I have a chore there and I am trying to see if I can do it in a day.
I am fully vaccinated and boosted. My thinking is, if I get a negative PCR test here in Zurich, and a lateral flow test when I arrive in the UK, this should suffice the current regulations. Since Jan 9 I don't need to quarantine myself so I can go take care of stuff. Also since Jan7, UK accepts a lateral test as the test required on arrival
On departure, the tests I got in CH and the UK should also suffice for me to board the plane and enter CH.
From a "bare minimum" perspective, I don't see the need for a pre-departure PCR test in Zurich. My understanding is that you would only need to test on arrival in the UK. That test would be enough for you to go about your business in the UK and enough to board the plane back to CH later that day.
Of course, this leaves you super-exposed to the biggest current risk in international air travel these days which is to throw off a positive test somewhere and have to quarantine somewhere that you don't want to be for an indeterminate amount of time. In the case of a day trip, potentially without even a change of clothes...
I did a day trip to the UK at the end of November. At the time there was no requirement for pre-travel testing, either to travel to the UK or to return to Switzerland. I booked the travel the evening before travel (it was an urgent family matter).
I did have to book and pay for a Day 2 test in the UK. I booked the cheapest possible test I could find as I knew it would never be delivered in time and that I would not need to take it, but presumably some minister was receiving the obligatory backhander on the sales of these tests.
The travel worked out fine, no problem. I just had to show my Covid passport, both when leaving Switzerland and when leaving the UK.
Where did you see this? AFAIK pre departure tests are scrapped but you still need to do an arrival / day 2 LFT. Travel testing is under Plan A, not the Plan B restrictions that are being dropped.
As of Saturday, 2G people no longer need to test to travel to Switzerland however.
All documents are checked at the check in counter. If you don't have the right ones in force at the time you travel, you ain't getting on the plane.
(Source: I saw people turned away from the check in at Manchester last Sunday. Very annoyed they were too - but as they were also not vaccinnated I reckon it was mostly their own fault).
If you are not in the UK for more than 2 days then you shouldnt have to pay for the 2 days test. This is what the airline told me as i booked the test.
You may need to print the UK entry form instead of doing it electronically, as I am not sure you can complete the entry form online without the test code.
you need to book that to get a CODE for the online 'Passenger Locator Form, that you will only get after booking paying for the 'PCR 2 Day test'.
I made a screw up New Year holidays. Did not understand. Had booked and paid for PCR on day two after arrival. That is not counted as PCR 2 Day test.
After waiting on phone for 30 minutes for someone at company to answer phone and they explained my mistake and immediately offered to cancel original booking and refund. Leaving me to then book PCR 2 day test. At the time first booking available for PCR 2 Day Test. was three or four days after arrival. I was given the Code so all good.
Rules are changing for England, depending on date of travel, best to check the gov.uk website.
Whilst waiting for person to answer phone to me, there was the usual blurbs of information by robot. One item for another button to push was about refunds. I was of impression they are used to refunding, when appropriate notice given I suppose.