Plans in place for a safe visit

Bregenz, 9.7.21. It’s just 12 days until the 75th season of the Bregenz Festival – delayed for a year by the pandemic – can begin. The safety of guests and performers is ensured by the prevention and hygiene measures in place at the Bregenz Festival. 

Owing to the very favourable development of the pandemic situation in Austria, large-scale events have been permitted again virtually without restrictions since 1 July. Visitors now only need to have been vaccinated against or recovered from COVID-19 or to have recently tested negative, and must be able to prove it, for example by means of a vaccination certificate or other valid documentation.

The requirements incumbent upon event organisers include inspecting such documentation. Consequently there will be changes to the traditional way of doing things on the opening day and on days when there’s a performance of Rigoletto. Before the performance starts, the plaza in front of the Festspielhaus will only be open to people who can show either a negative COVID test or proof of vaccination/past infection. Admission tickets will be inspected later when guests take their seats. Inspecting documentation and tickets separately was chosen as a practical method of avoiding queues and groups forming on days when the largest visitor numbers are expected.

People who have neither recovered from nor been fully vaccinated against the virus should get tested before coming to the festival. While there are testing centres in Bregenz, there are none on the festival grounds or in the immediate vicinity.

At all events except for the opening ceremony on 21 July and the premiere of the Festspielhaus production Nero that evening, documentation and tickets will be inspected upon entry to the venue.

Thanks to government regulations in Austria and to the precautionary measures taken by the festival management, visitors can look forward to a safe and hassle-free experience at this summer’s Bregenz Festival. For instance it is no longer mandatory for them to wear a mask over the nose and mouth. Naturally all visitors are free to wear a face covering during a performance at the Bregenz Festival if they wish to.

For visitors to Austria, the requirements vary according to their country of origin. For most countries the need to self-isolate and the need to register for pre-travel clearance no longer apply. International visitors to the Bregenz Festival should be sure to check with the Foreign Ministry about currently valid regulations before travelling to Austria.

All important questions about visiting the Bregenz Festival are answered on an FAQ page on our website. This service is continually updated to take account of changes in Covid-19 prevention policy. Lots of questions are sent to the Bregenz Festival about all sorts of other subjects, too. For example: can you still use an admission ticket to a festival event to get to and from the venue? The answer is yes. As in previous years, an admission ticket entitles you to free bus and train travel within the Vorarlberg public transport network on the day, as far as the stations in Lindau (Germany), St. Margrethen and Buchs (Switzerland) and St. Anton am Arlberg (Austria). The departure times of the buses and trains have been adjusted so that concert-goers can get back to their accommodation safely and conveniently at the end of the show.

So, not everything but still a great deal is just as it used to be. It goes without saying that the Bregenz Festival is in constant contact with the authorities so it can play its part in tackling the health crisis at the same time as minimising the inconvenience for those who come to enjoy the culture.

The 2021 Bregenz Festival runs from 21 July to 22 August. For tickets and information, visit www.bregenzerfestspiele.com or call 0043 5574 4076.