Singapore and Malaysia announced on Wednesday that they will open a quarantine-free travel lane at their land border crossing, one of the busiest in the world, for people vaccinated against COVID-19 next week.
The plan, which takes effect on November 29, expands on an already announced move to open a travel lane for flights between Changi Airport and Kuala Lumpur International Airport the following week.
The land travel lane will be available in the first phase to citizens, permanent residents, or long-term pass holders of the country they are entering, allowing people to visit family on the other side of the border, according to Singapore’s prime minister’s office.
The lane will be progressively expanded.
Malaysia announced the creation of the land border travel lane separately on Wednesday.
Singapore, with a population of 5.45 million, relies heavily on Malaysians living in the southern state of Johor to staff businesses ranging from restaurants to semiconductor manufacturing.
Many Malaysians used to commute daily from across the border prior to the pandemic.