SG-JB Crossing: 14 Tips to Go Through Customs Faster

Going through Singapore-Johor customs via Woodlands Checkpoint to Johor Bahru is a breeze to me since I cross the border about 2~4 times a month. The frequent trips allowed me to observe the flow of people across the border and find ways to save time. I have a number of little "tricks" and applied them to my advantage whenever I go over the border for food hunts.

I am sharing these tips here to help others and also to help myself — if everyone can get through the customs faster, there will be lesser queuing time for everyone, including you and me.

The following tips are for travellers going to West Malaysia from Singapore using public buses. If you drive and are wasting time in traffic congestions at the border, read on and decide if it will be easier for you to go over without your car for a change.

PART 1: Going to West Malaysia

#1. Avoid Peak Hours

If you choose to cross the border during peak hours, the longest time spent will be waiting in queues, either for buses or in the immigration halls. Traffic jams on the Causeway and roads leading to the land checkpoints in either directions can hold up public buses too.

During peak hours and peak travel seasons, most of the tips in this post may be applicable but they will not be able to reduce long queuing time — which can be 2~4 hours or even longer. So, do avoid peak hours if you do not want to be held up for long hours at the border-crossings.

Read: Best Times to Cross Singapore-Johor Causeway

Read: Best Times to Cross Singapore-Johor Causeway During Long Weekends 

#2. Skip Kranji MRT Station

To most people crossing the border, Kranji MRT Station is a convenient start-off point with SBS Transit Service 170X and Causeway Link CW1 ferrying passengers to Woodlands Checkpoint directly from the station.

At the bus-stop opposite Kranji Station, SBS Transit Service 160/170/170X will also ferry passengers directly to the checkpoint via different routes. SMRT Service 178 also stops at the bus-stop before heading to Woodlands Train Checkpoint. Service 170 will stop at Woodlands Train Checkpoint before going to Woodlands Checkpoint.

During peak hours, the queues for both Service 170X and CW1 can snake around Kranji Station, sometimes taking hours just to board the buses. When the buses are stuck in heavy congestions between Johor Bahru (starting on the highway leading to JB CIQ) and Kranji Station, there can be no-shows of the buses for half an hour or more.

Preferably, skip queuing at Kranji Station during peak hours using these alternatives:

• Board SBS Transit 160 / 170 at bus-stops before Kranji Station.

• Use any of the other border-crossing bus services (SMART 950 / AC7 / CW2 / CW5) to travel from near your place of residence to Woodlands Checkpoint.

• Head to Woodlands Train Checkpoint (SBS Transit 170 / SMART 178) and walk over to the departure hall of Woodlands Checkpoint.

Read: Cross-Border Bus Services from Singapore to Johor

#3. Use Woodlands-Johor Shuttle Train

Apart from using bus services to Johor, a shuttle train service is also available. Known as KTM Shuttle Tebrau, the train service transits between JB Sentral, in Johor Bahru, and Woodlands Train Checkpoint only. The 5-minute train journey offers a better way to skirt around any congestions on the Causeway, especially during peak hours.

Note: Using the shuttle train service during off-peak periods may take longer time to cross the border than using bus services. The shuttle service will save time only when peak-period congestion is anticipated on the Causeway.

Ticket per person from Woodlands to JB Sentral is S$5 and from JB Sentral to Woodlands is RM5. Note that train services follow a fixed time-table and is less flexible than using touch-and-go bus services. Advance-booking of tickets both to Malaysia and back for peak periods needs to be done several months in advance. Tickets for Friday night and Saturday morning to Johor Bahru and Sunday night to Singapore are usually sold out within minutes when they are available.

Read: Cross the Border with Shuttle Tebrau + Tips

At Woodlands Checkpoint, you will probably be using the enhanced-Immigration Automated Clearance System (eIACS) if you hold a biometric passport that is registered with the Singapore Immigration & Checkpoint Authority (ICA website) — the following 3 tips will apply to you.

(As photographs are not allowed to be taken in the immigration clearance areas, do try to picture the scenario as I try my best to describe them.)

#4. Use Automated Gantries Further to the Sides

In Woodlands Checkpoint, the manned immigration counters are usually situated in the centre of the arrival and departure halls. The automated clearance systems (ACS or "gantries") are located to both sides of the manual counters. More gantries will be made operational during peak hours.

Using the ACS to go through immigration checks is faster than using manual clearance, which is usually for foreigners, non-registered or non-biometric passport holders and those with issues using the ACS.

Singapore passport holders are dedicated to several gantries under the "Singapore Citizens" signs. Most Singaporeans will head for these gantries — mistaking that Singapore passport holders can use only those gantries — and often resulting in longer queues.

To go through the ACS faster, use any gantries under "All Passports" that have shorter queues. On the right side of the hall, there is one single queue leading to multiple "All Passports" gantries, which can be faster most of the times.

Do play it by ear.

#5. Wait & Press Down to Scan Passport

Most people do not know how the ACS works — just observe how many times people have to re-scan their passports and holding up the queues. To go through the first machine (document scanner) fast, remember these:

1. Wait until you are told to scan your passport, then do so. This allows the sensors to be activated before you put your passport on the screen and trigger the scanning process.

