For all those wishing to ski in the snowy Swiss Alps, visit the famous Jungfrau and Matterhorn, wander through the Christmas markets, or enjoy the endless amount of cheese and chocolate this holiday season, such a thing is now possible for Singaporeans.
Since 7 November 2021, travellers from Singapore can travel to Switzerland through the Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) without quarantine (ALAS, no dreaded 14 days SHN stuck in a hotel room!)
With growing numbers of people getting vaccinated and even boosted against COVID-19, travel is comparably a lot safer than it was last year. Still, with the emergence of the Omnicron variant, new travel restrictions have set in…and the ever-changing regulations has proven to be confusing for travellers.
If you and your loved ones are planning a trip to Switzerland, this post is written for you. I have consolidated all the important information you need to know to help you travel more safely, from Pre-Departure to Post-Arrival…So that no one brings home any unwelcome holiday presents!
Table of Contents
Pre-Departure:
1. Can I enter Switzerland?
Yes…. but only for fully vaccinated travellers. Kids or adolescents do no need to be vaccinated if travel with vaccinated adult relatives (parents, siblings, grandparents, caregiver etc….)
2. Can I take any flight that flies to Switzerland?
Currently, Singapore Airlines (Singapore Airlines) or Swiss International Airlines (SWISS) offers direct flights to Zurich.
For departures from Switzerland: If your itinerary finishes nearer to Geneva, Swiss Airlines offers connecting flights from Geneva via Zurich to Singapore.
(TIP: You can also take the train to reach Zurich airport. I normally take the SBB train IC1 or IC5 from Geneva to reach Zurich. The train journey will take you approximately 2h 45 minutes. Go to SBB website to book your tickets in advance, or purchase directly at the train station.)
| Flight number | Route | Arrival / Departure | Flights per week |
| Singapore Airlines SQ 345 | Zurich – Singapore | 10.35h / 06.00h +1 | Everyday |
| Swiss Airlines LX176 | Zurich – Singapore | 13.10/ 08.30h +1 | Every Friday and Sunday |
| Swiss Airlines LX 2807 | Geneva- Singapore | 10.15/ 08.30 + 1 | Every Friday and Sunday |
3. Is a PCR Test required for entry into Switzerland?
Yes. With effect 4 December 2021, everyone entering Switzerland must present a negative PCR test. This test requirement applies to all arrivals aged 16 or over.
If you are entering Switzerland from another country via other means of transport (e.g. coach or car), spot checks will be carried out at the border to ensure that people can present a negative test result.
4. What are essential documents I need to prepare my flight departure?
- Notarise your COVID Certificate.
- Go to the Notorise website to to get your Pre-Departure Test (PDT) or Vaccination HealthCerts digitally authenticated.
UPDATE: It is no longer required to convert your SG Vaccination Certificate to the Swiss COVID-Certificate. Your notarised COVID Cert will work in Switzerland.
Submit the Passenger Locator Form
3 days before your departure, you will need to fill in the Passenger Locator Form.
The details that you provide in the PFL is important as it will be used to notify you, in the event that you come into contact with someone that has tested positive while you are in Switzerland. The contact details may also be used by the cantons to conduct checks to ensure that all arrived persons have had the required tests.
Information to be provided includes your personal particulars, date of arrival, flight and seat number, permanent residential address, address of stay in Switzerland and your place of departure.
For children and adolescents under the age of 16, parents can submit their information on behalf under the same form.
Print other important documents
It’s best to print and bring along with you all other important documents, including air tickets, passport, driving license, travel insurance, your Singapore vaccination certificate, Swiss vaccination certificate, in case you need to present it for verification from time to time.
5. I am travelling with children. What are the requirements for entry into Switzerland?
Children under 16 travelling from Singapore are exempt from test requirements unless they are entering Switzerland from a country with a variant of concern. In this case they must have a test before boarding an aircraft or bus, as well as after entering Switzerland.
