Kuala Lumpur to Singapore: Bus, Train, Flight or RTS Link

What is the best way to get from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore?

For most city-to-city trips, the direct coach is the simplest: Causeway Link estimates five hours between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur’s TBS terminal. The train suits travellers happy to change at Johor Bahru. Flying wins when you are already near the airport, connecting onwards at Changi, or the transfers still beat the road.

No single option suits everyone, so compare door to door. The table uses only published time components checked in October 2026; queues at the Johor Bahru and Singapore checkpoints sit on top of every land option, and airport process sits on top of the flight.

The planned RTS Link between Johor Bahru and Woodlands North is not open yet: its operator now targets February 2027. Until then, rail travellers use the KTM Shuttle Tebrau for the cross-border hop. Save your chosen route and hotel dates in My Trip, and see our Singapore destination guide for where to base yourself.

How long does the bus from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore take?

Plan on about five hours plus border queues. Causeway Link estimates five hours for its Singapore–Kuala Lumpur TBS express, checked October 2026, and every coach stops at the Malaysian and Singapore checkpoints, where passengers clear immigration. Queue times vary, so leave slack before any fixed plans on arrival.

Causeway Link’s Singapore express page lists an estimated five hours to Terminal Bersepadu Selatan (TBS), asks passengers to arrive 30 minutes before departure, and tells travellers to bring a valid passport for immigration clearance at the Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints. It also reminds non-exempt passengers to submit Malaysia’s MDAC and Singapore’s SG Arrival Card.

Coaches use one of two crossings: the Causeway between Johor Bahru and Woodlands, or the Second Link between Johor and Tuas. Boarding points and Singapore drop-offs differ by operator, so check where you will be set down before you book a hotel; our where to stay in Singapore guide maps the main areas.

Can you take the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore?

Yes, in two legs. Take KTMB’s ETS from KL Sentral to JB Sentral, about four hours 20 minutes since the electrified line to Johor Bahru opened in December 2025, then the Shuttle Tebrau from JB Sentral to Woodlands Train Checkpoint. Buy both legs and leave a generous buffer between them.

Bernama reported that the Gemas–Johor Bahru electrified double-track line began operations on 11 December 2025, cutting KL Sentral to JB Sentral to four hours and 20 minutes from seven. Times vary by train: KTMB’s timetable page listed an ETS timetable effective 1 June 2026 and an intercity timetable covering the JB Sentral–Woodlands train effective 1 August 2026 (checked 14 October 2026). Tickets are sold through KTMB’s KITS system at online.ktmb.com.my.

The Shuttle Tebrau is still running, but not indefinitely. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said in April 2026 that the bilateral agreement requires it to end six months after the RTS Link becomes operational, and that Malaysia had asked Singapore to keep it temporarily (Bernama). Check its status if you travel in 2027.

From Woodlands Train Checkpoint you still need onward transport into Singapore; our getting around Singapore guide covers the MRT, buses and ride-hailing.

When does the RTS Link between Johor Bahru and Woodlands open?

Not before 2027. On 2 October 2026 Singapore’s Land Transport Authority said the operator now expects passenger service to start in February 2027, subject to independent safety certification and final regulatory approvals. It had been targeted for end-2026. Until it opens, use the Shuttle Tebrau, coaches or flights.

LTA’s 2 October 2026 release says RTS Operations expects to finish final system tests and trial runs by 31 December 2026, then obtain certification from an independent assessor before both countries approve passenger operations. Malaysia’s transport minister later said the opening date would be announced only after Malaysian and Singapore regulators grant all approvals (Bernama).

When it opens, the 4km link will run between Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore, with a journey of about five minutes. LTA says both countries’ customs, immigration and quarantine facilities will be co-located at the two stations, so you clear both countries once, at departure, and Woodlands North connects to the Thomson-East Coast Line.

Neither LTA release gives fares or a timetable, so do not book anything that depends on the RTS Link until an opening date is confirmed.

