Singapore working with Malaysia to allow vaccinated travellers to cross land border via other transport modes

SINGAPORE: Singapore's Ministry of Trade and Industry (MTI) said on Tuesday (Mar 8) that it is working with its Malaysian counterparts to allow vaccinated travellers to cross the land border via other transport modes. 

Malaysia's Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob announced on Tuesday that the country will fully reopen its borders on Apr 1 as it begins to transition to the COVID-19 endemic phase.  

Travellers who are fully vaccinated will not need to undergo any quarantine. They will only need to do 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 24 hours after arrival in Malaysia.

In response to CNA's queries, MTI said: "We are working with our Malaysian counterparts to expand VTL (Land) in a safe and progressive manner, so as to resume more trade, economic and social activities between the two countries."

"We will share more details when ready," it added.

Singapore currently has land and air VTLs with Malaysia.

Under the land VTL, travellers are able to commute between Singapore and Johor Bahru by taking designated bus services across the Causeway. The bus services are operated by two companies, Transtar Travel and Handal Indah. 

Travellers need to obtain a negative pre-departure polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test result or antigen rapid test (ART) result within two days before departure for Singapore.

Upon arrival in Singapore, they can 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 of arrival in Singapore.

Under the air VTL, there are designated flights between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport. 

From 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.