scotland travel ban

International travel restrictions to be eased

Most people will not need to take a test.

Following agreement at a cross-UK meeting, testing requirements for fully vaccinated people arriving in Scotland are to be dropped and further work will be done on a new surveillance system to monitor the border.

Testing will no longer be a requirement for all adults who have completed a full course of an approved vaccine, usually at least two doses. Children under the age of 18 continue to be treated as fully vaccinated.

Travellers will still need to fill in passenger locator forms and face coverings will still be required at Scottish airports in line with wider health advice.

Non vaccinated travellers will still be required to take pre-departure tests and a PCR test on or before day two – but the requirement for isolation will end – and they will no longer have to take a day eight test.

The measures were agreed by the Scottish Government following engagement with all four nations and will protect the travel and tourism sectors north of the border.

The new measures come into effect at 4am on 11 February 2022.

Further information on other countries’ requirements is available in  UK Government international travel guidance .

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Foreign travel advice

Travel abroad during covid, testing rules for travelling to scotland.

Check if you need a Covid test if travelling to Scotland

If you need to visit another country, check before you travel what restrictions that country has in place.

You can also check guidance for British people travelling abroad on GOV.UK

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There are restrictions on what items you can take in your hand luggage and hold luggage when boarding a plane in the UK. You should check with your airline how many and what size bags you can take on the plane with you.

Find out more about hand luggage restrictions.

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Your pet dog, cat or ferret must meet the entry requirements for the country you're going to or coming from.

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From 1 January 2021, you'll need to make additional health preparations and will need extra documents to travel with your dog, cat or ferret to the EU and Northern Ireland. This includes assistance dogs.

You can find more information about travelling with pets to the EU and Northern Ireland on GOV.UK.

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Scotland travel ban: What restrictions are in place?

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Scotland offers some of the most beautiful surroundings for a staycation, from the wild Highlands and Hebrides to the city break charm offered by Edinburgh and Glasgow.

But the current coronavirus pandemic means there are varying travel restrictions across the UK, which in some cases mean you cannot travel to Scotland.

Here’s everything you need to know.

Am I allowed to travel to Scotland from the rest of the UK?

It all depends on where you’re going, where you’re coming from and why.  

• Is it irresponsible to travel abroad during the pandemic?

As of Thursday 5 November, England has been under a second nationwide lockdown , which bans domestic and international leisure travel.

It means those in England should not be travelling to Scotland for a holiday or for any purpose that’s not deemed essential and doing so would break the law.

Wales, which just ended its “fire-break” lockdown, has an indefinite “non-essential travel” ban in place. The Welsh government says : “Travel out of Wales is only allowed under limited circumstances, such as for work or education.”

Northern Ireland, which recently ended its “circuit-breaker”, is a bit more ambiguous. The government advice says “you should avoid all unnecessary travel” but does not outright ban it.

It also advised : “You should carefully consider your holiday and travel options, in light of the continuing COVID-19 threat. A 'staycation' is one way of mitigating the risks – while also supporting the local economy. If you're holidaying abroad, you may have to self-isolate for a period of 14 days on your return home – depending on which country you have visited.”

Scotland has introduced emergency legislation banning non-essential travel from the “common travel area”, which includes England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland.

The new legislation specifies : “A person who lives in a place within the common travel area… must not enter or remain in Scotland. But a person who does not live in Scotland may travel through Scotland in order to reach a place outwith Scotland.”

It means that those living on the borders of Scotland could still enter the country to use its airports and fly to other destinations.

Those with reasonable excuse (see below) will be allowed to enter Scotland, however.

Can I travel within Scotland? 

Scotland has its own measures in place depending on the region, with a five-level system currently in place, running from level zero to four. Several regions will be moving into level 4 from 6pm Friday 20 November.

People outside of level three or four areas have been banned from travelling there unless for a number of essential reasons (see below); while those living in level three or four areas are not allowed to travel out unless for essential reasons under the new emergency legislation. 

Those in other levels are advised not to cross into regions on different levels for non-essential reasons but can otherwise travel for leisure.

Within a region, things are a little more flexible. Up to and including level three, hotels and holiday accommodation can remain open.

The Scottish government said : "Those living in a Level three area can still use holiday accommodation in their area but should not stay in the same self-catered accommodation with another household.

“You can meet in a group of up to 6 people from up to 2 households indoors in a public setting in your holiday accommodation.  You should not meet indoors in your bedroom or self-catered accommodation.”

Can I travel out of Scotland?

If you’re a resident in a Scottish region classed as level three or four, you must not leave the area without an essential reason. 

In addition, everyone living in Scotland, regardless of the level their region is in, must not travel to nations in the common travel area – England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland – for non-essential reasons. Doing so is against the law.

