taiwan travel oct 13

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With steady easing of border measures, Taiwan to end quarantine and adopt 7-day self-initiated prevention policy for arrivals on October 13

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Confirmed: Taiwan reopening to tourists from 13 October

Taiwan will end mandatory quarantine from 13 October, with ARTs replacing PCR tests on arrival and visa-waiver schemes restored.

Taiwan previously announced that it would scrap mandatory quarantine and reopen its borders to tourists from “around” 13 October 2022, ending more than 30 months of isolation from the world. 

13 October 2022 has now been confirmed as the actual date, and tourists can look forward to a fully-restored visa waiver scheme for nationals of more than 60 countries, and ART testing replacing PCR tests on arrival. Vaccinations will not be required for entry.

Taiwan reopens to tourists on 13 October

From 13 October 2022, Taiwan will permit tourist arrivals from all countries, regardless of vaccination status.

The current system of “3+4” (where arriving travellers are subject to three days of quarantine and four days of self-health monitoring) will be replaced by a system of “0+7” (no quarantine and seven days of self-health monitoring). 

Taiwan’s visa-waiver scheme will be restored for all countries that were eligible pre-COVID, and arrivals will only be required to take an on-arrival ART at the airport, with no isolation necessary.

Visa-waiver scheme

Taiwan has fully restored its visa-waiver scheme for all previously eligible countries including Singapore. 

The visa exemption period for Singaporeans is 30 days. Nationals of other countries may be eligible for an exemption of up to 90 days.

Testing regime

Taiwan removed its pre-departure test requirement from 15 August 2022 for all international arrivals, although anyone who has tested positive for COVID-19 in the past seven days is not permitted to travel. 

The current regime of on-arrival PCR testing at the airport will be replaced by ART testing instead.  Travellers aged 2 and above will be issued 4x ART kits on arrival. They will do self-administered tests on Day 0, 2, 4 and 6.

There is no need to report a negative result. Visitors who test positive will need to quarantine at designated hotels.

Masking requirements

Masks are not required on flights to or from Taiwan, although EVA Air and China Airlines continue to enforce the rule. Singapore Airlines passengers will not be required to mask, as per the airline’s latest global mask policy.  

Masks are currently required at Taipei Airport and all other indoor and outdoor locations, except in the following situations:

• When exercising outdoors or indoors;
• When taking individual/group photos indoors or outdoors;
• When driving a vehicle or riding a scooter or bicycle by oneself or with live-in family members;
• When livestreaming, filming, moderating an event, reporting, delivering remarks, giving a speech, lecturing, or during activities or events involving conversations with others;
• When outdoor workers working in open spaces;
• When people are in forests/mountains (including forest recreation areas) and on the beach;
• When people are in hot/cold springs, dry sauna rooms, spas, steam rooms, saunas, during water activities, or in venues where masks can get wet easily.
• Masks may be removed when consuming food/beverages outside.
• Masks may be temporarily removed in venues or during activities (e.g. art performers performing a show, film crews/TV news anchors when filming, and athletes and referees participating in sports competitions) that comply with the CECC’s or competent authority’s epidemic prevention and control rules.

The full list of masking requirements can be found here.  

However, Taiwan also plans to progressively loosen its mask requirements as restrictions lift, except on public transport.

Flights to Taiwan

As of October 2022, flights between Singapore and Taipei are operated by Singapore Airlines, Scoot, China Airlines, EVA Air and Starlux. There are a total of 24 flights per week in each direction, though that should increase given the reopening (Singapore Airlines goes daily on this route from November). 

From SIN to TPE

From tpe to sin.

Singapore Airlines operates its Boeing 787-10 on this route, which has 337 seats, split into 36 Business Class and 301 Economy Class.

Passengers can look forward to its 2018 Regional Business Class seats , which offer full flat beds in a 1-2-1 configuration. While they’re certainly narrower than the Business Class seats Singapore Airlines offers on its long-haul flights, I still find them highly comfortable and private. 

A full review of this product can be found below.

Review: Singapore Airlines B787-10 Business Class Seoul to Singapore

How much do awards cost?

Here’s the cost of KrisFlyer awards on the Singapore – Taipei route. Do remember that First and Premium Economy awards are not available on the B787-10, since it has Business and Economy cabins only. 

Business Saver awards are available from early November.

Alternatively, KrisFlyer members can redeem 46,000 miles for a Business Class award on EVA Air. A total of S$130 of fuel surcharges will apply on a one-way award from Singapore, and award space is available from early November too.

