Exploring Johor Bahru (JB) in a day from Singapore

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A favourite pastime of Singaporeans who love going across the causeway to JB in Malaysia for shopping, eating, getting a hair-cut or massage, I hopped into a Transtar cross-border bus that originated from the various terminals of Changi Airport to JB CIQ (Customs, Immigration and Quarantine). The bus fare is SGD11 if you start your journey from Changi Airport. The fare gradually goes down to SGD9 from Expo and the stop after that. Return fare is RM13 from JB.

Tried using my ezlink card but the machine was down, so paid using cash instead. Well, their ez-link machine does not seem to be working most of the time, so its better to prepare some exact cash, as the drivers do not give change. The ride was comfortable and smooth. During weekdays, getting a seat is not a problem. Transtar bus TS1 service is especially great for those living in the east, or for Malaysian workers working at Changi Airport. Or for travellers needing to go straight to JB after landing at the airport. For those living in the west, probably Causeway Link buses are the way to go. The Transtar cross-border bus schedule and their pick-up points can be found here.

Transtar TS1 cross-border bus below JB CIQ
The options to go to JB are wide including the regular SBS Transit bus 170 that ply the central areas of Singapore and the JB express bus from Queen Street bus terminal near Bugis. You can also take the KTM Shuttle Tebrau railway from Woodlands Train Station to JB Sentral which is just next to CIQ building and the ride is only 5 minutes, though customs and immigration may add 30 minutes each way to the journey, which is acceptable as they have dedicated services for rail passengers.

This is especially handy especially if you are going during peak long weekend holiday season but you have to book really well in advance and the ticket is very affordable at only SGD5 going and RM5 return. The numbers are the same but the currency is different. So now you can see why people love going to JB!

Transtar bus at Jewel/ T1 Changi Airport
Well, if it’s a holiday, its better to stay clear of going to JB outright unless that is the only time when you can go as we all know how crazily packed the CIQ can be, and we have seen reports of the whopping half million people crossing the borders during some public holidays! Not to mention you may have to stand for a very long time in a crowded bus if there's a traffic jam along the causeway, at the crowded bus terminals or at the immigration counters.

Certainly not a comfortable experience and it's best to avoid crossing-border during holiday season if you could. The bus terminal below the CIQ is not an air-conditioned area, thus can be a bit hot and dusty from the exhaust fumes, so it's a good idea to wear a face mask.

Now with the Rapid Transit System (RTS) line currently under construction and slated to be operational by the end of 2026, that will be a game changer for people movement or transportation between Singapore and JB. So what to do in JB? Taking advantage of the favourable exchange rate, people eat, shop, have a haircut, go for massage, drink that bitter herbal flower tea, even visit a chiropractor or a dentist. The nearest shopping malls just next to the CIQ are City Square Mall and Komtar.

RTS under construction
City Square Mall is the busier and more popular among the two, though Komtar does has its appeal too. The topmost floor of Komtar has a large foodcourt with stalls selling delicious Malay food. For the foodies and for some old school cafes and bakeries, visitors may walk over to the nearby Jalan Tan Hiok Nee which is near Little India in JB. Singapore has Little India, so does JB. Afterall Singapore and Malaysia are both culturally connected and we both speak similar languages and understand each other well. Just like in Singapore, just follow the long lines and you know you are at the popular food places.

Some would Grab or taxi to other shopping malls beyond JB City Square mall like to KSL City Mall, Midvalley Southkey or Aeon Mall Tebrau City. Indeed JB has many shopping malls and eateries and the choices are wide. Or people simply go to JB just for durians! Though durians are seasonal and prices vary and some may head to Johor to have a feast at durian plantation there, though it may take about an hour by grab. Yes it is possible to have breakfast, visit a dentist, have a massage, eat lunch, enjoy a cup of teh-tarik and pack home some bakeries or toiletries, all within a day, even half a day in JB.

Hiap Joo Bakery along Jalan Tan Hiok Nee
Since it quite convenient to go to JB as day trips, many people run errands to JB just like other normal errands and simply split the tasks depending on what they needed at the point in time. They know they can be back in JB whenever they wanted to, of course it may take longer during the weekend or the public holidays than during the weekday due to the crowd, but once RTS is operational who knows, people may cross border just about every other day or making impromptu visits since it could be really convenient, especially for those living in the west and the north.

Looking forward to the day when RTS is up and running though hopefully the Transtar and other cross-border buses are still running as the MRT station being located in the far north at Woodlands may not be as convenient. Certainly very useful for people living in the north. So far, the experience with this cross-border service has been comfortable and convenient.

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