About Luxembourg

Travel Advice

It is more important than ever to get travel insurance and check it provides appropriate cover. See the FCDO guidance on foreign travel insurance.

There are rules about taking food and drink into the EU. See Taking food and drink into the EU for further information.

Around 120,000 British nationals visit Luxembourg every year (Source: STATEC (Statistics Office in Luxembourg). Most visits are trouble-free.

If you’re living in or moving to Luxembourg, visit our Living in Luxembourg guide in addition to this travel advice.

Terrorist attacks in Luxembourg cannot be ruled out. See Terrorism

All vehicles must have winter tyres when temperatures are zero or below. See Road travel

If you’re abroad and you need emergency help from the UK government, contact the nearest British embassy, consulate or high commission.

The Overseas Business Risk service offers information and advice for British companies operating overseas on how to manage political, economic, and business security-related risks.

Coronavirus travel health

Check the latest information on risk from COVID-19 for Luxembourg on the TravelHealthPro website

See the TravelHealthPro website for further advice on travel abroad and reducing spread of respiratory viruses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

You should contact local authorities for information on testing facilities.

Entry and borders

See Entry requirements to find out what you will need to do when you arrive in Luxembourg.

Be prepared for your plans to change

No travel is risk-free during COVID-19. Countries may further restrict travel or bring in new rules at short notice, for example due to a new COVID-19 variant. Check with your travel company or airline for any transport changes which may delay your journey home.

If you test positive for COVID-19, you may need to stay where you are until you test negative. You may also need to seek treatment there.

Plan ahead and make sure you:

• can access money
• understand what your insurance will cover
• can make arrangements to extend your stay and be away for longer than planned

Travel in Luxembourg

The Luxembourg government has now removed most COVID-19 restrictions.

To find out more about local restrictions, please refer to the Luxembourg government website.

Healthcare in Luxembourg

For contact details for English speaking doctors, visit our list of healthcare providers.

Your emotional and mental wellbeing is important. Read guidance on how to look after your mental wellbeing and mental health

View Health for further details on healthcare in Luxembourg.

See also the guidance on healthcare if you’re waiting to return to the UK.

Finance

For information on financial support you can access whilst abroad, visit our financial assistance guidance.

Help and support

Further advice and information is available from the Luxembourg Government (in English).

If you need urgent consular assistance, contact your nearest British embassy, high commission or consulate. All telephone numbers are available 24/7.

Crime

Violent crime isn’t common in Luxembourg cities, but incidents of burglaries are on the increase. Ensure you take adequate precautions to secure your home, particularly during the traditional holiday periods in August and around Christmas.

Pickpockets operate on buses and in train stations, particularly the Luxembourg Gare (main train station). Be aware of your immediate surroundings, keep your bags within sight, and avoid displaying high value items.

Hotel lobbies, especially in the Findel area, are reported to be hot spots for thefts and pickpocketing.

Report any thefts in person to the nearest local police within 24 hours and get a police report crime number.

Scams

Foreign visitors and residents can be targeted by scam artists. These can cause great financial loss. If you receive an e-mail claiming to be from His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) offering a tax refund on provision of your bank details you should make absolutely sure that it is not part of a scam.

Public transport

All public transport in Luxembourg is free (bus, train, tram). You will only need to buy a ticket if you travel in first class on national trains, or if you are planning to cross the border to Germany, France or Belgium. For more detailed information, see the mobiliteit website.

Taxis

It’s safer to use official taxis (on clearly marked taxi stands). Always check the fare per km before getting in as some taxis can charge highly inflated prices. Taxi drivers can charge 25% extra on Sundays.

Road travel

In 2021 there were 24 road deaths in Luxembourg (source: Luxembourg Statistics Portal). This equates to approximately 3.7 road deaths per 100,000 of population and compares to the UK average of approximately 2.3 road deaths per 100,000 of population in 2021.

If you are planning to drive in Luxembourg, see information on Driving Abroad.

Licences and documents

You can drive in Luxembourg with a UK driving licence.

If you’re living in Luxembourg, check the Living in Guide for information on requirements for residents.

Driving a British car abroad

You may need a UK sticker to drive your car outside the UK. From 28 September 2021 UK stickers have replaced GB stickers. Check the GOV.UK Displaying number plates website for more information on what to do if you are driving outside the UK.

