As you know, Singapore had this concept of Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) since the second half of last year. These flights are only available for those who are fully vaccinated according to WHO requirements. I was fortunate enough to visit Italy and Spain in Nov/ Dec 2021, and to come back on a VTL. If you do not make plans early, the VTL flights coming back to Singapore would be more expensive due to the demand higher than the supply.
This week, the government has announced an extension of vaccinated travel lanes to Penang, Bali, all India cities; as well as new VTLs with Vietnam and Greece. Good news for people heading to Europe, because from March 16 onwards, Singapore will allow all 30 EEA countries plus Andorra, Monaco, San Marino and the Vatican City to feature on a VTL traveller’s 7-day travel history when flying to Singapore. This means that you can visit any European country in the EEA region, then take a VTL flight which is all the direct flights that Singapore has with Europe to Singapore. Other flight options also include a transit in one of the Middle Eastern countries, such as on Turkish Airlines, Etihad, Emirates, Qatar.
VTL for Malaysia
From 16 Mar 16, the air VTL for Malaysia will extend beyond Kuala Lumpur to include Penang, starting with four daily flights each way between Singapore and Penang. TR429 (Mon, Thur, Fri) and SQ137 (daily).
As of Feb 28, more than 80,000 travellers from Malaysia have entered Singapore under the VTL (Air) from Kuala Lumpur airport.
Non-Malaysian work permit holders in the construction, marine shipyard and process sector or work permit holders who are staying in dormitories are not allowed to enter Singapore under the VTL.
VTL for Indonesia
The VTL for Indonesia will extend beyond Jakarta to include Bali, starting with two daily flights from Bali-Denpasar to Singapore. SQ939 daily, with flight departure at 1pm on Mon, Wed, Fri, Sun; departure 8.15pm on Tue, Thu, Sat.
Indonesia has plans to launch a trial to allow vaccinated travellers to enter Bali from mid-March, but with the VTL it has effectively removed the need for quarantine for foreign tourists arriving on the island.
VTL for India
The VTL for India will include all cities. It currently covers Chennai, Delhi and Mumbai.
Designated VTL flights from India to Singapore are being operated by Air India, IndiGo, Singapore Airlines and Vistara.
- Ahmedabad
- Bengaluru
- Chennai
- Delhi
- Hyderabad
- Kochi
- Kolkata
- Mumbai
Scoot, SIA’s low-cost subsidiary, will also progressively convert its non-VTL services from Amritsar, Coimbatore, Thiruvananthapuram, Tiruchi, and Visakhapatnam to VTL services.
VTL for Vietnam
Vietnam plans to reopen its borders for international tourism from Mar 15. With the launch of the VTL from Vietnam, there will be a restoration of two-way quarantine-free travel with Vietnam, which was a popular destination for many Singaporeans pre-COVID.
Travellers from Vietnam and Greece may enter Singapore under the VTL on or after Mar 16.
Vaccinated travel pass applications for these countries will open on Mar 13 at 10am. This is required for eligible short-term visitors and work permit holders.
Fully vaccinated Singaporeans, permanent residents and all other long-term pass holders and in-principle approval (IPA) holders do not need to apply for the pass. Children aged 12 and below in the calendar year do not need to do so as well.
VTL for Greece
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. TR723 (Tue, Thu, Sat, Sun)
The European Economic Area, which consists of the 27 EU member states, Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway, allows the free movement of people between these countries.
Travellers who have been in any country in the European Economic Area, including transit stops, within the last seven consecutive days before departure to Singapore, may count their stay in those countries towards fulfilling the seven-day VTL travel history requirement.
CAAS said the extension of the VTLs will help facilitate travel and “densify” the Singapore air hub’s connectivity with key markets. This is definitely good news for all in Singapore as we slowly start to see some resumption in the travel and aviation industry. Hope that the government will scrap the elitist concept of VTL as nowadays, there’s very few imported cases. Instead, the local transmission of Covid cases in Singapore is still very high, and it is still uncertain when the Omicron wave will pass.
