How to travel from Singapore to Johor Bahru by Bus

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As someone who stays and works in Singapore, I am constantly looking for short getaways to neighboring countries. Since the nearest city from Singapore is Johor Bahru, Malaysia, I found myself frequently cross the border from Singapore to Johor Bahru.

There are many ways you could travel from Singapore to Johor Bahru and vice versa, such as by public bus, private bus, shuttle tebrau train, taxi, private transfer (such as this and this) or by driving. And nope, there is no flight between Johor Bahru Senai Airport and Singapore Changi Airport.

In this post, I’ll share with you about how to go from Singapore to Johor Bahru by public bus, as well as how to travel back from Johor Bahru to Singapore by bus.

Overview

Here is the summary procedure on how to travel from Singapore to JB by public bus.

• Determine your destination in JB
• Determine which bus can bring you closest to your destination
• On the day of travel, take one of the public buses listed in this article
• When arriving at Singapore’s checkpoint, alight from the bus and go to immigration
• Upon clearing SG immigration, go down the escalator, walk to bus stop and take bus to JB
• When arriving at Johor Bahru’s checkpoint, alight from the bus and go to immigration
• Upon clearing JB’s immigration, either go to bus stop and take another bus to your destination or simply walk out of the custom and head to your next destination

Fill Up Arrival Cards Before Crossing the Border

Before Entering Malaysia

Within 3 days before entering Malaysia, foreign visitors need to fill up Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC). MDAC is compulsory for all foreign visitors, except the following:

• Citizens of Singapore
• Diplomatic and Official Passport Holders
• Malaysia’s Permanent Residents and Long Term Pass Holders
• General Certificate of Identity (GCI) Brunei Darussalam Holders
• Brunei Malaysia Frequent Traveler Facility Holders
• Thailand Border Pass Holders
• Indonesia Cross-Border Travel Document (PLB) Holders

Before Entering Singapore

Within 3 days before entering Singapore by land, foreign visitors need to fill up Singapore Arrival Card (SGAC). SGAC is exempted for Singapore Singapore Citizens, Permanent Residents and Pass Holders entering Singapore by land.

When is the Best Time to Cross the Border?

Generally, the border is at its busiest when:

• Malaysians are crossing the border to go to work in Singapore
• Malaysians are crossing the border to go back home to Malaysia after work
• People from Singapore are crossing border to Malaysia to spend their holidays

Usually, the peak timings for non-holiday period are as follow:
SG to JB direction: Friday night, Saturday morning and Saturday noon
JB to SG direction: Sunday after 3pm, and Monday morning

During holiday period or long weekend, the peak timing will be:
SG to JB direction: the eve of holiday, and the morning of holiday
JB to SG direction: the last day of holiday, and the morning of the day after holiday

Understanding 2 Border Checkpoints

There are 2 Border Checkpoints between Singapore and Johor Bahru. The main and older one is SG Woodlands CIQ & JB CIQ; this is also commonly referred as “First Link.”  The building name for JB checkpoint is “Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI).” For simplicity, I will use the terms Woodlands Checkpoint and JB CIQ.

The second and newer one is SG Tuas CIQ, and JB Second Link CIQ; this is commonly referred as “Second Link” or “Tuas.” The building name for JB Second Link checkpoint is “Sultan Abu Bakar.” For simplicity, I will use the term Tuas Checkpoint and JB Second Link CIQ.

Both checkpoints are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Which border and which bus you should choose? To answer this, you need to consider your final destination in JB.

If you are planning for shopping, cafe hopping, food hunting, mall hanging out, you may choose to go to JB CIQ via First Link. From JB CIQ Custom, you can literally walk to Johor Bahru City Square, Komtar JBCC, JB Sentral Bus Terminal, Jalan Wong Ah Fook, and Jalan Dhoby.

If you are planning to go to Larkin Terminal to take other buses to continue to other parts of Malaysia, you may choose either First Link or Second Link.

If you are going to other parts of JB that are near Second Link (such as Legoland, Johor Premium Outlet, Bukit Indah, Iskandar Puteri), you may choose Second Link.

The table below shows a list of frequently-visited places in Johor Bahru and the recommended border to choose. It doesn’t mean that these destinations have direct bus from Singapore, some destination requires you to change to another bus.

