How to get from Malacca to Singapore
Why visit Singapore?
For a small island city-state, Singapore is a huge tourist hub in Southeast Asia. In 2024, the number of tourists visiting Singapore was nearly 3x its population!
This is for good reason. Head to downtown Singapore and you’ll find a number of tourist attractions, all connected by efficient and high-quality transportation.
To revisit your childhood, there’s Universal Studios and the resort island of Sentosa. For shopping, head to Orchard Road. For art, visit the Kampong Glam area. For an amazing night and light show, you have to visit Marina Bay Sands.
Things not to bring into Singapore
Only a 4-hour journey away, you might forget that you are crossing a border when travelling from Malacca to Singapore. And the latter can be very strict about the things visitors bring into the country.
Allow us to share Maarten’s own experience of crossing the Malaysia-Singapore border by bus.
“My friend and I had a big bottle of gin when we checked in for customs and immigration. We were taken to a separate room for around 30 minutes before they finally let us leave with the alcohol. All the time we were so scared our bus would leave without us!”
And now, we’re on a mission to make sure our readers don’t have to suffer the same fate!
Alcohol is not exactly prohibited when entering Singapore. But if you’re coming from Malaysia, there is a 1-litre limit. They don’t care if you don’t know that rule, exceed that and you’ll have to pay a hefty fine!
To avoid any hassle and the possibility of spending a fortune on fines, make sure none of these is in your luggage when you cross the Malaysia-Singapore border:
- Chewing tobacco and imitation products, including e-cigarettes
- Chewing gum, except those used for medical/dental purposes
- Any object that looks like a weapon (toy guns or cigarette lighters shaped like a gun, etc.)
- Pirated materials (movies, software, etc.)
- Illegal drugs, firecrackers, or any form of unlicensed weapon
- Obscene materials (magazines, videos, etc.)
You can visit Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority website for more info.
PRO TIP: You might think you can get away by hiding any of these in the bus while you bring your luggage to customs, but the bus gets checked too. You might just end up in bigger trouble!
What are the 2 ways to travel from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore?
There are 2 ways to travel the 205 kilometre (127 miles) distance from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore. You can choose between the bus and flight. The journey takes 2 hours 5 minutes to 6 hours 20 minutes and the quickest way is by flight. If you're on a budget, the cheapest option is by bus with tickets starting at 27 SGD ($21).
Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore by Bus
Travelling by bus is an easy and convenient way to travel from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore. You take the bus from Malacca city centre, get off for passport checks at the immigrations checkpoints in Johor Bahru and Woodlands Checkpoint, and arrive at your chosen drop-off point in downtown Singapore.
Bus fares start from 27 SGD ($21) and travel time is 3 hours 55 minutes to 6 hours 20 minutes from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore.
Departure and arrival stations
The main bus station in Malacca is Melaka Sentral, which is 8 km from the city centre. If you’re staying in the tourist area, there are also bus departure points that may be closer to your hotel — like Makhota Medical Centre and Melaka Hatten Hotel.
In downtown Singapore, there are a number of arrival points. Try to pick a bus that can drop you off closest to your hotel.
Bus schedules from Malacca to Singapore
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Immigration Checkpoints
Buses operating from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore make their first stop some 3.5 hours into your journey at Johor Bahru, for Malaysian customs and immigration. You will need to get off the bus with all your belongings.
Have your passport stamped and then quickly go back inside the bus because their waiting time is only 20 minutes.
And then, your bus will cross over to Singapore and stop again at Woodlands Checkpoint for Singapore’s customs and immigration. Again, don’t attempt to leave prohibited items on the bus! Bring all your things with you, fill out their entry card and also have your passport stamped.
After this, you can return to your bus and rest easy for 30 minutes to 1 hour until you arrive in downtown Singapore.
Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore by Flight
Flights are available when travelling from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore, but only on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
Combined rates start from 53 SGD ($41.50) and travel time is about 2 hours 5 minutes, including airport transfers.
We don’t think you get to save much time when taking a flight for this route, compared to taking a direct express bus. But if you prefer to take a flight to Singapore from Melaka (Malacca), read on for a step-by-step guide.
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Step 1: How to get to Malacca Airport
Malacca International Airport is about 10 km north of the city centre. The best way to get there is by taxi or Grab.
Fares start from 30 MYR ($7.60) for the ride that takes about 30 minutes, depending on traffic.
Step 2: Flight from Malacca to Singapore
Scoot offers flights from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore — one flight daily from Friday to Sunday.
Airfares start from 100 MYR ($25.50). We recommend booking your flight well in advance for the best rates.
Flight time is about 1h 05m.
Step 3: Singapore Airport to Singapore City Centre
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 10 SGD ($7.80); a taxi from 25 SGD ($19.50); the train for 2.70 SGD ($2.10); or a public bus for 2.50 SGD ($2).
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.
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
Frequently Asked Questions about Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore
What is the distance from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore?
The distance from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore is 205 kilometre (127 miles).
What is the fastest way to get from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore?
The fastest way to get from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore is by flight and takes 2 hours 5 minutes.
What is the cheapest way to get from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore?
The cheapest way to get from Melaka (Malacca) to Singapore is by bus with ticket costs starting from 27 SGD ($21).
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she’s not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines… Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she’ll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Kate is a travel content creator, writer and founder of Stay Wild Travel, a tour company running group trips for women beyond your typical destinations. Her full-time travels have taken her to almost 60 countries, and she doesn’t intend to stop anytime soon.
