Driving to/through France from UK right now

[Steviesam]

tommobot said:

What about coming back home? Assume on the tunnel... What fun and games are you having to go through. ... That's the bit that worries us!!

Rolled up, asked if I had the PLF done and a covid cert. Next desk checked passport and I held up the neg test cert and my vaccine cert. UK border force desk a bit slower, but they took my passport, tapped a few button on the laptop and said he could see my PLF on the system, asked if I had any cigarettes and then off I went.

[MattS5]

Steviesam said:

asked if I had any cigarettes and then off I went.

Its sad times when the border officials are looking to cadge a fag off the travellers......if they cant afford their own, they should think about quitting

[10126 Torino]

tommobot said:

10126 Torino said:

I'm completely not up to speed with all the testing requirements but where do you get 10 tests from ?

2 to go Eurostar to leave uk. (i.e 1 for me, 1 for Mrs)
- not 100% sure if still required?

2 to leave quarantine in Italy after 5 days

4 tests to leave quarantine in UK, day 2 and day 8
-is this still required?

2 to return from Italy to UK via Eurostar
Day 2 after return as per new rules

This is actually down to 8..

Thanks for the explanation ,it's all too much for me ....

[EdJ]

Pete102 said:

Currently sat waiting to board in Calais. Line for ticket booth, show PLF and test.

Waved through French customs.

Line for UK customs going through documentation, took me a little longer as I’m travelling on an exemption, offered to show my work contract, unfortunately for the officer it’s in German.

Questioned as to why I hadn’t booked a day 2/8 test despite a) being exempt and b) leaving the UK on day 2!

My advice, allow a little extra time, they aren’t exactly quick

Can you get the tests you need to return to the UK, in France? Or had you ordered them before you left the UK?

[psi310398]

psi310398 said:

Benjy911 said:

Have you managed to find anything on this? It looks like EMA approval still hasn't gone through and we are meant to be going over at the end of next week.

I’m going through this evening so I can update on basic alertness but as I have the wholesome UK stuff in my arms it might not be definitive.

I’ve uploaded my stuff onto the Eurotunnel site but my perfectly pukka antigen test certificate is pending a manual check, while my affirmation on my honour was cleared immediately, so I’m not sure what the process actually is. I also don’t understand why the NHS inoculation certificate can be preloaded either…

I went through Folkestone late yesterday afternoon. I’m afraid that the French officer checked all three documents meticulously - COVID test result, NHS inoculation record and affirmation on my honour. He passed one of the pieces of paper to a colleague for a look but I didn’t see which.

For those wondering about Italy, the Mont Blanc tunnel had its normal summer half hour tailback but, apart from a couple of bored squaddies, no officers of the Italian State were visible on the Italian side. Worth noting that the Douanes and the Gendarmes were stopping a lot of traffic, private and goods, coming out of the tunnel early afternoon.

[Benjy911]

psi310398 said:

psi310398 said:

Benjy911 said:

Have you managed to find anything on this? It looks like EMA approval still hasn't gone through and we are meant to be going over at the end of next week.

I’m going through this evening so I can update on basic alertness but as I have the wholesome UK stuff in my arms it might not be definitive.

I’ve uploaded my stuff onto the Eurotunnel site but my perfectly pukka antigen test certificate is pending a manual check, while my affirmation on my honour was cleared immediately, so I’m not sure what the process actually is. I also don’t understand why the NHS inoculation certificate can be preloaded either…

I went through Folkestone late yesterday afternoon. I’m afraid that the French officer checked all three documents meticulously - COVID test result, NHS inoculation record and affirmation on my honour. He passed one of the pieces of paper to a colleague for a look but I didn’t see which.

For those wondering about Italy, the Mont Blanc tunnel had its normal summer half hour tailback but, apart from a couple of bored squaddies, no officers of the Italian State were visible on the Italian side. Worth noting that the Douanes and the Gendarmes were stopping a lot of traffic, private and goods, coming out of the tunnel early afternoon.

Interesting. Thanks for the update! Are the checks all still done on the Folkestone side?

[psi310398]

Benjy911 said:

Interesting. Thanks for the update! Are the checks all still done on the Folkestone side?

Yes, and quite quickly.

But there was relatively little traffic at 1700-1800. I doubt that the train was even half full.

[Centrente]

Just answering various questions:
I am now in Switzerland having travelled UK – France – Monaco – Italy – France – Italy – Switzerland in the last two weeks.
In the next few days I will travel to France and then hopefully back to the UK. I am with my 15-year-old daughter.
The only time any documents have been checked on this entire journey has been going from the UK through the tunnel into France (see above) but this is random. Interestingly, when I drove from Italy into Switzerland, in a UK registered car, there was a Swiss border official standing and examining all cars at the border but didn’t even blink as we went through. I think he was mainly looking for the Swiss vignette.
In terms of testing, France is definitely the best/easiest country to get these done if you are transiting back to the UK. Switzerland is a big hassle, book in advance, big cost. In France a nurse will come to your hotel to do a test at about one third of the price of the test I had to go to my pharmacy to get in the UK.
Results within 24 hours, so plan your journey accordingly.
I understand that in Italy they are pretty lax about the exception for “working”. You just need a piece of headed paper saying you are working, your kids can come with you. Not sure about other halves though. But they didn’t check mine at all.
No hotel I have stayed at in the last two weeks has asked for any documentation, although I have heard of colleagues being asked for documentation in hotels in Italy.

