To keep the number of cases low, Singapore has largely remained shut down during the pandemic. The country is now seeing widespread vaccination, with more than 75% of its population fully vaccinated. This is a sign that it is changing. It was announced that Singapore would be living with coronavirus in June. This included opening its doors to travelers who were vaccinated. This is the first time that this has been demonstrated in the world.
Singapore opens a vaccinated travel route with Germany
Singapore has opened a vaccinated travel corridor (VTL) between Germany and Singapore, effective September 8, 2021. This allows quarantine-free travel between the two countries for vaccinated travellers.
These eligibility requirements are not all-inclusive.
You must be fully immunized against the coronavirus using a Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
You must have been fully vaccinated in Germany and Singapore.
You must have been in Germany or Singapore for at least 21 consecutive days before you leave.
You must travel from Germany to Singapore within 48 hours.
You must apply for a vaccination pass (VTP), if you are traveling from Germany to Singapore. This is valid seven to thirty days prior to your intended entry date.
Flying between the two countries requires that you use a VTL flight.
It is interesting that Germany has been chosen to be the first west country to enter into this arrangement with Singapore. Although Germany has seen a relatively low number of coronavirus cases over the last few months, there are still many cases. I wonder if this trend will continue in the coming weeks.
Passengers in the vaccine travel lane will need to fly on specific flights
This is a good step in the right direction
It is exciting to see Singapore open its doors to vaccinated travellers. This shows that Singapore has moved from a zero-coronavirus approach to normalizing travel (in contrast with Australia and New Zealand). Even if you spend 21 days in Germany, most of us will not be eligible. You would have to be vaccinated in Germany and Singapore in order to be eligible.
Even if I was eligible, I wouldn't mind not taking advantage of this arrangement, at least not for the moment.
It is a little annoying that you must be tested three times. I can see where Singapore is coming off, but it is a hassle to test so often, especially if you have several destinations to choose from
Singapore has always been a city I visit on my way to Asia. I would rather be there than fly halfway around the globe just to see it.
For those who love to maximize miles and points, the requirement to fly a particular flight is restrictive.
This is a positive start. It shows that Singapore is open to reopening cautiously, as opposed to other countries with a zero-tolerance strategy for coronavirus. However, it is likely that things will need to be reorganized before many of us can return to Singapore.
We hope that Singapore's entry requirements will ease down soon.
Bottom line
Singapore launched its vaccinated travel lanes with Germany. This allows fully vaccinated Germans to travel to Singapore without being quarantined. This requires a dedicated flight and three tests. There are also strict requirements regarding where you have been over the past three weeks and how you were vaccinated.
What do you think of Singapore's new vaccinated travel lanes concept?
