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TRAVEL NEWS

UK publishes list of European countries exempt from quarantine rule

The UK government will lift its 14-day compulsory quarantine requirement for arrivals in England from “lower risk countries” including Spain, Germany, France and Italy, but not Sweden. The restriction may continue to apply for those arriving in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

UK publishes list of European countries exempt from quarantine rule
AFP

The date for quarantine to be lifted was initially scheduled to be July 6th but the UK’s Department for Transport announced on Thursday it had been pushed back to July 10th.

A full list of countries from which arrivals will no longer need to self-isolate was published on Friday (see below)

The list of nationals exempt from 14 days of self-isolation upon arrival in England included travellers from European countries such as Spain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Norway, Greece, the Netherlands, Finland, Belgium and Norway but not Portugal or Sweden given their recent spike in cases.

From July 10th anyone arriving in the UK by train, coach, ferry or air ill not have to enter quarantine for 14 days.

These countries will have “reciprocal arrangements” in place, meaning travellers from the UK will not have to quarantine on arrival there either. So travellers to and from France will not have to enter obligatory or voluntary self-isolation.

Some 59 countries deemed low or very low risk will be exempt from the UK's blanket quarantine rules.

The UK’s Department for Transport also said that the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland “will set out their own approach”, meaning the quarantine lifting applied to England alone and that passengers arriving in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland “should ensure they follow the laws and guidance which applies there”.

The latest news from the Scottish press suggests that the 14-day quarantine will remain in place in England’s northerly neighbour after July 10th, with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon having been particularly critical of British PM Boris Johnson's approach to easing coronavirus lockdown measures. 

No decision has been made on whether Wales or Northern Ireland will follow England in lifting the 14-day quarantine on July 10th.

Currently travellers arriving in England, Wales and Northern Ireland could face a fine of £1,000 (€1,100) if they fail to self-isolate for the full 14 days, and a £480 (€532) fine in Scotland. 

The full list available here is:

Member comments

  1. “Train, coach, ferry or air” – what about folk who drive and use the Channel Tunnel? That doesn’t seem to be covered by the list.

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TRAVEL NEWS

Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge to offer reduced tolls for commuters

A new discount system launched by the operators of Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge is designed to offer savings to people who live on one side of the bridge and work on the other.

Denmark’s Great Belt Bridge to offer reduced tolls for commuters

The Great Belt Bridge, a 7-kilometre, fixed-link bridge which connects the islands of Funen and Zealand, can cost up to 250 kroner for a single crossing in a normal passenger car.

Operator Sund & Bælt on Friday announced a new discount for commuters who cross the bridge 15 times or more in a month.

The deal could be particularly beneficial for people who live in Jutland or on Funen but travel regularly to Copenhagen for work.

The new discount system launches on May 1st, Sund & Bælt said in a press statement.

Specifically, private motorists who are registered to pay the toll fee via either the Bizz card or number plate recognition will automatically receive a discount if they cross the bridge more than 14 times within a calendar month.

This is because while the first 14 journeys across the bridge will cost the regular price, all subsequent journeys will cost 0 kroner until the 50th journey, when the price returns to normal. The number resets at the beginning of each month.

Provided payment is set up through one of the two methods mentioned above, bridge users do not need to register or pay anything in advance to benefit from the discount.

Customers who use the existing Storebælt Pendleraftale discount by planning their journeys to fit with the number of crossings provided by that deal could see a “small price increase” under the new system, Sund & Bælt said in the statement. Commuters unable to plan their journeys or who drive during weekends and evenings are likely to find the price drops slightly, it added.

Further information on the discount can be find on the Sund & Bælt website.

Earlier this week, the Øresund Bridge between Copenhagen and Malmø also announced a change to its pricing structure.

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