Covid-19 testing adds to your Malaysian travel cost

Covid-19 testing is slowly being removed at borders across the world as many countries require visitors to be fully vaccinated, or to undergo a period of quarantine. While the testing regime is seen by many as a necessity, health-wise, it is also proving a barrier to economic recovery in many countries.

While a number of countries across South East Asia and Australia have either removed requirements for pre and/or post arrival Covid-19 testing, or flagged their imminent removal, Malaysia is keeping them firmly in place. They’re also adding a requirement for travel insurance, which includes covid-19 cover.

Covid-19 testing cost a deterrent?

Tourism operators in Malaysia have been doing it tough for two years now, as even domestic travel ground almost to a standstill, with multiple state border closures and travel bans. Since October 2021, the industry has seen some resurgence as domestic demand has surged following the Langkawi bubble trial implementation. The country will officially open its borders to all from 1st April 2022, but apart from removing the quarantine requirement for vaccinated travellers, the costly pre and post arrival tests have not been removed.

We did some checking and found that the cost of testing has not yet been revised, although the post-arrival RT-PCR test is no longer mandatory. Instead, a professionally administered rapid RTK-Ag test must be taken and uploaded within 24 hours of arrival.

If you choose to get this done at the airport for convenience, it will take between 15 and 30 mins to get the results after it’s received by the lab. The cost for Malaysians is RM120 and for foreigners it’s RM160. Please note that if you have a foreign passport, even if you hold Permanent Residence or another long term pass, you will pay the foreigner price. The full details can be found HERE.

A  full range of testing is available at both terminals of Kuala Lumpur International Airport, KLIA and klia2.

KLIA

• Arrival: Gate G1
• Departure: Departure Hall Level 5
• KL International Airport (KLIA), 64000 KLIA, Sepang
• Phone: Daytime (8AM – 8PM) +6012-6155200
  • Night hours (8PM – 8AM) +6012-6388525
• Operation Hours:
  • Gate G1: 24 Hours. KLIA 1
  • Departure Hall Level 5 : 5.00 AM – 7.00 PM

klia2

• Departure Hall Level 3
• KL International Airport (KLIA2), Jalan KLIA, 2/1, 64000, Sepang
• Phone: Daytime (8AM – 8PM) +6012-6155200
  • Night hours (8PM – 8AM) +6012-6388525
• Operation Hours klia2
  • Departure Hall Level 3 : 4.00 AM – 7.00 PM

If you prefer to get the test done after you leave the airport, a quick search for an RTK Antigen test clinic near me will identify testing locations, the cost at a clinic is about half what you will pay for Covid-19 testing at the airport. However, you may need to pre-book and you will need to get yourself to the clinic.