Destination in JB	First Link	Second Link	Remarks
Johor Bahru City Square	✔️	–	Walking distance from JB First Link
Komtar JBCC	✔️	–	Walking distance from JB First Link
KSL City Mall	✔️	–	Take local buses at JB Sentral (or get a Grab)
Larkin Bus Terminal	✔️	✔️	Take Bus 170, CWL from JB Checkpoint
Legoland	–	✔️	Take Bus CW3 to Opp Ajung Medini or CW4G to Terminal Geylang Patah, then take taxi/Grab to Legoland.
Johor Premium Outlet	✔️	–	Take Bus JPO1 from JB Sentral. Alternatively, take taxi/Grab from anywhere in JB.
Senai Airport	✔️	–	Take Senai Airport Shuttle from JB Sentral
JB Paradigm Mall	✔️	–	Take local buses at JB Sentral (or get a Grab)
Danga Bay	✔️	–	Take local buses at JB Sentral (or get a Grab)

Which Border has Less Traffic?

The traffic tends to be heavier at Woodlands, but during peak period such as Public Holiday, both borders are equally heavy.

Even though first link is usually more congested, it doesn’t mean that I will choose second link over first link all the time. It depends on where I’m going to in JB.

What I usually do before crossing the border is checking the traffic cameras at both checkpoints and checking Google Maps for estimated traffic condition.

The traffic cameras are updated every minute so it’s pretty accurate. If you see a traffic jam, do investigate whether it’s traffic jam on car lanes or bus lanes. Sometimes, the car lanes may have heavy traffic but the bus lane is literally empty.

What traffic cameras can’t show you is the traffic condition at JB Checkpoint, because these cameras are installed by Singapore side, not Malaysia. So, if you see a clear bridge, don’t be too happy first. Instead, check the traffic condition at Google Maps, maybe there’s a traffic jam at Malaysia side.

How to check traffic condition in Google Maps? Choose “traffic” function in Google Maps. On mobile, it’s located at top right corner, under the search bar, within the drop-down menu. On desktop, it’s within the drop-down menu located at top left corner.

The traffic function will show you traffic condition in colors. Dark red means extremely heavy. But again, heavy traffic refers to car traffic, not bus traffic. There’s a lot of guestimate when trying to predict bus traffic.

How to pay for the bus fare?

Public bus fare can be paid using EZ-Link, ManjaLink (only Causeway buses) or by cash. If you pay bus fare by cash, please pay with exact money because no change will be given. After paying cash, you will then be given a ticket that you must keep throughout the journey until you reach your destination.

If you don’t have exact cash, for Causeway (CW) buses, you have the option to pay at the counters which are usually available at every starting point of CW buses’ routes. However, for other buses, there are no counters, hence no change will be given.

What is the travel duration?

The travel duration from Singapore to JB depends greatly on traffic condition. It could take 1 hour during off-peak (weekdays afternoon), but it could take as much as 4 hours during peak period (such as the eve of a long weekend or eve of a Public Holiday).

Most of the time, it takes me about 2 hours to cross the border in the evening or on the weekend. 

Since it’s difficult to estimate the exact travel duration, it’s better to allow more buffer for the journey, especially if you need to catch another bus or flight from Johor Bahru to other cities.

Can you walk across the border of Singapore and Malaysia?

Some people do walk across the border between Woodlands Checkpoint and JB CIQ Checkpoint on rare occasions, such as when the traffic jam is too horrible and they are at risk of arriving late at their workplace. However, please do not walk because it is extremely dangerous; there is no pedestrian footpath and the vehicles don’t give way to pedestrian.

And, nobody walks across the border between Tuas Checkpoint and JB Second Link Checkpoint. Curious why? The distance between the two checkpoints is 5km! Similar to first link, there’s no pedestrian footpath and vehicles don’t give way to pedestrian. So, for safety reason, please wait patiently for the bus no matter how urgently you need to get to your destination.

List of Buses from Singapore to Johor Bahru

1. From Kranji MRT Station

At Kranji MRT Station, take exit C to the bus stop. Money changer with reasonable rates is available here, as well as a food court. On weekends, expect huge crowd so leave your house early.

Location of Kranji MRT on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/q4FY7AB3AkTQm5vRA

SBS Bus 170X will bring you to Johor Bahru via Woodlands Checkpoint (First Link). The last station for Bus 170X is JB Sentral Bus Terminal, which is within walking distance from JB CIQ. So, usually after clearing the immigration at JB, nobody takes bus 170x anymore because people who are going to JB Sentral simply walk from the CIQ.