Is flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore faster once you add airport transfers?

Sometimes. The flight is short, but from central Kuala Lumpur you add the KLIA Ekspres, 28 minutes from KL Sentral to KLIA Terminal 1, plus check-in and security, then about 30 minutes by taxi from Changi to the city. Flying makes most sense if you are near the airport or connecting onwards.

KLIA Ekspres says trains run every 20 minutes, taking 28 minutes from KL Sentral to KLIA T1 and three minutes more to T2 (checked 14 October 2026). Check which terminal your airline uses. Some airlines fly to Singapore from Subang’s Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport (SZB) instead; the KLIA Ekspres does not serve Subang, so price that transfer separately. Our KUL to city transfer guide compares the options.

At the Singapore end, Changi Airport says a taxi to the city takes about 30 minutes and costs S$25 to S$45 on the meter, before airport, peak-hour and midnight surcharges (checked 14 October 2026). The MRT runs via Tanah Merah or Expo; see our Changi transfer guide.

Our cheap flights from Kuala Lumpur guide covers fare-search tactics. Compare the total including bags and transfers, not the headline fare alone.

Can you drive from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore?

Yes, but it takes paperwork. A Malaysia-registered car needs a valid Autopass card, road tax, insurance valid on Singapore roads and LTA’s Vehicle Entry Permit approval email before entering Singapore, and LTA advises registering at least two weeks ahead. A coach is simpler unless you need the car in Singapore.

The requirements are on LTA’s OneMotoring page for Malaysia-registered vehicles (checked 14 October 2026). For cars, VEP fees are waived for the first 10 chargeable days each calendar year and are then S$35 a day, with no VEP fee on Saturdays, Sundays and Singapore public holidays. LTA says revised weekday VEP fees apply from 1 January 2027, and from 2 November 2026 it will not accept applications from foreign-registered vehicles with outstanding fines.

If you are renting in Malaysia, ask the rental company in writing whether the car may enter Singapore, whether it already has an Autopass card and what the insurance covers there. Our car hire excess guide explains the gaps in standard rental cover.

Which arrival forms do you need between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore?

Going to Singapore, most visitors submit the free SG Arrival Card within three days before arrival. Coming back into Malaysia, foreign visitors submit the free MDAC within three days before arrival. Singapore residents are exempt from the SGAC at Woodlands and Tuas; Singapore permanent residents are not on Malaysia’s MDAC exemption list.

ICA’s SG Arrival Card page says submission is free, opens three days before arrival including the arrival day, and can be done on ICA’s website or the MyICA app. ICA says it does not endorse commercial services that charge a fee to submit on your behalf.

For the return leg, use Imigresen’s MDAC portal. Its form covers land arrivals, so it applies whether you come back by coach, train or car, and the passport you travel on must match what you entered.

• Into Singapore: SG Arrival Card, free, within three days before arrival
• Into Malaysia: MDAC, free, within three days before arrival
• Exempt from the SGAC at Woodlands and Tuas: Singapore citizens, permanent residents and long-term pass holders
• Exempt from the MDAC: Singapore citizens and the other categories on Imigresen’s list

How do you get through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints smoothly?

Finish both arrival forms before you set off and keep your passport to hand. At Singapore’s bus halls, ICA offers QR code clearance, but first-time foreign visitors must present their passport. Allow slack for queues on both sides, especially if an onward train, flight or check-in time depends on it.

ICA introduced passport-less QR clearance at the bus halls of Woodlands and Tuas from December 2024. First-time foreign visitors still present their passport, and ICA advises everyone to carry it because it may be requested.

On the Malaysian side, foreign visitors show their MDAC registration and have their passport verified. Autogate eligibility for foreign visitors is set out on the MDAC portal, so do not assume you can use the gates, and follow officers’ directions if lanes are closed. For entry conditions in Singapore, read our Singapore visa rules guide, and for the Malaysian side see our Kuala Lumpur destination guide.