Heading into Johor Bahru? Here's what you need to know about crossing the Causeway
Hopping over to JB for the first time or thinking about taking a different mode of transportation? We've got you covered.
A view of the Causeway with Johor Bahru in the background. (File photo: iStock)
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SINGAPORE: Thinking of heading across the Causeway into Johor Bahru for a quick trip?
The 1km bridge that links Singapore and Malaysia is among the busiest land crossings in the world – but there’s no need to be daunted.
Whether it’s to visit friends and family or to shop up a storm in Malaysia, here’s what you need to know about making the journey.
BY TRAIN
The Johor Bahru-Woodlands train service remains the fastest way of crossing the Causeway for now, breezing through in just five minutes.
You’ll also clear immigration via a separate route, avoiding snaking lines often seen at the bus arrival and departure halls. Each train can also only ferry up to 320 passengers, which limits crowding.
Get your tickets online via Malaysia’s KTMB website or mobile app. No hard copy is necessary as your ticket will be digitally tagged to your passport, which will be scanned at the gate.
The current fare for a one-way ticket from Woodlands Checkpoint into Johor Bahru is RM17.80 (S$5) while it costs RM5 (S$1.40) to travel back to Singapore from the station in JB Sentral.
The train, also known as the Tebrau Shuttle, currently makes 31 trips daily – 18 from JB Sentral to Woodlands, and 13 from Woodlands to JB Sentral.
Just remember to arrive early. Gates close at Woodlands 20 minutes before departure while the gantries at JB Sentral shut 10 minutes before the train leaves.
Had a change in plans? Here’s a tip – you can cancel your ticket online for a partial refund.
Get a 75 per cent refund for cancellations made more than 72 hours before departure and 50 per cent for cancellations made within the three-day window.
The quickest way to handle payments is also via the platform’s KTM Wallet, which eliminates the need for multi-step security authentication when you are on the go.
BY BUS
Cross-border bus services are another pocket-friendly option - SBS Transit buses 160, 170 and 170X, as well as SMRT bus service 950.
Bus service 160 plies the route between Jurong Town Hall bus interchange and JB Sentral Bus Terminal.
Service 170 travels between Queen Street Terminal and Larkin Terminal in Johor Bahru, while 170X travels between Kranji MRT station and JB Sentral.
SMRT bus service 950 runs between Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange and JB Sentral terminal.
More information on operating hours and arrival timings is available on the Land Transport Authority’s MyTransport.SG app or via the bus operators’ websites.
But if just crossing the Causeway is your main objective, any bus will do, including the bright yellow Causeway Link buses operated by Malaysia.
Long queues at the bus arrival and departure halls are a common sight, especially during commuting hours and holidays.
Singaporeans looking to smoothen their journey can consider clearing Malaysia’s immigration via electronic gates instead of manual ones, but terms and conditions apply.
E-gates open to Singaporeans
Singaporeans entering Johor via the Woodlands and Tuas land checkpoints can opt to clear immigration via the e-gates instead of the manual counters at the bus arrival and departure halls.
What you need
- A Singapore passport with more than three months' validity
- Be at least 120cm tall
- Submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC) online within three days prior to your date of arrival
- If it’s your first time using the e-gate, enrol your fingerprints and verify your passport at the manual counter
Confused about whether you need to fill in the MDAC? It is not necessary for Singaporeans who stick to the manual counters.
After clearing immigration at the Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) building, you will find yourself at JB Sentral which serves as a transport hub.
It is an ideal launchpad for your next onward journey – hop on a local bus, hail a cab, board a private-hire car, or simply take the connecting overhead pathway into the popular City Square mall.
BY CAR
It goes without saying that congestion is to be expected, especially during peak periods, long weekends and festive occasions. Plan ahead to avoid additional angst.
If you’re driving, popular apps such as Beat the Jam and Checkpoint.sg provide insight into the current traffic situation, with snapshots from road cameras on both sides and estimated travel times.
Beat the Jam also offers a forecast of upcoming travel conditions, with projections on when congestion intensifies or eases.
Factor in buffer time for any potential delays. In addition to increased traffic flow across the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, security measures have also been stepped up in view of the situation in the Middle East.
If you prefer to sit back and enjoy the journey, opt for a cross-border taxi or private car instead.
The trip from Ban San Street terminal in Rochor to Larkin Sentral in JB via Woodlands Checkpoint is S$15 per person, or S$60 per cab, while the return trip is RM120 per taxi.
Other transport and travel platforms such as Klook also offer private car charters, with the flexibility of picking you and your family up anywhere in Singapore and heading directly to your destination.
Such arrangements are ideal for groups with children or the elderly, as this affords the convenience of not having to get down for immigration clearance or changing vehicles upon arrival.
REMINDERS
Check your passports and ensure they have a remaining validity of at least six months.
Singapore permanent residents who have renewed their passports will have to transfer their re-entry permit to the new one. Long-term pass holders will also need to notify the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) or Manpower Ministry of any change in their passport particulars before their entry into Singapore.
Keep your eye on the traffic situation through the Land Transport Authority’s One Motoring website or via the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System installed along the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE). Motorists can also get updates through ICA’s Facebook and X accounts, as well as local radio broadcasts.
Drivers should also remember to have a valid and topped-up Touch ‘n Go card to pay for road charges, checkpoints and highway tolls in Malaysia. Remember to adhere to the “three-quarter tank” rule for departing Singapore-registered cars.
It also goes without saying but do drive courteously – queue-cutters will be turned away and made to queue again.
And as always, expect the unexpected. Some immigration counters at the bus and car bays may occasionally close for upgrading works. The latest updates are usually made available online via Singapore and Malaysia authorities’ social media platforms.
