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Bus Ticket Booking Tips & Cross Border at Singapore Malaysia Customs

How to go from Singapore to Malaysia by bus?

Buying Singapore to Malaysia bus tickets is what most locals like Singaporeans and Malaysians would do as it is cheaper than taking a flight. Or rather, we are more familiar with using a tour coach from Singapore to Malaysia cities despite long travelling hours and perceived horror stories by taking a bus from these two countries.

Decades ago, it was very inconvenient to go from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre as the transport network of train and buses was inadequate. The only mean was taking a taxi which we were often ripped off by the inflated price. Now the transport infrastructure is well-developed and easy to travel from point to point.

Recently, I went on a weekend trip to Kuala Lumpur (KL) from Singapore with one Belgian friend working in Singapore. We stayed in a very chic Impiana KLCC Hotel. I suggested that we took a travel bus to KL though we could also take cheap flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore as an alternative. It would then be a memorable experience for her to take a bus from Singapore to KL with someone experienced like me on a road trip to Malaysia.

Both countries are neighbours connected by two bridges in two different customs. Hence, the easy accessibility has brought me to Kuala Lumpur countless times. Eventually, I bought our Singapore Malaysia round-trip tickets online at SGD36 per person (€22.50 / US$26.10). Other than the advantage of being the least expensive, travelling by Singapore to Malaysia bus has several drawbacks that you should be aware of it.

Follow My Kuala Lumpur List on Google Maps

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Buying Bus Tickets from Singapore to Other Malaysia Cities

Online Bus Booking from Singapore to Malaysia KL

Online bus booking has made travelling from Singapore to any part of Malaysia very easy. The website that I always use is Easybook.com. If I run out of idea where to go in Malaysia, I would just browse for destinations to see where their buses go. Founded in 2006, Easybook.com was established as a one-stop platform that sells bus tickets in Singapore and Malaysia. They are the largest online booking platform in Southeast Asia with more than 5 million tickets sold online.

• If you are going to Kuala Lumpur, Easybook.com has several departing points all over Singapore. Thus, you can find the location most convenient for you.
• If you are a tourist in Singapore and want to buy a ticket at the counter, go to Golden Mile Complex. The place has a long-standing reputation for travel coaches going to Malaysia.

Many bus companies put up their offer on Easybook.com. Some buses have WiFi, English movies on TV to keep passengers entertained whereas some of them even provide meals with higher bus fares. The features are represented by the icons on the website. I think the above features are not significant when it comes to buying Singapore to Malaysia bus tickets. Roomy seat space that can recline for a good rest during a long journey is more vital. Fortunately, most travel coaches travelling to Malaysia are spacious and even have double-deckers.

» Cheap Bus Travel Insurance

The online bus booking from Easybook.com also pre-ticked cheap travel insurance protection at SGD 1.20 per trip. You can uncheck if you do not want it. I would advise you to buy the insurances considering they are so cheap and affordable. Furthermore, you do not know what will happen on the way with a Singapore to Malaysia bus as many travel coach drivers are reckless. Additionally, I have also heard a lot of nasty accidents about it. Here is what the insurance company covers: –

1 EURO = SGD 1.60    |    1 USD = SGD 1.38

Coverage	SGD	EURO	USD
1. Accidental Death & Permanent Disablement	25,000	15,625	18,115
2. Accidental Medical Expenses	2,000	1,250	1450
3. Emergency Medical Evacuation	1,000	625	725
4. Repatriation of Mortal Remains	1,000	625	725
5. Accidental Damage or Loss of Baggage	200	125	145
6. Loss of Money	200	125	145
7. Emergency Travel Expenses	1,000	626	725

Buying Singapore to Malaysia Bus Tickets at the Counters

There are several bus ticketing agencies in Singapore where you can buy bus tickets to Kuala Lumpur and to other cities in Malaysia. The most well-known location is again at Golden Mile Complex as mentioned above. You can walk around the perimeter of the building and select from a few bus ticketing companies there.

The bus ticketing agencies in Singapore and Malaysia do entertain last-minute bookings if there are still available seats. However, do not try this during peak seasons like the Public Holidays in Singapore and in Malaysia. The buses are usually fully booked during these periods.

Is it cheaper to book Singapore to Malaysia bus online? Likely yes, but it also depends on special service on the bus. Premium services like meal onboard or WiFi will be more expensive. Most travel coaches provide standard services with no food and no internet.

