Due to the difficulties with the coronavirus, the whole world stopped for a couple of months. Recently, we all wondered if it was safe to leave our homes, but now the situation is much better. If you ever wondered how is the travel safety in Serbia due to coronavirus these days, please read the following lines.
State of emergency was lifted on 7th of May
A state of emergency was declared in Serbia on March 15th, which lasted until May 7th. During the State of emergency measures were quite strict and difficult for general population, but it seems that those made an effect and spread of the virus was largely prevented. The Government considers that it has done an excellent job. Which is now a disputed subject among Serbian citizens, if such strict measures were needed in the first place. After the state of emergency ended and the health situation with Covid-19 stabilized, steps to restart the economy and to allow high level of travel safety in Serbia were taken.
Borders are fully opened on May 22nd
As of May 22nd, the borders with all neighboring countries have been opened and flights are returning to normal. The ban on entry into the Republic of Serbia has been suspended, and according to that decision, no special consents (permission) are required for the entry neither for domestic or foreign citizens. Also, tests or any health certificates are not required. Please find the official information here.
Flights to/from Serbia and protective measures at the airport
It is planned to increase the number of flights from Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport by June 14th, and you can find all information about the flights on their website. Flights to Zurich, London, Vienna, Frankfurt, Amsterdam and Paris are resumed, while flights to Ljubljana and Tivat and other cities in the region are expected to open soon. A flight to New York is planned for June 6th. Each airline has its own rules and protective measures, and this should be checked on the airline’s respective websites. However, as far as the airport itself is concerned, certain protective measures are introduced.
The dynamics of cleaning and disinfection of the passenger terminals and especially the escalators, chairs, handrails, counters, toilets, ATMs, elevators and floors, has increased. It is mandatory to maintain social distance and to use a protective face covers during the stay at the terminals. Maximum allowed quantity of disinfectant in hand luggage is up to 2 liters. It has to hold no more than 70% of alcohol. Disinfectant should be packed in smaller bottles (e.g. 4 individual bottles of 0.5 liters per passenger).
Procedure at the Belgrade airport
The airport does not require any additional documents when checking in for the flight. It is necessary to show the ticket and travel documents, and the rest of the procedure will depend on the airline. Please contact the airline before departure or check the information on their website. All passengers are advised to use online check-in to reduce the risk of crowding in front of the counter. Travelers are encouraged to use payment cards instead of cash. Another recommendation is to get to the airport three hours before the flight.
Hotels and accommodation
As far as accommodation is concerned, it depends on the dynamics of opening from a hotel to a hotel. Most of them were completely closed, both for visitors and employees. Now all the hotels are in the process of implementing new policies which will guarantee high level or safety and hygiene for the travelers. Locally owned hotels and guesthouses are already opened or opening gradually during June. While franchises such as Hilton, Holiday Inn, Crown Plaza, Hyatt are following global instructions, so it’s the best to check their availability directly. On the other hand, there are plenty of opportunities to find appropriate accommodation with apartments, airbnbs, guesthouses and rural households when visiting inner parts of the country.
Attractions, Museums, Restaurants
Attractions, museums and landmarks, which are of importance for any traveler to Serbia, started working in the beginning of May. Protective measures in those places are implemented as well, such as hand disinfection on entry, wearing of face covering and respecting social distance.
In the restaurants, bars and cafes business is as usual with a few protective measures. All of them are required to rearrange tables and seats in the way to maintain enough distance between people. Also, staff is required to wear gloves and face covers while serving the guests. Disinfectants and sanitizers should be available within the premises.
General feeling about the travel safety in Serbia under COVID-19 circumstances
Finally, we can say that the first wave is subsiding and, as experts note, the virus should completely subside during the summer period. We can now hope that we won together and that we will be able to continue with everyday life activities and travels.
By looking at the situation where local people travel within the country without restrains for almost a month now after the State of emergency was lifted and the country is having significant decrease of new coronavirus cases in this circumstances, one can conclude that traveling around Serbia is quite safe. Hopefully it will stay that in the future.
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In order to make our travelers feel safe on tours we have implemented number of steps. You can read this tour as an example to see which measures we have included.