Adolescents aged 16 and above are required to undergo tests for entry to public places.
Children or adolescents aged 0 to 18 do not need vaccination, as long as they are travelling with a vaccinated adult (parents, siblings, grandparents, caregiver etc).
When in Switzerland
6. Is there still a quarantine requirement when entering Switzerland from certain countries?
No, there is no quarantine requirement. But Testing is compulsory for all persons entering the country. This also applies to vaccinated and cured persons.
7. If I intend to travel to other VTL countries apart from Switzerland, will I still be able to take a VTL flight back?
Travellers must not have any travel history outside of Singapore and/or VTL or Category I countries/regions in the past 14 days to be eligible for the VTL flights.
This means that you will still be able visit multiple VTL or Category I countries/regions on the same trip and still be eligible for VTL flights. Germany, France and Italy are all VTL approved countries, so if you are intending to combine any of these neighbouring countries in your itinerary: Yes you can.
8. Do I have to take any further PCR tests/ARTs during my time in Switzerland?
No, it is NOT required to take an ART between your 4th-7th day.
9. How do I arrange to take an PCR/ART test in Switzerland?
Go to www.onedoc.ch to book an appointment at a COVID-19 test centre nearest to your accommodation in Switzerland.
For ARTs, you will typically get your results via email within 30 minutes. For PCR tests, you will get it within 24 hours.
Some Swiss pharmarcies such as Amavita, Sunstore and Coop Vitality double up as test centres and are equipped with COVID-19 testing facilities. You will usually find them in major Swiss cities, and they will clearly indicate that they conduct COVID-testing as so with signages.
10. Is a self-administered ART considered valid?
No. The test has to be professionally administered at a certified COVID-19 test center, so that the test results can be sent and updated to cantonal authorities.
Nevertheless, if you already have a ART self test kit, I think there’s no harm to one along with you, just in case you wish to do additional self-testing on other days of your travel as an extra precaution.
11. Am I also required to do a PCR test/ ART if I am just doing a daytrip from Switzerland to other countries?
No. Test exemptions apply for cross-border commuters and people travelling to Switzerland from the border
regions. Travellers from these regions also do not have to complete a contact form.
The border regions are:
• Regions in Germany: Baden-Württemberg and Bavaria
• Regions in France: Grand-Est, Burgundy/Franche Comté and Auvergne/Rhône-Alpes
• Regions in Italy: Piedmont, Aosta Valley, Lombardy and Trentino/South Tyrol
• Regions in Austria: Tyrol and Vorarlberg
• Regions in Liechtenstein: the whole Principality of Liechtenstein
12. What are the masks requirements like in Switzerland?
Masks must be worn when indoors and on public transportations.
While it is not compulsory to wear masks when outdoors, I would advise you to do so when you are heading to crowded places such as Christmas markets, ski resorts etc. Besides, temperatures are freezing lately so personally I WANT my mask to be on at all times to guard against the cold!
13. What are some safety measures taken by the F&B and travel industry in Switzerland?
The Clean and Safe label was launched by Switzerland Tourism and suoported by various Swiss tourism trade associations.
If you see this label, this means this establishment or accommodation that you visit is one that has consciously committed to comply with the safety measures set out by national, cantonal authorities and industry standards.
Safety measures for hygiene and behaviour under the Clean and Safe campaign include the following:
- Social distancing: Employees and other persons must maintain a distance of 1.5 metres from each other,
- Regulation of the number of people occupying given spaces
- Cleaning: Appropriate, regular cleaning of surfaces and objects after use, especially if they are touched by several people.
- Where people without a Covid certificate can also enter indoors , masks are compulsory.
- Covid certificate requirement for catering (restaurants, bars, cafés, clubs, etc)
Departing Switzerland
14. What are the COVID-10 test requirements for returning to Singapore?
Within 48 hours before your time of flight departure, you must take either a professionally administered ART or PCR test. Go to www.onedoc.ch to book your test appointment.
