So, perhaps a bit late this year but possibly useful in the future. If you have travelled abroad by bike or car, please relate your experiences or issues, primarily with passport control and Covid testing from and to the UK. Reason for posting is a group I’d arranged a tour for had two drop out because of the return hassles they thought “might” happen. Just the facts would help us all planning to travel. What say you.?
aug 2021 3000 km NL>GERMANY>DENMARK>SWEDEN>FERRY>GERMANY>BELGIUM>NL. NO Passport or any Covid check. Denmark to get into Legoland because no proof of vaccination, one had to do a free quick local test, results after 15 min. aug 2021 Group of 24 bikes, NL>Belgium>NL nothing whatsoever.
Nope all from NL, IMO border checks in the EU are non-existent all border crossings were unmanned except for D>DK and that took 3 seconds to waive us past.
Living in UK, our most popular crossing got to be to France. Getting to continent isn’t really any issue as long as you are vaccinated and current French regulations allow for British tourists. From experience while in France, if you want to use cafes/restaurants (to sit in) you need to provide a proof (in form of QR code) that you had been jabbed. Not sure if they accept NHS App as I opted for safer TousAntiCovid App (French NHS App equivalent) to which you can scan your NHS QR code. This French App is required and checked painfully Everywhere. Coming back is more painful courtesy of British Government. Within 3days of returning you need to find a pharmacy that does Antigen Test (normally costs €25), after 30min you’ll receive ‘QR code’ letter saying that you are negative. This code is checked by French border control (without it you won’t board your crossing of choice). You also need to feel in your UK locator form in which you need to provide your reference number of the purchase of 2nd Day Test that you should buy before setting off for your journey. It is a palaver but it’s a price for spectacular views and riding on empty, smooth roads.
Scan your important documents into PDF files & then email ...yourself... This allows you to access a copy of said documents in the event of loss or theft? Meaning you can get stuff sorted far quicker with actual double sided copies of information & codes & referrence info.
No problems so far returning to uk from France. Take a suitable (not NHS) antigen test kit with you for the return journey back to UK. Book a ‘day two’ PCR test for when you get back. Take a note of the ref number for the PCR test. Take antigen test within 48h prior to UK arrival. Fill in passenger locator form before arriving at port, including the ref no for day two test. Done. Things may get complicated if you fail the antigen test…
This is the part that worries people. Just had a friend cancel due to this. But...what are the chances?
No idea but I have heard that the test will struggle to differentiate between the flu and covid if any winter flu bugs emerged.
Sweet.!! “You’ve tested positive Sir. Do you have Covid?” No.. just the flu.. “Straight ahead Sir. No stopping. Hope you had a great time” ..... If only....
Just go. The restrictions are designed to stop you going. Once you're away, they are not applied. You'll have a great time if you brave it
I was willing but my chicken livered mates shit themselves and pulled out! I waited nigh on a year for this trip and they fkked it. We’re off to Wales now and I’ll be all too happy to regale them of people’s experiences off the forum. Wankers..
Mine too. One bailed after I booked my: plague test, travel & return plague test. 2nd one is tempted but I'm not sure about him. Not to worry, I'll have a great time touring Spain & coming home on 22 September.
Thing is, things may never get any better than being vaccinated against this. Procrastination is the thief of time. How much have you got left? No silly risks. Do it. Be off for my second France trip as soon as I get new tyres on the GS.
How sad. The problem is the media blow things out of all proportion… as usual. I’m in Spain right now. If you go through the process as well described above, it is just a process. Getting into Spain was straight forward. All done and dusted in Portsmouth so once you get to Spain on the ferry it’s straight through. An antigen test + a day 2 test and a locator form on return and that’s it. My niece has just flown out here for the weekend and returned via Heathrow with absolutely no problems. The media will have your mates believing otherwise and they end up in Wales. No disrespect to you as you clearly have an appetite to travel, fk-em, come on your own. There’s nothing to fear except for the short sighted. Another thing, I looked the other day and there’s less incidence of Covid in Spain than the UK. Oh, and the sun is shining, you remember the sun, it’s not just a sensationalist newspaper.
I mentioned to my “mates” that the incidence in Germany was 75 per 100000. The UK is 350 per 100000.! I said it’s safer to be out of the bloody country than in it.! Like I said before…”wankers”