Taiwan is set to reopen to tourists from 13 October 2022, and while there were rumours they might go with a “Japan-style reopening” and make visitors join closely-controlled tour groups, I’m glad that common sense has prevailed with free-and-easy travel available from the get go.

Will you be planning a Taiwan trip?

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Personally I can’t see any reason to travel to countries that still require any kind of test on arrival as you still run the risk of having to be stuck in quarantine, especially when there are so many options now where there is no testing or risk of quarantine. Obviously if someone has a real need to travel there for personal reasons or business I get that. However when just picking somewhere for a leisure trip for me its not worth the risk. Our most recent trip to Australia felt great in that regard. No testing of any kind, same entry …  Read more »

true. as long as on-arrival testing remains, tourists will have to confront that possibility. that’s why japan is higher on my to-go list- no on-arrival tests!

I forgot that Japan had removed all testing, though I do remember reading your latest article on expected proper reopening in October. Hopefully will have at least one of these as a good option (not just entry requirements but also local rules and flight availability/pricing) during the winter season for some cool weather!

Spot on James. Screw those countries which are still dicking around with meaningless Covid protocols.

Only 70,000KM (not miles) required for BR return biz award ticket if you have Air China miles. Tax is about $300+.

Masks still required even when outdoors? Nah.

There appears to be an exemption for live-streaming – somewhat makes a farce of the whole policy if you can get around it by carrying a phone in your top pocket streaming to YouTube. Then again this was also the case when you were required to mask up to walk into a restaurant for ten meters only for everyone to remove it once they sat down and ate for an hour in a small enclosed room.

“Science” and “covid regulations” said goodbye to each other in this part of the world in early 2021 unfortunately.

Now that masks have become optional in SG (except public transport, which is fine) I won’t be travelling anywhere with non-optional wide mask mandates. So HK and Taiwan is out, although I’d love to go back to Taipei.

I’m postponing Japan as well, until non-masking become locally acceptable. Would be interesting to know the local sentiments.

Well unless you think China is not a country. If not Taiwan hasn’t reopened for tourists for all countries

Hi, is there a requirement that each person must have an individual room with a private bath room. Anyone can help verify? Thanks

https://www.traveltaiwanduringcovid19.com/538/home-quarantine-policy/

• In principle, arriving travelers should stay at home or a residence of a friend or family member or a hotel room that meets the requirement of  “one person per room” (with a private bathroom)  in the self-initiated epidemic prevention period.

I just got back last Sun. In general, overseas visitors coming in on same flight are ok to stay in the same hotel room. My case, I confirmed with the hotel, and a friend checked with her tour guide. Heard of another case where the hotel rooms are with shared toilet facilities on a floor basis, and that hotel was not ok with more than 1 person per room.

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Taiwan opens borders to tourists as restrictions eased after 2.5 years

Entry rules to island lifted to allow unfettered access, while mainland China remains one of the few places keeping borders closed

Taiwan lifted all its Covid-19 entry restrictions on Thursday, allowing tourists unfettered access the self-ruled island after more than 2.5 years of border controls.

Hong Kong and Taiwan, together with mainland China, required most visitors to complete a mandatory quarantine period throughout the pandemic, even as most countries reopened their borders to tourists.

Visitors are no longer required to quarantine upon entry, or take any PCR tests. Instead, they will need to monitor their health for a week after arriving, and obtain a negative result on a rapid antigen test the day they arrive.

If people want to go out during the weeklong monitoring period, they need a negative test from either that day or the day before. There are also no longer any restrictions on certain nationalities being allowed to enter Taiwan.

Dozens of visitors from Thailand were among the first to arrive under the new rules at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, which serves the capital Taipei, on a Tiger Air flight that landed shortly after midnight.

Tourists like 32-year-old Mac Chientachakul and his parents were excited to visit the island.

“Hot pot is my favourite dish in Taiwan,” Chientachakul said. “It’s my first thing to do … I miss it so much.”

Sonia Chang, a travel agent, said the changes are good for the tourism industry and Taiwanese residents, who can now travel abroad without having to quarantine when they get home.

Valaisurang Bhaedhayajibh, a 53-year-old business development director of a design firm, called the new rules convenient.

“We don’t have to do the test before coming here, and also after arriving,” he said. “We are still required to do the self-test every two days, and everything has been provided” by Taiwanese authorities, including the rapid testing kits.

