Traveling from Singapore to Malaysia

From Singapore, many airlines fly to Malaysia's airports, particularly to cities like Kuala Lumpur (the capital of Malaysia) and to the state of Penang. Flights to smaller cities like Ipoh are more restricted and is only served by one airline, Fireflyz. For trips to East Malaysia (Sabah and Sarawak), flying is the only option. For more details, please refer to the airlines' respective websites: Airasia, Jetstar, Tiger Airways, Malaysia Airlines (MAS), Singapore Airlines (SIA).

For the budget airlines, if you wish to obtain a cheap fare, it is wise to book earlier, especially if you know the exact dates which you are traveling. Airasia in particular has great promotions at certain times of the year!

From Singapore, you can take public buses which will bring you across the Malaysian border to the state of Johor. These buses can be taken from bus stops at the Kranji MRT station. More details can be obtained from the Lonely Planet link included below.

For a trip to farther states such as Penang, Ipoh, Kedah, Malacca and so on, it would be a better option to take a direct bus from Singapore. Many companies offer daily trips. Prices vary depending on distance and the level of comfort/service. Some bus companies offer online booking too and their websites have been included in the links section too.

For those who do not mind taking a longer time to reach their destination, the train would be another good option. From Singapore, trains used to depart for Malaysia from the railway station at Tanjong Pagar. However, since mid 2011, the train now stops at the Woodlands Train checkpoint instead.

From Singapore, the trains can bring you to various cities and even small towns in Malaysia. Stops include Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth (Penang), Ipoh, Alor Setar (Kedah) and many more. Buying the train tickets in Singapore would be more expensive as you will be forced to pay in Singapore Dollars. If you purchase the tickets in Malaysia, the price you pay is in Ringgit Malaysia. Hence, this serves as about 50% discount. Seat61.com offers comprehensive information on taking the train and the link is included below too.

If you are bringing with you a lot of items, you may wish to travel more comfortably by taking a taxi across the border to Malaysia. However, this would be quite expensive and will not bring you far. The taxi would most likely bring you only to the city of Johor Bahru.

Once you are in Johor Bahru, you can proceed to the Larkin Bus Terminal to take buses to your next destination. Otherwise, you can also take a train to the place of your choice.

If you decide to explore Johor, the state bordering Singapore, you can also take a Malaysian taxi to explore the state. However, be aware that Malaysian taxi drivers may not use the meter. Always negotiate first. If possible, ask a local (not the taxi driver) for the rough amount which you should pay.