London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Aug 17, 2026

Covid in Scotland: Cross-border travel allowed from Monday

Covid in Scotland: Cross-border travel allowed from Monday

Travel around Britain will be allowed from Monday after the Scottish government announced the lifting of restrictions on cross-border journeys.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the ban on non-essential travel to England and Wales would end on 26 April.

"From Monday you can travel anywhere across Britain for any purpose," she told a coronavirus briefing.

Restrictions on travel to Northern Ireland, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man will also be lifted.

However, people are urged to check the rules on entry before travelling.

The current guidance in place in Northern Ireland only allows people to travel into or out of the country for essential reasons.

The moves are part of a wider easing of Scotland's lockdown restrictions, which will also see the reopening of hospitality, tourist accommodation, visitor attractions and non-essential shops.

Most travel restrictions within Scotland were lifted last Friday.

There had been fears that some restrictions could remain in place for travel from the mainland to Scottish islands, many of which have very low rates of Covid.

Lateral flow tests will be available to anyone in Scotland from Monday, and anyone travelling to the islands is being urged to take two tests before their journey.

One should be taken three days before departure, and one on the day. If a positive result is returned from the initial test, people are encouraged to take a more sensitive PCR test before making a final decision on whether to cancel their visit.

Travel restrictions in Scotland were eased last week

"This is potentially an important way we can minimise the risk of bringing Covid into island communities, while nevertheless allowing our island communities the benefit of opening up again to visitors," said Ms Sturgeon.

The lifting of travel restrictions with the rest of the UK will also take effect from Monday.

National clinical director Prof Jason Leitch said people should not be crossing borders to do things that they could not do in their own country.

"People from Cumbria should not come to the indoor hospitality in Dumfries, and people shouldn't go the other way to do stuff that they cannot do (in Scotland)," he said.

"But of course they should do it to visit family outdoors in their gardens, because that has not been possible."


The Scottish government also stressed that international travel for non-essential purposes was still not permitted.

Ms Sturgeon said this was "difficult" for the aviation and tourism sector, and for those with family overseas.

"We want to restore normality on international travel as quickly as possible," she said.

"But we must be sensible in light of the risks we face. We are continuing to work with the UK government to agree a common approach to international travel after 17 May."

She also highlighted the change in rules for travel to India, in light of the country's soaring virus case numbers.

From Friday anyone travelling to Scotland from India must quarantine for 10 days in managed accommodation in the place where they first arrived back in the UK.

Meanwhile, train operator ScotRail said ticket checks would resume on its services from Monday.

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Sarah Ferguson Reportedly Retreats to Late Ex-Boyfriend's Swiss Chalet
Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes
Thieves Steal Antonello da Messina Renaissance Masterpieces From Sicilian Museum
Better.com Founder Who Fired 900 Employees on Zoom Is Ousted as CEO
Italian Speed Camera Issues Nearly 32,000 Fines in 10 Weeks, Worth More Than €3 Million
AI Manager at San Francisco Store Recommends Firing Human Employee
Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy
Campaigners Press Government to Strengthen Rights for Four Million Gig Workers
Government Considers Higher Private Rents to Spread Asylum Accommodation Across UK
UK Moves to Protect Historic Pubs From Conversion Into Housing and Offices
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to House of Commons
British Manufacturers Report Rising Cybersecurity Threats Across Industrial Supply Chains
Royal Navy Increases Monitoring of Russian Ships in UK Waters by 25 Percent
England Adds More Than 350 Medical Training Posts to Strengthen NHS Capacity
NHS Waiting Lists Over 52 Weeks Rise by More Than 11,000 Patients
Brent Crude Near $88 Raises Fresh UK Energy Cost Concerns
UK Treasury Warns Prolonged Strait of Hormuz Disruption Could Cut 2027 Growth to 0.3 Percent
UK Economy Grows 0.4 Percent in Second Quarter as Energy and Inflation Risks Persist
UK Heatwave Triggers Emergency Alert as Government Unveils £65 Million Farm Support Package
Reform UK Unveils Plan to Cut Welfare Spending by More Than £50 Billion a Year
Prime Minister Andy Burnham Praised Extinction Rebellion for Doing a 'Great Service'
UK Wildfire Phone Alert Triggers Backlash as Users Switch Off Emergency Warnings
Heathrow Roads Reopen After Burst Water Main Floods Access to Terminals 2 and 3
Former NBA Players Enes Kanter Freedom and Royce White Say They Will Enter 2027 WNBA Draft
Former Cambridge Professor Jason Arday Found Dead Days After Resigning Amid Plagiarism Row
US Appeals Court Rules AI Agent's Website Actions Are Legally Attributed to the User
France's Constitutional Council Blocks Social Media Ban for Children Under 15
Liechtenstein Changes Royal Succession Rules to Allow Women to Inherit the Throne
Women Allege Rape and Sexual Abuse at British Army College for Teenage Recruits
Minnesota: Two independent investigators posed as Muslims (one wearing a burqa) and showed how they could vote in elections without identification.
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham Takes Regional Tour to Highlight Local Infrastructure and Environmental Problems
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to the House of Commons
Bank of England Warns Rising Inflation Could Squeeze UK Household Incomes
UK Government Announces £65 Million Aid Package for Farmers Hit by Severe Drought
UK Economy Grows 0.4% in Second Quarter Despite Energy Market Pressures
UK Issues Emergency Alert as Severe Wildfires Spread Across England and Wales
UK and Finland Discuss European Defence and Continued Support for Ukraine
Nigel Farage Wins Clacton By-Election to Return to the House of Commons
UK Government Deploys Military to Help Fight Wildfires and Bans Disposable Barbecues
UK Records Hottest Day of the Year as Fifth Summer Heatwave Peaks in Southern England
UK Condemns Houthi Actions and Warns of Red Sea Threat to Global Trade
UK and Solomon Islands Open Wildlife Photography Exhibition in Honiara
UK Small Businesses Face Continued Cash Flow and Tax Pressures
Greatham Marsh Restoration Restores Tidal Wetland in Hartlepool After More Than 200 Years
UK Health Regulator Urges University Students to Check Meningitis and Measles Vaccination Status
Mining Remediation Authority Completes Major Ground Stabilization Works in Scottish Community
UK Food Crime Investigators Seize 33 Tonnes of Illegal Food in Multi-Agency Operation
Technical Qualification Uptake Hits Record High as Advanced Mathematics Results Improve
UK Summer Temperatures on Course to Challenge Long-Standing Records, Met Office Says
UK Farmers Bring Forward Cereal Harvests as Drought Threatens Yields
×