Czech Republic to relax border controls from May 26

The Czech government has agreed to relax border controls from May 26, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of the Interior Jan Hamáček has announced after a cabinet meeting this afternoon.

Currently, Czech borders are closed at most crossings, with checks in place (and lengthy queues) at the small number of crossings they are allowed.

From May 26, however, more crossings will be open, and the checks will be random – not every vehicle will be screened.

Exactly which crossings, and with which countries, will be re-opened have yet to be announced. More information will be available following a government press conference this evening.

The requirement to produce a negative test for COVID-19 or enter a mandatory 14-day quarantine will still apply, however.

“The government has agreed today that the border regime will be relaxed from 26 May: it will be possible to cross it at several border crossings and checks will only be random,” Hamáček tweeted.

“However, with the exception of valid exemptions, the obligation to submit a negative test for COVID-19 when entering the Czech Republic will continue to apply.”

The move by the Czech government follows an announcement over the weekend from neighboring Austria, which opened their borders to free travel from the Czech Republic, Slovakia, and Hungary on Sunday.