Smooth Sailing (well, more to the point, smooth travelling)

Since I have arrived in France, some friends have asked me if it was difficult flying and entering Europe because of COVID.  So, while it might be a bit boring, I thought it would be worth detailing how it all went travelling from Victoria to Alsace.

First off, when I checked in for my flight to Vancouver, I wasn’t asked if I was fully vaccinated.  However, at the Lufthansa gate in Vancouver, any connecting passengers were asked to check in with the agent.  The BC QR code that most of us are carrying on our phones or as a hard copy doesn’t scan in the German system.  So, I had to show my vaccination card and it was fine.  I am not sure if the medical file I have also printed off showing I have been vaccinated twice would have also been accepted. 

Of course, at all times in the terminals and on the planes, we were expected to wear masks unless we were eating or drinking.  Everyone complied without exception or fuss.

On arrival in Frankfurt Airport, the hall where Passport Control is located was chockablock full and I was concerned that I might miss my train.  However, the lines went pretty quickly.  There was a big sign saying you had to show your passport, proof of vaccination or a negative COVID test, and some other papers (can’t remember what exactly as the names weren't familiar to me).  So, I was a bit concerned that I might not have all the necessary documentation.  At the desk, the officer just looked at my passport and asked for my proof of vaccination.  I told him I didn’t have the German version and he just asked for my vaccine card, where I was going in Germany, and how long I was staying.  When I told him I was headed to Alsace, he simply said, “I’m jealous” and told me to have a good time and enjoy the wine.  He was one of the friendliest border control officers I think I have ever encountered.  By the time I got to Baggage Claim, my bag was already there.  From the time we landed at 10:35 to when I picked my bag up was about only 40 minutes.  Very slick!

My train wasn’t until 12:53 and, while I could probably have taken an earlier train, that might have necessitated more changes than the two I already had to do.  Instead, I decided to take advantage of the DB Lounge which my 1st class ticket entitled me to use.  To enter, I needed to show my train ticket and, again, proof of vaccination.  My BC paper card was accepted.  Whew!  So far, so good.  .  

On the train platform, again everyone was wearing masks.  Most people wear the standard bluish white ones we see at home.  There were very few, if any, cloth masks but I did see some people wearing the N95 ones.  Everyone, including children, were wearing masks and no one seemed the least bit bothered or that their rights were being violated.  We could learn a lesson from this!

On the trains, it was the same thing.  Everyone was masked unless they were eating or drinking.  The last train I took was a regional train from Offenburg to Orschweier and the mask requirement sign on the window was very similar to the one on the BC Ferries that became somewhat infamous, even internationally.  There is no requirement to show proof of vaccination on the German trains.

To enter France, however, you are supposed to have what is called a Pass Sanitaire.  I had applied for one online on September 24th when I decided to take this trip.  It still hadn’t arrived when I went into France but there are no border checks between Kappel (on the German side of the Rhine) and Rhinau (on the French side) so it was no problem going into France in my friend's car.  Taking a train would have been a different matter.  However,  I need that Pass Sanitaire if I want to take trains, attend events or go to restaurants while I am in France.

When I applied for the pass (Pass Sanitaire), I had indicated I would be arriving in France on October 13^th.  I was, therefore, quite concerned that it hadn’t arrived yet.  The website says it can take up to 3 weeks but there were lots of comments on Facebook saying often it arrived in a few days.  When you apply for the pass, you are asked to upload your passport, your proof of vaccination, and your return flight information.  The first message I received yesterday when i was already in France was a request for proof I was departing from a French airport.  As I am flying in and out of Frankfurt, that wasn’t possible so I sent a response clarifying that.  Within seconds, so I doubt my answer was even read, I got a message saying my application for a Pass Sanitaire had been approved.  It comes as a PDF file in my Inbox that you then upload to an app called TousAntiCovid.  That was really easy but I also printed the document off as a back-up.  So, thankfully, now I am good to go!  I am not sure whether the pass has an expiry date or not.  If it does, I guess you would need to apply all over again if you come back into France at a later date.  I should probably find that out for the future.  

Later in this trip, I am going to fly to Switzerland from Nice.  In order to enter that country you have to fill out a form within 48 hours of departure (Swiss Entry Form).  So, that is ahead of me in a couple of weeks.

Today, we went into Lahr (across the Rhine in Germany) and we were asked to provide proof of vaccination when we went into a restaurant.  As well, we were asked to give our contact info.  Sure glad I had that pass on my phone!

Also, in order to return to Canada, I will need to get a COVID test.  There is a big testing site set up in Frankfurt Airport in the corridor connecting Terminal 1 with the long distance train station (COVID 19 Testing at Frankfurt Airport).  You can create an account online at the website and choose whether you need the results immediately (most expensive), within 12 hours (less expensive) or within 24 hours (most reasonable).  I will be doing that 12 hours before my flight home in early November.

So, all in all, it was pretty easy.  As I have mentioned before, I am glad I flew to Newfoundland in August.  That experience alleviated any concerns I had about flying these days.  One thing for sure, it would great if the World Health Organization or some such other governing body would come up with a universal vaccine passport.  That would certainly end some of the confusion, the need to carry different forms and QR codes depending on the country you are in, and generally make thing easier to move around.

Now, all I have to do is enjoy France for the time I am here.  Easy peasy, as they say!!