It’s here. The VTL with South Korea has launched on 15 Nov, and people in Singapore can now travel to the land of kimchi without any quarantine should you test negative upon arrival.
It’s been a while since I’ve travelled, my last trip was to South Korea back in Jan 2020, right before the Covid-19 pandemic. While some might find it exciting, I think it’s also a mix of uncertainty, especially since travel has changed a lot thanks to Covid.
In case you’re at a loss on what to prepare for before your flight to Korea, here’s a quick guide on what to prepare for.
In this article, I’ll be writing about my first-hand account of taking flight SQ600 from Changi Airport to Incheon International Airport.
Pre-Departure Check-in
Since it was an 8am flight, I reached pretty early at around 5am to get checked in. At this point, there were a few tour group leaders present and waiting for the rest to arrive.
Make sure to have everything printed out for a smooth check-in experience. The counter staff checked my PCR test result, Vaccination certificate and made sure I had a PCR test reservation at Incheon Airport.
I also received a lanyard to indicate that I’m travelling via the VTL.
At this point they also pass you 4 different forms to fill in, and most of them require a Korean address, so do have that prepared along with a pen.
Changi Airport in the Morning
For those looking to have breakfast after checking in early, you’ll be slightly disappointed. Most of the food options in the transit area were closed despite having 24/7 operating hours listed on the Changi Airport website.
The only one that was open was Encik Tan and it had a pretty long snaking queue.
During The Flight
After boarding, I took a look around and realized it was a full flight. There weren’t many empty seats. Seems like everyone’s pretty excited to travel to South Korea.
There wasn’t any safe distancing between seats, but it was good to know everyone had gotten a negative PCR test result prior to boarding. They also emphasize how you should observe safe distancing when queuing up for the lavatory and minimize movement as much as possible.
Physical menus are no longer present, and they no longer serve hot towels before take off. You can use the Singapore Airlines app to view your in-flight menu beforehand instead.
For Krisflyer members, you can also redeem 2 hours worth of free wifi, which was enough for me to text on WhatsApp and Telegram. However, don’t expect to be able to scroll Instagram and TikTok (unless you bought a wifi plan onboard).
Food-wise, it was pretty much the same as pre-Covid, with the air stewards and stewardesses serving the meals with their carts. Do note that this is the only time you’re allowed to take off your face mask.
There are also lots of entertainment options for those that cannot fall asleep on planes, with movies like Black Widow to choose from.
Upon Arrival
The queue for immigration was pretty crazy and had several “stages”. First, you’ll need to prepare some documents such as your vaccination status and PCR test results. You need to print these out after notarizing them.
Click here to read where to notarize them on our VTL Pre-Flight Preparation Guide.
After this, there’ll be a portion where you submit Covid-19 related documents, before heading to the immigration counter. Collect your baggage and you’ll finally be able to leave the arrivals area.
Here, I was welcomed by some mascots and Koreans in traditional Hanbok. I’m guessing because this was one of the first VTL flights?
I was escorted to the PCR testing area that’s located a short walk away, where they checked if you have a PCR test reservation. Make sure to go to the right testing centre according to your reservation (East/West).
Payment for the test was done using a credit card, and the test was done within 5 mins.
You are highly encouraged to use a taxi or private transport to get to your accommodation and wait until your results are out, but you can still use public transport. (No one will force you to take taxi – but still a safer option). No worries as there are plenty of taxis at the airport!
While it was indicated that my results should be out after 8am the next day, since I took the test nearly at 5pm, I received it at 6pm and was free to roam the streets!
A Different Travel Experience
Covid-19 has definitely changed the way we travel, and this was clearly reflected by the number of admin procedures required.
Keep a lookout on our Korea articles via https://middleclass.sg/korea
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