For information, there are 2 types of SBS Bus 170: red plate and blue plate. Blue plate (or 170X) leaves from Kranji and ends at JB Sentral Bus Terminal with only a few stops in between. Meanwhile, Red plate (bus 170) leaves from Queen Street Terminal (see point #3 below) and ends at Larkin Terminal with many bus stops in between (not recommended due to long journey).

2. Causeway Link Bus CW1
Fare from Kranji: S$2.60 by cash, ManjaLink* or Visa**
Fare from Larkin/JB CIQ: RM2.60 by ManjaLink* or Visa**
Note: For CW bus, only tap your card when boarding/re-boarding, DON’T tap when alighting.
CW1 Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW1
Route of ALL CW buses: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/singapore-bus
Operating Hour from Kranji: 6.00am to 11.30pm
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: 4.00am to 10.30pm
Operating Hour from Larkin: 6.00am to 10.00pm

Bus CW1 only have 3 stops: Kranji MRT Station, SG Woodlands Checkpoint, JB CIQ. If you want to continue to Larkin Terminal, you need to take connecting bus CWL from JB CIQ.

*About ManjaLink: ManjaLink is a bus card issued by Causeway Link. It can be used on any Causeway Link buses (cross-border or local bus). You can purchase it online or from CW counters.

**About Visa: You can pay your CW1, CW2, CW5 and CWL bus rides with Visa credit card or debit card. Do ensure that your Visa card is contactless enabled and issued by an authorized bank/financial institution regardless the country of issuance. Details here.

My personal favorite way to go to JB is to taking SBS Bus 170X from Kranji because there are only 5 bus stops from Kranji MRT to Woodlands Checkpoint, the frequency of bus is quite high (intervals up to 9 mins during peak period, and up to 17 mins during off-peak period).

Furthermore, since I take MRT from my house to Kranji and I use EZ-Link, I can qualify for transfer fare if I take an SBS/SMRT bus after alighting from MRT. I’ll pay discounted fare if transfer is done within 45 mins. 

However, I would choose CW1 when there is a long queue for 170X but there is little or no queue for CW1. 

2. From Woodlands Bus Interchange (Walkable distance from Woodlands MRT Station)

2a. From Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange

Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange (location on Google Map) is an outdoor bus interchange, which is just a short walking distance from Woodlands MRT Station.

From Woodlands Temporary Bus Interchange, there’s 1 bus that you can take directly to Woodlands Checkpoints, which is the SMRT Bus 950. Here are the details:

Bus 950
Fare: Approx S$1.25 by EZ-Link card; or S$1.90 by cash
Route: https://www.transitlink.com.sg/eservice/eguide/service_route.php?service=950
Operating Hour: 5.30am to 11.30pm.

SMRT Bus 950 will bring you to Johor Bahru via Woodlands Checkpoint (First Link). It has many stops, but not too many. Here are the important stops of Bus 950: Woodlands Bus Interchange – 5 other stops – Woodlands Checkpoint – JB CIQ – JB Sentral Bus Terminal – JB CIQ – Woodlands Checkpoint – 7 other stops – Woodlands Bus Interchange.

SMRT bus 950 is my 2nd personal favorite (after 170X) because it is nearer to where I stay, and because I have options to take other buses if SMRT Bus 950 has long queue and I’m in a rush, especially during peak period (weekend or evening).

Wait, but you said there’s only 1 bus from Woodlands??

Yes there’s only 1 direct bus to the Checkpoint. BUT, there are a few other buses that go to Woodlands Train Checkpoints. From the Train Checkpoints, it is about 10 minutes walk to Woodlands Checkpoint. So, it’s a good alternative if you don’t mind a lot of walking. Read section 2b below.

2b. From Woodlands Bus Interchange

Woodlands Bus Interchange is an indoor bus interchange located at the basement of Woodlands Integrated Transport Hub. To get there from Woodlands MRT, just follow the signs to Bus Interchange, the walk should take less than 10 minutes.

Here are the buses that goes to Train Checkpoint:

• Take Bus 856 (Berth 11) and alight 6 stops later at W’lands Train Checkpoint. In my opinion, this is the best bus to take.
• Take Bus 903 (Berth 4) and alight 10 stops later at W’lands Train Checkpoint.
• Take Bus 911 or 911T (Berth 12) and alight 6 stops later at W’lands Train Checkpoint. Do note that you need to take the one that goes to West Loop at Berth 12, not East Loop. You can ask the driver to confirm if he goes to Train Checkpoint.
• Take Bus 912 or 912B (Berth 12) and alight 11 stops later at W’lands Train Checkpoint. Do note that you need to take the one that goes to West Loop at Berth 12, not East. It’s quite confusing to figure out which is which, so it’s best to ask the driver if he goes to Train Checkpoint. Not recommended.

