest of the country.

For Germany, the RKI gives the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants and week as 432.2 on Tuesday.

The rules have recently been tightened in German, Swiss and French winter sports areas.

Is the vacation on skis or snowboard now in danger?

For vaccinated and convalescent people, it will at least not be impossible, but it will be more expensive due to the PCR tests that have now become necessary.

In addition, in view of the spreading omicron variant of the coronavirus, the decision remains whether travel is appropriate at all at the moment.

Here is an overview of the Alpine countries Austria, Switzerland, Italy and France, as well as Bavaria:

What is the situation like in the countries?

In

is still a lockdown for everyone.

It is expected to last until December 11th for vaccinated people, the Ministry of Health announced.

Austrians are only allowed to leave their private living quarters in exceptional cases, for example to drive to work, buy groceries or help people in need.

"Staying outdoors for physical and mental relaxation" is also permitted.

The catering is closed, only to-go food and drinks can be picked up here.

Hotels are only allowed to accommodate business travelers or people who can substantiate other compelling reasons.

As soon as the lockdown is lifted, the 2G rule applies in reopened businesses such as hotels, restaurants or Advent markets - tests are no longer recognized as proof of entry. Children under twelve are exempt. Austrian youths between 12 and 15 years of age have to show the so-called ninja passport, there are still no regulations for foreigners. FFP2 masks must be worn in many areas. Additional regional measures also apply.

The government of

has been stepping up measures against the pandemic since Monday: In the country, "the certificate and mask requirement has been expanded, the home office recommendation has been strengthened and the validity of rapid antigen tests shortened," says the Federal Council's website . The tightening - also on entry (see below) - is a reaction to the sharp increase in Covid 19 patients in the hospitals and to the Omikron variant.

In

, the government discussed the further course of the corona crisis on Monday, the fifth corona wave is rampant here. It was decided to close the discos for four weeks from Friday. At the same time, Paris announced further protective measures, but these were far less strict than at earlier times of the pandemic - despite a seven-day incidence in the country of over 400. The government wants to prevent a renewed lockdown, which in France was associated with drastic exit restrictions .

Italy

has significantly expanded its protective measures against infection with the corona virus since Monday, as infections are rising again. Anyone who wants to go to the theater, the cinema, to live music or to major sporting events must now be fully vaccinated or have recently recovered from an infection. The necessary 2G proof (“Super Green Pass”) has also been required for all restaurant visits since Monday.

The 3G (vaccinated, recovered or tested) rule (“Green Pass” or EU vaccination certificate) is sufficient in the outdoor area of ​​bars and for coffee while standing at the bar, as well as in local public transport.

In most large cities, it has also been mandatory to wear a mask outdoors in the main shopping streets since the weekend.

In South Tyrol, the mask requirement for people gathering outdoors has been introduced for a long time.

Here, the risk level is generally yellow, in more than 20 municipalities even red.

Is skiing even possible - and how?

In

, the operation of ski lifts and mountain railways is in principle permitted if the safety rules are observed: Ski areas can be visited with a 2G certificate even during the lockdown.

This is good news for locals who are allowed to go up the mountain for physical relaxation.

For vacationers from Germany, however, for whom a day trip across the border is not possible, there is no green light during this time: »Accommodation, restaurants, cultural and leisure facilities are closed during the lockdown.

Tourist trips to Austria are therefore de facto not possible during this time, ”said the country's tourist office.

In the

ski resorts, the same rules apply to cable cars as to buses and trains: mask requirements only in closed rooms including gondolas, 3G or 2G are not necessary.

Chair lifts and drag lifts may be used without a mask.

3G proof is required for restaurants and ski huts.

In

, winter sports enthusiasts in the ski stations have been required to provide evidence of vaccination, recovery or a negative test with the nationwide Corona Pass (3G) since Saturday, including in restaurants and huts. Mask requirements also apply in cable cars and queues. Both were prescribed in the event that the seven-day incidence - i.e. the number of new infections per 100,000 inhabitants within a week - exceeds 200. It is currently well over 300 nationwide. Tests have to be paid for by yourself.

In

and thus also in the South Tyrolean ski areas, holidaymakers must have the EU Covid vaccination certificate (3G, “Green Pass”) with them in order to be able to use closed lifts such as cable cars and gondolas.

2G applies in restaurants and huts - but après-ski fun has been drained: Scon has been the zero alcohol limit on the ski slopes throughout Italy since January.

In

, Prime Minister Markus Söder and his state government have prescribed »2G plus« for leisure facilities: If you want to ride a gondola or lift, you not only have to be vaccinated and / or recovered, but also present a current corona test and put on an FFP2 mask.

What are the rules for entry?

The entry rules into the winter sports countries are not getting any simpler at the moment, due to the Omikron variant they have been tightened in some cases.

In general, however, the limits are open to those who have been tested, vaccinated and recovered, and if there is evidence they do not have to adhere to a quarantine - only the exact requirements are different.

The same goes for the rules for children.

In addition, there is an obligation in the federal states (not generally in Austria) to register electronically.