At a welcome ceremony in the Taoyuan airport’s arrival hall, the travellers from Thailand were met by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s director, Chang Shi-chung, who handed out gifts.

Taiwan’s tourism bureau estimated that a total of 244 tourists from 20 tour groups will arrive Thursday.

With both Hong Kong and Taiwan getting rid of restrictions and welcoming back tourists, mainland China remains one of the few places in the world keeping borders closed and sticking to a “zero-Covid” strategy. Hong Kong ended its mandatory quarantine policy for inbound travellers late last month, requiring just a three-day self-monitoring period.

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Taiwan set to ditch quarantine restrictions for arrivals

Government says it aims to end most curbs from around Oct. 13

TAIPEI -- Taiwan next month expects to end mandatory quarantine for people arriving on the island, a move that will help it fully reconnect the economy with the world after more than two and half years of restrictions.

Taiwan's premier Su Tseng-chang said on Thursday the government aims to end the measures from around Oct. 13. In the coming weeks, Su said bans on tour groups will be lifted and entry for tourists from visa-waiver countries will be resumed. Saliva tests upon arrival will also be scrapped.

Japan to allow visa-free individual tourists from Oct. 11

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Tourists flock to Taiwan as COVID entry restrictions eased

First group of foreign travelers hold souvenirs after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

First group of foreign travelers arrive at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

First group of foreign travelers pose for photos after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

First group of foreign travelers applause after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

A tour guide commentary speaks to the first group of foreign travelers after their arrival at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

First group of foreign travelers take photos after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

A foreign traveler poses for photos after arriving at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

First group of foreign travelers pose for photos at Taoyuan International Airport in Taoyuan, Northern Taiwan, Thursday, Oct. 13, 2022. Taiwan announced that it will end mandatory COVID-19 quarantines for people arriving from overseas beginning Oct. 13. The Central Epidemic Command Center announced that the previous weeklong requirement will be replaced with a seven-day self-monitoring period. (AP Photo/Chiang Ying-ying)

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TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Taiwan lifted all its COVID-19 entry restrictions on Thursday, allowing tourists unfettered access to the self-ruled island after over 2 1/2 years of border controls.

Hong Kong and Taiwan, together with mainland China, required most visitors to complete a mandatory quarantine period throughout the pandemic, even as most countries reopened their borders to tourists.

Visitors are no longer required to quarantine upon entry, or take any PCR tests. Instead, they will need to monitor their health for a week after arriving, and obtain a negative result on a rapid antigen test the day they arrive. If people want to go out during the weeklong monitoring period, they need a negative test from either that day or the day before.

There are also no longer any restrictions on certain nationalities being allowed to enter Taiwan.

Dozens of visitors from Thailand were among the first to arrive under the new rules at Taiwan’s Taoyuan International Airport, which serves the capital Taipei, on a Tiger Air flight that landed shortly after midnight.

Tourists like 32-year-old Mac Chientachakul and his parents were excited to visit the island.

“Hot pot is my favorite dish in Taiwan,” Chientachakul said. “It’s my first thing to do ... I miss it so much.”

Sonia Chang, a travel agent, said the changes are good for both the the tourism industry and Taiwanese residents, who can now travel abroad without having to quarantine when they get home.

Valaisurang Bhaedhayajibh, a 53-year-old business development director of a design firm, called the new rules convenient.

“We don’t have to do the test before coming here, and also after arriving,” he said. “We are still required to do the self-test every two days, and everything has been provided” by Taiwanese authorities, including the rapid testing kits.

At a welcome ceremony in the Taoyuan airport’s arrival hall, the travelers from Thailand were met by the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s director, Chang Shi-chung, who handed out gifts.

Taiwan’s tourism bureau estimated that a total of 244 tourists from some 20 tour groups will arrive Thursday.

With both Hong Kong and Taiwan getting rid of restrictions and welcoming back tourists, mainland China remains one of the few places in the world adamant in keeping borders closed and sticking to a “zero-COVID” strategy to stamp out the virus. Hong Kong ended its mandatory quarantine policy for inbound travelers late last month, requiring just a three-day self-monitoring period.

Associated Press writer Zen Soo contributed from Singapore.

Taiwan reopens to tourists after scrapping COVID rules

Self-ruled island allows visitors quarantine-free entry for first time in more than two and a half years.

Taiwan has reopened to tourists en masse after lifting some of the world’s longest-lasting pandemic border controls.

