Travel

HKG and SIN introduce world's first travel bubble - starts Nov 22! (Now Cancelled to 2021!)

  • Last Updated:
  • Dec 7th, 2020 11:33 pm
Deal Guru
Dec 20, 2018
10135 posts
10246 upvotes

HKG and SIN introduce world's first travel bubble - starts Nov 22! (Now Cancelled to 2021!)

This is the first travel bubble arrangement between the two cities that will allow essential travel and tourism without quarantine
but the potential cost of $600USD for each traveller on top of the usual expenses will probably still be a deterrence to many tourists.

for leisure travel, I'm not sure I want to pay $600/person to travel, though it's better than paying $2100USD to goto korea and a 14 day quarantine in gov't facility i guess

https://www.scmp.com/week-asia/economic ... -could-set
As part of the in-principle agreement for the travel bubble, eligible travellers would not have to serve a quarantine or stick to a predetermined itinerary, but would need to take pre-departure tests.
But in making the announcement last Thursday, Singapore’s transport minister Ong Ye Kung also said that “each territory, each party, should be also free to impose their own administrative arrangements”. He listed on-arrival testing as one example.
While the details of the travel bubble have not been announced, health care experts said that Covid-19 testing could amount to more than S$800 (US$600).

As part of the in-principle agreement for the travel bubble, eligible travellers would not have to serve a quarantine or stick to a predetermined itinerary, but would need to take pre-departure tests.
But in making the announcement last Thursday, Singapore’s transport minister Ong Ye Kung also said that “each territory, each party, should be also free to impose their own administrative arrangements”. He listed on-arrival testing as one example.
Advertisement
While the details of the travel bubble have not been announced, health care experts said that Covid-19 testing could amount to more than S$800 (US$600).
AS IT HAPPENS

“Clearly, the maximum number of times of testing that travellers could be faced with could be four tests, meaning two pre-departure and two post-arrival tests when travelling between Singapore and Hong Kong,” said Teo Yik Ying, the dean of National University of Singapore’s (NUS) Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health.

So with rising cases in HKG the bubble never got to begin and is now shelved until next year to be re-evaluated

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/singapo ... -2020.html
Last edited by StatsGuy on Dec 7th, 2020 11:34 pm, edited 3 times in total.
7 replies
Deal Expert
Aug 26, 2001
18145 posts
1741 upvotes
Mississauga, ON
Is $600/person really a big deal for the average Singapore resident though?

IMO (not going to google, just shooting from the hip) Singapore and Singaporeans have always seemed a notch above most Westerners in terms of wealth. Based on what I know, what I've seen, and my 3 trips there over my lifetime.
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10217 posts
5530 upvotes
SW corner of the cou…
konfusion666 wrote: Is $600/person really a big deal for the average Singapore resident though?

IMO (not going to google, just shooting from the hip) Singapore and Singaporeans have always seemed a notch above most Westerners in terms of wealth. Based on what I know, what I've seen, and my 3 trips there over my lifetime.
You're only seeing the affluent. There are a lot of Singaporeans (largely those who live in "public housing") who are "just getting by". What may help in Singapore is the cost of vehicular ownership is so high (has been for decades - a Honda Fit will set you back $70k and that isn't even anywhere near the end of it) that those who would normally stretch their wallets to own a vehicle don't as a result own one and save the $$$$$.

The travel corridor is probably meant for those who do business in either country. Many if not most Asia HQs of western multinationals are in either H.K. or Singapore.
Last edited by thriftshopper on Oct 20th, 2020 6:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Expert
Aug 26, 2001
18145 posts
1741 upvotes
Mississauga, ON
thriftshopper wrote: You're only seeing the affluent. There are a lot of Singaporeans (largely those who live in "public housing") who are "just getting by". What may help in Singapore is the cost of vehicular ownership is so high (has been for decades - a Honda Fit will set you back $70k and that isn't even anywhere near the end of it) that those who would normally stretch their wallets to own a vehicle don't as a result own one and save the $$$$$.

