Lesson Learned: Plan for return COVID testing

Currently, to return to the US from international destinations, we need a negative COVID test within 48 hours from time of departure.  The Red Cross has graciously set up testing sites at all main city train stations and airports in Italy.  Unfortunately, they neglect to tell you their limited hours.  We went at 3pm two days prior to our departure, only to find they closed at 2pm. 

The following day we arrived at the train station at 9am (they opened at 8am) to find a huge line.  I stood in line while my husband and daughter went to find breakfast.  Thirty minutes later, I had moved THREE feet.  That’s right, three feet in a line that was zigzagging for probably 300 feet.  My husband found an employee and was told the wait was 4-5 hours.  Yikes! 

Now, I’m frantically researching where else we could find COVID testing so we can board our flight home.  Luckily, I found the airport has paid COVID testing available (Red Cross stations are free).  We scurried to the airport and ran around searching for the COVID testing site.  We barely made the cutoff as they closed at 4pm.  Seriously!  The Italian riposo (siesta) is insanely inconvenient.  (They do reopen at midnight but who wants to sit in the airport that late with children.) 

Our friends, who also traveled internationally, scheduled testing at their hotel with a crew coming to them a day before their flight.  They paid more for their testing but probably worth every penny to not miss your flight home.  (Unless you dream of being stuck internationally like me!!!)  Lesson learned- schedule your return COVID test in advance (and preferably at your hotel).