Booking antigen test before holiday?

patchyX2

I'm due to travel to Greece soon. I'm double vaccinated so don't need to test before flying out there, but because they're on the UK's amber list, I need a negative test taken 72 hours before returning to the UK.

I'm due to fly out early on Friday morning and back on Sunday afternoon. Would it be possible to book an antigen test in the UK on the Friday morning before flying out to Greece, which I can use as my proof when returning to the UK (as that would be within the 72hr window), or does the test HAVE to be taken in the country you're returning from?

I'm flying to Mykonos airport and don't have much time there before having to get on a ferry to Tinos, so trying to squeeze in a test there would be more awkward than getting it done in the UK prior to travel, plus if I did test positive, I wouldn't get on the plan in the first place!

Caz3121

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england
"If you are returning to the UK within 3 days, you can use the result of a COVID-19 test that you take in the UK before you travel. You must use a private test provider for the test and not an NHS test."

patchyX2

Caz3121 said:

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-testing-for-people-travelling-to-england
"If you are returning to the UK within 3 days, you can use the result of a COVID-19 test that you take in the UK before you travel. You must use a private test provider for the test and not an NHS test."

Wow thanks for the quick and helpful response. I spent ages on the gov site before posting and didn't spot that 

LeoBarrat

You need to buy a private Rapid antigen test before you leave England and can use it for return journey to England within 72 hours of your flight back to England. 
You can buy it online at predeparture.co.uk