Remember, after alighting, make your way to the Woodlands Train Checkpoint building. Enter the Woodlands Train Checkpoint building, go up and follow the direction towards Woodlands Checkpoint. There will be some escalator rides and pedestrian bridge involved. No photographs is allowed inside the building, so I can’t show you what it looks like.

When you see a queue at the entrance of Train Station, do not go there. Instead, walk towards the Checkpoint.

3. From Queen Street Terminal (Nearest MRT stations: Bugis and Rochor)

Queen Street Terminal is about 15 mins walk from Bugis and Rochor MRT stations. It is located at Queen Street, between Arab Street and Ban San Street.

From Bugis MRT, take exit A or B, walk along Victoria Street until you meet Arab Street, and turn left. From Rochor, take either exit A or B, walk towards Ophir Road, turn left to Rochor Canal Road, then turn right to Ban San Street.

Location of Queen Street Terminal on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/p2MXmrS5jitFm2YK7

SBS Bus 170 leaves from Queen Street Terminal and ends at Larkin Terminal with so many bus stops in between, including Rochor Stn, Opp Little India Stn, Newton Stn, Stevens Stn, Botanic Garden Stn, Tan Kah Kee Stn, Sixth Avenue Stn, King Albert Park Stn, Hillview Stn, Opp Bukit Panjang Stn. I do not recommend bus 170 from Queen Street because it stops at too many locations that you are wasting too much time on the road.

2. Causeway Link Bus CW2 (Day Service)
Fare from Queen Street: S$4.80 by cash, ManjaLink or Visa
Fare from JB CIQ: RM4.80 by cash, ManjaLink or Visa
Note: For CW bus, only tap your card when boarding/re-boarding, DON’T tap when alighting
CW2 Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW2
Route of ALL CW buses: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/singapore-bus
Operating Hour from Queen Street Terminal: 6.30am to 11.30pm
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: 4am to 10.30pm
Operating Hour from Larkin: 6am to 10.00pm

Bus CW2 (Midnight Service)
Fare: same as CW2 Day Service
Route: same as CW2 Day Service
Operating Hours: 11pm to 4am daily
Frequency: 45 minutes, subjected to traffic condition

Bus CW2 has only a total of 3 stops: Queen Street Terminal, Woodlands Checkpoint and JB CIQ. If you want to continue to Larkin Terminal, you need to take connecting bus CWL (only operate 6am to 10pm) from JB CIQ.

Tip for CW2: if you don’t mind standing on the bus for the entire journey (could take up to 1 hour plus in the evening or weekend), you can skip the long queue and go to the front of the queue. There, wait until the bus is almost full and nobody in the queue boards the bus anymore. Then board the bus.

Yep, most people in the long q will not board if there are no more seats, they don’t want to stand and would rather wait for the next bus, so this is your chance to take the bus without queuing (but you pay the price by having to stand the entire journey).

Do note that if you take CW2, once you got your passport stamp at Woodlands Checkpoint, you could board any CW buses to go to JB Sentral Checkpoint. Just show your ticket to any CW bus driver and they’ll let you in.

3. Singapore-Johore Express Bus / SJE (Fare: S$3.30 by cash)

Bus SJE route is exactly the same as CW2. Seats for SJE bus are more comfortable compared to CW2. As for frequency, it is hard to predict because there isn’t any app that you can use to check the departing schedule for bus SJE and CW.

If I were to choose between CW2 and SJE, I definitely prefer CW2 because at Woodlands Checkpoint, I can continue with any CW buses. With SJE, I have to wait for SJE.

4. From Jurong East Bus Interchange (Walkable distance from Jurong East MRT Station)

4a. From Jurong East Interim Bus Interchange

At the new Jurong East Interim Bus Interchange (Location on Google Maps), there is 1 bus that goes to JB via Woodlands Checkpoint which is SBS bus 160. To get here, take Exit B from Jurong East MRT.

1. SBS Bus 160
Fare: Approx S$1.84 by EZ-Link Card; S$ 2.50 by cash
Note: For SBS bus, you need to tap every time you board & alight
Route: http://www.transitlink.com.sg/eservice/eguide/service_route.php?service=160
Operating Hour from Jurong East Bus Interchange: 5.30am to 12midnight

SBS Bus 160 ends at JB Sentral Terminal. I personally do not recommend you to take bus 160 because it passes through many stops before Woodlands Checkpoint. Meanwhile, CW buses do not have too many stops, but they only go to Second Link, not Woodlands.