2. Press down the profile page of the passport to make it flush against the screen to facilitate the scanning process. Don't hands-off the passport as any gaps will allow light to infiltrate and interfere with the scanning process. If the scan fails, you will be asked to re-scan your passport or proceed to a manual clearance counter — which will cost you more time. So, do press down your passport for the scanner to read your data clearly.

Update 1 Dec 2024: Instead of scanning the passport, use the new Passport-less QR Code Clearance implementation, which will take just 1 second. This function is available to all Singapore passport holders and foreign travellers who have registered with Singapore Immigrations / ICA.

Read: Use Passport-less QR Code Clearance at Singapore Land Checkpoints

#6. Understand the Biometric Verification System

The second machine is the biometric verification scanners. The biometric scanner will first scan your iris and facial features, if both scans failed, you will be required to scan your thumbprint as secondary identification.

1. You will be asked to look at the camera first. Note these:

• If you wear a mask, remove it (don't just pull down the mask as it may cover some features on your face).

• There are footprints mark on the ground to indicate where you should stand. Do not stand too close to the scanner or lean forward, otherwise, the scanner will instruct you to "step back".

• Stand still to allow the scanner to capture a still picture of your face. If you keep moving, the iris scanner will not proceed.

• Try opening your eyes wider without using your fingers. If you wear glasses, remove it (without being instructed) to facilitate the iris scanning process — people with poor eyesights tend to squint their eyes after removing the glasses, so try opening the eyes wider and look at the camera, there is no need to read the words.

• Do not put on coloured or patterned contact lenses.

  
  

If the iris and facial scanning processes are successful without any hiccups, you will be through the gantry within 5 seconds.

2. If the primary scanning failed, you will be prompted to scan your thumbprint. Wait until you are told to put your right thumb on the scanner before doing so. Remember which thumb you used when registering with ICA. Thumbprints on left and right thumbs are different. I had seen a girl failed twice at the machine before realising she should be using her left thumb.

On a side note, when registering with ICA or applying for your new passport, do use your right thumb — it will be less awkward at the thumbprint scanner, which will be on the right side of all gantries.

#7. Queue at the Left Lane (if taking Service 160 / 170 / 170X / SMRT 950)

After clearing Woodlands Immigration, head to the bus bays below the checkpoint.

Those taking Causeway Link bus services will need to queue in a single queue for any CW1 / CW2 / CW5 / CWL buses to Johor Bahru.

Similarly, all the queuing lanes for SBS Transit Service 160 / 170 / 170X and SMRT 950 will board the next SBS Transit / SMRT bus that comes along. The left-most lane will board the bus via the front entrance and the two right lanes via the rear entrance. When long queues are formed at all the lanes during peak hours, there may be a slight difference — the queue on the left-most lane may be shorter since it is the only queue boarding via the front entrance.

Note: The above arrangements are applicable only at Woodlands Checkpoint towards JB CIQ. On the return journey, the bus services will pick up passengers from different bus bays.

At Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration and Quarantine Complex (JB CIQ),

Update June 2024:

It is now faster for Singapore passport holders to use Malaysia's Automated Clearance System without having to enrol to use the system and no need to submit MDAC form. If you are using the auto-gates for immigration clearance or intend to use it, skip Tip #8 and #9. For more information on using the auto-gates, read the post below.

Read: Use Auto-Clearance Gates at Malaysia Immigrations

#8. Go for Manual Counters in Back Row

The immigration counters in Johor Bahru CIQ are arranged in two rows. The counters in the front row will have one queue per counter. The counters in the back row will have one queue to two counters. Being in the back row, the queues will have additional 8-10 people in each queue when all queues seem equal from behind.

Queuing for the back-row counters will be faster provided both counters are manned. However, you have to play by ear as the factors contributing to fast clearance may change any time, i.e the number of officers on duty, the crowd and the composition of the queue (we will discuss the last factor in Tip #9).

1. During peak hours, especially on weekends, all the counters may be manned. It will be faster to queue for the dual-counters in the back row. At times, the officers may leave their posts during changing of shifts or washroom breaks, it may take several minutes but stay in the queue — unless the "Closed" sign is displayed. You will regret jumping to another queue once another officer takes over.

2. During off-peak hours, not all counters will be manned. So the back-row counters may not be serviced by two officers — open your eyes and check. However, queues should be rather short during off-peak hours so it should be OK to stay put in a queue unless other queues are shorter.

3. When the arrival/departure hall is not very crowded, the back-row counters will usually be single-manned. If all the queues seem to be of the same length when seen from behind, go for the front-row counters. There may be 8-10 more people in the back-row counter queues — you should be able to do a quick count.

Do get your passport ready before your turn at the immigration counter. Because of long queuing time, some people got too carried away by their chatting or playing with mobile phones that they started searching for their passports in front of the customs officers. You can really see the officers frown — I have seen that twice.