Clarification: While the ART is only valid for 24 hours in Switzerland, for purpose of presenting your ART results for return to Singapore, you can take it 48 hours before and it is fine, since Singapore recognises results taken within 48 hours.
Arrival and Post-Arrival in Singapore
Once you have arrived in Singapore, you must take another Covid-19 PCR on-arrival test. You can pre-book and pay for your on-arrival test here. You must self-isolate until the test results are available, usually within 24 hours.
On top of that, you will be required to take a self-administered COVID-19 ART ($15SGD) using self-procured ART kits on Days 2, 4, 5 and 6 of their arrival in Singapore and submit their results online.
On Days 3 and 7 of your arrival in Singapore, go to one of the at Quick Test Centres (QTCs) or Combined Test Centres (CTCs) undergo a supervised self-administered COVID-19
Children aged 2 and below are not required to undergo any of the post-arrival ARTs.
Summary
If you’ve read all the way till so far, kudos to you! Here’s a summary recap timeline of all the steps:
Pre-departure: Notarise your Covid-Certificate. submit Passenger Locator Form, prepare travel documents
When in Switzerland: Nil. ENJOY YOUR TIME!
48 hoursbefore Departure: Professionally-administered ART or PCR test
Arrival in Singapore: On-arrival PCR Test
Days 1-7 Post-Arrival: Self-administered ART on Days 1,2,4 and 6, Supervised ART on Days 3 to 7
While that certainly seems like a lot of hurdles to jump through just to travel…I choose to be optimistic.
For so many of us, it’s been almost two years since we’ve taken a winter vacation or spent holidays with extended family. At least this time, Vince’s family and our nieces can finally visit us in Switzerland (the last time we saw them was in 2019!) and we get to spend precious moments together for Christmas and New Year. That thought itself makes all the hassle worth it!
The stress from this pandemic makes us yearn to travel more than ever. After staying home for so long, I feel that it’s about time we give ourselves the permission to enjoy travelling. It’s time to start satisfying that wanderlust again, while still being smart and careful!
If you have any more questions that were not addressed in this blogpost, feel free to leave a comment down below and I will respond to your queries 🙂
Happy holidays!
Love,
Ollie
This blogpost is updated as of 4 Jan 2022. All information on this blogpost reflects the latest COVID-10 regulations valid in Singapore and Switzerland. I will periodically update the information here as the situation develops.
For more COVID-19 related information, visit:
www.covidcertificate-form.admin.ch/foreign
https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg/arriving/overview
https://www.gowhere.gov.sg/art
If you need some inspirations for your Swiss itinerary, watch my Grand Tour of Switzerland series on Youtube, and check out the following blogposts:
Ultimate Guide to Visit the Rhine Falls, Switzerland
St Gallen and Appenzell: Top Things to Do + Where to Eat and Stay
Top 10 Things to do in Ticino, Switzerland
7 Comments
FP
Hello!
I will be travelling to Switzerland end of the month, and will make plans to travel to Italy from Interlaken…Will spend a few days in Milan and Venice before taking the Bernina express from tirano
In this case we won’t need to take another PCR anymore right? Since Tirano is a border region
Thanks!
Olivia
Hi! Yes, you are exempted because Tirano is under Lombardy region which is one of the border zones. Hope this clarifies.
Olivia
Hi FP,
No, you do not need to because Tirano is in the border zone of Lombardy, that’s right!
bel
Hello Ollie, may I know if the supervised ART test ( pre departure test ) in singapore will be allowed to enter switzerland?
Olivia
Hi! yes, ART is allowed. My family took that for their return back to Singapore in December so im pretty sure of this!
Kitson
If I am travelling from lugano to tirano to take the bernina express to st mortiz, will I still need to take any test? Or the border zone rule apply?
Olivia
Hi! There is no longer any restrictions within Switzerland, so no PCR test or ART is required!