FAQs & Travel Advice
Last Updated on
CLEAN AIR ZONES
More UK cities are signing up to be Clean Air Zones (CAZ). Please ensure you check prior to travel whether your vehicle will need to pay. To avoid being charged in a clean air zone, your vehicle must meet the following minimum standard:
Buses, coaches, heavy goods vehicles: Euro VI
Vans, minibuses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cars: Euro 6 (diesel) and Euro 4 (petrol)
Check for the current list of cities HERE
You can enter your registration to check if charges apply: HERE
ISLE OF MAN COACHES
Click Here
VISAS FOR EUROPEAN TRAVEL
ETIA (visa waiver) will be required at some point for all visitors from the UK travelling to Europe. It is currently thought that it will be implemented in 2024 costing around £7, and will be valid for 3 years.
DRIVING IN EUROPE – REGULATIONS
For information about driving regulations, low emission zones and access regulations across Europe, click HERE
VISITORS TO VENICE
From 16 January 2023, visitors to Venice who have not booked accommodation in the city or surrounding islands will face a separate entry fee of between 3 and 10 euros. This is applied as an alternative to the tourist tax. For further information, please visit City of Venice website.
DRIVING IN ITALY – ZTL PERMITS & FINES
If you are touring in Italy, you need to be aware of the restrictions that exist entering towns and cities. These can vary considerably across the country.
ZTLs (Zona Traffico Limitato) are zones which restrict entry and circulation at certain times and affect all vehicles including local ones. In order to avoid unexpected fines, you need to get a permit ahead of crossing a ZTL. Signage for these zones is not always clear, so we recommend you find out ahead of travel, where they are and if you are likely to cross them.
Click HERE for information for individual Italian zones
TRAVEL ADVICE & USEFUL LINKS
Other Useful Information:
It is natural that your guests will want assurances that you are following all the current rules and regulations for travel in the wake of the pandemic, therefore we have included some useful links below, with information regarding operating coaches and tours. These do get updated regularly, so we recommend that you bookmark them and check them ahead of any departures, to ensure you have up-to-date information at your fingertips.
UK Government
FCO pages for individual country advice – Click FCO HERE
Coronavirus information – Click Coronavirus HERE
Health & Safety Executive
Information on managing risks and risk assessment – Click HSE HERE
Confederation of Passenger Transport
CPT details rules and regulations on coach operations – Click CPT HERE
Visit Britain
‘We’re Good to Go’ campaign, supporting business recover – click Visit Britain HERE
International Road-Users
Guideline for the safe return of passenger transport – click Guidelines HERE
ETOA
Information, networking site for information about travel throughout Europe – click ETOA HERE
SEA CROSSING TERMS & CONDITIONS
If a ferry/sea crossing forms part of your tour(s), please note that individual operators’ terms & conditions apply. These may vary and apply to all coach passengers. For the most up-to-date information, please see the links below:
P&O Ferries
DFDS
Irish Ferries
CalMac
NorthLink Ferries
Isle of Man Steam Packet
Wight Link
Condor Ferries
Stena Line
Brittany Ferries
Eurotunnel – Le Shuttle
Eurostar
The following frequently asked questions may also be of assistance:
Will we be charged if we cancel our tour outside of normal cancellation terms?
If you are forced to cancel a tour with us, outside of the normal cancellation terms, then of course you will not be charged.
Will we be charged if we cancel our tour within cancellation terms?
If you are forced to cancel your tour with us due to coronavirus, and the tour is within cancellation terms and/or non-refundable deposits have been paid on your behalf in advance of travel, we will work with you and our suppliers to limit your liability as much as possible. For full cancellation details please see here
Will we be charged if we are forced to cancel a tour due to a Foreign Office travel advice within cancellation terms?
If Foreign Office travel advice is such that as the legal tour operator you are forced to cancel a tour, and it is within cancellation charges, again we will work with you and our suppliers to limit your liability.
Is Albatross Travel cancelling any tours?
Albatross Travel will only cancel a tour at your request. Unless you have been contacted otherwise, your tour remains contracted to travel.
What are we doing at Albatross Travel to ensure your tours can travel as contracted?
We are in continual contact with all of our hotels to review arrival and check-in procedures, porterage, ongoing sanitation, bedroom cleaning, socially-distanced dining and the availability and use of hotel facilities. If there are restrictions that are likely to substantially impact the tour and your guest’s experience, we will update you in line with departure dates.
For attractions, we will endeavour to ensure they are all following guidelines and putting customer safety first. As a result, some visits or excursions may have new or different procedures for looking after groups.
What if the hotel or attraction that we have contracted is not open or accommodating groups?
If the hotel, visit or attraction is not open for group business, we will advise you as soon as we are aware, and work with you to find a suitable alternative and help you make any changes as a consequence.
