Going to Singapore by bus

You can go to Singapore by bus from most towns in Malaysia as well as Hatyai in southern Thailand. However, be aware that going by bus can be a very long journey - a trip from Hatyai to Singapore will take 15 hours on the bus. You will have passed through immigration and custom checkpoints at both the Malaysian and Singapore borders.

There are two ways to enter Singapore by bus: through the Causeway from Johor Bahru in Malaysia into Woodlands in Singapore, and another from Tanjung Kupang in Malaysia to Tuas in Singapore. The more luxurious coaches use the second link while the more budget buses use the Causeway. The difference is that there is a toll to use the Second Link, but it is cleaner and less congested and on the whole faster - unless you happen to be from Johor Bahru.

If you are going by bus using the old causeway, there may be a delay simply crossing the causeway, especially in the morning, when the whole causeway entering Singapore becomes congested with people from Johor Bahru going there to work. The traffic reverses itself towards the evening rush hour. From my own experience of traveling by bus between Malaysia and Singapore, more time is spent going through the causeway than on much of the journey itself.

To clear immigration and customs, you have to disembark from your bus, walk a short distance, then up a flight of stairs/escalators, then line up. Be sure to have filled up your Arrival Pass. If possible, avoid morning rush hour when people are going into Singapore to work. After you have cleared immigration and customs, you go down the stairs/escalators to your awaiting bus. Be sure to remember which bus you took!

Most buses to Singapore from Malaysia and Thailand terminate at one of two sites: Lavender Street Terminal and Golden Mile Complex. Either one is fine, although Lavender Street has proper parking space for the buses whereas at Golden Mile, the buses are simply parked by the roadside. It all depends on what bus company you are using, so check when you buy your tickets.

List of bus companies offering services between Malaysia and Singapore