4b. From Jurong East Private Bus Pickup/Drop-off Point

At Jurong East Private Bus Pickup/Drop-off Point (location on Google Map) (video on how to get here), there are 3 buses that go to JB via Tuas Second LinkCheckpoint: CW3 (to Perling Mall), CW4 (to Pontian Bus Terminal), and CW4S (to Sutera Mall).

To be honest, it doesn’t matter which bus you take. All 3 buses will bring you to Tuas Checkpoint and then JB CIQ 2nd Link. After clearing immigration at JB CIQ 2nd Link, you can take connecting buses to go to other parts of JB. See section “Connecting Bus at JB CIQ 2nd Link” below.

1. CW3
Fare from Jurong East: S$6 by cash, ManjaLink
Fare from Perling Mall: RM6 by cash, ManjaLink
Note: For CW bus, only tap your card when boarding/re-boarding, DON’T tap when alighting
CW3 Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW3
Route of ALL CW buses: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/singapore-bus
Operating Hour from Jurong East: 7.30am to 11.30pm
Operating Hour from JB CIQ 2nd Link: 5am to 10.30pm
Operating Hour from Perling Mall: 4am to 9.30pm

2. CW4 – haven’t resumed operation
Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW4

3. CW4S
Fare from Jurong East: S$6 by cash, ManjaLink
Fare from Perling Mall: RM6 by cash, ManjaLink
Note: For CW bus, only tap your card when boarding/re-boarding, DON’T tap when alighting
CW4S Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW4s
Route of ALL CW buses: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/singapore-bus
Operating Hour from Jurong East: 7.30am to 11.30pm
Operating Hour from JB CIQ 2nd Link: 7.30am to 6.30pm
Operating Hour from Sutera Mall: 8.30am to 4.40pm

Bus CW4S ends at Sutera Mall by passing through Gelang Patah Bus Terminal, Lima Kedai, Taman Sri Orkid, Taman Ungku Tun Aminah.

Connecting Bus at JB CIQ 2nd Link: If you’re traveling on CW3, CW4, CW4S or CW7, when you arrive at JB Second Link CIQ, you have the option to transfer to any of the bus below:
a. Bus CW3L (which goes to Bukit Indah and Perling Mall) – CW3L Route
b. Bus CW3S (which goes to Bukit Indah 2, Bukit Indah 1, Nusa Bestari, Sutera Mall and ends at Terminal Bas TUTA) – CW3S Route
c. Bus CW4G (which goes to Terminal Gelang Patah / GP Sentral) – CW4G Route

5. From Newton Food Centre (Walkable distance from Newton MRT Station)

From Newton, you can take Causeway Link bus CW5  to Johor Bahru. It is the best choice if you are staying/working near Newton/Orchard and going to JB Sentral only. 

This bus only has 3 stops: Newton Food Centre (aka Newton Circus), SG Woodlands Checkpoint, and JB Sentral Checkpoint. If you want to continue to Larkin Terminal, you need to take connecting bus CWL (only operate 6am to 10pm) from JB CIQ.

CW5
Fare from Newton: S$4.60 by cash, ManjaLink or Visa
Fare from JB CIQ: RM4.60 by cash, ManjaLink or Visa
Note: For CW bus, only tap your card when boarding/re-boarding, DON’T tap when alighting
CW5 Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW5
Route of ALL CW buses: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/singapore-bus
Operating Hour from Newton: 6.45am to 11.30pm
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: 5.00am to 9.30pm

To get to Newton Food Centre (or Newton Circus), from Newton MRT, take exit B. It is about 10-minute walk from Newton MRT Station to CW5 Bus Stop. Getting there can be quite confusing because the traffic is quite heavy around Newton MRT and there isn’t pedestrian crossing.

