Travel to and from Austria possible from mid-June without tests, says Czech Foreign Minister

Czech borders with Austria could be fully reopened without the need for a negative COVID-19 test from mid-June, Foreign Minister Foreign Minister Tomáš Petříček has announced after a negotiation with representatives from Austria and Slovakia this morning.

Talks with Slovakia will continue; according to Petříček, Slovakia plans to fully reopen borders with neighboring Czech Republic, Austria, and Hungary at the same time.

Currently, Czech borders are closed for travel with neighboring countries except at a few border crossings in the country, which still conduct border controls on all vehicles at crossings.

The requirement to have a negative COVID-19 test (or enter a mandatory 14-day quarantine) would still be in place, however, if a vehicle is stopped during a random check.

Today, Hamáček announced that the “vast majority” of border crossings would be reopened from May 26, with the exception of small crossings such as hiking trails. The Interior Ministry and Czech Police are currently compiling a full list of border crossings that will reopen.

“Except for the smallest (of crossings) like hiking trails that lead across borders, almost all border crossings should be opened,” Hamáček stated

“It will certainly be significantly more than now.”

The random checks would be conducted on vehicles further away from the crossings themselves, Hamáček added.

Petříček had previously announced that the borders could reopen on June 8 or 15, but the positive development of coronavirus cases in neighboring countries, along with Austria disbanding border controls on their side over the past weekend, has led to ongoing talks about the schedule.