Complete guide to the Singapore – Germany Vaccinated Travel Lane

Latest Updates

• 5th October
  The first 24-hour clinic option for post-arrival VTL tests is now available – Raffles Medical at Changi Airport T3
• 4th October
  Travel history over the last 14 days will dictate VTL eligibility, down from 21 days, for arrivals in Singapore from 7th October.
• 28th August
  Lufthansa VTL services commence on 16th September 2021. First Class will not be available until at least November 2021.
• 25th August
  36 designated clinics for post-arrival (Day 3 and Day 7) tests have been announced
  Singapore Airlines is now offering Book The Cook on its VTL flights from Frankfurt to Singapore
• 23rd August
  Singapore Airlines is now offering First Class on its VTL flights from Frankfurt to Singapore

As Singapore moves into ‘endemic COVID’ phase, with around 80% full vaccination among its 5.7 million resident population, a gradual relaxation of border restrictions is finally starting to take effect, leading to the announcement of the first Vaccinated Travel Lanes (VTLs).

This pilot programme will allow testing to replace quarantine / Stay-Home Notice (SHN) periods on arrival in Singapore for those visiting as tourists or for residents returning from an overseas trip.

Germany and Brunei made the initial list, effective from 8th September 2021, and there are no prizes for guessing which of the two most of our readers are eyeing for a trip!

Here’s our detailed rundown of the process for vaccinated travellers heading to and from Germany from next month.

Singapore – Germany VTL

Key Features

• Must have stayed in Germany and/or Singapore for 14 days
• Travel from Germany to Singapore on designated ‘VTL flights’
• No restrictions on travel purpose or itineraries
• Must be fully vaccinated in Singapore or Germany
• Children under 12 are not eligible
• Visitors and Singapore pass holders must apply for a VTP in advance
• COVID-19 PCR testing replaces quarantine / Stay-Home Notice in Singapore

Eligibility

To be eligible to travel from Germany to Singapore via the VTL from 8th September 2021, you must fulfil the following criteria:

* Returning Singapore Citizens and Permanent Residents who are fully vaccinated will automatically qualify and will not need to apply for the VTP in order to travel under the VTL.

Fully vaccinated status relates to having passed 14 days after your full regimen of Pfizer-BioNTech / Comirnaty, Moderna or a WHO EUL vaccine, which must have been administered in Singapore or Germany.

Overall, four COVID-19 PCR tests will be required in place of the regular two tests for those arriving in Singapore from Germany via the ‘Category II’ travel lane.

In turn, the usual 7 days of SHN at home will not be required for VTL travellers.

Germany has had no entry restrictions for Singapore residents since October 2020, regardless of your nationality or the purpose of your journey.

What about children under 12?

Since travel on the VTL requires full vaccination, which is not yet available for children under the age of 12 in either Germany or Singapore, it will not be possible for younger children to use the scheme at this stage.

This is disappointing news for many, and errs very much on the side of caution from Singapore’s perspective. Hopefully we will see some relaxation here as the pilot scheme progresses.

Meanwhile it looks likely that vaccines will be approved for children under 12 in the months ahead.

Can you travel to other countries?

Yes – sort of. If you wish to travel to other European countries for example, this is possible, and you don’t even need to fly from Singapore to Germany in the first place to use the VTL on your return.

The 14-day travel history restriction will still be enforced, however, so you’ll have to finish your trip in Germany for at least two weeks before taking your VTL flight home, if you have visited another country.

Otherwise you will have to take a non-VTL flight home, with arrival restrictions imposed for the highest risk country in your 14-day consecutive travel history applicable.

While the Schengen zone in Europe is ‘borderless’, remember you will have to make a health declaration prior to using the VTL stating that you have only been in Singapore and/or Germany for the last 14 consecutive days.

False declarations can result in enforcement under the Infectious Diseases Act.

Pro Tip: You can take domestic flights within Germany without affecting your return VTL eligibility.

VTL designated flights

To qualify for SHN-free arrival in Singapore, the VTL will require you to travel on designated flights from Germany to Singapore, operated by Lufthansa and Singapore Airlines.

These flights will only carry VTL passengers (no transit passengers or unvaccinated travellers are allowed). Masks will still have to be worn except while eating and drinking, and SIA crew will continue to offer a simplified meal service to reduce interaction.

Inaugural flights

SIA will operate its inaugural VTL services from Germany to Singapore on 7th and 8th September 2021, with Lufthansa following on 16th September 2021, as shown below.