Visitors began arriving on the island on Thursday without the need for quarantine or PCR tests for the first time in more than two and a half years.

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Taiwanese officials welcomed the first group of visitors arriving on a flight from Bangkok shortly after midnight at the island’s main international airport near Taipei.

Tourism Bureau Director-General Chang Shi-chung told reporters the island’s reopening was a chance to “bring back to life and rebuild cross-border tourism”.

Taiwan is the last major economy to lift COVID-19 quarantine apart from mainland China, which has stuck to an ultra-strict “zero COVID” policy despite the global trend towards living with the virus. Japan and Hong Kong recently dropped pandemic-related border restrictions as part of efforts to revive their battered travel industries.

Visitors to the self-governing island had been required to spend three days in isolation after authorities earlier this year cut the quarantine period from 10 and then seven days.

Under the new border arrangements, visitors are still required to monitor their health for seven days and take rapid antigen tests.

The island recorded relatively few COVID cases until the highly infectious Omicron variant and its sub-variants began spreading locally in January.

Despite reporting more than 6.5 million infections since then, more than 99.5 percent of cases have been mild or asymptomatic, according to Taiwan’s health authorities.

Taiwan to End Quarantine for Inbound Arrivals From October 13

Peden Doma Bhutia , Skift

September 29th, 2022 at 2:59 AM EDT

In the latest round of easing travel restrictions, tourists coming in to Taiwan will not be asked to undergo mandatory Covid-19 quarantine from October 13, the ministry of health and welfare announced on Thursday.

From October 13, inbound arrivals to Taiwan would require to self-monitor for seven days instead of undergoing mandatory quarantine.

While the government has scrapped the requirement for polymerase chain reaction tests for inbound travelers, passengers aged two and above would receive four rapid test kits on arrival and are advised to test on the day of arrival or the next day.

Travelers seeking to step out during the seven-day self-monitoring period would be required to take a rapid antigen test.

While opening borders to travelers from all countries, the government has also raised the weekly limit for international visitors from 60,000 to 150,000, and announced the resumption of group tours.

On September 12, Taiwan restored visa-free entry for visitors from 54 countries, including the U.S., Canada, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, and diplomatic allies. From Thursday onwards, 11 more countries were included in the visa exemption list , which includes Japan, South Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and the Philippines.

Following last week’s announcement of the Mainland Affairs Council, entry requirements for select categories of Chinese, Hong Kong, and Macau nationals have also been relaxed from Thursday onwards.

Even as many Asian destinations have scrapped most of the Covid-19 related entry restrictions, Taiwan had resorted to a strong zero-Covid policy for more than two years, where arrivals were still required to undergo a mandatory three-day quarantine at home or at a hotel, followed by four days of self-monitoring.

Taiwan had also banned inbound and outbound tour groups for more than two years.

Tags: asia monthly , coronavirus recovery , group travel , quarantine , taiwan , testing , visa waiver , zero covid policy

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Taiwan eyes mid-October end to Covid-19 quarantine on road to reopening

TAIPEI - Taiwan aims to end its mandatory Covid-19 quarantine for arrivals from around Oct 13 and will ease other restrictions from next week as it continues to re-open to the outside world, the government said on Thursday.

Taiwan has kept some of its entry and quarantine rules in place as large parts of the rest of Asia have relaxed or lifted them completely, though in June it cut the number of days required in isolation for arrivals to three from seven previously.

Taiwan has reported six million domestic cases since the beginning of the year, driven by the more infectious Omicron variant. With more than 99 per cent of those showing no or only mild symptoms, the government has relaxed rather than tightened restrictions in its “new Taiwan model”.

Cabinet spokesman Lo Ping-cheng told reporters that from next Thursday, visa-free entry would be resumed for citizens of all countries that previously had that status. This includes Singapore.

The government will also increase weekly arrival limits for international travellers by between 10,000 and 60,000, he said, with no more polymerase chain reaction tests for arrivals.

If “everything is under control”, the government is aiming to end mandatory quarantine for all arrivals from around Oct 13, with arrivals rising to 150,000 a week, Mr Lo said.

“This is the last mile in our fight against the pandemic,” he said, speaking after a weekly Cabinet meeting. He added that the government is making all preparations needed to reopen its door to international tourists and to revive domestic businesses hit by previous Covid-19-related curbs.

Those who test positive, however, still need to quarantine at home or in designated hotels, the government said.

While Taiwan’s vaccination rate is high, the daily number of cases has been rising again, with more than 46,000 reported on Wednesday.