Basically you have to find your way to Newton Food Centre, then walk across the open-air carpark. Then, you will find CW5 bus stop. Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/C7UQtsJyaQX7oZbz6

6. From Boon Lay MRT Station

From Boon Lay, you can take Causeway Link bus CW6 via Tuas 2nd Link. This bus has only 3 stops: Boon Lay, SG Tuas 2nd Link Checkpoint, JB 2nd Link CIQ. After coming out of JB 2nd Link CIQ, you need to change to other CW buses to go to Taman Bukit Indah, Giant Nusa Bestari, Taman Tasik, Larkin Terminal

CW6
Fare from Boon Lay: S$5 by cash, ManjaLink
Fare from JB CIQ 2nd Link: RM4.50 by cash, ManjaLink
Note: For CW bus, only tap your card when boarding/re-boarding, DON’T tap when alighting
CW6 Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW6
Route of ALL CW buses: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/singapore-bus
Operating Hour from Boon Lay: 7.30am to 11pm.
Operating Hour from JB CIQ 2nd Link: 5.00am to 10.30pm

From Boon Lay MRT, take exit B, walk straight until the main road (Boon Lay Way), then turn right, and you will see the bus stop. Refer photos below.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/UkzJJNXw7ubGoKHq6

7. From Changi Airport (Terminal 1)

From Changi Airport, you can take Transtar Bus TS1 from Terminal 1 (Arrival Hall Coach Bay Lot B/C).

TS1
Fare from Singapore: S$11 by EZ-Link or cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Fare from JB: S$4.3 by EZ-Link or RM13 by cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Route & Schedule: changes frequently, I recommend you use Transtar website booking function to check
Operating Hour from Changi Airport: 8.15am to 9.15pm (frequency 1-2 hrs, only 6 trips a day)
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: 5.00am to 7.15pm (frequency 1-2 hrs, only 6 trips a day)

The bus starts at Terminal 1 and eventually ends at JB CIQ. If you have questions when you’re on the ground, just approach the counter at Terminal 1, Level 1. Sometimes, timing or boarding bay may change, so it’s best to check with the counter.

8. From Resort World Sentosa (Nearest MRT station: Harbourfront)

From Harbourfront Station, you can wak throgh “Boardwalk” to Resort World Sentosa, or take Sentosa Express Monorail from Level 3 of Vivocity and alight at Resort World Station.

At Resort World Sentosa, take the escalator down to Basement and follow direction to “Coach Bay.” Here, you can take Transtar Bus TS8 from Basement Coach Bay. The bus starts at RWS, then after several stops in between, it ends at JB CIQ.

TS8
Fare from Singapore: S$8 by EZ-Link or cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Fare from JB: S$3.3 by EZ-Link or RM10 by cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Routes and schedule: changes frequently, I recommend you use Transtar website booking function to check
Operating Hour from RWS: 8.00am to 10.00pm (only 8 trips a day, frequency varies between 1 hour to 4 hours)
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: 5.30am to 9.00pm (only 9 trips a day, frequency varies between 1 hour to 4 hours)

If you have any questions when you’re on the ground, just approach the counter at the Coach Bay. Sometimes, timing or boarding bay may change, so it’s best to check with the counter.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/UBjRCzTN3UYiV7ub8

9. From Yishun Bus Interchange (Walkable distance from Yishun MRT Station)

Yishun bus interchange (location on Google Maps) is an indoor bus interchange located at Level 1 of Yishun Integrated Transport Hub. From Yishun bus interchange, you can take bus AC7 to JB CIQ, passing through many stops in between.

AC7
Fare from Singapore: S$2.20 by EZ-Link Card; S$2.50 by cash
Fare from JB: S$1.20 by EZ-Link Card; RM3 by cash
Route: here and here
Operating Hour from Yishun: 5.40am to 11.30pm
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: 5.20am to 11.30pm

To get to Yishun Bus Interchange from Yishun MRT station, go to Exit D (shown in below photo). The escalator at Exit D brings you to Basement 2. There, follow the direction on the floor, not on the signboard above. After taking some escalators up, you will arrive at the bus interchange. The entire journey from MRT to Berth 8 took me 10-15 mins of walking, so do allow 15-min buffer when you plan for your trip.

10. From Marina Square (Walkable distance from Promenade MRT Station)

PS: Transtar announced that TS3 has been resumed in May 2022, however, I can’t find the schedule from their booking system. I recommend avoiding this route.

Bus TS3 brings you from Singapore CBD (Central Business District) to Johor Bahru CIQ via first link (Woodlands) and vice versa. It’s suitable for Johoreans who work in Singapore but stay in Johor Bahru, as well as tourists who stay at CBD or Chinatown but wants to visit Johor Bahru on a day trip. Take note that the bus only operates in the morning and evening.

To get to Pan Pacific Hotel, you can take MRT to Promenade and then walk for 450m. You can also board the bus from Downtown MRT Station, Clarke Quay and several other bus stops.