Edited by Centrente on Saturday 10th July 23:05

[indigochim]

That's good to know as someone who's had the z002 batch.

Looks like if you're returning after the 19th July you also only have to have the pre travel test and the day 2 test.


The list of test providers is here too some of them at reasonable prices.

[rooney1000]

Think you still need an antigen test to come back don't you (after 19th) ?

So PCR or antigen / flow test to go
Same to come back
PCR on day 2

That is how i understand it. Not sure why we cant use NHS antigen tests rather than spend £ on private ones which look identical. Think they are about £40 arent they, all adds up.

[Shnozz]

rooney1000 said:

Think you still need an antigen test to come back don't you (after 19th) ?

So PCR or antigen / flow test to go
Same to come back
PCR on day 2

That is how i understand it. Not sure why we cant use NHS antigen tests rather than spend £ on private ones which look identical. Think they are about £40 arent they, all adds up.

Also depends on where you are going for entry requirements. I am off to Spain and no proof required on entry for vaccinated so antigen <72 hrs before return and day 2 PCR on return.

[rooney1000]

Yes sorry, I was referring to driving into and staying in France. I am planning to at the end of July so just going through the 'what I need to do' planning !

[Shnozz]

rooney1000 said:

Yes sorry, I was referring to driving into and staying in France. I am planning to at the end of July so just going through the 'what I need to do' planning !

No apology needed - useful to have knowledge on what the position is for different countries and its ever changing!

[MattS5]

rooney1000 said:

Think you still need an antigen test to come back don't you (after 19th) ?

So PCR or antigen / flow test to go
Same to come back
PCR on day 2

That is how i understand it. Not sure why we cant use NHS antigen tests rather than spend £ on private ones which look identical. Think they are about £40 arent they, all adds up.

Is this for France?

I'll be honest, I'm struggling to get round my head with it all!

I dont wish to derail the thread, but if someone could help point out a site where I can find the following bearing in mind travel on the 11th Aug (unlikely that vaccine requiremets will change in that time), coming back on the 19th Aug.

- I'm double jabbed, my 2 boys (12 and 15) no jabs. So do I need 3 PCR tests to go?
- Same to come back (I get these sone in France I assume priior to travel home?)
- PCR x 3 on day 2 back in the UK?

So, what happens if I test postive in France the day before return? I assume we have to stay there for another 10 days?

[cayman-black]

All the info you will need is on the Eurotunnel website. It shows travel from UK to France and France to the UK.

[MattS5]

cayman-black said:

All the info you will need is on the Eurotunnel website. It shows travel from UK to France and France to the UK.

Thank you, I completey overlooked after booking the ticket a couple of weeks ago

For anyone scanning thru the thread, for 3 of us thats:

£50 each for a test on the way out (£150)
£150 for tests (day 2 and Day 8) once back in the UK (£450)

And a test in France prior to coming back, which I think is around £40 (£120)

So a spend of £720 at current time.

Edited by MattS5 on Tuesday 13th July 15:54

[basehead]

MattS5 said:

Thank you, I completey overlooked after booking the ticket a couple of weeks ago

For anyone scanning thru the thread, for 3 of us thats:

£50 each for a test on the way out (£150)
£150 for tests (day 2 and Day 8) once back in the UK (£450)

And a test in France prior to coming back, which I think is around £40 (£120)

So a spend of £720 at current time.

Edited by MattS5 on Tuesday 13th July 15:54

If i recall correctly, you can get a day 2/8 test package for about £80 per person. At this price don't rely on getting the results back quickly, but it fulfils the government requirement to get tested.

[rooney1000]

If you are double jabbed then you don't need a day 8 PCR test when home, just a day 2. Can't comment on under 18s so check for them.

You can get into France with an antigen test rather than a PCR and if you can buy one to take with you to do the same test before you come home. I have seen them for £26 now so a bit cheaper when you have a few people going.

For me (and wife) I am working on antigen test to get out for both, same test to come back and then the PCR on day 2. Again if you do a PCR at home then can be a bit cheaper.

[ITR1]

Unless it has changed very recently, the Eurotunnel website was still showing the day 2 and day 8 requirements, I guess because that is still the position until the 19th.

I'm intending obtaining antigen tests before we travel on the 26th. I understood that the antigen test you take in France prior to returning to the UK still has to be authenticated - it isn't the case that you can take one with you and simply register your own result. The take with you kits (I think) include some kind of verification by a third party that you have completed the test correctly. By video call, for example.

I'm planning on just purchasing on from a French pharmacy and having it verified over there, which I think is all possible.

[indigochim]

rooney1000 said:

Think you still need an antigen test to come back don't you (after 19th) ?

Yep that's what I meant by pre travel.