Throughout the pandemic, Taiwan's residents have not been prohibited from leaving and then re-entering the island, but have had to quarantine at home or in hotels for up to two weeks.

Before the pandemic, Taiwan was a popular tourist destination for mainly Asian visitors, with Japan, South Korea and South-east Asia being the most important markets.

Some tourism industry experts said Taiwan would still struggle to compete for visitors with other destinations in the region because of its self-monitoring rules.

“The whole world except China and Taiwan have opened up, and Taiwan has already been too slow and too late,” said expert on tourism management and operations at Tainan University of Technology Robert Kao.

He described the seven days of self-monitoring with no quarantine as “meaningless”, and added that “tourists would opt for countries like Japan or South Korea where there are no such restrictions”. REUTERS, AFP 

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Taiwan reopening quarantine-free from 13 October, with self-testing (honour system)

Last week we reported how Taiwan had outlined a plan to reopen its borders quarantine-free to tourists from Singapore and other visa-free countries, by “around” 13th October 2022, and today the government has confirmed that this date has now been locked in.

The announcement was made by cabinet spokesman Lo Ping-cheng, who said that the date could now be made official thanks to a well-vaccinated population, with the pandemic situation in the country “under control”.

Taiwan will shift from its current “3 + 4” quarantine scheme to a “0 + 7” programme, under which travellers will no longer need to quarantine and instead will only be subject seven days of self-health monitoring, including taking up to four self-administered COVID-19 rapid antigen (ART) tests.

Crucially there is no airport testing on-arrival, you’re simply asked to take regular ART swabs yourself without any reporting obligation, for up to a week.

Quarantine-free arrivals from 13th October

The new “0 + 7” scheme will go into place on 13th October 2022 , with the following process replacing the existing “3 + 4” programme.

🇹🇼 Travel to Taiwan from 13th October 2022

  Taiwan Entry Requirements

  Taiwan Arrival Testing

Travellers arriving in Taiwan will no longer be required to make a health declaration on the Quarantine System for Entry before arrival, have a mobile phone with a Taiwanese number.

Eligible travellers (visa waiver)

Taiwan has now reinstated its pre-pandemic list of 65 nationalities eligible for visa-free entry, including those with passports issued in Singapore and Japan.

Visa-free tourist stays are possible from 14 to 90 days, depending on your nationality, with Singapore citizens eligible to make trips of up to 30 days as tourists.

The full list of eligible nationalities for visa-free entry into Taiwan, which continues to apply after 13th October 2022 when quarantine-free entry kicks in, is outlined below (click to expand).

Travellers from countries not granted visa exemption in Taiwan will also be allowed to apply for visas to enter the country for regular social visits and tourism purposes.

The ban on tour groups will also be lifted.

Up to four self-ART tests required

All travellers aged two or above arriving in Taiwan will be provided with four ART kits free of charge on arrival at the airport, to be self-administered as follows:

• ART Test 1: On the day of arrival (Day 0) or the following day (Day 1).
• ART Tests 2-4: Before leaving your accommodation, you must have a negative ART test result obtained within the last 48 hours. For example, if you tested on Day 0, you would need to test again on Day 2, Day 4 and Day 6, assuming you wish to go out every day.

After first arriving in Taiwan, you should not leave your accommodation before returning a negative ART test result, so for most of our readers taking a leisure trip it will be preferable to conduct the first ART test on Day 0 (arrival day).

There is no requirement to take a test at the airport itself, as has been incorrectly reported elsewhere.

All tests are entirely self-administered without supervision and negative test results do not need to be reported (honour system).

“The test results will not be recorded. Arriving travelers should follow the Self-initiated Epidemic Prevention Guidelines if they test positive with a rapid test.” Taiwan Centers for Disease Control

You should immediately use a test kit if you develop COVID-19 symptoms, even if they arise on a “non-testing” day (i.e. you still have a negative test result in the last 48 hours).

Travellers aged under two are not required to take any tests.

You do not need to remain in Taiwan for seven days if you do not wish to, for example if you take a three-night trip you will only complete two tests (e.g. if you arrive on Monday and depart on Thursday, you’ll test on Monday and Wednesday only).

What if you test positive?

If any of your ART tests return a positive result while in Taiwan, you will be transferred to a quarantine hotel room (general hotels are not included), or can remain or at home for self-care and recovery, provided you have no symptoms, or a mild infection.