TS3
Fare from Singapore: S$8 by cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Fare from JB: S$3.2 by EZ-Link or RM10 by cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Route and schedule: changes frequently, I recommend you use Transtar website booking function to check
Operating Hour from Pan Pacific Hotel: varies, see schedule (only 2 trips a day on weekdays, and 1 trip a day on weekends)
Operating Hour from JB CIQ: varies, see schedule (only 2 trips a day on weekdays, and 1 trip a day on weekends)

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/Jps3ru5dLm9ahWbD7

11. From The Star Vista (Walkable distance from Buona Vista MRT Station)

Bus TS6 is an alternative of bus CW3. Typically, residents who stay and work in the west part of Singapore would go to Jurong East (see point 4 above) and take bus CW3/CW4/CW4S to Johor Bahru via second link. Now, people who stay/work near Buona Vista MRT, One North MRT, Kent Ridge MRT, Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim, Gul Circle MRT, Tuas West Road MRT, Tuas Link MRT can save time by taking TS6.

Bus TS6 terminates at Gelang Patah Bus Terminal, from which you can catch another bus or ride a Grab to other parts of Johor Bahru.

TS6
Fare from Singapore: S$6 by EZ-Link or cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Fare from Gelang Patah Terminal: S$2.6 by EZ-Link or RM8 by cash (pay exact fare on board; no change will be given)
Route and schedule: changes frequently, I recommend you use Transtar website booking function to check
Operating Hour from Buona Vista: 8.00am to 7.00pm (frequency every 2-3 hours, only 6 trips a day)
Operating Hour from Gelang Patah Sentral: 4.30am to 5.30pm (frequency every 1-4 hours, only 3 trips a day)

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/wJFYXKVcR3cXTVDt5

12. From Tuas Link MRT Station

Tuas Link MRT station is the westernmost MRT station. It is really near Tuas Checkpoint, however, you can’t walk to Tuas Checkpoint from here. Instead, you need to take Causeway bus CW7.

CW7
Fare from Singapore: S$4.50 by ManjaLink
Fare from Larkin/JB: RM4.50 by ManjaLink
Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/?view=route&no=CW7
Operating Hour from Tuas Link MRT: 7.30am to 11.00pm
Operating Hour from JB Second Link CIQ: 5.00am to 10.15pm

To go to the bus boarding point, take the Exit A at Tuas Link MRT Station.

Location on Google Maps: https://goo.gl/maps/akWF2hg35eSagu9i8

When to Tap In & Tap Out?

If you’re using EZ-Link, here’s the general rule about taking public bus in Singapore: You need to tap in every time you board a bus, and you need to tap out every time you alight from a bus. It doesn’t matter whether it’s your final destination or you’re doing a transfer of bus, you have to tap in and tap out every time you enter and exit the bus.

However, if you’re taking CW bus, you only need to tap when boarding the bus. You DON’T need to tap when alighting from the bus.

Here’s a list of when to tap in and tap out:

• Tap-in when you enter a bus from, for example, Kranji
• Tap-out when you exit at SG Woodlands checkpoint (if taking CW bus, no need to tap out)
• Get your passport stamped
• Queue at bus station below the immigration
• Tap-in when you enter the bus at Woodlands Checkpoint
• Tap-out when you arrive at JB CIQ (if taking CW bus, no need to tap out)
• Get your passport stamped
• If you’re going to Larkin Terminal, go to bus station below immigration at JB CIQ. Wait for your bus. Tap in when you enter the bus. When you arrive at Larkin, tap out again (if taking CW bus, no need to tap out).
• If you’re going to JB Sentral or City Square, just walk and follow the direction

Note: For CW bus, you do not need to tap out when alighting, you only need to tap in when boarding.

At Singapore Woodlands Checkpoint

When you arrive at SG Woodlands Checkpoint, go up the escalator, queue at the counters and get your passport stamped. Once you get out, go down the escalator, make a U-turn and you will find the queue for the bus. If you have taken SBS bus to Woodlands Checkpoint, you may board any SBS buses to go to JB Sentral Checkpoint. Likewise, if you have taken any CW bus to Woodlands Checkpoint, you may board any CW buses to go to JB Sentral Checkpoint. Just observe which bus comes first and go for it 🙂

At Johor Bahru Checkpoint

When you arrive at JB Sentral Checkpoint, make your way to the counter and get your passport stamped. No immigration card is required to be filled for entry into Malaysia. Once you are done with passport, get out from the counter area and walk straight. You will then have 2 choices: go to the bus stop at Basement and continue to other parts of JB with a bus; or walk to JB Sentral and enjoy your getaway. Just follow the signs along the way.

