We live in very challenging times at the moment where the rules and regulations about travel seem to be changing every week. Even with the development and roll-out of the vaccines that are available at the moment, and the opening up of the world somewhat, travel is not fully back to the unrestricted way it was for most places from the UK pre-pandemic.

As there are different lists, such as the green, amber, and red lists, there are many places that people are not allowed to travel to or that have to follow a certain protocol if they travel to them. Some of this protocol outlines the length of quarantine they should be in for when they arrive at a destination and whether or not they have to be tested too.

What Rules Are There About Travelling and Arriving in England from Ireland, the UK, Channel Islands, and the Isle of Man?

Thanks to the fact that a lot of what is classified officially as the UK is not part of mainland Britain, there have been several questions and concerns about travel throughout the home nations and the islands.

Fortunately, though, according to the latest governmental guidelines and regulations, there is no need to either quarantine or take a Covid-19 test when you arrive in England if you are travelling around the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man, or Ireland (otherwise known as the Common Travel Area). As long as you have not been travelling anywhere else outside of the Common Travel Area during the last 10 days before your arrival back in England.

What is Different if You Transit Through Amber or Even Red Countries Before Arriving in England?

If you are travelling through any amber or red list countries before arriving in England, there are important directions you need to follow. You need to make sure you follow the rules related to the territory or country with the highest risk that you have passed through or travelled to in the last 10 days. Please note, this does include any transit stops along the way in amber or red countries.

What qualifies as a Transit Stop?

For some additional clarity, a transit stop describes a stop in the travel where passengers can get off or on the transport you are travelling on. This applies to all modes, including flights, trains, and ships. Your travel documents and ticket will tell you if the stops in your journey travel are stops or not.

Situations where the rules of the territory or country you have to make transit stops in can apply in the following situations:

• New passengers board the mode of transport and can mix with you
• You or any other passengers leave the transport and mix with others before getting back on.

There are also situations where you make transit stops that do not have an impact on what you should or shouldn’t do when you are arriving in England:

• There are no new passengers boarding that can mix with you
• There are no passengers who leave the transport and mix with others outside
• Passengers leave the transport but don’t get on again

Summary

So, there you have it. If you are travelling through the countries, islands and territory that make up the Common Travel Area before arriving in England, you do not need to worry about quarantine or taking a Covid-19 test. It is a good idea to bookmark the relevant pages on Gov.UK or to check back to the Pure Testing website, as this information is always changing.