By FAYYADH JAFFAR / Pic by AFP

THE VTL (vaccinated travel lane) between Penang and Singapore would start on March 16th after the governments of both countries agreed to expand the VTL initiative to include the Penang-Singapore route, which will allow fully vaccinated travellers from Penang and Singapore to pass through immigration without having to be quarantined upon arrival.

In a statement to the media today, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Dr Wee Ka Siong said that the latest Penang-Singapore VTL will commence with four flights per day equally shared between participating airlines operating in Malaysia and Singapore. The sale of VTL air tickets will begin as soon as possible.

Citing the economic benefits brought about by the VTL, Wee said that it has contributed significantly to the recovery of the tourism industry between Malaysia and Singapore, especially in the tourism sector.

“The VTL initiative has played an important role in strengthening flight connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore whilst contributing to economic and commercial recovery between the two neighbours, particularly in the tourism sector, which has been heavily impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The VTL, which was first initiated between the Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) route on November 29, 2021, has served 82,906 arriving passengers from Singapore as of February 28, 2022,” he added.

Travelers can access more information on pre-departure and entry conditions to Malaysia at www.imi.gov.my. Details on the requirements for VTL to Singapore can be found at https://safetravel.ica.gov.sg.