Woodlands CIQ to JB Sentral by Train

These are my notes for crossing the border by train between Singapore and Malaysia. I have included the formalities for going the other way as well as it is not the same. This is part of my Singapore to Beijing train trip.

🇸🇬🇲🇾 SINGAPORE TO MALAYSIA:

TRAIN 1. Woodlands CIQ to JB Sentral (Johor Bahru)
🚂 Shuttle 86
🗓️ Date of Travel: 3rd October 2024
⏰ Depart 17:30 | Arrive 17:35
⏱️ Duration: 5 minutes
📏 Distance: 2.2km
🎟️ Ticket: 17.65 ringgit

To cross the border from Singapore to Malaysia by train, head to Woodlands Train Checkpoint. It is highly advisable to book tickets online, as some popular crossings sell out very quickly. You can get there by bus or taxi. If taking the bus, make sure you go to Woodlands Train Checkpoint and not the nearby vehicle crossing. If you end up at the wrong one, there is a walkway connecting back to the correct checkpoint.

The train I took was scheduled to depart at 5:30 p.m. The gate opened 40 minutes earlier, at 4:50 p.m., and closed 20 minutes before departure at 5:10 p.m.—so don’t be late. On the day I crossed, all trains were fully booked in advance. At the gate, your passport will be scanned; there is no need to show a ticket. After that, you’ll go through Singapore immigration. Then, walk down a corridor to Malaysian immigration and finally to Malaysian customs, where your luggage will be x-rayed. After these formalities, you’ll reach a waiting area with toilets.

We were allowed to board the train immediately. You can sit wherever you like. The journey only takes five minutes. On the Malaysian side, we walked straight out of the station—there were no further formalities.

USEFUL LINKS: Buy Tickets | Timetable

🇸🇬🇲🇾 MALAYSIA TO SINGAPORE:

The return journey is slightly different. At JB Sentral, wait in front of Gate A (see above). My train was scheduled to depart at 12:45 p.m., with boarding starting 30 minutes earlier at 12:15 p.m. On the day I travelled, there were plenty of tickets available for this train and the next. You can queue at the ticket office to buy the ticket. If you use the app, you can only buy your ticket up to 30 minutes before departure. The gate closes 10 minutes before departure, so be sure not to be late.

Going in this direction, you will only pass through Malaysian immigration before entering a waiting area with toilets. We were allowed to board five minutes before departure. The train journey again takes only five minutes. Upon arrival in Singapore, you will need to go through immigration. This process was very quick and efficient. Note that there is no metro at the Singapore side, so you will need to take a taxi or a bus. However, in the future, a new rail link will connect metro systems on both sides of the border.

✅ STATIONS: These are the Google Map links for the stations on each side.
🇸🇬 Singapore (Woodlands Train checkpoint)
🇲🇾 Malaysia (JB Sentral)

✅ BUYING TICKETS: It is very advisable to buy tickets in advance as they can sell out quickly. Use the link below to buy tickets for both directions. Click on the shuttle option.
🇲🇾 Malaysia: KTMB

➡️ BUY TRANSPORTATION TICKETS IN ASIA:
✅ 12GO Asia
✅ Trip Dot Com
✅ Baolau

✅ ONLINE ARRIVAL CARD: You need to fill in an online form in advance of entering both Singapore and Malaysia.
🇲🇾 Malaysia
🇸🇬 Singapore

🇸🇬🇲🇾 SINGAPORE TO MALAYSIA:

🇸🇬🇲🇾 MALAYSIA TO SINGAPORE:

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