SINGAPORE, 7 March 2022: Vaccinated air travellers will be able to enter Singapore from more cities in Malaysia, Indonesia and India without undergoing quarantine.
The VTL scheme allows fully vaccinated travellers to enter Singapore without quarantine. Travellers must test Covid-19 negative before departure for Singapore and take another test within 24 hours of their arrival.
Malaysia
From 16 March, the VTL for Malaysia will be extended beyond Kuala Lumpur to include Penang, starting with four daily flights each way between Singapore and Penang.
For entry into Penang under Malaysia’s vaccinated travel lane scheme, short-term visitors do not need to apply for a pass, unlike Singapore’s VTL scheme. But they will have to fulfil other requirements like taking a pre-departure PCR test and getting travel insurance with a minimum coverage of MYR100,000 (USD32,500).
Indonesia
On the same day, the VTL for Indonesia will be extended beyond Jakarta to include Denpasar in Bali, starting with two daily flights from Denpasar to Singapore.
As Indonesia plans to launch a trial to allow vaccinated travellers to enter Bali from mid-March, this will facilitate two-way quarantine-free travel between Singapore and Bali. Under Bali’s reopening trial, fully vaccinated travellers will have to take a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test on arrival and have to stay inside their pre-booked accommodation while waiting for the test result. The trial is set to start on 14 March but could be brought forward.
India
The VTL for India will extend beyond Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai to include all Indian cities. Budget carrier Scoot said on Friday that it will progressively operate VTL flights from the other cities from 15 March.
Meanwhile, vaccinated travellers from Greece and Vietnam who are looking to enter Singapore under the VTL can do so from 16 March. Greece is already open to vaccinated travellers from Singapore, while Vietnam has announced plans to reopen its borders to international tourists from 15 March.
Europe
From 16 March, travellers who have been in any country in the European Economic Area within the last seven days prior to departure for Singapore will be allowed to enter under the VTL. As the European Economic Area allows free movement of people among its countries, this essentially opens up quarantine-free travel to the 30 states in the area. For example, a Singaporean can now travel to Iceland via London and return without having to quarantine.
Travel history requirements will be eased as well for travellers entering Singapore from Europe under the VTL scheme. This means travellers with recent travel history to the European Economic Area – which comprises 27 European Union member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein, and Norway – will be able to enter Singapore. With the addition of the VTL with Greece, Singapore has established two-way quarantine-free travel with all countries in Europe that have direct flights to Singapore.
Since 8 September last year, Singapore has established VTLs with 30 countries/regions. More than 450,000 VTL travellers have entered Singapore.
Malaysia’s newest VTL routes
Meanwhile, the Malaysian transport ministry has announced new Vaccinated Travel Lanes with Thailand and Cambodia will start by 15 March.
Thailand: Malaysia and Thailand had agreed to allocate up to six flights daily on the Kuala Lumpur-Bangkok route and up to four flights daily for the Kuala Lumpur-Phuket route.
Cambodia: Two daily flights will begin on 15 March on the Kuala Lumpur-Phnom Penh route.
(Source: The Straits Times)
For the full story, see:
https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/singapore-to-expand-vtl-scheme-to-bali-penang-vietnam-greece-and-all-cities-in-india
