Back in December 2021, Malaysia tightened its testing requirements for VTL (Air) and VTL (Land) travellers, requiring daily COVID-19 tests for six consecutive days upon arrival.
This, coupled with Singapore’s corresponding requirement, meant that round-trip travellers would have to do up to 15 tests in total, making it the world’s most tested route.
Singapore scrapped its daily post-arrival testing regime on 22 February 2022 as the panic over Omicron waned, and now it’s Malaysia’s turn to do likewise. From 3 March 2022, VTL travellers from Singapore to Malaysia will no longer be required to take daily ARTs following arrival.
Malaysia scraps daily post-arrival ART regime
VTL (Air) and VTL (Land) travellers from Singapore to Malaysia are currently required to take daily ARTs from Day 2 to 6 (the day of arrival is Day 1):
- Days 2, 4 and 6: Self-administered ARTs
- Days 3 and 5: Professionally-administered ARTs
This wasn’t a major inconvenience, insofar as Days 2, 4 and 6 were unsupervised, and Days 3 and 5 could be done at home via tele-medicine platform CLEA. Still, it presented another thing (or rather, five things) to do.
From 3 March 2022, the Day 2 to 6 testing requirement will be scrapped. If you are midway through your testing regime, you can cease swabbing/reporting your results via the MySejahtera app (Android | iOS) from this date too.
All other testing requirement remain the same as before.
| Pre-departure | On-arrival | |
| VTL (Air) | PCR within 2 days of departure | PCR at KLIA/ KLIA2 |
| VTL( Land) | ART or PCR within 2 days of departure | ART at Larkin Sentral Bus Terminal |
Children aged below two are exempt from all testing requirements.
Singapore-Malaysia VTL travel: Total testing costs
| ⚕️ Testing: Singapore-Malaysia Travel | ||
| Location | Remarks* | Price |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | VTL Air: 2 days before departure (PCR) VTL Land: 2 days before departure (ART/PCR) | VTL Air: From S$98 VTL Land: From S$17.84 |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | VTL Air: On arrival (PCR) VTL Land: On arrival (ART) | VTL Air: S$80/113^ VTL Land: S$30 |
| 🇲🇾 Malaysia | 2 days before departure (ART/PCR) | From S$20 |
| 🇸🇬 Singapore | Within 24h of arrival (ART) | S$15 |
| *Children aged 2 and under exempt ^Rapid PCR test (1.5h): MYR 370 (Malaysian)/ MYR 470 (Foreigner) Regular PCR test (3h): MYR 250 (Malaysian)/ MYR 350 (Foreigner) | ||
Following the removal of the Day 2 to 6 tests, VTL travellers from Singapore to Malaysia can expect to do a total of four COVID-19 tests. Travel to Malaysia still requires the more expensive PCR tests (unless you’re taking the VTL (Land) option), but travel to Singapore can be done with the cheaper ARTs.
In total, VTL (Air) travellers should expect to pay upwards of S$210 for testing, with higher costs applying to non-Malaysia nationals who do not enjoy subsidised testing at KLIA.
VTL (Land) travellers will pay slightly over S$80.
Travellers who have recently recovered from COVID-19 can be exempted from all pre-departure and on-arrival testing requirements when travelling to Singapore, subject to presenting acceptable proof.
For a rundown of the cheapest places to get your pre-departure test, refer to the article below.
Cheapest pre-departure COVID-19 ART and PCR tests in Singapore
VTL Process
From Singapore to Malaysia
Here’s a summary of the requirements for VTL (Air) travellers from Singapore to Malaysia.
| ✔️ VTL (Air) Eligibility Criteria (From 3 March 2022) | |
| All |
|
| Short-term visitors |
|
| *Children aged 2 or under in the current calendar year are exempt ^Exception for children aged 12 and below, if they are accompanied by vaccinated traveller | |
From Malaysia to Singapore
Singapore recently relaxed its border measures for VTL travellers, replacing the on-arrival PCR test requirement at Changi Airport with a supervised ART at a QTC/CTC within 24 hours of arrival. Alternatively, VTL travellers can opt to do a DA Tele-ART from the comfort of their own home.
Also noteworthy is the scrapping of the Vaccinated Travel Pass (VTP) requirement for the majority of long-term passholders. Only work permit holders and short-term visitors are now required to apply for a VTP.
| LTPHs | VTL | Non-VTL |
| ✔️
| |
| ❌ Not allowed entry via VTL | ✔️ Apply for and present entry approval |
| ✔️ Apply for and present VTP | |
With these changes, here’s a summary of the requirements for VTL travel to Singapore.
| ✔️ VTL Eligibility Criteria | |
| All |
|
| Short-term visitors & Work permit holders |
|
| *Children aged 2 or under in the current calendar year are exempt ^Exception for children aged 12 and below, if they are accompanied by vaccinated traveller | |
Conclusion
Malaysia will be scrapping its daily post-arrival ART regime from 3 March 2022, which will save time and money for travellers. Sadly, it’s still sticking with the more expensive PCR tests for VTL (Air) travellers, but it’s surely only a matter of time before that gets scaled back to ARTs.
Travellers who wish to visit other parts of Malaysia must currently fly to Kuala Lumpur and complete their testing, before taking a connecting domestic flight. However, there’s been talk of expanding the VTL (Air) scheme beyond Kuala Lumpur to Penang and Kota Kinabalu. Let’s hope this happens soon as well.
The daily ART test doesn’t seem to be enforced. I’m on my second week in MY but have yet gotten any call to action to submit ART test results in the MySejahtera app. It’s not even clear in the app where one can submit their test results.
under home, upper right hand corner, then submit results. That starts a questionnaire.
@matrix tried dropping a reply to your question via email, but the return address was wrong (undeliverable). try again?
Has anyone seen definitive guidance on recently recovered COVID patients traveling by VTL (Air) into Malaysia? Main question is about pre-departure and on-arrival PCRs (since recently recovered can still show pos PCR even though not sick – that’s why SG scrapped the testing requirement). I’ve seen conflicting info on Malaysian MFA websites, and wondering if anyone has found anything conclusive. Thanks!
Not definitive but it says recovered pax between 11-60 days before departure is exempt from PDT. No mention about exemption from OAT.
https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/id/en/advisory/travel-information.html
Thanks!!
Hi, for a Singaporean travelling to Malaysia on VTL, does she still need to apply for My Travel Pass?
everyone must apply.
All long yerm pass holders now need not apply mtp to msia.
My nightmare start when i apply for My Travel Pass to Malaysia. There came a section prompting you to purchase the Day 3 n 5 ART test for convenience sake. I made the payment through MyEG. Oh shit, soon after i tried to look for clinics nearby my workplace and hotel that support this testing online. I realised that non of them does. Upon arrival at KLIA, i approached the airline staff, i got the answer”they are not sure”. Asked to check with MyEG counter, great, zero staff appeared at the counter. What kind of government service are they offering.… Read more »
Miss JB prata, petrol and giant…