Driving regulations

Many of the driving rules on Luxembourg’s roads are different to those in the UK:

• the minimum age for driving a car is 18
• driving is on the right
• mobile phones may only be used ‘hands free’ while driving
• priority is given to traffic from the right in towns - drivers must stop for traffic joining from the right unless a yellow diamond sign or other priority road sign has been posted
• you must use headlights on full-beam outside towns and cities at night and in times of low visibility

Keep vehicle registration and car insurance documents with you to prove you’re the legal owner and the car is properly insured. Failure to do so could lead to a fine and confiscation of the vehicle. On the spot fines are common. It’s easy to cross into neighbouring countries without realising it. Keep your passport with you for identification.

All vehicles should have winter tyres when temperatures are zero or below.

Drink-drive laws are strictly enforced. You can be arrested for having a blood alcohol content of 0.05%. See the European Commission,RAC guide on driving in Luxembourg.

Road safety

Heavy goods vehicles

Heavy goods vehicles exceeding 7.5 tons, with or without a trailer, intended for the transport of goods from Belgium or Germany to France are prohibited on public roads in Luxembourg from Saturday 9:30pm to Sunday at 9:45pm, and on the days before public holidays from 9:30pm to the following day at 9:45pm.

Terrorist attacks in Luxembourg cannot be ruled out.

There is a high threat of terrorist attack globally affecting UK interests and British nationals, including from groups and individuals who view the UK and British nationals as targets. You should remain vigilant at all times.

French, German and Luxembourgish are the administrative languages.

The minimum legal drinking age is 16 years, but being drunk and disorderly in public is a criminal offence that can result in arrest for a night and a heavy fine.

Taking food and drink into the EU

You cannot take meat, milk or products containing them into EU countries. There are some exceptions for medical reasons, for example certain amounts of powdered infant milk, infant food, or pet food required for medical reasons. Check the rules about taking food and drink into the EU on the European Commission website.

This page reflects the UK government’s understanding of current rules for people travelling on a full ‘British Citizen’ passport from the UK, for the most common types of travel.

The authorities in Luxembourg set and enforce entry rules. If you’re unsure how Luxembourg’s entry requirements apply to you, contact its UK embassy, high commission or consulate.

All travellers

From 1 October 2022, all COVID-19 travel restrictions for travellers to Luxembourg have been lifted. The rules that previously applied to travellers coming to Luxembourg no longer apply. Further details can be found on the Luxembourg government’s website.

If you’re fully vaccinated

Entry requirements for Luxembourg are the same for all travellers, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

Proof of vaccination status

You don’t need to provide your vaccination status for entry to Luxembourg.

If you’re not fully vaccinated

Entry requirements for Luxembourg are the same for all travellers, regardless of COVID-19 vaccination status.

If you’ve had COVID-19 in the past year

Entry requirements for Luxembourg are the same for all travellers, regardless of whether you have tested positive for COVID-19 in the past year.

Children and young people

There are no specific requirements for children and young people.

If you’re transiting through Luxembourg

There are no specific rules regarding transiting through Luxembourg.

Exemptions

There are no exemptions to Luxembourg’s entry requirements.

Check your passport and travel documents before you travel

Passport validity

If you are planning to travel to an EU country (except Ireland), or Switzerland, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Andorra, Monaco, San Marino or Vatican City, you must follow the Schengen area passport requirements.

Your passport must be:

• Issued less than 10 years before the date you enter the country (check the ‘date of issue’)
• valid for at least 3 months after the day you plan to leave (check the ‘expiry date’)

You must check your passport meets these requirements before you travel. If your passport was issued before 1 October 2018, extra months may have been added to its expiry date.

Contact the embassy of the country you are visiting if you think that your passport does not meet both these requirements. Renew your passport if you need to.

Visas

You can travel to countries in the Schengen area for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa. This applies if you travel as a tourist, to visit family or friends, to attend business meetings, cultural or sports events, or for short-term studies or training.

If you are travelling to Luxembourg and other Schengen countries without a visa, make sure your whole visit is within the 90-day limit. Visits to Schengen countries within the previous 180 days before you travel count towards your 90 days.

To stay longer, to work or study, for business travel or for other reasons, you will need to meet the Luxembourg government’s entry requirements. Check with the Luxembourg Embassy what type of visa and/or work permit you may need.

If you are travelling to Luxembourg for work, read the guidance on visas and permits.

If you stay in Luxembourg with a residence permit or long-stay visa, this does not count towards your 90-day visa-free limit.

Passport stamping

Check your passport is stamped if you enter or exit the Schengen area through Luxembourg as a visitor. Border guards will use passport stamps to check you’re complying with the 90-day visa-free limit for short stays in the Schengen area. If relevant entry or exit stamps are not in your passport, border guards will presume that you have overstayed your visa-free limit.

You can show evidence of when and where you entered or exited the Schengen area, and ask the border guards to add this date and location in your passport. Examples of acceptable evidence include boarding passes and tickets.

