FAQ: What you need to know about the Singapore-Malaysia land VTL

SINGAPORE: From Nov 29, Singapore and Malaysia will begin a land vaccinated travel lane (VTL) via the Causeway using designated bus services. 

There will be 32 trips each way daily between both countries, Singapore's Prime Minister's Office (PMO) announced in a media release on Wednesday (Nov 24). 

The land VTL, which launches on the same day as the VTL between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport, will "be rolled out in a safe and calibrated manner", said PMO. 

Here's what travellers need to know about entering Singapore under the quarantine-free arrangement. 

WHO CAN TRAVEL USING THE LAND VTL?

In the first phase of the land VTL, travellers have to be citizens, permanent residents or long-term pass holders of the country that they are entering.

Therefore, entry into Singapore via land VTL will be for Singapore citizens, Singapore permanent residents and Singapore long-term pass holders. 

Entry into Malaysia via land VTL will be for Malaysians, Malaysian permanent residents and Malaysian long-term pass holders.

"This is to give priority for those who have been working in either country, to visit their families," said PMO. 

In-principle approval holders of a Singapore-issued long-term pass and foreign short-term visitors are not eligible to travel under the VTL land arrangement. 

WHICH ARE THE DESIGNATED BUS SERVICES?

The designated bus services will be operated by two companies.

Transtar Travel will operate 32 daily designated trips - 16 trips from Malaysia and 16 trips from Singapore - between Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange in Singapore and Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal in Johor Bahru.

Handal Indah will similarly operate 32 daily trips between Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal and Queen Street Terminal in Singapore.

There will be 32 land VTL designated bus services entering each country per day, with a maximum capacity of 45 "fully seated" passengers per trip, said PMO. 

That means the daily quota for the land VTL scheme will be about 2,900 travellers in total, with 1,440 passengers each way.

Travellers who arrive in Singapore via other means, such as private transport or walking across the Causeway, will be subjected to prevailing border control measures.  

This includes serving a seven-day stay-home notice.

HOW DO I BUY THE BUS TICKETS? 

Bus tickets will go on sale at 8am on Thursday on the Transtar Travel and Handal Indah websites.

Tickets will also be released for sale 30 days ahead. 

Travellers are required to purchase their bus tickets at least three days prior to the date of departure. 

WHAT ARE THE REQUIREMENTS TO TRAVEL? 

Travellers entering Singapore must have remained in Malaysia, any other VTL or Category I country or region as recognised by the Singapore Government, and/or Singapore in the last 14 consecutive days before arrival in Singapore.

They must also test negative in a valid pre-departure COVID-19 antigen rapid test (ART) or polymerase chain reaction (PCR), within two calendar days before departure for Singapore.

These tests must be taken at a laboratory or centre that is accredited or recognised by the Malaysia Ministry of Health. 

Children aged two and below in the calendar year are not required to undergo these tests.

Travellers also must be fully vaccinated, while unvaccinated children aged 12 and below must be accompanied by a vaccinated traveller.

All travellers are required to submit the SG Arrival Card with Electronic Health Declaration via the ICA website or through the SG Arrival Card mobile application that can be downloaded for free.

WHEN CAN OTHER TRAVELLERS USE THE LAND VTL? 

Singapore and Malaysia aim to progressively expand the land VTL to include more travellers, including general travellers, "taking into account the public health situation", said PMO. 

"Subsequently, we will also work towards restoring travel through Tuas Second Link," it added. 

Singapore's Minister for Trade and Industry Gan Kim Yong said Singapore will continue to work with Malaysia to expand the land VTL arrangement to more travellers "in the coming weeks". 

"We seek the understanding of workers who may not be able to purchase a bus ticket to travel home immediately due to limited capacity in the initial phase of the launch," he added.