The legislation says : “A person who lives in Scotland must not leave Scotland for the purpose of entering or remaining in a place within the common travel area… But a person who lives in Scotland may travel through such a place in order to reach another destination.”

However, international leisure travel is still allowed for those living in levels zero to two – but the Scottish government is currently advising against doing so.

In a statement on 20 November, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: "In addition – of course – we are continuing to advise very strongly against unnecessary travel overseas, at the moment. That includes advice not to go overseas on holiday just now.

"Now I know people have been asking why it is against the law - depending on where you live - to travel to an airport but not against the law to fly to another country. So I want to be clear about this. Just because its not against the law to travel overseas doesn’t mean we think its OK to do it just now.

"This is a global pandemic and it is for that reason that we have repeatedly advised people not to travel overseas unless it is for an essential purpose.

"Some have also asked if people would get refunds on flights or holidays booked if we made overseas travel against the law. That does not follow. Your entitlement to a refund will depend on the terms of your travel insurance.

“For all these reasons, our advice is not to book non-essential overseas travel.”

In explaining why the rules for common travel area is different from international travel, the Scottish government explained : “Given the volume of essential travel between Scotland and the rest of the UK and the impracticability of detecting such movements within Great Britain, a different approach is needed from that for international travel.”

What are the essential reasons for travel?

The Scottish government has provided a list of essential reasons to travel, but has said that these should not be seen as loopholes.

• travel for work, or provide voluntary or charitable services, but only where that cannot be done from your home
• travel to school, college, or university where teaching is not provided remotely
• (to and from Level 3 areas but not Level 4) travel for under 18s sport
• travel for essential shopping only where it is not possible in your local authority area – you should use on-line shopping or shops, banks and other services in your local area wherever you can
• travel for healthcare, social care, childcare and other essential services, including recycling, but only if they are not available in your local area
• travel to provide care or assistance to a vulnerable person
• travel to visit a person receiving treatment in a hospital, staying in a hospice or care home, or to accompany a pregnant woman, vulnerable person or child to a medical appointment
• travel for shared parenting or travel between the two parts of an extended household
• travel to meet a legal obligation, including attending court or satisfying bail conditions, or to participate in legal proceedings
• travel for essential animal welfare reasons, such as feeding a horse or going to a vet
• local outdoor informal exercise such as walking, cycling, golf, or running (in groups of up to 6 people from no more than 2 households) that starts and finishes at the same place  
• travel locally (within around 5 miles of your local authority area) to reach a place to take exercise outdoors
• travel for weddings, civil partnership registrations, funerals and other “life events” (such as bar mitzvahs and christenings)
• if you are a minister of religion or worship leader travel to your place of worship
• (to or from Level 3 areas, but not Level 4) travel to your normal place of worship
• travel to give blood at a Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service collection session
• travel to transit through Level 3 and 4 areas by road or public transport if your journey begins and ends outside such an area
• travel to move house
• travel to avoid injury, illness or to escape a risk of harm

Are hotels and campsites open?

All holiday accommodation can stay open in regions that are level three or below, in line with guidance .

Hotels and other accommodation providers can serve food to guests staying in their premises, for consumption in or outdoors. Alcohol may only be served as part of room service.

People from more than one household (or extended household) must not stay in self-catered accommodation together while the current restrictions on indoor private gatherings are in place. This includes accommodation such as a caravans, flats and holiday cottages.  

If you are staying in a hotel, B&B or similar accommodation, you should not have more than one household (or extended household) staying in each room booked.

When an area enters level four, all holiday accommodation must close to tourists.  Hotels, B&Bs and self-catering can remain open for essential customers only, such as those travelling for work.

Are restaurants, shops and attractions open?

Up to level three, restaurants can remain open, although a maximum of six people from two households can meet together, whether indoors or outdoors.

Table service is compulsory, as is wearing a mask when moving around the restaurant or not eating and drinking.

In level one areas, all hospitality premises must shut by 10.30pm; in level two alcohol is only permitted if sold alongside a meal; and, in level three areas, no alcohol can be sold and all establishments must close by 6pm.

News in pictures

Restaurants, cafes, pubs and bars will be closed in level four, although hotels can still serve customers staying on their premises for essential reasons until 10pm. Takeaways are also permitted to remain open.

Shops, visitor attractions, libraries, hairdressers, barbers and beauticians can all stay open with social distancing measures in place up to level three, but other services may have to close depending on what level the area has been designated. From level four, only essential shops will be allowed to open.

Nightclubs must remain shut across the board; stadiums will close to spectators in levels two and three; and soft play, funfairs, snooker and pool halls, indoor bowling alleys, casinos and bingo halls will remain closed in level three.