The travel corridor is probably meant for those who do business in either country. Many if not most Asia HQs of western multinationals are in either H.K. or Singapore.
Yup true. My 3rd visit there stayed at a family friend's house. VP at a major MNC for Asia-Pacific region. Was definitely rollin' in the dough! And yeah, he flew to HK pretty frequently. He wasn't even from .sg, he was from Markham :D

Singapore's a fun place to visit if you're upper middle class... But a fun place to live only if you're a 1%-er OR if your employer is paying for all your expenses!
Deal Guru
Jul 7, 2017
10217 posts
5530 upvotes
SW corner of the cou…
konfusion666 wrote: Yup true. My 3rd visit there stayed at a family friend's house. VP at a major MNC for Asia-Pacific region. Was definitely rollin' in the dough! And yeah, he flew to HK pretty frequently. He wasn't even from .sg, he was from Markham :D

Singapore's a fun place to visit if you're upper middle class... But a fun place to live only if you're a 1%-er OR if your employer is paying for all your expenses!
Exactly. Better if you're not a citizen (which some 40% of the population aren't, and aren't eligible for such).
I smile when I see container ships sailing past my house laden with stuff made in China
Deal Guru
Dec 20, 2018
10135 posts
10246 upvotes
konfusion666 wrote: Is $600/person really a big deal for the average Singapore resident though?

IMO (not going to google, just shooting from the hip) Singapore and Singaporeans have always seemed a notch above most Westerners in terms of wealth. Based on what I know, what I've seen, and my 3 trips there over my lifetime.
Singaporean aren't generally rich, the expats are and obviously like any major city especially in Asia, some very wealthy where $600 is not much . Basically people who fly business class usually won't care too much about extra $600pp, but those normally who fly in economy will definitely balk at it

But majority aren't rich and live in assisted govt housing and not making much money. Pretty much like Hkg . The two cities are quite alike

I think the business and rich definitely will be fine with $600pp but for an average family of 3, that's $1800 extra for testing on top of flights and hotel!
Deal Guru
Dec 20, 2018
10135 posts
10246 upvotes
More details released on the bubble which will start Nov 22

If community spread (unknown origin) reaches 5 cases per day in either city, the bubble will be suspended

https://amp.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/hea ... h-november
Travellers from both cities must board designated bubble flights. At the start of the scheme, there will be one flight a day into each city with a quota of 200 travellers per service.

The travel bubble would be suspended if the daily average number of untraceable Covid-19 cases in a week reached more than five in either Singapore or Hong Kong. If that figure then dropped to five or fewer, the bubble would resume.

To access the travel corridor, a passenger from Hong Kong to Singapore must take a coronavirus test within 72 hours before departure at either one of the 19 government-accredited laboratories, or at one of the four community centres starting their long-term operations on November 15 and charging HK$240 (US$31) per test. No arrival test for Hong Kong passengers is needed at Singapore’s airport. A traveller from the city state to Hong Kong would similarly need to take a test in Singapore during the three-day window ahead of the flight, costing between S$200-300. On arrival at Hong Kong airport, the passenger must undergo another PCR test at a designated zone for HK$490. A passenger travelling between the two cities within three days would not need to take another test before the return flight. The minimum screening costs for a round-trip could therefore be HK$739 per person.
Deal Guru
Dec 20, 2018
10135 posts
10246 upvotes
Bubble cancelled/deferred to 2021 now due to rising cases in HKG

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/01/singapo ... -2020.html
Singapore and Hong Kong have delayed the start of their bilateral "travel bubble" beyond 2020, authorities from both cities said on Tuesday.

Both sides said they will review the arrangement again in late December to decide on a start date.

Both the Singapore aviation authority and the Hong Kong government said they will review the arrangement again in late December to decide on a new start date.

Since the first postponement of the travel bubble, new Covid-19 infections in Hong Kong have continued to climb. The city reported 76 additional cases on Monday — taking its cumulative infections since the outbreak to 6,315, official data showed.

Top

Thread Information

There is currently 1 user viewing this thread. (0 members and 1 guest)