“Arriving travelers should follow self-initiated epidemic prevention rules which provide what to do if they test positive with a rapid test.” Taiwan Centers for Disease Control

For severe cases, you will need to be transferred to a hospital.

These arrangements are all at your own expense, so while Taiwan does not mandate travel insurance it’s always a good idea to have a comprehensive policy to cover the cost of such eventualities.

Vaccination is not required

Like many countries in the region, including Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea, Taiwan does not require arriving travellers from overseas to be vaccinated against COVID-19 to enter quarantine-free.

There are no additional quarantine or testing requirements for passengers who are not fully vaccinated.

Singapore – Taiwan flights (October 2022)

Taiwan was linked to Singapore Changi Airport by 86 direct weekly flights prior to the pandemic, from the major cities of Taipei and Kaohsiung.

In October 2022 it’s a far cry from those kind of flight volumes, with only 29 direct weekly flights on offer, which means pent-up demand initially looks set to be funnelled on less than half the number of services previously available.

October 2022 flights are shown in the following table.

Singapore – Taipei flights (October 2022)

One of the prime new cabin experiences on this route is currently offered by luxury boutique airline Starlux, which recently upgraded its Changi flights to the new Airbus A330-900neo.

Pick a Tuesday to Sunday departure with this carrier between now and the end of October, and you can snag the airline’s latest flat-bed Business Class with direct aisle access, or a more roomy seat in Economy in a 2-4-2 configuration, perfect for couples.

Singapore Airlines already plans to restore daily (7/wk) flights to and from Taipei from the start of the northern winter season in November 2022.

In time, we also expect the carrier to reopen its dedicated SilverKris Lounge in Taipei, which has been shuttered since the start of the pandemic.

In other good news, mask-wearing is already optional on Singapore Airlines and Scoot flights to and from Taiwan, though all other carriers on the Taipei route still enforce a mask mandate.

Redemption rates

Here are the award redemption rates using KrisFlyer miles to redeem on EVA Air flights (Star Award) or Singapore Airlines flights on this route.

* Premium Economy is not currently offered on SIA’s Singapore – Taipei route, but it has been in the past and could therefore make a comeback.

When you redeem KrisFlyer miles for SIA flights on the Singapore – Taipei route, taxes and fees of S$52.30 are payable.

If you lock in an EVA Air award, you’ll pay S$182.30 on top of your miles outlay, due to the carrier’s hefty fuel surcharge.

Taiwan has confirmed that it will reopen its borders quarantine-free on 13th October 2022, a move that follows a relaxation of restrictions in Hong Kong since this week and an exciting reopening in Japan on 11th October 2022.

Arrival in Taiwan is set to be relatively straightforward, with no vaccination or pre-departure test requirements.

You’re simply handed four ART kits for you to self-test on arrival day (or the following day), then you’re asked to do the same before leaving your accommodation for up to a week, if it has been more than 48 hours since your last negative result.

Crucially, there is no testing at the airport itself when you land, and none of the tests are supervised – it’s left down to you.

Taiwan also plans to progressively drop mask-wearing requirements in outdoor and public spaces in the coming weeks, as its latest COVID-19 wave has now peaked, which will further simplify leisure trips to the popular destination.

Will you be planning a Taiwan trip under these new quarantine-free arrangements from 13th October? Let us know in the comments section below.

(Cover Photo: Shutterstock)

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I’ve been waiting for this news for over 2 years now!

Just to check why would we do the ART tests if they are not reportable or tracked? Couldn’t we get away with just not testing?

Wondering if SQ will be reinstating its daily flights to and from Taipei in line with the relaxation of borders restrictions in Taiwan.

It is already daily. Just not 2x daily as it used to be.

3/wk at the moment then daily from 30OCT22.

As for twice daily who knows, but it should come back soon enough I think.

Noted that there is this requirement. “Recommended to stick to “one person per room” with a private bathroom.” No sharing of hotel room?

“Recommended” 😉

What do we need to note if we were to stay for more than 7 days? Thank u

There are no further traveller restrictions beyond 7 days.

Only prevailing local restrictions like mask wearing will be in effect.

If I arrived Taipei on 12 Nov 22 afternoon, can I leave for concert on the same day ? I m confuse with the requirement that state need to have 2 days proof of -ve covid result . Is the 2 days ART count from 10 nov and 11 nov even before I arrive taipei ? Or 2 days ART count from 12 nov to 14 Nov ? Anyone can help to clarify? Thank u

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