Press Advisories

13. 3. 202022:22

Emergency measures in international transport will take effect on Saturday

From Saturday, traveling abroad will be restricted to passenger cars only, as cross-border bus, train and ferry passenger transport will be suspended. The new measures will also affect international air passenger transport.

As part of the declared state of emergency measures and at the proposal of the Minister of Transport Karel Havlíček, the government has banned all carriers in international road, rail and water public transport from transporting passengers across the Czech border. Czech citizen will be enabled to return to the country and foreigners will be enabled to leave the Czech Republic.

The restrictions on roads apply to regular and occasional passenger transport using vehicles that can carry more than 8 passengers, and regarding railway and water transport, they apply to all international passenger trains and ferries. The government has also banned cross-border commercial passenger flights from using airports other than Prague Vaclav Havel International Airport (Prague Ruzyně, LKPR).

The government enables citizens to return to the Czech Republic

As part of the crisis measure, the government allows the Czech citizens to return to the Czech Republic in vehicles that can carry more than 8 passengers. Similarly, foreigners will be allowed to leave the territory of the Czech Republic.

Carriers in international road passenger transport based in the Czech Republic as well as carriers based outside the Czech Republic are allowed to move their empty buses without passengers across the Czech border in either direction.

Similarly, carriers in international railroad passenger transport based in the Czech Republic as well as carriers based outside the Czech Republic are allowed to move their empty trains without passengers across the Czech border in either direction.

Carriers in international cross-border river ferry passenger transport based in the Czech Republic as well as carriers based outside the Czech Republic are allowed to move their empty vessels without passengers across the Czech border in either direction.

Government Resolution on the adoption of crisis measures

Following the Government Resolution dated March 12, 2020, passed pursuant to Articles 5 and 6 of the Constitutional Act No. 110/1998 Sb., on the Security of the Czech Republic, the Government declared a state of emergency on the territory of the Czech Republic in response to the public health threat posed by the occurrence of the coronavirus known as SARS-CoV-2 and within the meaning of Section 5(a-d) and Section 6 of Act No. 240/2000 Sb., on Crisis Management and the Amendment of Certain Acts (the Crisis Act), as amended, in order to address the occurred crisis situation, decided to adopt crisis measures, thus within the meaning of Section 6 para 1(b) of the Crisis Act, the Government

I. p r o h i b i t s

1. All carriers in international road passenger transport using vehicles that can carry more than 8 passengers from carrying passengers across the state border of the Czech Republic, with effect from March 14, 2020, 12:00 AM.
2. All carriers in international railroad passenger transport from carrying of passengers across the state border of the Czech Republic, with effect from March 14, 2020, 12:00 AM.
3. All carriers in cross-border river ferry passenger transport from carrying of passengers across the state border of the Czech Republic, with effect from March 14, 2020, 12:00 AM.
4. All air carriers from using airports other than Prague Vaclav Havel International Airport (Prague Ruzyně, LKPR) for cross-border commercial passenger flights, with effect from March 14, 2020, 12:00 AM.

II. p e r m i t s

1. Return to the Czech Republic for Czech citizens and foreign nationals with temporary residence over 90 days and permanent residence in the Czech Republic using services of occasional international road passenger transport provided using vehicles that can carry more than 8 passengers.
2. Departure from the Czech Republic for foreign nationals using services of occasional international road passenger transport provided using vehicles that can carry more than 8 passengers.
3. Cross-border transfer of empty buses without passengers across the Czech border in either direction for carriers in international road passenger transport based in the Czech Republic as well as carriers based outside the Czech Republic.
4. Cross-border transfer of empty trains without passengers across the Czech border in either direction for carriers in international railroad passenger transport based in the Czech Republic as well as carriers based outside the Czech Republic.
5. Cross-border transfer of empty vessels without passengers across the Czech border in either direction for carriers in international cross-border river ferry passenger transport based in the Czech Republic as well as carriers based outside the Czech Republic.