At SG Tuas Checkpoint & JB Second Link Checkpoint

Crossing  border at Second Link is similar to that at Causeway. Once you get your passport stamped at Tuas Checkpoint, proceed to bus boarding area and board bus to go to JB Second Link Checkpoint. Once your passport is stamped at JB Second Link, proceed to bus boarding area and board the bus that will bring you to your next destination.

How to Cross Border at Midnight?

Before 1 Aug 2022, there was no cross border bus at midnight, hence it was quite a hassle to travel between Singapore and Johor Bahru at midnight. Thankfully, from 1 Aug 2022, you can take CW2 from Queen Street to go to JB, or take CW2 from JB CIQ to go to Singapore.

Bus CW2 (Midnight Service)
Fare: S$4.80 from Queen Street; RM4.80 from JB CIQ
Payment mode: ManjaLink, Visa card and Cash only; NO EZ-Link/NETS
Route: https://www.causewaylink.com.my/routes-schedules/singapore-cross-border-bus/?view=route&no=CW2
Operating Hours: 11pm to 4am daily
Frequency: 45 minutes, subjected to traffic condition

Bus CW2 (Midnight Service) has 3 stops: Queen Street Terminal, Woodlands Checkpoint and JB CIQ. You can board the bus from any of the stops.

If your starting point in Singapore is nearer to Woodlands Checkpoint, you can board the bus at Woodlands Checkpoint. But first, you need to make your way to Woodlands Train Checkpoint, walk inside the building towards Woodlands Checkpoint, get through immigration, walk down the escalator and look for the CW2 bus bay.

Personally, I don’t recommend crossing the border between midnight to 5am if it’s not entirely necessary. That’s because the frequency of CW2 buses is too infrequent and you may end up waiting for hours. The 45min frequency is just an estimate, anything can happen especially during manpower crunch period.

If you have a morning flight to catch, it’s quite risky to cross the border with the midnight bus. It’s safer to cross border the night before, or to cross border using taxi or private transfer.

Going to Singapore from JB Larkin Terminal

If you are going to Singapore from Larkin Terminal, you can board SBS Bus 170, SJE bus, CW1, CW2, CW3 to JB Checkpoint; and CW6 to JB Second Link. The fare for CW buses is significantly cheaper if you board in JB compared to SG. Check CW website for more info on the fare.

Since Larkin Terminal is undergoing renovation in 2017 and 2018, the platform for buses is not fix yet. One day, you can find SBS/CW buses in platform D, other days they’re are at other platforms. So, just look around or ask people!

Going to Other Parts of Malaysia from JB Larkin Terminal

From Larkin Terminal, you can board other buses to go to other parts of Malaysia. You can buy the tickets from ticket counters that are located inside the building. DO NOT buy bus ticket from the men who approach you when you walk around Larkin, most of the time they are trying to sell you expensive tickets on buses that have many stopovers.

At the time of writing, there are 2 ticket counter location at Larkin. The first one is the Centralised Ticket Counter. However, now this Centralised counter only sells ticket for CERTAIN bus only. You can find tickets for more buses when you go further inside the building. Follow the arrow that says “tiket kaunter.”

You can also buy bus ticket online from platforms such as easybook.com or busonlineticket.com. Some bus operators require you to check-in at bus counter to get your seat number. If you come from Singapore to Larkin, you can’t predict what time you arrive at Larkin due to traffic so it’s risky to buy online.

However, for PEAK period (Christmas, New Year, Chinese New Year, National Day, etc), bus tickets will be sold out early, so it’s better to buy online or buy in advance from the counter.

How to Travel from Johor Bahru to Singapore by Bus

To Travel from Johor Bahru to Singapore by bus, simply take any cross-border buses from the following locations.

1. From Larkin Terminal

From Larkin Sentral Terminal, you can take bus SBS 170 or CW1.

2. From JB Sentral

If you’re near JB Sentral or JB CIQ, you can just walk to JB CIQ building.

3. From Gelang Patah Terminal

Take CW buses to JB 2nd Link CIQ.

4. From any other parts of Johor Bahru

Make your way to any of the above places and take the necessary transportation method to get to JB CIQ or JB 2nd Link CIQ.

Disclaimer: All information is correct as of the time of writing. Any subsequent changes might not be reflected here. 

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