Covid-19: When will it be possible to travel to Italy again? -All you need to know about Italian lockdown

Covid-19: When will it be possible to travel to Italy again? -All you need to know about Italian lockdownWith Italy under strict lockdown, virtually all travel to the country is impossible – but when are these restrictions likely to be lifted?

Italian President Giuseppe Conte last week announced that the strict lockdown would be extended to May 3rd, at the very earliest.

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While some national restrictions may be lifted after that date, as the country is expected to move into “phase two” of the lockdown, there’s little information available about the government’s plans for lifting travel restrictions. But here’s what we koow so far:

Any relaxing of the rules is likely to be very slow and gradual, as Conte and other ministers have repeatedly urged caution.

And though Italians are anxious to restart the economy, tourism businesses are not expected to reopen any time soon.

Italy’s tourism secretary Lorenza Bonaccorsi last week said that 2020 might as well be “written off”.

What’s the situation in Italy at present?

At the moment – and this will continue until at least May 3rd – travel into and within Italy is heavily restricted.

While Italy has not technically banned foreign visitors from coming, and most Italian

airports are actually still open, a number of things make travel to and from the country almost impossible.

Italy’s restaurants, bars, hotels and tourist businesses have had to shut down completely. Photo: AFP

A long list of airlines have cancelled some or all of their flights to Italy, and cruise ships are banned from offloading passengers at Italian ports.

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Some of Italy’s neighbours, including Austria and Switzerland, have placed heavy restrictions on travelling across the borders.

Italy joined the rest of the EU in mid-March in restricting all non-essential travel from outside the Schengen Zone – although the UK is exempt from this.

And once inside the country, moving from one area to another is allowed only in emergency situations. Anyone leaving the house must fill out a form explaining their reason for doing so and declaring that they have not tested positive for Covid-19.

A police checkpoint outside Rome. Photo: AFP

Anyone travelling from one region to another must declare that they understand the lockdown rules, which can vary greatly, in both the region they are travelling from, and the region they’re travelling to. Drivers can expect to encounter police roadblocks in and around towns and cities.

Anyone found to have made a false declaration on their form can face a fine of up to 3,000 euros (or more in some regions) and potentially even a prison term.

Most Intercity and high-speed trains in Italy have been cancelled, and local public transport within cities runs on a reduced schedule.

Can I travel to return home if I have residency in Italy?

People are only allowed to travel to or within the country for emergency and health reasons, or for work. There used to be an exemption for people returning to their place of residence, but this was removed by the March 25th emergency decree.

The government’s official FAQ on the decree states that people cannot travel to return home, “unless the return is an absolute emergency or is for work or health reasons. However, no movement of employees of suspended businesses or of those who are currently working remotely is permitted.”

As of March 25th there is also a new version of the form needed when leaving the house or travelling, which no longer gives “returning home” as an option

It’s not always clear what is and isn’t classed as an emergency situation, and there may be allowances made depending on your personal circumstances.

Anyone hoping to return home to Italy should contact their embassy for confirmation as to whether or not they can travel.

 

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When is this going to end?

It’s clear that travel to and within Italy is not on the cards in the next few weeks at least. But it’s what happens when the lockdown starts to lift that’s less certain.

Italian leaders have explicitly said that this will be a slow and gradual process and will depend on the health situation and on people continuing to obey the rules.

Italy’s beaches remain off-limits until quarantine restrictions are relaxed. Photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

The government has not yet published any kind of official plan or roadmap for the country to gradually return to normal – though it has already allowed some types of businesses to reopen from April 14th, and is now consulting its panel of scientific experts on how and when to implement phase two.

Under this second phase of lockdown, ministers say, Italy will need to learn to “coexist with the virus” until the country can move into “phase three”, when normality can slowly be restored.

With Italian authorities exercising extreme caution following an outbreak that has so far killed some 22,000 people in the country, not much is expected to change soon.

WHile there isn’t much chance that international tourism will resume by summer, Italian tourist businesses are hoping some domestic tourism might be possible.

A summer without trips to th e beach is unthinkable in Italy, and owners of private beach clubs and lidos are now scrambling to find ways to enforce social distancing on the beach in the hope that they might be able to reopen this season.

IN PHOTOS: Silent squares and clear waters as Venice stands empty

But “phase three” is expected to be when international travel would be allowed to resume, and tourism businesses may be allowed to reopen.

And the second phase, which has not yet started, is expected to last months. Some Italian medical experts have warned Italy to expect “a summer without travel”.

“The second phase will continue for a long time. We must not think that we can return to normality in July or August,” said Alessandro Vespignani, an expert on epidemiology and the spread of disease, in a television interview on Wednesday.

Naples. Photo: AFP

Can I travel to Italy after May 3rd?

In short, it looks unlikely. And it also depends on where you’re coming from.

The current ban on travel from outside Europe’s Schengen area will stay in place after Italy begins lifting its lockdown on May 3rd.

This is of course an EU decision, so not entirely within Italy’s power. It’s not yet known how long this ban will remain in place, but French President Emmanuel Macron suggested it could be September, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has warned people not to book summer holidays.

European leaders are very concerned about the situation in countries including the United States, which now has a higher Covid-19 death toll than Italy. They also fear the possibility of a second wave of infections in Asia.

What about travel to Italy from within Europe after May 3rd?

This is even less clear at this stage.

Conte has not yet given any details of future government plans to lift lockdown, so it’s unknown whether that will include relaxing travel restrictions at this stage.

The restrictions on some of Italy’s international borders were not put in place by Italy but by neighbouring countries, so that is nt under Italy’s control.

Airlines continue to suspend flights to Italy, and are not likely to resume their usual schedules until demand for tickets is high enough.

Though a few flights are reportedly still operating, it’s not clear how many passengers are able to take them, or even travel to the airport, as travel anywhere in Italy is not allowed except for in emergencies and urgent health or work-related situations.

It is not yet known if Italy will in future put any restrictions on visitors arriving from certain countries. There is particular concern about rhe UK, which has recorded the highest daily death toll in Europe..