Germany/Switzerland trip Nov/Dec 2021…Total Confusion

I can only speak for Germany but:

Paperwork- you have to fill out the "digital registration upon entry" from the Germany Government- https://www.einreiseanmeldung.de/ - this is only available about 5 days before your flight.

Vaccination- have your original cards to show at the airport and upload, or if asked on the spot to show originals. In addition, I HIGHLY recommend making a laminated twin copy and sticking it in a lanyard to show at hotels so you aren't taking your real one out.

Once you arrive in Germany go to a pharmacy (they are everywhere) they can then upload the documentation of your vaccine to the COVPASS app- (this is only available in Germany, or if you have an android phone and switch your region ahead of time you can pre-download). Download prior to going to a pharmacy. This digital pass should still work in other EU countries.

Other useful app: Luca (I can't get it to work, but others have been able) many places use this instead of filing out a form for contact tracing.

Taxi.eu, and also "Taxi", Uber for the larger cities and Trip Advisor if you want.

Return Paperwork- Print out the PDFs for return from a foreign country to the USA, its a attestation form that you don't have covid that you must sign. You will also need a covid test that is approved by CDC for international returns (what type is valid is found on their website).

IMO, Switzerland is more scenic than Germany. I would spend more time in the former. However, the major caveat is that it is also more expensive than Germany.

As far as documents are concerned, for Swiss entry from Germany, you will still have to fill out the electronic form. I am not sure about the reverse. However, no matter what, these regulations change from time to time with little notice.

Any special reason to return to München? How are you traveling? Sorry to say, but COVID levels in Germany have returned to May 2021 highs. Keep abreast of current info.

Thank you for the answers. Yes I believe that Switzerland is very scenic, but I’ll get back again in the fall. As far as Munich, I just love Bavaria in General. This is more about some of the markets. We are traveling by car for our trip.

For entry requirements, both Germany and Switzerland keep their embassy pages up to date with current information:

Switzerland: https://www.eda.admin.ch/countries/usa/en/home/representations/embassy-washington.html

Germany: https://www.germany.info
(click on COVID-19 under News -- NOT at the very top of the page)

Yes, a different entry document is required for each country.

Viel spaß!

A couple of extra things (as I sit in my B&B in Berlin)...

1. CovPass was recently updated and can now be downloaded in the US.

2. Definitely go to the pharmacy and present your CDC card. The pharmacist will give you digital EU certificates with a QR code that can be scanned in the user-friendly CovPass app, uploading your immunizations to CovPass. I uploaded them to the Luca app, too. As Jaeson notes above... CovPass app proves you are immunized. Luca app can be used to scan a barcode at museums/restaurants/events to indicate you were there without having to fill out paper forms with your info (for contact tracing). Luca app has worked great for me!

3. I don't know what works in Switzerland, but I'm sure someone will jump in and tell you!

Three days in Rothenburg is too much. I have been to the town twice, with different people each time. You can do it in one day.
i suggest using the other two days to take the Romantic Road from Rothenburg down to Augsburg, then to Munich. There are other fascinating towns along the route. Check it out.
https://www.veronikasadventure.com/romantic-road-germany/

Will the stuff for Germany be good in Switzerland

Switzerland is part of Schengen, though not of the EU. However, don't expect countries within the Schengen region to handle Covid regulations all the same. We are struggling to keep them the same at least within each country and not have different rules from state to state. So, you will simply have to keep an eye on the government pages that keep you updated about the ever-changing rules. Things may be different in December from what they are now. The websites Dave has linked to should be helpful.

apps that we need to use

For Germany at least, you don't need to use any app. You can if you prefer, but you can do everything on paper just as well. See this thread for more details.

Three days in Rothenburg is too much.

Umm... yes. :-)

3 days in Rothenburg IS NOT TOO MUCH FOR ME. Since you are interested in Christmas markets, make a day trip to Nuremberg for their market, preferably early on a weekday to minimize crowds.

Oh, be my guest. :-) Nothing wrong with staying in Rothenburg for as long as you like.

I personally would consider three days in Rothenburg out of proportion for someone who has less than twelve days for two countries, unless they have a particular interest in some aspect of the town. And I personally would not choose Rothenburg as a place for a prolonged relaxation stay.

Hello all

Thanks again for the great advice. Rothenburg is going to be our home base. We will visit Nuremberg, Wurzburg, and Bamberg also. Mhiu gvto trh and head south to Stuttgart for the Mercedes Museum and maybe Schloss Lichenstien. Gott see how things go.

Question for those who have converted their CDC vaccination card into the EU Digital Covid Certificate at a German pharmacy... is it possible to do that for others, or must they be present?

I will be in Germany next month and plan to do the conversion for my records. In December, my wife will be joining me on another trip to Europe and I was planning on taking her passport+CDC card with me to Germany on the first trip. I am hoping that I can get her vaccination record also converted so that when we travel together in December, we will not need to worry about this (as we are going to Amsterdam where they have strict daily testing requirements for those without the EU Digital certificate.)

Has anyone attempted to get someone else's vaccination record converted to the digital certificate, and if so, were you able to do this or did they require that person to be there to do it themselves?

Thanks,
DB

Hi Dan,

might have been better to start a new thread on this since it doesn't have much to do with this OP's question.