Outdoor live events are also banned in level three areas, as are contact sports and training, plus indoor group exercise classes, for those aged 18 and over.

The rules are constantly changing, as are the areas affected. You can check the latest guidelines here .

What rules are in place?

Other than the above, face coverings are now mandatory in shops and on buses, trains, trams, planes and taxis, plus in indoor group settings, including staff canteens and workplace corridors.

You should avoid crowded areas and maintain 2m social distancing where possible.

People are also being advised against sharing a vehicle with another household.

If you have any of the coronavirus symptoms, you should self-isolate and book a test.

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Train strikes in May 2024: Full list of dates and lines affected

Rail lines are set for disruption in the week following the first May bank holiday as train drivers at 16 rail companies strike on different days.

Thursday 25 April 2024 10:29, UK

Train drivers will stage a fresh wave of strikes and overtime bans in May, causing disruption to the rail network.

The strikes are part of a long-running dispute over pay.

Members of Aslef union at 16 rail companies will walk out on different days from 7 to 9 May.

Additionally, all members will refuse to work any overtime from 6 May to 11 May.

Here is a full list of the services affected by strikes and when.

Rail strike dates

Tuesday 7 May

Strikes will affect c2c, Greater Anglia, GTR Great Northern Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern, Gatwick Express and South Western Railway.

Wednesday 8 May

Strikes will affect Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains.

Thursday 9 May

Strikes will affect LNER, Northern Trains and TransPennine Express.

Overtime ban dates

From Monday 6 May to Saturday 11 May union members will not work overtime.

Overtime bans, an action short of a strike, means some services may not be running or may be reduced as drivers refuse to work their rest days.

People are advised to check before they travel, as some areas may have no service.

Keep up with all the latest news from the UK and around the world by following Sky News

How do strikes and overtime bans affect services?

Strikes tend to mean services on lines where members are participating are extremely affected or cancelled entirely, whereas overtime bans often lead to reduced services.

Are there strikes on the Tube too?

There have been regular strikes on London Underground too recently, and while there aren't any planned walkouts for drivers, customer service managers are set to walk out on Friday 26 April in a dispute over terms and conditions.

There will also be an overtime ban for the customer service managers on the following days:

Monday 29 April

Tuesday 30 April

Wednesday 1 May

Tuesday 2 May

Wednesday 3 May

Thursday 4 May

Friday 5 May

The Transport Salaried Staffs' Association (TSSA) says the action by its members is likely to cause Tube stations to close at the last minute, including on the Saturday following the strike (27 April), while TfL has said on its website "some stations may need to close at short notice".

Despite the warning, a TfL spokesperson has said they aren't expecting significant disruption.

This action follows strike action taken by the same workers on 10 April, which the TSSA said had a "real impact" with "many stations shut at short notice".

They say they are "extremely concerned" about TfL's 'Stations Changes' proposals.

"We have made it clear that our union will not accept the continued threats to our members' roles, locations, terms, and conditions to stand unchallenged," a TSSA spokesperson said.

"We will continue to take sustained action until London Underground is prepared to negotiate with us in good faith."

Commenting on the impending strikes, a TfL spokesperson said: "We are disappointed that TSSA is continuing with this strike action following a consultation process.

"While we don't expect this action will cause significant disruption, we urge TSSA to continue to work with us to help find a resolution.

"There are no planned job losses as part of these vital changes which will improve the service we provide to customers at our stations."

How can I stay in the loop?

You can use the National Rail's journey planner to see when trains are running.

Be sure to check it close to when you plan to travel, as it will be updated regularly.

Be the first to get Breaking News

Install the Sky News app for free

Why are the strikes still happening?

Aslef rejected a two-year offer of 4% in 2022 and another 4% this year, saying it is way below inflation, and is linked to changes in terms and conditions.

Aslef said train drivers have not had an increase in salary for five years, since their last pay deals expired in 2019.

The union said after its members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue taking industrial action, it asked the train operating companies to hold talks.

General secretary Mick Whelan said the year-old pay offer of 4% and another 4% was "dead in the water".

Related Topics

• London Underground
• Rail strikes

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International travel restrictions to be relaxed and simplified

Streamlined system merges amber and green lists and retains red list.

The international travel traffic light system of restrictions put in place to protect public health is to be substantially revised to make it simpler for travellers.

Green and amber classifications will merge, but the red list will be retained for those countries deemed to have high COVID19 case rates or variants of concern. 

Among other countries, Turkey, Egypt and the Maldives will all be removed from the red list from 4am on Wednesday 22 September.

The current amber-level restrictions will become the default for travellers from non-red countries, with eligible fully vaccinated travellers able to benefit from quarantine-free travel.

