The British Berliner
A lifestyle expat travel blog about culture, history, Brexit, the Royal Family, travels around the world, Europe, and being British in Berlin!
And so I went to England!
Do you remember when I wrote this?
Yeah!
I was feeling very sorry for myself!
But that isn’t what I want to say.
What I want to say is that back in November, I got the chance to travel back to my home-country.
England!
I know.
I know!
Prices have gone through the roof.
Brexit should never have happened.
Boris Johnson is looking more like the teenage boy that he actual is.
And lots of people are enormously unhappy.
But still.
I absolutely adore Germany
But England will always hold a place in my heart.
No matter what!
Anyhoo!
I travelled to England last winter before it all went crazy!
But it wasn’t without its’ pitfalls.
Due to the pandemic, I haven’t seen the British side of my family in two and a half (2.5) years!
I don’t know about you, but that’s a bloody long time!
The last time I saw them was when my dad died, so it wasn’t a happy event at the time, and it certainly wasn’t a holiday!
I had originally planned to combine my 2021 trip to the UK with one of my new projects, but I was so worried and anxious, that I cancelled my hotel and my KLM flight to Bristol!
But what to do?
I really wanted to see my brother!
So I put on my big girl pants and went anyway!
Come Fly With Me!
I love flying but since the pandemic, I hadn’t flown anywhere!
You know I have a fondness for train travel.
But since 2020, I hadn’t done that either!
It was going to be chaotic!
Things might be easier around Europe, but last year getting to the UK was a nightmare.
There were so many documents that you had to prepare.
PCR tests to take.
And no guarantees that you were able to fly!
And then I found a tiny government loophole in 2021 that specified that even if you were fully vaccinated in the EU (which I am), and you came into contact with someone who had the virus, your status would not be recognised, and you would be expected to isolate.
Bugger!
So all my plans changed.
I would go to the UK, but I certainly wouldn’t be frolicking!
I’d be staying within the family bubble.
And Toby – my brother’s new dog!
New Rules For Travel To England!
Please note all updates are from GOV.UK but it is your responsibility to double-check, as rules change constantly!
I was going to tell you all the things that I had to do, but since the rules change constantly, I thought it prudent to direct you to the UK official government website, in bite-size pieces instead!
Travel to England from another country during coronavirus (COVID-19)
Check what COVID-19 tests you need to take and the quarantine rules for travel to England.
Changes to international travel rules after 11 February 2022
If you arrive in England after 4am, 11 February, the following rules will apply.
Fully vaccinated – from 11 February 2022
Fully vaccinated – from 11 February
If you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, you:
- will not need to take a COVID-19 test before you travel to England or after you arrive
- will not need to quarantine when you arrive
You will need to complete a passenger locator form before you travel to England.
Click here if you are fully vaccinated (including children 17 and under)
Not fully vaccinated – from 11 February 2022
Not fully vaccinated – from 11 February
If you do not qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England, you will need to:
- show proof of a negative COVID-19 test – test to be taken in the 2 days before you travel to England
- book and pay for a COVID-19 PCR test – to be taken after you arrive in England
- complete a passenger locator form before you travel to England
You will need to book the PCR test before you travel.
You will not need to quarantine, unless the result of the PCR test is positive.
International travel rules for England until 11 February 2022
For more information on what you must do before you travel to England and after you arrive, click here!
Travelling with children
Children aged 4 and under do not have to take any COVID-19 travel tests.
Children aged 5 to 17 must follow the testing and quarantine rules for people who qualify as fully vaccinated on arrival in England.
This means that they must take a COVID-19 test after they arrive in England – before the end of day 2 at the latest.
Click here if you qualify as fully vaccinated for travel to England.
You should also check the rules in the country you are travelling from as they may require children to take a test at the start of your journey to England.
There are different rules for children who have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before they arrive in England.
Transiting through England
Ireland, the UK, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man
If you’re travelling to England from within the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man, you do not need to:
- complete a passenger locator form
- take any COVID-19 tests
- quarantine on arrival in England
This only applies if you have not been outside of the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man in the 10 days before the day you arrive in England. If you have, you must follow the international travel rules in the place where you arrive.
Red list countries and territories
There are different rules if you have been in a red list country or territory in the 10 days before you arrive in England.
If you need to follow red list rules, you must do so if you are fully vaccinated or not.
Click here for countries and territories on the red list and read the rules.
Public Health Passenger Locator Form
If you are visiting Great Britain and Northern Ireland from any country, you must complete a Public Health Passenger Locator Form that collects the following information:
- Your passport details or the travel document you’ll use when you arrive at the UK border
- Your travel details, including times and dates
- The address where you will stay in the UK (if applicable)
- Booking reference numbers for any COVID-19 tests you must take after arriving in the UK
- The invoice number for your quarantine hotel booking if you need one
The form must be completed online and submitted no earlier than 48 hours before your arrival.
What next?
After you complete and submit the Public Health Passenger Locator Form, you’ll receive a confirmation email with a document attached.
Before you arrive at the border, you must either:
- print a copy of the document
- download the document on your phone
You’ll need to show this document when you arrive in Great Britain and Northern Ireland.
Border Force officers will scan the QR code at the top of this document to check you have completed the form successfully.
For further information, including what to do if you develop coronavirus symptoms while travelling, and how to complete the form if you are travelling with someone under 18, please visit the GOV.UK page
So what did Victoria do next?
I booked a last-minute flight to Manchester and visited my family in Cheshire instead!
And I’m so glad that I did!
What more do you need to know?
Follow The British Berliner on Twitter!
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The pandemic isn’t going to go away as quickly as we might think, but I feel that summer 2022 might open the floodgates to freedom.
Eek!
p.s If you’re booking hotels, houses and apartments, use this link to save 15% or more, before 30 January, 2023!
Booking.comAnd so I went to England!
©Victoria Ade-Genschow – The British Berliner – Berlin – May 2020
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And so I went to England!
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Thanks a million!
Would you like to go to England? Let me know in the comments below!
See you in Berlin.
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3 Comments on “And so I went to England!”
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I think a lot of Brits have explored the UK during the pandemic. Prices of B&Bs are high compared to many other countries, so it’s been a reminder of why we head abroad when it’s possible to get away.
Absolutely Stuart, the grass is always greener n’ all that!
But it’s funny ‘cos now I live abroad, I miss England more than ever before! 😝🤩
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