Exceptions to test and registration rules apply to cross-border commuters in Austria, France and Switzerland.

for

example, allows

holidaymakers who can show a negative PCR test (not older than 72 hours from the time the sample was taken) and who have registered electronically across the border - as well as those who are vaccinated, whereby the vaccination must meet certain conditions: For example, it is not allowed more than 270 days ago and no less than two weeks if a second vaccination is required and than three weeks with a vaccine that only requires one vaccination dose. There are additional rules for those who have recovered and those who have been vaccinated and there are exceptions for cross-border commuters. More information: Travel advice from the Federal Foreign Office and Austria's Ministry of Health.

The same applies to entry into

- only the deadlines that should be observed after the complete vaccination and for those who have recovered are different. Unvaccinated persons must show a negative PCR or antigen test carried out no more than 24 hours before the start of the journey. More information: Travel advice from the Federal Foreign Office and the website of the French tourism agency.

The

has surprisingly tightened the immigration rules last Saturday. Everyone who travels to the country - including returning Swiss - must show a negative PCR test. This also applies to those who have recovered and who have been vaccinated. In addition, a second PCR or rapid antigen test must be carried out between the fourth and the seventh day after entry. You have to pay the costs yourself. More information: Travel advice from the Federal Foreign Office and the Swiss Federal Council.

To cross the border to

sufficient to present the EU's digital Covid vaccination certificate if it contains a negative test result, a complete vaccination or proof of recovery.

However, the yellow vaccination card is also recognized.

More information: Travel advice from the Federal Foreign Office or the Italian Ministry of Health.

And what applies to the journey home?

Austria

and

are classified as high-risk areas by the RKI.

This has no effect on vaccinated and convalescent people.

However, if you travel around unvaccinated, you have to go into quarantine for ten days after your return.

You can get rid of this at the earliest five days after entry with a negative test.

In addition, all travelers must complete an entry form when returning home from a high-risk area.

This can be done online, but also on paper in an emergency.

Children under the age of twelve are exempt from this rule.

The same applies to holidaymakers who only drive through a high-risk area on the way home - for example Austria on the way from Croatia back to Germany.

A travel warning from the Foreign Office is automatically associated with the German classification as a high-risk area.

This makes it easier for tourists to cancel trips that have already been booked free of charge, but does not mean a travel ban.

What does the lockdown in Austria and the classification of Austria and Switzerland as high-risk areas mean for individual travelers?

In the

imposed

by the government on

,

the hotels could not fulfill their contract, says Karolina Wojtal from the European Consumer Center (EVZ). Because the accommodation is prohibited by the authorities. The money paid must be repaid here without a cancellation fee being withheld.

Should the lockdown be lifted again, individual travelers will

not have the right to free cancellation of their accommodation due

to the continued possible classification of Austria as a

- the same applies to

. "If travel and accommodation are possible, even if it were under quarantine conditions, vacationers have to pay," says Wojtal. The same applies to flight tickets: once the plane starts, travelers cannot simply have individually booked tickets reimbursed.

The whole thing is uncomplicated if holidaymakers have already booked accommodation with short-term, free cancellation options.

This is optionally offered on many travel and hotel portals or by hotels or holiday home renters themselves. It is worth paying attention to this with every booking in Corona times.

And for package holidaymakers?

During the

, the situation is pretty clear: travel will be severely affected. At the time of most of the bookings, this was probably not foreseeable. Only then did the situation worsen dramatically. The travel lawyer Paul Degott from Hanover sees this as an extraordinary circumstance - and thus the right to free cancellation as a given. Specifically, this means: "Travelers can declare their withdrawal with this corona development and are entitled to a refund of the travel price without any deductions."

In principle, the EVZ sees it the same way.

The considerable health risks alone should now be sufficient for Austria to declare the resignation, said Wojtal.

In addition, the lockdown and the associated severe restrictions on public and private life lead to an impairment of the trip - which in turn should justify the free resignation.

If the lockdown is lifted again and

continues to be

classified

as a

area, the travel warning from the Federal Foreign Office will still apply - as will

.

In the time before Corona, such a warning was a clear indication of the existence of extraordinary circumstances.

This usually gave package holidaymakers the right to cancel free of charge.

But the situation is different today: "Whether after a year of pandemic there is still an exceptional circumstance when a country becomes a high-risk or virus variant area after booking has not yet been clarified by the highest court," says Wojtal.

Due to the unclear legal situation, the expert advises those affected who want to forego a trip to a high-risk area to seek an amicable agreement with their organizer.

Often providers are accommodating and allow, for example, free rebookings to other destinations or travel periods.

"The extent to which organizers also allow free cancellations is at their discretion."

Also important: the trip must be imminent anyway, i.e. a maximum of four weeks in the future.

Only then can it be relatively foreseen whether extraordinary circumstances will continue to exist when the traveler sets off on vacation.

"If the trip is further in the future, the normal cancellation fees will be charged to the traveler if he or she decides to withdraw now," explains Wojtal.

So it is better to wait.

Travelers who have booked a more expensive flex tariff have an advantage: They can usually rebook or cancel free of charge up to two weeks before the start of the trip - without giving a reason.

abl / dpa