UPDATE: Brilliant news to start the week! Fully vaccinated Singaporeans can now travel to Australia quarantine-free. But here's the fine print: they can only travel to two states, New South Wales and Victoria.
A vaccinated travel lane (VTL) between Singapore and Australia was first announced last week, on October 26, alongside Singapore-Switzerland. But initially, only Australian residents can enjoy two-way quarantine-free travel between the two countries from November 8. Less than a week later, the Australian government has eased its border measures for fully vaccinated Singaporeans.
Singapore is the second country after New Zealand that Australia is opening up to.
For those planning to travel to the land Down Under, there are slightly different requirements for the two states. Those travelling to New South Wales from November 1 do not have to undergo hotel quarantine – as long as they are vaccinated against Covid-19 with doses approved by the Australian government. Those travelling to Victoria, including the capital city of Melbourne, will have to test negative for Covid-19 no earlier than 72 hours before departing. Upon arrival, they will also need to take a Covid-19 test.
Now, it's time to plan a trip to Australia and have a cup of flat white in one of the cafes along Hosier Lane or having some fun in the sun down on Bondi Beach.
We're definitely looking forward to having a cup of flat white in
October 22, 2021: It has just been announced that Australia is in the final stages of concluding a quarantine-free travel bubble with Singapore. This could be established within the next week, said Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison.
This morning, Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong took to Facebook to announce that he is "delighted to hear that Australia will be allowing entry to visa holders from Singapore".
The signs are looking good, as Singapore Airlines has also just announced that its flagship Airbus A380 will resume flying to Sydney from December 1, as the carrier increases its capacity to the Sydney market ahead of the holiday season. The arrangement would depend on the quarantine restrictions of individual states. New South Wales and Victoria, for instance, are planning to allow the entry of fully vaccinated travellers from overseas from November 1.
Is this a blessing or a curse? And could this be the start of a new Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL)? We're keeping our fingers crossed. But for now, plan your trip to these underrated cities from Singapore.
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