Frankfurt    Singapore

	SQ325 777-300ER			7 Sep 2021
FRA 22:00		SIN 16:25 (+1 day)

Munich    Singapore

	SQ331 A350-900			8 Sep 2021
MUC 13:15		SIN 07:05 (+1 day)

Frankfurt    Singapore

	LH778 A340-300			16 Sep 2021
FRA 21:55		SIN 16:45 (+1 day)

Remember, since Singapore’s entry restrictions for VTL travellers take effect on 8th September 2021, the overnight SQ325 flight departing Frankfurt on 7th September 2021 is the first eligible service, landing into Changi the following afternoon.

Initially, five Germany – Singapore services per week will qualify for the VTL process, three from Frankfurt and two from Munich, operated by Singapore Airlines.

Germany to Singapore
VTL flights
(7th – 15th September 2021)

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ331 A350-900
MUC 13:15		SIN 07:05*
	SQ325 777-300ER
FRA 22:00		SIN 16:25*

* Next day (e.g. if you depart on Monday, the local day when you arrive will be Tuesday)

Once Lufthansa joins the VTL on 16th September 2021, there will be daily service with seven designated Germany – Singapore services per week, five from Frankfurt and two from Munich.

Germany to Singapore
VTL flights
(from 16th September 2021)

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	SQ331 A350-900
MUC 13:15		SIN 07:05*
	LH778 A340-300
FRA 21:55		SIN 16:45*
	SQ325 777-300ER
FRA 22:00		SIN 16:25*

* Next day (e.g. if you depart on Monday, the local day when you arrive will be Tuesday)

There are some minor timing adjustments to these services in the northern winter schedule from November 2021, however flight numbers and days of operation remain the same.

There are no designated VTL services from Singapore to Germany.

The VTL only applies for your return to Singapore, therefore travel from Singapore to Germany can be on any non-stop flight, without impacting your 14-day travel history for the Germany – Singapore (VTL) leg.

VTL flights are marked

Singapore Airlines is marking which flights are available to those wishing to use the Vaccinated Travel Lane between Germany and Singapore, for bookings on its website or mobile app.

Be careful not to book other Singapore Airlines flights, like SQ25 from Frankfurt to Singapore. These are non-VTL services, including transit passengers, and even though you are fully vaccinated you will not be allowed to follow the VTL process on arrival if you travel on one of these flights.

Lufthansa isn’t making it quite so clear unfortunately, only warning you that your flight is operating as a VTL service after you have selected it and proceeded to the ‘Configure Your Trip’ page, with a small advisory then appearing.

Transit flights

It is important to note that any transits (e.g. Singapore – Doha – Frankfurt) will reset your 14-day travel history ‘clock’ when it comes to using the VTL for your return trip.

For example if you take an indirect routing to Germany, you’ll then have to spend at least 14 clear days there on arrival before being eligible to take a VTL flight to Singapore.

If you take the Scoot flight to Berlin via Athens, you will also need to spend 14-days in Germany before using the VTL to fly to Singapore.

Those who want to make shorter trips of two weeks or less, which is likely to be most of our readers, must therefore take a non-stop flight to Germany in order to use the VTL on the way home.

Which aircraft?

Singapore Airlines is deploying its four-class Boeing 777-300ER on designated VTL flights from Frankfurt to Singapore (SQ325), and its three-class Airbus A350 Long Haul from Munich to Singapore (SQ331).

Lufthansa is using its three-class Airbus A340-300s from Frankfurt to Singapore (LH778) during September and October 2021, upgauging to the four-class Boeing 747-8 from October 2021 November 2021.

Here’s how the aircraft configurations compare:

Germany – Singapore VTL
Aircraft Types

	Singapore Airlines		Lufthansa
	A350-900	777-300ER	A340-300	747-8
First	—	4	—	8
Business	42	48	30	80
Premium Economy	24	28	28	32
Economy	187	184	221	244
Total	253	264	279	364

First Class

Singapore Airlines is now offering its 4-seat First Class cabin on VTL flights operated by its Boeing 777-300ER, having originally excluded the option when the scheme was first announced.

If you haven’t experienced it before, don’t miss our full review of SIA’s Boeing 777-300ER First Class.

Lufthansa is making First Class on its Boeing 747-8 available on its Thursday and Saturday VTL flights from 2nd October 2021 4th November 2021.

Pricing is of course not cheap, at around S$8,200 one-way from Singapore to Frankfurt or S$11,500 for a round-trip in this cabin.

In the other direction it’s even more expensive, from Frankfurt to Singapore starting at S$11,600 one-way or S$13,500 for a round-trip.

Economy ‘Sleeper Row’

On Lufthansa flights between Singapore and Frankfurt Economy Class passengers now have the option of paying extra at check-in for a row of three or four seats to themselves, including a mattress topper, pillow and blanket, from an additional S$255.

That’s great value for a long overnight flight, but there’s a catch! You can’t secure these rows in advance – they are based on availability and you won’t find out if the option is available until you check in.