As the holiday season approaches, it’s good to know which countries in the EU are open for travel.

The Council of European Union removed the U.S. from its safe list in August, which means member states have had to decide whether to impose stricter entry rules for Americans.

This creates a patchwork of requirements that differ by country, which can be hard to decipher. Here’s a list of requirements for most EU member states so travelers from the U.S. can better plan their trips.

As you know, restrictions and guidelines tend to fluctuate quickly, so we highly recommend checking the government website for whichever country you want to visit before making any travel plans. 

What is the current situation as of October 2021?

Austria

Only fully-vaccinated travelers from the U.S. can enter Austria and without quarantine requirements. 

Those who are not vaccinated will have to pre-register their trip, present a negative COVID-19 test on arrival and quarantine for 10 days. 

Belgium, the Netherlands

Only fully-vaccinated travelers from the U.S. can enter Belgium and the Netherlands. Testing and quarantine is required on arrival.

Czech Republic

Fully-vaccinated travelers from the U.S. can enter the Czech Republic. Keep in mind, there are no direct flights between the U.S. and the Czech Republic so visitors would need to check travel measures for the countries you are transiting through.

Denmark

Fully-vaccinated U.S. tourists can enter Denmark without the need to test or quarantine. Unvaccinated U.S. travelers can only enter the country if they meet the “worthy purpose” criteria.

Finland, France, Switzerland

It is possible for fully-vaccinated U.S. citizens to enter Finland, France, and Switzerland. Non-vaccinated U.S. citizens must meet exemption criteria to be allowed entry.

Germany

The U.S. is classified as a high-risk area, meaning U.S. citizens traveling to Germany must submit a digital registration, have proof of test, vaccination, or recovery certificate, and quarantine for 10 days. More information can be found on the Robert Koch Institute, which is the German CDC equivalent.

Greece, Croatia

U.S. travelers wanting to travel to Greece and Croatia need to provide either a negative PCR test, a negative rapid antigen test, or proof of full vaccination.

Italy

Through to October 25, U.S. travelers can enter Italy if they provide a negative PCR or rapid antigen test as well as either a vaccination certificate or a medical certificate confirming recovery from COVID-19 no more than six months before departure.

Ireland

Fully-vaccinated or recovered U.S. travelers are welcome into Ireland. All other travelers must complete 14 days of quarantine.

Norway

Travel is banned for U.S. travelers to Norway, unless they meet exemption criteria.

Poland

U.S. travelers visiting Poland will need to complete a mandatory 10-day quarantine on arrival unless they can provide a certificate of vaccination.

Portugal

U.S. travelers can visit Portugal from the United States if they are either vaccinated or can provide a PCR or rapid antigen test. Travelers who test positive can be required to quarantine for up to 10 days.

Spain

U.S. travelers can travel to Spain for a holiday if they can provide proof of vaccination, a negative COVID-19 test, or certificate of recovery.  

Sweden

There is an entry ban for all U.S. travelers to Sweden. 

How to future-proof your travel plans in Europe

With many factors still up in the air regarding travel to Europe (and travel in general as we move through the pandemic) one thing is for sure: Having a travel plan that includes flexible bookings and cancellations is a must.

With Blacklane, you can book your private airport transfers and local rides in advance and rest easy knowing you can change one-way rides under 200 kilometers up to 60 minutes before the pickup time for free. The exception is longer-distance inter-city rides or bookings by the hour, which need 24-hour advance notice to be able to make free changes.

All you need to do is download the Blacklane app to your smartphone and you can easily book and edit rides while you’re on the move.