Singapore Ends Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTL)

Singapore will scrap its Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL) scheme, with quarantine-free travel to Singapore available to anyone who is vaccinated from 1 April 2022.

There will still be some basic entry requirements to travel to Singapore under the new “Vaccinated Travel Framework” (VTF), which will replace the VTL scheme from next month. But arriving passengers will no longer need to get COVID-19 tests or self-isolate after arrival.

Passengers arriving in Singapore also won’t have to use designated “VTL” flights anymore, which will not exist after 1 April, and the requirement to have been only in certain countries in the 7 days prior to arriving in Singapore will be scrapped.

Good riddance, VTL

When the first “Vaccinated Travel Lane” between Singapore and Germany was launched in September 2021, it was a groundbreaking move towards reopening Singapore to the world. Two months later, Australia was added to Singapore’s growing list of VTL countries making quarantine-free travel from Australia to Singapore possible for the first time since March 2020.

There were lots of rules, COVID-19 tests and paperwork involved, but that was an exciting time. There was finally a pathway to travel to Singapore, and some Australians did choose to take advantage of it.

At the time it was launched, the VTL made a lot of sense. But in March 2022, it no longer really serves its original purpose – instead, it just makes travelling to Singapore unnecessarily complicated and unappealing. It is also excluding vaccinated people from countries that don’t happen to be part of the VTL scheme (i.e. most countries that Singapore Airlines doesn’t fly to).

In recent months, the VTL rules have become progressively more relaxed. Singapore also removed testing requirements for transit passengers in late February. It’s now time for the VTL to be taken out of its misery once and for all.

What’s required to fly to Singapore from 1 April 2022

From 11.59pm on 31 March 2022, the following requirements will apply to Australians arriving in Singapore:

• Proof of full COVID-19 vaccination (booster not required)
• Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC) submitted up to 72 hours before arriving in Singapore
• Pre-departure COVID-19 PCR or rapid antigen test taken within 2 days before departure (not required if arriving by land from Malaysia)
• Use of the Trace Together contact-tracing smartphone App
• Travel insurance with at least SGD30,000 coverage for COVID-related medical expenses

See the Singapore Safe Travel website for more details.

From 1 April, the 10.30pm alcohol curfew in Singapore is also being lifted. So too is the requirement to wear masks outdoors while in Singapore.

Other Southeast Asian countries removing quarantine

1 April 2022 is also the date that neighbouring Malaysia reopens its border to tourists and removes quarantine requirements for inbound international travel.

Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam and Cambodia have already removed quarantine requirements for tourists, with Cambodia also recently dropping pre-flight testing requirements.

Indonesia has also just removed quarantine requirements for tourists, including for travel to Bali.

You can leave a comment or discuss this topic on the Australian Frequent Flyer forum.

Matt Graham

The editor of Australian Frequent Flyer, Matt's passion for travel has taken him to over 70 countries… with the help of frequent flyer points, of course!
Matt's favourite destinations (so far) are Germany, Brazil & Kazakhstan. His interests include economics, aviation & foreign languages, and he has a soft spot for good food and red wine.

You can connect with Matt by posting on the Australian Frequent Flyer community forum and tagging @AFF Editor.