The number of countries recognised in the eligible vaccinated traveller policy (currently only UK, EU/EFTA and USA), is being expanded to recognise countries where vaccine certification meets appropriate standards.

These include Canada, Australia, Israel, and New Zealand – with these opening up from 4 October – the date the current traffic light system formally ends.

The Scottish Government recently relaxed rules, allowing people travelling from non-red list countries to choose from a variety of private test providers.

A UK Government decision to implement proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test in England and to use lateral flow tests on day two have not been adopted at this stage in Scotland due to significant concerns at the impact on public health.

The testing of international travellers, both before and after travel, is an important part of our border health surveillance to minimise the risk of importing variants of concern.

The Scottish Government aims to maintain a four nations approach to international travel restrictions, but will need to carefully consider the risks associated with aligning with the UK Government. 

Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said the simplification of the system recognises the success of global vaccination programmes.

He said: “This is a major step but one with sensible safeguards built in recognising the success of the Scottish Government’s vaccination programme.

“The expansion of the eligible vaccinated traveller policy combined with the changes to the traffic light system will provide a welcome boost to Scotland’s tourism industry.

“However, we have concerns that the UK Government’s proposals to remove the requirement for a pre-departure test for some travellers will weaken our ability to protect the public health of Scotland’s communities. While we want to maintain a four nations approach to these matters, we need to consider urgently their implications.”

People are now able to use private sector tests where they are now required when returning to Scotland. The step allows people to choose from a list of approved providers which can be found on the gov.uk website.

Countries removed from the red list from 4 am on 22 September are:

Countries added to the eligible vaccinated traveller policy from 4 October are:

• New Zealand
• Antigua & Barbuda
• South Korea
• Saudi Arabia

Following a review, the existing travel regulations have been consolidated, with minor amendments, into a single instrument. The Health Protection (Coronavirus) (International Travel and Operator Liability) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 come into force on Monday 20 September, replacing the existing regulations. Policy and requirements on travellers remain the same through this change.

Read more: International travel guide https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronavirus-covid-19-international-travel-quarantine/

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Aslef drivers to hold more train strikes in early May

Rolling 24-hour walkouts to halt many services on c2c, Thameslink, Southeastern, LNER and more

Train drivers will strike again in early May in a series of rolling 24-hour walkouts that will bring many services around Great Britain to a halt.

The Aslef union has called a set of strikes from 7 May to 9 May across all the national rail operators contracted to the Department for Transport (DfT), falling within a six-day overtime ban that is also likely to cause severe disruption on some networks.

The industrial action is part of the long-running pay dispute , with some train drivers now going five years without a pay increase.

Most operators will not run any trains on strike days. Although the strikes are at the English operators under the DfT, cross-border services to Wales and Scotland will also be hit on relevant days.

Aslef members voted overwhelmingly in February to continue industrial action.

The union’s general secretary, Mick Whelan, said: “It is now a year since we sat in a room with the train companies – and a year since we rejected the risible offer they made and which they admitted, privately, was designed to be rejected.”

Drivers were offered a two-year deal worth 4% annually, but with changes to working conditions attached. The rise was less than that offered to other parts of the industry in percentage terms.

Whelan said the government’s argument that the offer should have been put to members was disingenuous, given the repeated strike votes.

Drivers will first strike at c2c, Greater Anglia, Great Northern, Thameslink, Southeastern, Southern/Gatwick Express and South Western Railway on Tuesday 7 May.

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It will be followed by a 24-hour walkout at Avanti West Coast, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and West Midlands Trains on Wednesday 8 May; and at LNER, Northern and TransPennine Express on Thursday 9 May.

The wave of action is the fourth week of rolling strikes staged by Aslef since December, after it altered its tactics in a dispute that has lasted almost two years.

A spokesperson for the Rail Delivery Group, representing train operators, said: “This wholly unnecessary strike action called by the Aslef leadership will sadly disrupt customers and businesses once again, while further damaging the railway at a time when taxpayers are continuing to contribute an extra £54m a week just to keep services running.”

• Rail strikes
• Rail transport
• Rail industry
• Industrial action
• Trade unions

More on this story

Only 40 LNER intercity rail services to run on Saturday as train drivers strike

Aslef’s final strike day disrupts rail services in south and east England

Aslef says more train strikes likely as drivers’ pay row continues

Rail passengers face rolling strikes but London Underground action called off

Train drivers at Northern and LNER to strike in March, Aslef union announces

Weekend rail strikes: travel disrupted across Great Britain

Train drivers will keep striking to ‘raise profile’ of pay dispute, says Aslef boss

Weekend rail strikes and overtime ban disrupt UK travel

Rail strikes: trains in south-east England halted as rolling stoppages begin

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