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Passengers on Friday rushed to beat a midnight deadline for travel to and from Britain and France, complaining of an overly-draconian reaction and costly last-minute ticket changes before tough new Covid-19 restrictions come into force.
After midnight on Friday French time (2300 GMT), travellers must show a compelling reason for travel between the two countries, under shock new rules announced on Thursday by France to combat the Omicron variant of Covid-19.
The only exemptions for needing a compelling reason are for French and European travellers returning to France and British passengers heading in the other direction.
“I feel very lucky that I managed to get out of France on the last day that it’s possible,” said Isla, a student at the Gare du Nord station in Paris with a ticket for one of the last Eurostar trains heading to London before the rules came into force.
“It is a bit worrying, it’s a bit scary. Who knows what is going to happen in January,” she added.
Travellers expressed relief at being able to travel but surprise at the need for such drastic rules.
All travellers arriving in France from Britain will need to quarantine for seven days, although this can be just two if they provide a negative test after arriving in the country.
‘All a bit panicky’
“It’s a bit complicated. We are going to spend the holidays with the family because my brother lives there,” said Jonas Dessertenne, a 34-year-old physiotherapist, saying he had brought forward the tickets by several days to make the deadline.
“We will see for the return afterwards. If after we need quarantine, we will be in quarantine when we return.”
At St Pancras station in London, Elodie Entressangle, 32, said her parents urged her to bring forward her holiday trip to the French city of Lille.
“I was due to leave on Sunday, but I am leaving right…
Source : france24
