Which means of transport to choose?
Airlines are gradually resuming service thanks to deconfinement measures and border reopening. Air France plans to serve 80% of its regular network, or 150 destinations, this summer at lower frequencies. Transavia has been relaunching its planes since June 26 and the reopening of Orly airport.
In terms of rail transport, 100% of the SNCF offer is now available. All TGV inOui, Ouigo, Intercités and TER tickets with connections can be canceled and reimbursed free of charge until August 31.
International connections by TGV (Spain, Italy), TGV Lyria (Switzerland), Eurostar (United Kingdom) and Thalys (Germany, Belgium, Netherlands) are restored, but frequencies will gradually increase throughout the summer.
In planes as well as on trains, in airports and in stations, the wearing of a mask is compulsory throughout the journey. Most airports have deployed thermal imaging cameras to identify feverish passengers. Airlines can make additional arrangements, such as taking individual passenger temperatures and requiring them to complete a health declaration. Boarding can be denied to travelers with a temperature of 38 ° C or more.
»SEE ALSO – Masks, cleaning … how Air France prepared for the resumption of commercial flights
Which countries are accessible to French people?
Intra-European borders largely reopened on June 15. Among the southern European countries that are very touristy in summer, Spain, Italy, Greece and Croatia are once again accessible to the French. In the Netherlands, “the reservation of the place of stay is compulsory, failing which entry into the territory may be prohibited”, as the site recalls France Diplomacy. For its part, Portugal reopened its air borders in mid-June, but kept its land borders with Spain closed until July 1.
The borders of the United Kingdom remain open, but any traveler arriving on the territory must submit to fourteen. Several countries keep their borders closed until further notice, such as Norway, Denmark or Romania.
In France , no more travel restrictions apply in mainland France. However, travel to the overseas territories (Guadeloupe, Martinique, Reunion, Saint-Martin and Saint-Barthélemy) remains subject to compelling professional or family reasons, with the establishment of a fortnight arrival. A Covid-19 detection test will be mandatory in July and August before arriving overseas, but quarantine measures will be lifted. To reach Corsica, the offer of plane and ferry is again available.
All’Italy is accessible, but a restriction measure applies to travel to Sardinia. Before boarding an airplane or a boat for these regions, travelers must complete a health questionnaire. This protocol applies to two other regions of the country: Puglia and Basilicata.
L’Spain reopened its borders on June 21, later than its European neighbors. Upon arrival, travelers may be subject to temperature control and questioned about their place of stay in the country. Rail links with France (Paris-Barcelona and Marseille-Barcelona) will resume on July 1.
The resurgence of the virus in Lisbon is forcing the authorities of Portugal to caution. While the country is a good student in the fight against Covid-19, new containment measures have been decided in the capital. The borders will reopen until July 1. The quarantine measures are lifted, except in the archipelagos. In the event of a positive test result (carried out on arrival), travelers must respect a quarantine of 7 days in Madeira and 14 days in the Azores.
The Greece reopens its doors to Europeans and even to nationals of other countries, such as China and Lebanon. For the moment, only two airports receive international flights: Athens and Thessaloniki. Access by road is theoretically possible, but Albania and North Macedonia remain closed to foreigners. As for maritime links with Italy, departing from Brindisi, they are idling. From 1 July, PCR tests may be carried out randomly at airports; they were compulsory until then.
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In Croatia , tourists must have proof of reservation of accommodation or title to property in the country in order to cross borders. Travelers must complete a form on the site entercroatia.mup.hr before their arrival.
From July 1, around twenty states outside the Schengen area will once again be accessible to the French. These are countries which “have mastered the epidemic and for which we do not jeopardize the health security of the French and EuropeansExplained June 19 on the set of Telematin, on France 2, the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne. The list of these countries, selected in particular on the basis of the coronavirus incidence rate (number of new cases per 100,000 inhabitants), will be revealed by the government at the end of June. The United States should be excluded.
Accommodation, activities, beaches… What to expect on site?
On the private beaches ofItaly, the majority on the peninsula, the distance between deckchairs and parasols varies between 3 and 10 meters depending on the region. Since May 18, shops, bars, restaurants, museums, libraries, parks, beaches and bathing establishments have been reopened.
In Spain, it is compulsory to wear a mask in a closed public place when the distance of 1.5 meters cannot be respected, under penalty of receiving a fine of 100 euros. Access to certain public places (swimming pools, beaches, hotels, restaurants, performance halls, etc.) may be more or less restricted depending on the region. To reassure visitors to the second most touristic country in the world, hotels meeting the health standards imposed by the authorities can display the state label “Safe Tourism Certified”.
At Portugal, the end of the limitation of the frequentation of restaurants and cafes to 50% of their capacity was lifted on June 15. Passengers who do not wear a mask on public transport incur a fine of between 120 and 350 €. The label “Clean & Safe”, Set up by the Ministry of Tourism in April, certifies that restaurants, hotels and tourism operators comply with health rules.
In Greece, museums, archaeological sites and buildings (including the Acropolis of Athens), theme parks, amusement parks and wellness areas (gymnasiums, saunas, etc.) have reopened since June 15. On July 1, open-air concerts and cultural events will be allowed again. A distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between each person at the beach. Gatherings of 300 people (inside) and 500 people (outside) are allowed.
In Croatia, many hotels are still closed to allow them to adapt to health standards. The last phase of deconfinement, which began on May 11, allowed the reopening of shopping centers and the reestablishment of internal travel by road and plane. At the beach, a distance of 1.5 meters must be maintained between each person or group of people.
The website of the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, France Diplomacy, provides travel advice and information on entry and stay conditions country by country. The Re-open EU site, launched by the European Commission, lists the measures still in force in the various countries of the European Union.
Can I get a refund for my flight if I don’t leave?
If you have booked a plane ticket alone (dry flight) and the airline cancels the flight (due to epidemics or others), it must place you free of charge on another flight or reimburse you in cash if you renounce at the beginning. Since May 13, the European Commission authorizes companies to reimburse in the form of “good […] provided that the traveler accepts it voluntarily».
If your canceled flight is part of a package stay (flights and accommodation) booked with a travel agency, the latter must assist you by placing you on another flight. The agency can also leave the choice between several options: fully reimburse the stay, issue a credit valid for 18 months or offer a service identical or equivalent to the canceled stay.
If you cancel your trip yourself, for whatever reason, the usual exchange or cancellation fees apply. However, in the current context, many airlines are easing their cancellation procedures. Thus, in the event of a cancellation desired by the traveler, Air France offers free flights or the issue of a credit valid until December 31, 2021 for flights scheduled before August 31. Its subsidiary Transavia offers for flights scheduled before September 30 a postponement free of charge until March 27, 2021.
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