The quarantine-free scheme will also be extended to Bali, Penang, and cities across India.

The UNESCO-listed Old Town of Hoi An, Vietnam. (Photo: Marek Okon/Unsplash)

Singapore residents can look forward to an increasing range of options for their overseas holidays this Easter, thanks to the latest Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs) with destinations in Asia and Europe. Come March 16, the VTL for Indonesia will no longer be restricted to Jakarta; dedicated VTL flights are due to operate on a twice-daily basis from Bali. As the rule takes effect two days after Indonesia ends self-isolation requirements for double-jabbed foreigners entering Bali, this means that Singaporeans will once again enjoy two-way quarantine-free travel to the island.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Singapore (CAAS) has also announced that it will widen the scope of VTL arrangements with Malaysia. Aside from the existing services connecting Singapore with Kuala Lumpur, four daily VTL flights will be permitted to operate from Penang. Over in India, the travel arrangement is expanding beyond Chennai, Delhi, and Mumbai: airlines are now free to submit plans to the CAAS to run designated VTL services from any city within the country.

Also on March 16, Singapore will launch VTLs with Vietnam and Greece. The latter is the sole European nation with direct flights to Changi that has not yet been included in the scheme; Vietnam will ease entry restrictions on international travelers from the 15th, with arrivals required to undergo pre-departure and on-arrival testing followed by a day-long quarantine. Short-term visitors and long-term pass holders from both countries can apply for Vaccinated Travel Passes from 10 a.m. on March 13.