Singapore - Getting There By Road

You can drive to Singapore from Malaysia, thanks to the two causeways that connect it. One of the causeways is located at Woodlands, north of Singapore, while the other one is located in the northeast at Tuas. These causeways are heavily trafficked. You might experience delays, especially if you are traveling during peak travel times such as on public holidays, weekends, or during peak hours.

If you come into the country in this manner, you’ll still need to pass through checkpoints and customs so be prepared for these as well and make sure you have your passport and any other travel documentation with you.

If you are driving a foreign-registered vehicle, you will probably have to get an Autopass card (a vehicle entry permit) at either the Woodlands or Tuas Checkpoint arrival zones. It is illegal to drive in Singapore without an Autopass Card for your foreign-registered vehicle.

In a foreign-registered vehicle, you’ll have to pay your vehicle entry permit (VEP) fees, toll charges and/or ERP charges with your Autopass card and not the NETS Cashcard. The VEP fees are calculated on a daily basis. They aren’t charged on Saturdays, Sundays and all Singapore Public Holidays. You may drive into Singapore for a maximum of 10 days in each calendar year without having to pay the VEP fees. The toll charges still apply, though. These are calculated on a per trip basis and can be paid on arrival and departure at the Tuas Checkpoint. However, they can only be paid on departure at the Woodlands Checkpoint.

From Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, drive time is a little over 3 ½ hours.

It is also possible to drive to Singapore from Thailand. It’s a long drive and takes about a day, but it can be accomplished and many people do it. The North South Expressway makes this trip possible. You will need to pay tolls as you go. These are 70 cents per km. There are lots of gas stations, restaurants, and rest stops along the way.

In Malaysia, you’ll need your passports, Malaysian Arrival/Departure card and your currency declaration form filled in. You can get these at the booth if you don’t already have them. After you go through immigration you will go on to customs. Here, you’ll need to open your car’s trunk. The customs officials do speak English.

At the Thai border, you can expect to find less traffic than you will later on in Singapore. The border closes at 10 pm Malaysian/Singaporean time (9 pm Thailand) so this is something to keep in mind. You will probably have to show your passport, although customs officials don’t always take much notice.

Bus service is also available from Malaysia and in most cases is a couple of hours faster than train service. Buses are comfortable and clean. There are standard buses available, as well as luxury VIP buses. These have business class seats, meals, and televisions.

Some bus companies that service Malaysia and Singapore include:

Grasslands Express
http://www.grassland.com.sg
+65 6393-1166

StarMart Express
http://www.busonlineticket.com
+65 6396-5681

Five Stars Express
+65 6294 7011

Konsortium Express
http://www.konsortium.com.sg
+65 6392 3911

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