How to Get From Kuala Lumpur to Singapore

From Johor Bahru, the train that crosses the border to Singapore only takes 5 minutes. You should buy your ticket at the train station for $3.90 (16 MYR) before heading to the customs and immigration office.

Woodlands Train Checkpoint

The good thing about the Woodlands Train Checkpoint is that it already has both Malaysian and Singaporean immigration offices in one location. You won’t have to make 2 stops as you would with the bus.

Prepare for long queues if you are travelling during peak Times. Note that there are a good number of Malaysians who cross this border every day for work in Singapore.

From Woodlands Checkpoint, you have 3 choices to reach downtown Singapore: a 40-minute taxi, a 1-hour bus, or a 1-hour bus + MRT. Rates range from $2 (2.5 SGD) to $24 (30 SGD).

Bus from Woodlands Checkpoint to Singapore city centre

The Woodlands Checkpoint is conveniently connected to downtown Singapore by the Causeway Link, which are direct cross-border buses.

You have 2 options: CW2 from Woodlands Checkpoint to Queen Street Bus Terminal and CW5 from Woodlands Checkpoint to Newton Circus. CW2 departs every 15-20 minutes, 24 hours a day. CW5 is available every 45 minutes from 05:00 to 22:30.

Travel time with the Causeway Link from Woodlands Checkpoint to Singapore city centre is 45 minutes to 1 hour, depending on traffic. During peak hours, it could take up to 2 hours.

A bus ticket costs $2.30 (3 SGD) to $3.90 (5 SGD).

Bus + MRT from Woodlands Checkpoint to Singapore city centre

If you're not keen on experiencing Singapore's heavy traffic as soon as you enter the country, you can take a combination of bus and MRT.

There are 2 train stations near Woodlands Checkpoint:

• Marsiling MRT Station (4 km away): From here, you can take the red line to key stations like City Hall, Raffles Place and Marina Bay.
• Woodlands MRT Station (6 km away): From here, you can take either the red line or the brown line to Orchard Station and Outram Park, which is connected to Chinatown and Clarke Quay.

You can get to these MRT stations by bus from Woodlands Checkpoint.

The journey by combined bus and MRT from Woodlands Checkpoint to downtown Singapore takes about 1 hour. Ticket prices range from $2 (2.5 SGD) to $3.50 (4.5 SGD).

Taxi from Woodlands Checkpoint to Singapore city centre

You shouldn't have a hard time getting a taxi from Woodlands Checkpoint. You can hail one from the street or order one through Grab.

Travel time by taxi is around 40 minutes, but it can take longer during peak hours. Rates are from $24 (30 SGD) to $32 (40 SGD).

Air Asia normally offers the cheapest flights from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, with airfares starting from $16 (64 MYR) if you book your tickets in advance. Other carriers operating this route are Firefly and Malaysia Airlines.

The flight departs from Kuala Lumpur International Airport and arrives at Changi Airport in Singapore after a little over an hour.

From Singapore Changi Airport, you’ll have to travel 20 km west to reach downtown Singapore, where most of the tourist hotels are located. You have 4 options: a city shuttle for $7.80 (10 SGD); a taxi from $20 (25 SGD); the train for $2.10 (2.7 SGD); or a public bus for $2 (2.5 SGD).

Travelling solo? The city shuttle is a good mix of comfort and affordability. Although a shared ride, they offer free drop-off to most hotels in the city centre. You can book them at the airport upon arrival or online beforehand via Klook.

If you're travelling in a group, it will be more cost-efficient to take a taxi. There's plenty available at the airport. But if you want your private ride waiting for you as soon as you arrive, you can also pre-book one through Klook or BookAway

The train and the public bus are way cheaper, but often require at least one transfer. If you're carrying bulky luggage, they're not exactly a convenient way to get from the airport to Singapore city centre. For more details, check out our page on Singapore Airport.