III. s t i p u l a t e s

1. That exceptions to these emergency measures may be granted by the Minister of Transport.

Source: Ministry of Transport

 

The Minister of the Interior, based on Government Resolution No. 198 of 12 March 2020, orders

1. The prohibition of entry, as referred in point I. of the Resolution, does not apply for:

• international transport: lorry drivers, bus drivers, transport aircraft crews, train drivers, train crews and wagon examiner, ship's captains and crew members, crew of vehicles of road managers; the exception also applies for persons who are working in international transport abroad – we highly recommend that the employer fill in in this form, see bellow;

• members of the mission under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, members of the consular posts under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and officials of international organizations, including their family members;

• members of rescue services, such as fire brigade, rescue service and mountain rescue service, police in performance of their duties;

• persons who demonstrably regularly crossing internal borders, in particular cross-border workers working within 100 km from the national border;

• citizens of Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia who demonstrably regularly crossing internal borders, in particular cross-border workers working within 100 km from the national border;

• experts in the fight against epidemics, humanitarian and medical aid;

• Members of the European Parliament;

• holders of diplomatic and service passports issued by the Czech Republic;

• minors up to 18 years of age, if they are EU-nationals and his/her parent is a national of the Czech Republic;

• persons transferring blood, bone marrow for the purpose of transplantation, and transplantation center collection teams transporting organs for transplantation;

• persons undergoing surgery or serious medical treatment abroad because of their serious medical condition;

• persons arriving in the Czech Republic after using airport transit through high epidemic risk country.

2. The prohibition of exit to high risk epidemic countries, as referred in point I. 5. of this resolution, does not apply for:

• foreigner with a permanent residence permit or temporary residence permit (stay over 90 days) who expresses an interest in traveling abroad; such persons  will not be entitled to re-enter the territory of the Czech Republic during the state of emergency;

• citizens of the Czech Republic with a proven residence permit in high epidemic risk country;

• diplomatic officers, administrative officers, consular officers and technical officers, including their family members, pursuant to Section 2 of Act No. 150/2017 Sb., on Foreign Service and amending certain acts;

• international transport: lorry drivers, bus drivers, transport aircraft crews, train drivers, train crews and wagon examiner, ship's captains and crew members, crew of vehicles of road managers; the exception also applies for persons who are working in international transport abroad – we highly recommend that the employer fill in in this form, see bellow;

• members of the mission under the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations, members of the consular posts under the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations, and officials of international organizations, including their family members;

• members of rescue services, such as fire brigade, rescue service and mountain rescue service, police in performance of their duties;

• persons who demonstrably regularly crossing internal borders, in particular cross-border workers working within 100 km from the national border;

• citizens of Germany, Austria, Poland and Slovakia who demonstrably regularly crossing internal borders, in particular cross-border workers working within 100 km from the national border;

• experts in the fight against epidemics, humanitarian and medical aid;

• Members of the European Parliament;

• holders of diplomatic and service passports issued by the Czech Republic;

• persons transferring blood, bone marrow for the purpose of transplantation, and transplantation center collection teams transporting organs for transplantation;

• persons undergoing surgery or serious medical treatment abroad because of their serious medical condition;

• persons arriving in the Czech Republic after using airport transit through high epidemic risk country.

Source: Ministry of Interior

 

Useful information

• Hotline
  
  Ministry of Transport 
  +420 225 131 820

  Ministry of Industry nad Trade 
  +420 224 854 444

  Ministry of Foreign Affairs
  +420 224 183 100
  +420 224 183 200

  Ministry of Interior (borders, security)
  +420 739 608 533

  Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports
  +420 778 725 602

• Current information on Covid-19 caused by the Chinese coronavirus on the website of the Ministry of Health – information for citizens and healthcare workers, current data.
   
• Traveling During the State of Emergency
   
• The European coronavirus response team.