Weekend in Berlin coming up

[Iknowwhatsgoodforme]

I have a weekend in Berlin booked for Thursday - Sunday of this week. From what I can gather, I need evidence of a negative COVID test upon arrival at the airport.

Does anyone have any other information that might prove useful with regards to entry to Germany?

Google COVID entry to Germany from uk.

Masks everywhere. Take several spares. You have to wear them outdoors too in central Berlin I think. Berlin has a lot of cases at the moment and crazy amounts of mass protests every week. Avoid the Brandenburger Tor area. It gets clogged up at mass events. Also avoid the Bundestag area as the protesters will culminate there.
And Frau Merkel has begged everyone to avoid all unnecessary social contacts, all events and that every person and every day counts. So she may not want you to visit, unless it is necessary (sorry) but there are no travel bans yet but there are calls for a lockdown. We are bracing for one, any day now. Probably a strict lockdown in most states from this week but maybe they will wait another week, till you are back, if you are lucky.

From Monday on pups, restaurants, social places etc will probably be closed again.

Thanks all. I’ve googled entry etc but every website seems to be dishing out different advice. We’ll be home on Sunday so hopefully missing out on the travel bans and restaurant closures etc.

I do feel guilty about going but we’re visiting family (who we haven’t seen for 5 months) and have had it booked for quite a while. Hoping to go and make the most of it before all lockdowns happen.

Are you flying into the brand new BBI that was opened this week, or the beloved old Tegel TXL?
Hope it works out.

My dad is going on 3rd November before quarantining comes in. He is doing a Covid test at Gatwick airport which is £80 I think.

@stella1know the brand new airport. Very exciting times - flying into Tegel holds many happy memories for me so I hope this trip is as fun 🥴

@froggers1 we’ve booked in for a COVID test tomorrow. Should just be back in time for the 48 he time frame!

Exciting indeed. Just unbelievable that they actually opened BER - it was a millenium dome of a project 🙃 and not ever guaranteed that it would ever function. Lovely Berlin.

@stella1know my oh has just told me that we’re flying into Tegel. I was sure we were flying into the new airport. Looks like one last hurrah

Berlin is not a fun place to be right now, but then where is? Only five people from two households can meet indoors - will this allow you to meet your relatives?

The mandatory masks outdoors basically only applies to crowded places - outdoor markets and 10 shopping streets like Kudamm. Lots of police out last weekend enforcing that - you need a doctor's certificate to be exempted.

You can get tested at the airport instead of bringing a negative test with you (but the Tegel test site closed a few weeks back) but of course then you'd have to isolate until you get the results, which would be pointless for a short trip.

I'm getting all nostalgic about Tegel and very worried about the noise levels from the new airport, even though capacity is so low right now.

We’ll be home on Sunday so hopefully missing out on the travel bans and restaurant closures etc.

If they are added to the list this week OP, you would need to be home by 4am on Sat morning, just FYR. All ok if you can isolate when you're home though

I would postpone the trip if you can.

The negative test result has to be signed by a doctor and less than 48 hours old when you arrive. In my experience this will be tricky to achieve!

And yes, if you take test at airport, you'd have to isolate for a couple of days until you get the (hopefully) negative result. They are very strict in Germany!

And what if you test positive when you arrive...? Could you fly back?

Why on earth would anyone go for a weekend away during a pandemic?!

I don't think Gatwick or Heathrow offer departure testing for routes to Germany yet, bu double check!

I know all this as I just had to cancel a trip myself. Up until two weeks ago we could have traveled to Germany without a negative test result, but all of the YK is now deemed 'high risk'.

And I just couldn't manage to find a test that would be less than 48 hours old on arrival and signed by a doctor (to prove it is correct, unlike the mail order tests)

So I decided to postpone my trip unfortunately.

Thanks for that information @Lavendersy. My family member hasn’t told me any of this. I think she’s just desperate to see us and meet her new baby and is just hoping it’ll all be ok. She’s been very homesick and just feels desperate. It’s looking increasingly like we’ll have to cancel, feels like the right thing to do.

This (English Language) site might be helpful

https://www.auswaertiges-amt.de/en/einreiseundaufenthalt/coronavirus

@mintyfreshh

Why on earth would anyone go for a weekend away during a pandemic?!

To visit family (as the OP mentions in her second post.)

Not good news, I'm afraid, from an update on the situation across Germany

[[https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-to-impose-one-month-partial-lockdown/a-55421241]

[quote FinallyHere]Not good news, I'm afraid, from an update on the situation across Germany

[[https://www.dw.com/en/coronavirus-germany-to-impose-one-month-partial-lockdown/a-55421241][/quote]
This comes into effect from Monday 2nd. The OP clearly says she's home on Sunday.

I wouldn't fancy it myself @Iknowwhatsgoodforme but then as a PP said everywhere is unpleasant at the moment.

Are you guaranteed to get your test results in time? I assume they are private tests?

Thanks all for the updates and added information.

Yes, tests were done and paid for privately and will be back in time for our arrival in Berlin.

I think we’ve gotten a bit out of our depth and agreed to something that isn’t really practical right now. For the past decade we’ve visited Berlin several times a year, usually with other family members, and have such fond memories that I don’t want to spoil it by putting ourselves in a stressful situation and putting other lives at risk.

The new measures come into effect on Monday so I think legally what you are proposing is allowed.

But I wouldn't do it.

I know it is hard for your family, havent seen mine since Christmas, quite possibly won't see them until next christmas since I am in Germany.

But I really do wish government would get stricter on this sort of stuff and close the borders again. Germany has done a good job through the virus, perhaps mostly luck but letting people in from the hardest hit country in Europe is a bit bonkers really