The quickest, easiest and cheapest Day 2 PCR tests for travel
A headache has returned to the post-Covid travel checklist: Day 2 PCR tests. This time, however, it comes with a fresh pain – self-isolation until you receive a negative result.
Before, you simply needed to book the cheapest lateral flow test available (prices had fallen to as low as £1) and rest safe in the knowledge that – even if the result never even arrived – you’d met your requirements. Now, however, the all-important factor is timing.
Those who cannot work from home, or who are travelling with children that need to get back to school, need snappy results. They may not, however, want to fork out hundreds of pounds per person to guarantee a quick turnaround.
Test providers already seem to be wise to this fact since the new rules for arrivals came into effect (at 4am on November 30). If your flight lands in good time to get to an airport test centre by 8pm, that would be your best route to ensuring fast results. Should you arrive after this time, or very early in the morning, then a drive-through clinic is the best alternative.
If you’re not working to a budget, and time is very short, then you could get an at home test taken in London and expect results within as little as four hours.
Be warned: however, fast and cheap tests are in high demand and some firms offering kits on government website have been using tricks to top the list, but then charge much more than the advertised price. Book early, where possible.
Airport tests
Randox
Where: Heathrow; Manchester, London Stansted, East Midlands Airport, Belfast City Airport, Belfast International Airport
Fastest turnaround time: By 11.59 the day after your appointment
How much: £55, without discount codes
Opening times: 7am-6.30pm
Test cut-off time: By the last appointment
Book it: fly.randox.com
Cignpost ExpressTest
Where? More than 20 test centres, including at airports and drive-through
Fastest turnaround time? By 10pm the day after your test
How much? From £69
Opening times? Varies between centres, usually closed by 8pm
Test cut-off time? Aims to provide results by 10pm next day, regardless of what time it was taken
Book it: expresstest.co.uk
NPH Group
Where? Newcastle/Leeds Bradford
Fastest turnaround time? By 11.59 the day after your appointment
How much? From £95
Opening times? Varies, typically 8am-8pm
Test cut-off time? N/A
Book it: nph-group.co.uk
In clinic, London
DocTap
Where? Seven destinations across London.
Turnaround time? By 2am that night for ‘same-day’ service; by midnight the following day for ‘next time’ option.
How much? Same day from £99 (St John’s Wood and London Bridge £109), next day from £59 (most appointments listed were £69-£74).
Opening times? Times vary between clinics, but the last available across all clinics is 3pm
Test cut-off time for same day results? 3pm
Book it: doctap.co.uk
In clinic
Corona Test Centre
Where? 11 clinics, including London, Surrey, Manchester, Bristol, Newcastle (note that same-day tests are not yet available in Manchester and Bristol).
Turnaround time? By 23.59 for same day; or 6pm for next day
How much? £99 for same day; £89 for next day
Opening times? Varies depending on clinic
Test cut-off time for same day results? 2/3pm
Book it: coronatestcentre.com
The Regenerative Clinic
Where? 12 clinics across England
Turnaround time? By midnight same day
How much? £99
Opening times? Around 8am-8pm
Test cut-off times for same day results? By last appointment
Book it: theregenerativeclinic.co.uk
Drive-through
Eurofins
Where? Eurofins offers various testing services, but its fastest are the drive-through centres at Heathrow and Edinburgh/Livingston
Turnaround time? Eurofins aims for 12-24 hours for the test to be completed
How much? £39.90 at these two centres
Opening times? Heathrow centre 7am-6pm (varies over the Christmas period); Edinburgh/Livingston centre 8.15am-6.30pm Mon-Sun (varies over the Christmas period)
Test cut off time for same day results? N/A
Book it: traveltesting.eurofins.co.uk
At home, courier service
Qured
Where? Available within the M25; At home, the test is self-administered, a courier will wait while you take the test
Turnaround time? 36 hours (the courier will deliver the test to the lab within 12 hours, the lab will process the result within 24 hours)
How much? £64 for the test; £29 for the courier service for the first test, £7 for each additional test collected by the courier
Opening times? Next-day delivery (and pick-up), must be booked by 6pm; delivered between 10am-2pm
Test cut off time? N/A
Book it: qured.com
Superfast turnaround, within London
The Mayfair GP
Where? At home, visits available around Mayfair, Chelsea and Marylebone
Turnaround time? Four hours
How much? £399 per person; discounts for group bookings of 10 or more people
Opening times? N/A
Test cut off time? By 2pm that day
Book it: themayfairgp.com
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