Land VTLs Between Malaysia and Singapore Will Be Allowing More Daily Passengers
On Mar 10th, Singapore and Malaysia both announced that the land vaccinated travel lanes (VTLs) between the two countries will be allowing more daily passengers starting Mar 14th.
The daily passenger quota will increase from the original 2,160 to 3,420 passengers. This is equivalent to a total of 76 bus trips daily. The bus tickets for additional quota will begin sales on Mar 11th.
“We are gradually expanding the VTL with Malaysia via our land borders, to allow more travellers crossing the borders,” said a spokesperson for Singapore’s Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI).
The Malaysia’s transport ministry also added that this would allow even more fully vaccinated people to travel across the Causeway without having the needs to quarantine and other related requirements.
Malaysia’s designated bus operator will continue to operate the VTL by land to Singapore from the Larkin Terminal in Johor Bahru, said the transport ministry.
Malaysia’s international border will be reopened on Apr 1st as the country progresses to the endemic phase. The announcement was made on Mar 8th by the Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
Foreigners entering Malaysia will only require valid travel documents. Foreigners no longer have to apply for entry via the MyTravelPass mechanism. However, the MySejahtera contact tracing application is still a must to be downloaded by foreigners.
Fully vaccinated travellers no longer need to undergo quarantine upon entering Malaysia. They only need to undergo a COVID-19 reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test two days before departure and a professional COVID-19 rapid test kit-antigen (RTK-Ag) test within 24hours after arrival in Malaysia.
Singapore’s MTI also mentioned on Mar 8th that it is in discussion with Malaysia's transport ministry to expand the land VTL by offering other transport routes.
Singapore currently has land and air VTLs with Malaysia.
For land VTL, travellers are allowed to commute between Singapore and Johor Bahru by taking the designated bus services across the Causeway. VTL pass can be bought via the Causeway Link website. The bus services are operated by two companies, Transtar Travel and Handal Indah.
For air VTL, there are designated flights travelling between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
From Mar 16th, there will be additional to Malaysia's air VTL from the existence Kuala Lumpur to include Penang, beginning with four flights daily each way between Singapore and Penang.
The Singapore government makes it compulsory that all travellers must obtain a negative pre-departure polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result or antigen rapid test (ART) result within two days before leaving for Singapore.
Upon arrival in Singapore, all travellers must take a supervised self-administered ART at Woodlands and Queen Street Bus Terminals, or choose to take the test at any quick test centre or combined test centre within 24 hours.
