ExpressTest launches new 4-hr and same-day PCR tests for international travel

  • New tests cover ‘mind boggling’ array of requirements for international travel

  • 4-hour PCR tests introduced at Heathrow, Gatwick and Birmingham

  • Same-day PCR added at Heathrow & Edinburgh airports, plus Belfast and London regional centres

Travellers heading to a host of popular ski and winter-sun holiday destinations can now book PCR tests that return results in as little as four hours, following the launch of new rapid and same-day COVID services by Cignpost ExpressTest.

The new launches bolster the company’s COVID testing options for international departures, with many popular destinations including the US, ski favourites such as France, Italy and Austria, and long-haul sunshine escapes including the Caribbean, UAE and the Maldives still requiring fully vaccinated travellers to provide negative COVID tests before they travel.

ExpressTest has introduced its four-hour rapid service at Heathrow T2 and T5, Gatwick and Birmingham airports, plus St Pauls in London, for travellers requiring urgent PCR tests. Samples are taken by trained swabbers and analysed on site at the company’s fully accredited laboratories, with Fit to Fly certificates confirming the result by email within four hours. Tests cost from £119 and must be booked in advanced at https://www.expresstest.co.uk.

The company has also added same-day PCR results at Heathrow T4 and Edinburgh airport, plus in-person testing centres in Belfast and across London. The Same Day PCR test costs from £85 and provides reassurance for travel to countries such as the US, which require fully vaccinated visitors to take a negative COVID test no more than one day before they depart.

COVID testing requirements vary by country and govern whether visitors must take PCR or lateral flow tests, when they must take them, and the minimum age for who must provide results. For example, France, Austria and Italy all have different rules for fully vaccinated skiers arriving in the next few weeks.

To combat the confusion, ExpressTest’s range of services also includes a PCR test with results provided by 10pm the following day, and lateral flow tests that can be taken on site, for confirmed results in just 40 minutes, or home tests with Fit to Fly certificates supplied in two hours.

Nick Markham, CEO at Cignpost ExpressTest says: "While the UK government has removed testing requirements for fully vaccinated arrivals, there’s a mind-boggling array of COVID rules for popular tourist destinations across Europe and the world.

“Our range of PCR and lateral flow tests ensures holidaymakers can get the right tests at the right time, and will help keep people travelling smoothly.”

 

Cignpost ExpressTest offers a full range of testing services for both inbound and outbound travellers, supported by a team of fully trained swabbers at every site. The company is fully accredited and has more than 85,000 excellent-rated customer reviews on Trustpilot. For more information visit https://www.expresstest.co.uk

IT Operations