Can one day rail travel be considered as transit ?

  • Nandykm
    Participant
    5 posts
    25 September 2020 at 16:57:47 #825701

    I am planning to visit Swiss railway (only) from Tirano (ITALY) to St Moritz and Tiefencastle and back to Tirano in Italy on the same day.

    Now Corona virus restricition mendates 10 days of quarentine for those who comes from Portugal, BUT exepmts transit passengers in art4 para f

    http://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/20201948/index.html

    “persons who enter Switzerland for the purpose of transiting the country and who intend and are able to travel on directly to another country;”

    Can someone tell me whether or not am I allowed to do this trip from Italy and going back to Italy on the same day?

    I also want to know which kind of border checks are there on this specific train rout ? Do they check visa on boarding the train ? Do they check it once we board the train?

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    Anna
    Moderator
    6279 posts
    25 September 2020 at 19:04:51 #934343

    Hi Nandykm,

    Thank you for joining MySwissAlps.

    I think you are allowed do a day trip from Italy if you have not been in a country or area with an increased risk of infection within the previous 10 days. It is clearly stated that transit passengers from these affected countries and areas are only allowed entry into Switzerland if they are able to travel on directly to another country. So clearly no stopovers.

    If you need more clarification, there is an infoline you can contact:

    FOPH Infoline for travellers: +41 58 464 44 88 (06:00 – 23:00)

    Regards,

    Anna

    Arno
    Moderator
    15471 posts
    26 September 2020 at 5:26:47 #934344

    Hi Nandykm,

    I’d recommend to call the infoline that Anna mentioned, just to be sure you won’t be send back. That would be a waste of your time. A border crossing day trip (which includes exploring towns normally) and a transit and different things, and I’m not sure how strictly the definition is in this case. Hopefully it’s ok. Be careful and enjoy your day!

    Nandykm
    Participant
    5 posts
    27 September 2020 at 12:07:24 #934345

    Thanks Anna and Arno! I have contacted infoline numbers and they said to contact me canton authorities (http://www.gr.ch and phone no +41 81257 2121). I am trying to call them and see what they have to tell.

    It would be great if you have any contact details apart from this for Grigioni canton.

    Annika
    Moderator
    7104 posts
    27 September 2020 at 14:29:31 #934346

    Hi Nandykm! Good that you called the infoline and thanks for getting back to us. You’d best try the phone number for the canton of Graubünden they gave you. I don’t know if you need any other contact details, but if so, here are some sources:

    I hope they can clear things up for you. Good luck!

    Nandykm
    Participant
    5 posts
    28 September 2020 at 10:19:45 #934347

    Thanks Annika,

    I have called them on +41812572121 just now, there was pre recorded voice not in english and after that line was cut.

    I have also contacted second link using web form they provide, I would call them as well.

    Thanks a lot for reaching out!!!

    PS I have contacted infoline on email as well , they redirected me to this link

    http://www.bag.admin.ch/bag/en/home.html

    [This made my faith stronger that all governments are same in passing the buck 😀 😛 ]

    Lynda
    Participant
    24 posts
    28 September 2020 at 22:50:00 #934348

    Transit officially means you continue on to a third country which you are not. It will also depend on how long you have been in Italy and where you came from before that. Tell me the answers to those and what passport you have and I could tell you. Don’t risk the fine.

    Nandykm
    Participant
    5 posts
    29 September 2020 at 11:15:40 #934349

    I will stay/roam 6 days in Italy before entering switzerland and I am Indian passport holder with residency card of Portugal. I have been living in Portugal since January 2020 and since then I have never been to anywhere else.

    Lynda
    Participant
    24 posts
    30 September 2020 at 15:27:06 #934350

    Hello Nandykm,

    Portugal is on the list of mandatory quarantine when entering Switzerland at the moment. If you went Portugal – Italy 6 days you are not allowed into Switzerland without quarantining. regardless if passport in thus case.

    Hey don’t sweat it – Portugal is only a hop skip and a jump away when borders are open. And fares are quite cheap all year round. Enjoy Italy!

    Happy Holiday

    Blig

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    30 September 2020 at 17:41:58 #934351

    Hi Nandykm,

    I called you the number (+41812572121), at this moment the automatic voice said in German and Italien that they are closed for now. Maybe you also called them during out of office hours. When did you call them? Do you remember?

    They said they are open from Monday to Friday from 7:30 to 12:00 then from 15:30 to 17:00. Maybe you could try to call them again then.

    I am afraid too that transit means travelling further into a 3rd country and you cannot spend the day visiting Graubünden. I found this “persons who enter Switzerland for the purpose of transiting the country and who intend and are able to travel on directly to another country” at http://www.admin.ch/opc/en/classified-compilation/20201948/index.html.

    Ildiko

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    30 September 2020 at 21:34:43 #934352

    No. What you are planning is not Transit as defined in the travel industry, sorry.

    Nandykm
    Participant
    5 posts
    2 October 2020 at 10:50:51 #934353

    Thanks a lot Blig, Ildiko, 1960man for the efforts you made to make my travel smooth, and safe.

    I have decided not to take any risk. The fines are deterring high. Hahahaha 😀

    I think I have to wait few more months (hopefully) to fulfil my childhood fantacy of roaming in Swiss railways.

    PS : @Ildiko : I have called them twice but both were in the break time as you mentioned.

    Removed user
    Participant
    72625 posts
    2 October 2020 at 11:32:21 #934354

    General point – moderators – put this in a pinned post if you want to)

    Transit (and more so during a pandemic) is normally defined as:

    Landing at an airport and transferring immediately to another flight out of a country.

    In a specific example of Switzerland, transit can occur on land, for example if you board the Milano – Frankfurt/Main Eurocity in order to travel Italy – Germany, whereby you would not alight from the train within Switzerland.

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