Czechs drop travel restrictions for Austria, Germany, Hungary from noon on Friday

Reuters
Updated ·1 min read

PRAGUE (Reuters) - The Czech government agreed to fully open its borders with neighbours Austria and Germany and allow unrestricted travel to and from Hungary from noon on Friday, Prime Minister Andrej Babis said.

It fully opened its border with Slovakia on Thursday.

"People who visit these countries do not need any coronavirus test nor quarantine," Babis told a news conference shown live on television.

"We want to return to normal, it can also be beneficial for the Czech Republic when people from these countries come and spend money here."

Foreign Minister Tomas Petricek said all restrictions on travel to and from Austria and Hungary had been removed, though travellers to Germany still needed to observe Germany's current conditions for entry.

The Czechs are planning to allow unrestricted entry from more than 20 European states from June 15.

Visitors arriving from places where the epidemic is still widespread will have to provide a negative COVID-19 test or be quarantined on arrival.

(Reporting by Jan Lopatka; Editing by Clarence Fernandez and John Stonestreet)