COVID testing for a multi country trip (France and Spain)

September is a long way off. Any rules now probably won’t be in place then.

This is essentially a question for the crystal ball but I'll narrow it to two scenarios for you.

Right now, today, May 28th, you would need all those PCR tests to enter and exit France and Spain and an Antigen test to board a flight back to the States. Today the French borders are closed to everyone except residents and citizens with a valid reason to travel into and out of the country. From what I understand, Spain is opening some time soon.

Second scenario, numbers go down and the borders between Spain and France reopen as they were last summer when travel within the EU was open. People did not have to test when crossing borders. The EU is banking on the vaccine making this possible. So far, the EU is planning for European residents who have been vaccinated to be able to travel across borders using either paper or electronic proof of vaccination on their health passes. No PCR tests have been discussed, but each country can set independent standards. Will the rules for Europeans be the same for Americans once they are allowed in?

Jules,

Attached is a link to an official French Government website that I've been checking every two or three days in the hopes of visiting France in mid-July, 2021. It is updated very frequently. It spells out, in English, the requirements.
Best of luck,

https://www.diplomatie.gouv.fr/en/coming-to-france/coronavirus-advice-for-foreign-nationals-in-france

Thanks for discussion all and the link, John Adams. After the initial shock of my revelation, Bets, you are right. What will happen will happen. I see, for us, there are 3 scenarios.

1. No intercountry COVID tests are required and trip happens as planned.
2. A plan B trip with travel all within France.
3. COVID situation becomes such that we stay home.

I'm pretty certain that the first or second will happen.

There’s a lot of talk about July 1 as being some possible date when something might happen in regards to allowing vaccinated passengers to enter EU countries. Hopefully later next month you’ll have a clearer picture of how things will work traveling between countries.

Good tip, thank you Ashley. Let's hope, Bill.

I was willing, begrudgingly, to purchase 4 COVID tests (for my husband and I) for this trip. 8 is a deal breaker. I think the tourism industry is going to be very frustrated if the COVID testing requirement isn't dropped this summer. I'm also hoping the U.S. drops their testing requirement for reentry into the U.S. otherwise I feel like it could be a little complicated at the end of my trip since we are taking the train back to Paris from Toulouse the day before we leave.

Any intercontinental travel this year could run smoothly or be fraught with difficulties - it’s too soon to call.

Vaccination rates in Europe are currently way behind the U.K. and America, so I would have thought that testing in and out is likely to stay for some time. Europe seems to be heading for the testing rather than proof of vaccination option. To travel to most of Europe from the U.K. means paying for 3 Covid tests each, at a cost of over $1,000 per couple, as testing isn’t free if it’s for travel purposes. The cost is a deterrent to put the brakes on international travel, as the government doesn’t want us heading abroad.