Some bus ticketing agencies charge the same rate at the counter as what they advertise on Easybook.com whereas some do not sell their tickets online. Booking online brings more convenience by saving time. If the website gives discounts during promotions, then you will get a lower bus ticket price from Singapore to Malaysia.

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① At the Departure Point

Arrive at the pick-up point 30 minutes before the departure time. Bring along your passport and the printed booking confirmation. Many bus companies accept bus booking confirmation shown from your mobile. The office of my last trip to KL was not open at 8.45 am. Having a printed slip to show the bus driver may make things easier.

② At the Singapore Customs

The bus from Singapore will stop at the Singapore Customs which is either at Tuas Checkpoint or Woodlands Checkpoint. You can leave your bags inside the vehicle while you carry your passport with you for checking. Take your valuables with you.

③ At the Malaysia Customs

When the bus crosses the causeway and reaches Johor Bahru Customs in Malaysia, you have to bring down ALL your belongings to go through scanning in the X-Ray machine. Your passport will be stamped. Make sure the stamp is there. There were past incidents where the customs officers did not stamp on the passports. It caused big problems to the travellers when they entered Singapore later.

④ At Yong Peng Coffee Shop

The travel coach will typically stop at a coffee shop for a 30-minute break in a Malaysian city, Yong Peng. That would be 2 to 3 hours later from Singapore. You can take your meal here or use the washroom. There are usually bus announcements in Malay, Mandarin, and English with the bus number called at the coffee shop. Hence, always remember your vehicle number when before getting down the bus.

Yong Peng Coffeeshop

⑤ On the Way to Your Destination

I would advise you not to drink so much water. Some insensitive drivers will not stop for toilet breaks if no one tells them. They are always rushing to complete the journey as quickly as they can. Inform the driver if you need to use the toilet on the way so he can stop somewhere. Most of the time, the driver will give appropriate toilet breaks, but you can’t always count on that.

⑥ At Kuala Lumpur or Other Cities in Malaysia

After the short pause at Yong Peng, the bus will usually proceed all the way to the destination. However, there are times that the bus will stop at 1 or 2 stops for people to alight in Malaysia.

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All the above procedures exist in a reversed manner. This time, at Singapore Customs, you are expected to remove ALL your luggage and shopping bags for scanning. I would like to caution you about bringing duty-unpaid cigarettes from Malaysia to Singapore if you are not aware of Singapore laws.

Prohibition to Bring Duty-Unpaid Cigarettes into Singapore without Declaring at Singapore Customs

The cost of cigarettes in Malaysia is cheap, much cheaper than in Singapore. Thus, it is common for people to buy more than usual in Malaysia. According to the Singapore Customs, one is prohibited from bringing in any duty-unpaid cigarettes from Malaysia into Singapore without declaring.

Either you declare the pack of cigarettes and pax tax at the Singapore Customs even when it is less than half a pack, dump it away, or risk being caught in possession and pay a fine of SGD 200 per packet of cigarettes. Checks are conducted randomly at the Singapore Customs.

What most tourists do not realise is that Singapore Duty-Paid Cigarettes are all marked with the letters ‘SDPC’. In the past, people swapped the cigarettes purchased from Malaysia and put them in a Singapore cigarette pack when SDPC marking was not implemented yet.

People can avoid detection this way as there is no way to differentiate the cigarettes from Malaysia other than the packing. Later, the government became smarter and came up with the idea of marking the cigarettes. Now, the Singapore Customs officers will check the content and watch out for the ‘SDPC’ mark.

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After Singapore Customs Clearance

After the passport and baggage clearance at the Singapore Customs, take the escalator down to the bus bay on the ground floor. Look out for your coach number as there will be several buses there. During peak hours, weekends & Public Holidays, security checks on the tour coach generally take some time so be patient. The drop-off point for most buses in Singapore is at the Golden Mile Complex.

How Many Hours to Reach from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by Bus?

The distance from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on Google Maps (Show Map)

is approximately 350 km and 4 hours of driving. The bus booking website reflects 5 hours of travelling time. That is only true if you are driving a car at reasonable high-speed non-stop and change lanes on Malaysia road from time to time to a faster-moving lane.

Additionally, there must be no traffic jams on the way too. Well, if you take a Singapore to Malaysia bus, I’m afraid you have to add 2 to 3 hours to the estimated travelling time above. The last Kuala Lumpur trip took me 8 hours with some additional pickup point, traffic jams, etc. I’ll reveal 10 Ugly Truths on Malaysia Express Buses from Singapore You Can’t Avoid.