You may also need to:

• show a return or onward ticket
• show you have enough money for your stay

If you are resident in Luxembourg, read our Living in Luxembourg guide for passport stamping information.

If you have a health condition, or you are pregnant, you may need specialist healthcare abroad. Check whether your destination country can provide the healthcare you may need and ensure you have appropriate travel insurance for unexpected medical evacuation or local treatment.

At least 8 weeks before your trip, check the latest country-specific health advice from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC) on the TravelHealthPro website. Each country-specific page has information on vaccine recommendations, any current health risks or outbreaks, and factsheets with information on staying healthy abroad. Guidance is also available from NHS (Scotland) on the FitForTravel website.

General information on travel vaccinations and a travel health checklist is available on the NHS website. You may then wish to contact your health adviser or pharmacy for advice on other preventive measures and managing any pre-existing medical conditions while you’re abroad.

The legal status and regulation of some medicines prescribed or purchased in the UK can be different in other countries. If you’re travelling with prescription or over-the-counter medicine, read this guidance from NaTHNaC on best practice when travelling with medicines. For further information on the legal status of a specific medicine, you’ll need to contact the embassy, high commission or consulate of the country or territory you’re travelling to.

While travel can be enjoyable, it can sometimes be challenging. There are clear links between mental and physical health, so looking after yourself during travel and when abroad is important. Information on travelling with mental health conditions is available in our guidance page. Further information is also available from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC).

Healthcare

You should get a free UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) or European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) before leaving the UK. If you already have an EHIC it will still be valid as long as it remains in date.

The GHIC or EHIC entitles you to state provided medical treatment that may become necessary during your trip. Any treatment provided is on the same terms as Luxembourg nationals. If you don’t have your EHIC with you or you’ve lost it, you can call the NHS Overseas Healthcare Team on +44 191 218 1999 to get a Provisional Replacement Certificate.

It’s important to take out appropriate travel insurance for your needs. A GHIC or EHIC is not an alternative to travel insurance and you should have both before you travel. It does not cover all health-related costs, for example, medical repatriation, ongoing medical treatment and non-urgent treatment. Read more about what your travel insurance should cover.

If you’re living in Luxembourg, you can also find more information on healthcare for residents in our Living In Luxembourg guide.

If you need emergency medical assistance during your trip, dial 112 and ask for an ambulance. If you specifically ask for SAMU Ambulance (Service d’Aide Médicale Urgente) it means that the ambulance will come together with a doctor. If you’re referred to a medical facility for treatment you should contact your insurance/medical assistance company immediately.

Foreign travel checklist

Read our foreign travel checklist to help you plan for your trip abroad and stay safe while you’re there.

Travel safety

The FCDO travel advice helps you make your own decisions about foreign travel. Your safety is our main concern, but we can’t provide tailored advice for individual trips. If you’re concerned about whether or not it’s safe for you to travel, you should read the travel advice for the country or territory you’re travelling to, together with information from other sources you’ve identified, before making your own decision on whether to travel. Only you can decide whether it’s safe for you to travel.

When we judge the level of risk to British nationals in a particular place has become unacceptably high, we’ll state on the travel advice page for that country or territory that we advise against all or all but essential travel. Read more about how the FCDO assesses and categorises risk in foreign travel advice.

Our crisis overseas page suggests additional things you can do before and during foreign travel to help you stay safe.

Refunds and cancellations

If you wish to cancel or change a holiday that you’ve booked, you should contact your travel company. The question of refunds and cancellations is a matter for you and your travel company. Travel companies make their own decisions about whether or not to offer customers a refund. Many of them use our travel advice to help them reach these decisions, but we do not instruct travel companies on when they can or can’t offer a refund to their customers.

For more information about your rights if you wish to cancel a holiday, visit the Citizen’s Advice Bureau website. For help resolving problems with a flight booking, visit the website of the Civil Aviation Authority. For questions about travel insurance, contact your insurance provider and if you’re not happy with their response, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

Registering your travel details with us

We’re no longer asking people to register with us before travel. Our foreign travel checklist and crisis overseas page suggest things you can do before and during foreign travel to plan your trip and stay safe.

Previous versions of FCDO travel advice

If you’re looking for a previous version of the FCDO travel advice, visit the National Archives website. Versions prior to 2 September 2020 will be archived as FCO travel advice. If you can’t find the page you’re looking for there, send the Travel Advice Team a request

Further help

If you’re a British national and you have a question about travelling abroad that isn’t covered in our foreign travel advice or elsewhere on GOV.UK, you can enquire, or contact us on Twitter or Facebook. We’re not able to provide tailored advice for specific trips.