I can't pretend to know the answer to your question, but I wonder how this could work. First off, I assume that your wife will need to carry her original document with her, so it would be difficult for you to produce it. Secondly, it would be digitized onto her cell phone. Not sure how this would work via your cell phone.

I assume that it's going to be a lot more trouble to find out how to do it than to just have it done at some pharmacy as soon as your wife has joined you.

Rothenburg is great, a perfectly preserved medieval town. However, go down the Romantic Road and you will find more like it. In fact, Dinkelsbuhl is another preserved medieval town, but NOT overrun by tourists. Donauwurth is build in a metor crater (it's walls are on the crater edge).

Not sure that I would use Rothenburg as a base for places so far away like Nuremberg.

If you decide to go to Stuttgart for the Mercedes Museum (which I recommend), you should also consider the Esslingen Medieval Christmas Market, just a short distance from Stuttgart. Stuttgart is an underrated destination, not covered in the Rick Steves guide, but well worth a stop. I agree with previous commenters that you should go to the pharmacy (apotheke) and ask them to enter the info from your CDC card into their system so you can use the CovPass. I was able to do this on a visit earlier this month, and while you can probably survive with just your card, it is easier to use the app.

Not sure that I would use Rothenburg as a base for places so far away
like Nuremberg.

I wasn't going to say anything since opinions on Rothenburg obviously differ widely, but that decision will involve a lot of time on the road and a lot of backtracking. Wouldn't be my choice either.

It's a good point that Rothenburg is a weak base town for outings to Bamberg, Nuremberg and Würzburg. And it's good that future readers of this post hear this point. But for the OP, this is a postponed honeymoon and bucket-list trip. IME most decisions made in these situations are impervious to the influence of forum contributors. And the words "I'm good as far as planning" appear to confirm that their plans will remain as they are.

"Aldo if you have any must sees…please let us know!!!"

I'm not Aldo. But I'll direct you to the Franconian open-air museum.

Have a great time, Sean. BTW... what does "Mhiu gvto trh" mean?

BTW... what does "Mhiu gvto trh" mean?

Klingon? :D

I had been wondering about that too but forgot to ask. Typo or secret message? ;-)

I think that was supposed to be "Might try to" Sorry def not Klingon, but good guess.

So after taking everything in, I changed our reservation and only 2.5 days in Rothenburg and an extra day in Interlaken.

Just to clarify, we are going to stop in Nuremburg after we land and are on our way to Rothenburg, that would be the half day. Then one day in Rothenburg, try to catch up on jet lag, and the next day we will visit Bamberg and Wurzburg.

Then on our way to Interlaken, we will stop by Stuttgart. We have the Schilthorn planned, and seeing Lucurne, when we get to Switezerland. Play the rest of time by ear, I have some other things that I would also like to do, but only time will tell.

Then its off to Munich for the remainder of the trip. We will stop by Andechs on the way to Munich from Interlaken and possibly Lindau. We try to take one day from Munich and go to Salzburg. Didn't work out to well in our last trip.

There are a few towns/cities that people mentioned and I will look into. We have basically only gotten our route truly planned. Time to start picking one main daily activity and a couple extras if we have time.

Thank you all for the great advice.

Just to clarify, we are going to stop in Nuremburg after we land and
are on our way to Rothenburg, that would be the half day. Then one day
in Rothenburg, try to catch up on jet lag, and the next day we will
visit Bamberg and Wurzburg.

Thanks for the detail. I know you have this all planned, but as somebody who visits that area every year just about, pre-covid, I'm confused. Half a day to see all that is Nuremberg (watch the bergs and burgs, they take you different places) ? No time for würstchen then? Or a walk along the river in the Altstadt?

Then you go to RodT, and the next day backtrack all the way (quite a long way) to Nuremberg to turn left a short distance to Bamberg? (church, vineyards, smoked beer, island)? And then all the way back?

And are you trying to combine Bamberg and Würzburg in one day? That is ambitious, IMHO.

Happy birthday and honeymoon, by the way. I can't help with your covid questions (we're still staying very close to home in England with our huge spikes) but I do know the area you are going to be in quite well.

I have had slippery roads in December.

As far as driving to Nuremberg after you land in Munich, parking, touring, getting back in the car and driving to Rothenburg, I don't think it is smart or practical.

After flying from Florida to Detroit to Amsterdam to Munich, you will have been up for nearly 24 hours. You might get a little light napping on the flight to Amsterdam, but you will still be dog tired and jet lagged. Seems like you will be landing in Munich about 11 am. You must pass through Schengen Immigration, which is taking longer these days as they will inspect all your documents, like passport, digital entry form, original vaccination certificates. Then get your bags and rent the car after standing in line who knows how long, finding the car in the garage, inspecting the car for scratches. You'll be lucky to be driving out of the airport by 12:30, then 1 1/2 hours to Nuremberg. You'll be dead on your feet by then.

Drive straight to Rothenburg, check into your hotel and rest up. You can go driving the next day if you feel up to it.

Whew, is all that driving supposed to take place on the arrival day? That wasn't clear to me from the OP's description.

If so, please read this thread.

Thank you everybody for the ideas and opinions. I think we have everything we need.

To the person who asked about "can I take someone's card and info to be converted" --- I highly doubt it, they seem to want you there to check that your face and name matched your passport and card.