Am I going mad…PCR to travel test.

[LucilleBluth]

If we travel at 7.30 am on a Friday, does the test need doing on the Tuesday? I can’t leave it until Wednesday because the 48 hour turn around won’t be long enough.

It’s so needlessly frustrating.

I could be wrong but I believe the test needs to be taken in the 48 hours before travel so from 7.30 on the Wednesday - there are services that will provide 12/24 hour results, I think we were looking at 180 per test when my daughter was going to travel for training in France.

That might have been for entry to France though as DD has just informed me it is 3 days for leaving UK.

Try double checking if the country you're going to accepts other tests such as LAMP (Spain does for example) - the results for that are available within two hours.

You need to check the requirements for the country you are travelling to. We are going away in august and our destination requires a test 72 hours prior to arrival.

And they aren’t even accurate.
No doubt Matt Hancock’s chums are raking it in.

We are going to Mallorca. Me and DH double jabbed but 17 yo DS obviously isn’t. It seems to be a test within 48 hours, but what if it doesn’t come through in time?

We have used Collinson who are based at the airports and they have always come through in time.

We went to Majorca and used collinson for it- you can get a LAMP rather than PCR which comes back same day (90-120mins), much easier.

Remember to sort your 'return to uk' test too! You need to get one posted to you to pack and take with you, which you take on holiday. Need it to be allowed to fly back.

It’s 48 hours of arrival not departure. I’m going to Mallorca on Friday, arriving lunchtime so my PCR test appointment is 4pm Wednesday with a 24hr turnaround.

Unfortunately if its not back in time then there's nothing can be done, but that's the risk you take. My friend went to lanzarote last Dec and had 72 hours for the turn around test, it came back 20 hours before her flight that there was insufficient sample so they couldn't test. She was lucky enough to get a local fast turnaround test (results came back 3 hours before her flight) but it cost a fair bit more than the original test. I recommend that you use somewhere that's local and pay the extra rather than sending the sample away yourself as less likely to be any mistakes and a quicker turnaround if you don't have to post it.

It’s 48hrs before arrival. So it’s not max 48hrs before 7.30am Friday, but max when your land ( I guess 10.30am ish Spainish time). So don’t test until Wednesday afternoon incase flight is delayed at all

"Remember to sort your 'return to uk' test too! You need to get one posted to you to pack and take with you, which you take on holiday. Need it to be allowed to fly back."

Is this correct? I thought you just had to have it booked before you return. Not take it with you.

You don't need to take your day 2 test with you. You just need its unique reference number (emailed to you on ordering) to put on your passenger locator form before travelling back.
DS currently in Majorca. He landed with one hour left to spare on the 48 hour window. Problems if you're delayed too i expect!
Used Medicspot.

Thanks @cptartapp

My friend went to France a few weeks ago and was staying here in the run up to leaving (I live not far from a channel port).

She took a test that promised results within 24 hours, and was on tenterhooks. The result finally came through just 5 hours before she left.

@HighHighHopes @cptartapp the day two test is different from the one you need for entering the uk. You need both.

www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england

Although saying that, requirements may differ if you're double jabbed!

@LucilleBluth

I’ve just travelled to and from majorca

The rules are,

Double vaccination within 14 days of travel

Or

PCR test within 48 hours of arrival time into Palma airport. So if you flight leaves Uk at 7.30am then arrival approx 10.30am so you cannot take the test until after 10.30am on Wednesday morning.

If you get the timings wrong you won’t get allowed into flight as airlines very strict in checking this.

There are other types of test accepted such as LAMP but I don’t have any experience of that one.

We used Expresstest www.expresstest.co.uk/
and would highly recommend them - out of all our tests the longest turnaround was 16hrs (test taken Sunday afternoon, results 11am bank holiday Monday)

@helplesshopeless

We went to Majorca and used collinson for it- you can get a LAMP rather than PCR which comes back same day (90-120mins), much easier.

Remember to sort your 'return to uk' test too! You need to get one posted to you to pack and take with you, which you take on holiday. Need it to be allowed to fly back.

Not completely correct

The return to uk test which can just be an antigen doesn’t have to be packed and taken on holiday with you. A doctor in Majorca can do it approx €30 euro each.

@Star81 yes true, that makes it easier! Guess having it packed does remove the faff off having to go and find someone to do it though!

It needs to be within the timeframe for arrival not departure from uk.

For travel to Majorca, full procedure is

Before leaving uk

Have either vaccination certificate proving double vaccination completed at least 14 days before travel OR certificate showing test taken within 48 hours of arrival time in Palma. This can be PCR or LAMP. Cannot be from NHS free testing.

Complete Spanish locater form which gives a QR code to show at Palma airport on arrival

When leaving Majorca:

Have antigen test at doctors here and get certificate approx €30 per person or I believe some companies doing ones you can bring which you do online with a doctor

Order UK day 2 test and get ref code

Complete UK locator form and you need day 2 test code to put on this form

LAMP test by Collinson at the airport or day before with results in a couple of hours or PCR with them or another in person reliable company such as Wren Healthcare who deliver results within 24 hours. Keep in mind most companies work from time results reach their lab when quoting 24 or 48 hours. Lots of the countries who require results within 48 hours of arrival will accept an antigen test so double check exactly what the requirements are for where you're travelling. If you get the timing wrong there is generally no wiggle room and boarding will be denied.

You can get antigen tests in some French pharmacies. You get the results within 30 and are good for 48 hours coming back to the Uk. You can book the test slot online at Doctolib.