Darren YeohSingaporeans and Malaysians will soon be able to visit each other in their home countries! On 8 November 2021, the Prime Ministers of both countries issued a joint statement announcing the opening of a Vaccinated Travel Lane between the two neighbouring countries.
Image credit: Kirill Petropavlov
Starting 29 November 2021, fully vaccinated travellers will be able to travel between Singapore and Malaysia without needing to serve mandatory quarantine. However, at the moment, leisure travel is only possible via air travel between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA).
Six different airlines are expected to operate VTL flights once travel resumes. These are AirAsia, Jetstar Asia, Malaysia Airlines, Malindo Air, Scoot and Singapore Airlines. Each of these airlines will operate one daily service each between the two countries.
Applications for the Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTPs) for Malaysians looking to enter Singapore will open on 22 November 2021. Travellers looking to travel from Singapore to Malaysia, on the other hand, need not apply for any special kind of pass. An on-arrival RT-PCR test is required for all travellers on the Singapore-Malaysia VTL.
On 18 November 2021 (Thursday), Johor’s Chief Minister, Datuk Hasni Mohammad, announced that in addition to the Changi – KLIA air VTL, the land border between Malaysia and Singapore will open on the same date as well! This means that quarantine-free travel across the Causeway and Second Link between Johor and Singapore will also resume on 29 November! However, at the moment, it is understood that the land VTL is only applicable to long-term pass holders in the initial stages.
Image credit: Esmonde Yong
To date, Singapore has already announced VTL travel arrangements with popular destinations like South Korea, Germany, the UK, and more. However, the recommencing of travel between Singapore and Malaysia is perhaps even more significant because of the close ties between the two countries.
Also read: Vaccinated Travel Lanes: What to Know and How to Book a Flight
At the moment, we are still waiting for further details to be released about all the relevant SOPs for visiting Malaysia, which currently imposes a mandatory quarantine period for all arrivals. On the other hand, those arriving in Singapore need only undergo a PCR test upon arrival.
Featured image credit: Aaron Lee
