How do you travel safely during COVID-19? Where can you go with the coronavirus still active around the world? These websites answer all your questions about traveling or going on vacation during the pandemic.
The UN marked September 27 as the annual World Tourism Day, but the tourism industry has been hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic. Naturally, people are apprehensive about traveling during this time. But if you know where you can go with coronavirus restrictions, the safety protocols and quarantine rules, and the airline and airport regulations, you can better protect yourself if you venture out.
1. Covid Entry Check: Check Status and Get Updates on Planned Routes
Travel rules are changing almost every day during the coronavirus pandemic. If you know where you want to travel to, Covid Entry Check is a quick way to find out the rules and restrictions, as well as get updates about it.
Key in your place of origin and destination to see the current travel rules. You'll get a card with quick data on traveling both ways, whether you'll need to quarantine on arrival in either place, and the current state of COVID-19 cases in each location. Click for more details like what to expect, travel restrictions within the destination, and which places give you the "Greenlane agreement" from there for further travel.
Most importantly, you can sign up to be notified of any changes on this route. So if you've been looking to go visit friends or family but haven't been able to, register for updates at Covid Entry Check. The minute the governments allow it, you'll get an email telling you to pack your bags.
2. Travel Bans: Find Where You Can Travel and Detailed Rules of Countries
Travel Bans has become the internet's favorite place to seek information about traveling during or after the COVID-19 pandemic. It's a clean website with quick and clear information about everything you need to know with regards to traveling internationally.
Add your place of origin and click Open For Travel to see all the countries that you can visit right now. In the list categorized by continent, click any country to see the most notable points regarding the rules. And then dive into the details of the country's page.
This page has neatly sorted information for the main things you need to know: full restrictions, quarantine measures upon entering, crossing rules, flight restrictions, insurance, certification, and vaccination. All the information is from official declarations by the country, not third-party sources or media. It's critical to use such trustworthy sites for reliable COVID-19 information.
Right below that you'll see a news feed with the latest updates from that country regarding the timeline of changes in travel rules. Read these carefully, you might be able to spot the trends to know what to expect beforehand.
3. Covid Controls: Tourist Entry and Restrictions, and Latest COVID News
Covid Controls is an updated map of the current state of the coronavirus outbreak across the world. The Tourist Entry sub-category is a simple way to filter travel restrictions into, out of, and within the country.
Choose your country of origin or the places where you've spent the last 14 days. Covid Controls will display a list of destinations you are allowed to visit from that origin. These destinations have three statuses: allowed, partially allowed, banned. The map also updates to show green, yellow, or red places, making it easier to choose a destination from where you can perhaps travel to another country next to it.
Click any destination to read its details. In this pane, you'll see the government restrictions and detailed regulations, what that country's lockdown status is like, and whether tourist spots are open. It's also a good idea to check for restaurants, bars, hotels, and transport options here because that's what you'll rely on as a tourist. Covid Controls also provides a few links for additional reading before you make your decision.
You can also visualize the map by metrics apart from travel. You can see the last seven day change, outbreak containment, deaths or cases per million, and outbreak growth.
4. Airsiders Compass: Check Airline and Airport Rules Before Flights
In a world rocked by COVID-19, how you go about routine events has changed. Flying as a mode of travel especially has a new set of rules, regulations, and protocols that you need to know before you take off. And these too differ by airline and points of origin or destination.
Airsiders Compass gathers all the information you need to know about any airline or airport in one place. You can search by city or country too, which is quite useful in case of cities with multiple airports or large terminals. You'll easily find out how connecting flights work in current times.
For example, search for American Airlines to see its rules. There are passenger regulations like mandatory face masks, operational changes like earlier check-ins, and changes to cabin safety and disruptions like complimentary hygiene kits and limited in-flight meals. A lot of airlines also have new rules for baggage that you need to check. Airsiders Compass is an excellent resource to prepare for your flight before you set off from home.
There are also some crazy deals for flights at the moment. Once you have all the information, try some of the best airline hacks for cheap flight tickets.
5. Wanderu COVID-19 Travel Guide: Bus and Train Travel in COVID-19
If you don't want to fly during the coronavirus pandemic, consider land routes instead. Wanderu is an online ticket booking platform for buses and trains in the USA, Canada, and parts of Europe. Their updated COVID-19 travel guide for bus and train travel is an incredible resource.
The most important thing you want to check is which bus and train carriers are currently running. Wanderu has a detailed, updated list to help you make your decision. It also has clear guides for face mask policies, cleaning protocols, insurance and trip protection, and change and cancellation policies. This is the kind of information you'll need before you book a ticket.
Apart from that, you can also find travel restrictions through an interactive map. Open the map for the USA, Canada, or Europe and hover over a state or country to view their travel advisories. The maps are generally color-coded so you know what to expect. In one click, you can view a detailed summary for each state or country too.
6. AAA COVID-19 Travel Restrictions: COVID-19 Road Trip Map for USA
A lot of people consider a road trip to be the safest form of travel during the coronavirus pandemic. It's your car and you get to control how much exposure you have to others. The American Automobile Association (AAA) released an updated version of their popular road trip plans to specifically travel during COVID-19 in the US.
The map highlights checkpoints and border crossing closures, along with national land closures. This way, you know what to expect on the major roads you're traveling, and when you'll need to take a detour. The map also contains the current state of restrictions in a state, mask regulations, and other information like whether restaurants are open. Each data aspect is a separate layer, which you can turn on or off as you want.
Bring up the little bar at the bottom of the page, which you might not see at first glance. This has all the information in a simple, browsable spreadsheet. You can simply check each roadway and its details to plan your road trip judiciously.
Stay at Home and Travel Virtually
These websites are trying their best to make travel as safe as possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. Along with their instructions and data, use your best judgment, and when in doubt, err on the side of caution.
At the same time, remember that most authorities and experts recommend not traveling unless you need to, especially for those most vulnerable to the coronavirus. But if you're choosing to stay at home, you can still break out of your bubble by traveling virtually with your family. The internet offers a large set of free virtual experiences today.