Justfindit.se Magazine

Corona test and car trip through the European countries

Corona test and car trip through the European countries. Is travelling possible? Are the vaccines required? Let us present this adventure from the Corona test point of view. In our trip we decided to follow the whole situation.

The whole 2020 was a pretty restricted year. It was a confusing but also very dangerous year. The world became infected by Corona virus and everyone had to be careful and keep a distance.

How is it now in 2021? It seems to be better. The atmosphere is more relaxed and there are not so many restrictions. People in almost all countries get their vaccines. Especially in developed countries like those in the European Union.

As an author and owner of this magazine, I have decided to write a reportage about this situation. The goal with this article is to make it more clear how it works.

Is travelling possible? Are the vaccines required? The answer is: yes, it is possible to travel and we can still do it without vaccines. But we must have some kind of document that shows that we are not infected. We must have a Corona test that is valid in 48 hours. And that is great. People who are worried because of the vaccines are not forced to take them yet.

The trip

In our trip we decided to follow the whole situation on the way from Sweden down to the Balkans. Croatia and Slovenia are in EU but Bosnia and Herzegovina is not. Let us present this adventure from the Corona test point of view.

Germany: We did not experience any control on the way down but we got information about the rules via SMS and Stanalines website. (Stena Line is a ferry.)

Austria and Slovenia: No control on the way down and no information via SMS.

Croatia: Same situation like with Austria and Slovenia but we were asked about the destination. Nothing else. Probably they would ask more if we wanted to stay in Croatia.

Bosnia and Herzegovina: They checked the Corona test (Required PCR test) only and let us come in without problems.

Corona test and fines

On the way back to Sweden we drove through the southern part of Croatia. We just had to show the negative result of the rapid Corona test. In Croatia we stayed in 7 days and then we continued towards Slovenia, Austria, Germany and Denmark. The requirement for this transit trip was also any kind of test and we had that one from our hotel in Croatia.

But we did not have to show any tests anywhere. We only saw border workers ready to ask for passport and/or Corona test. Probably they do so when really suspicious people sit in the cars. They just let us pass through.

So, having a negative Corona test was not a problem but the requirement of having it not older than 48 hours was stressful. In Germany the violation of the Corona rules can lead to a fine of up to 25,000 euros. We did not get an opportunity to sleep over in Austria or Germany and experience those countries as a true part of vacation. Instead we experienced those countries just as transit areas which is very sad. We had to drive whole night through Germany on the way back to Sweden.

One and only positive thing in that experience was driving on the almost empty Autobahn. We did not have to lose time in long and boring queues on the places with some road work. But I will always prefer to sleep over in some German or Austrian hotel and eat their breakfasts instead of driving whole night.