#9. Avoid Queues with Many Foreigners

There is no Visa-on-Arrival for foreigners at JB CIQ (via Woodlands) — it is available at the second link (via Tuas) for visitors of selected nations only, but not many foreigners know this. Foreigners without valid visa will get stuck at the immigration counters and will be sent back to Singapore. This little episode will make the officer-on-duty leave the counter to escort the foreigner to the service counter to the rear.

If the foreigners have valid visa, they will be required to scan their fingerprints and will be asked some questions. It will take extra time for each foreigner. When there are a number of them in a queue, especially from a tour group, it will be better to change to another queue.

Apart from foreign travellers, there are also those on Singapore work permits who did not bring along their work permits when going over, those with passport expiring in less than 6 months and other entry issues. They will usually hold up the queue.

This tip may be a little hard to apply unless you can identify them. There was once I queued right behind a group of 12 students, when I heard them spoke Japanese, I switched to another queue that was slightly longer. And sure enough, after I cleared immigration, the first student in the group was still answering the questions hurled by the customs officer — language barrier added some delays too.

Malaysia passport holders are advised to use the "Malaysia Passport" counters dedicated for them for speedier clearance since they are not required to scan their fingerprints. Singaporeans entering Malaysia are foreigners too, so the "All Passports" queues will usually be slower due to the need to do fingerprint scanning.

On a side note, avoid cutting queues in Johor Bahru CIQ. The long waiting time do get on the nerves of some people and causes frustrations. There were cases where people in the back of queues would walk up to queue-cutters and shout in their faces, causing embarrassments — unglamorous as it may be, this has became the most effective means to shame queue-cutters. So, don't cut queue, many eyes will be on you — some people may even be hoping to watch another "shouting drama".

#10. Don't Use Towed or Big Luggage

After passing through Malaysia immigration checks, the next station will be the luggage checks. Travellers with towed or big luggage will be required to go through the X-ray scanner. If all goes well, you will be held up by a couple of minutes. But if you are requested to open your luggage for further inspection, it will take up longer time.

Unless it is really necessary to bring a towed or big luggage, try to reduce the things to bring over and carry just a small backpack for a 1~2 days' trip. If you are going for shopping, you can bring along tote bags or backpacks instead of a towed luggage that will be subjected to scrutiny even though it may be empty.

After the luggage check station, you are through the customs. Enjoy your trip in Malaysia until it is time to go through the customs again on the way back.

PART 2: Returning to Singapore

The tips above (except #7, #9 and #10) will be applicable on the way back to Singapore. Here are some extra tips for entering Singapore at Woodlands Checkpoint:

#11. Don't Wear Metallic Objects on your Body

Going into Singapore, everyone will be required to go through metal detector gates and all belongings will be X-rayed regardless of luggage sizes.

Frequent travellers will know not to wear watches and belts with metal buckles, or coins in pockets and wallets, when going through customs checks at airports and border crossings. Metallic objects will trigger metal detectors and the officer-on-duty will require you to go back, empty everything and walk through the detector again or he/she will scan you manually. This will result in some delays.

The simplest thing to do is to dump everything on your person and in your pockets into your backpack or luggage for X-raying, regardless if they are metallic or not, and walk through the metal detector. If need be, use a belt with no metal parts, especially steel, or wear something that uses drawstring or does not require a belt. Ladies should avoid wearing clothes that have metallic accessories sewed on.

Heeding all these advices, you will be through the body checks in one pass.

#12. Keep your Purchase Receipts

Coming into Singapore, you will need to pay Goods & Service Tax (GST) if the total value of your purchases exceeds S$100 for less than 48 hours in Malaysia (Singapore Customs website). The GST is only on the amount that exceeds S$100.

Read: Day Trippers from Singapore! Watch your Purchases or Pay GST!

If you buy a lot of items or some expensive items, like watches, jewellery, cosmetics, etc, do keep your receipts for tax purpose. Voluntarily declare for taxing at the Customs Tax Payment Office if you know you need to pay GST. A faster way will be to pay the tax using the Customs@SG web application before arriving at the checkpoint and show the e-receipt to excise officers when requested (more info).

Otherwise, keep your purchase receipts as proof to show excise officers that you did not exceed the allowed quota when asked. This will expedite the process and save you a lot of time.

Do not assume that you will be excused from paying tax if you "lost" your receipts for expensive goods. All items will be verified against the excise database system and tax will be computed based on the recorded prices. If the items you bought are priced lower than the recorded prices, you have no receipts to proof otherwise.

So, do keep your receipts for faster clearance and unnecessary taxation. It is better to be prepared and "declare for tax when in doubt".

#13. Declare Any Alcohols Before Baggage Checks

There is no duty-free concession for alcohol between Singapore and Malaysia, so all alcohols are taxable regardless of which checkpoints. Declaring alcoholic goods is a must without demand at land checkpoints — if alcohol is found in your baggage without declaration, you will be slapped with a fine plus applicable taxes. So, do segregate any alcohols from other belongings and declare them voluntarily via the red channels before going through the baggage checks.

Consequently, any bottles that resemble alcohol bottles may also be picked up as "probable" alcoholic products at the X-ray stations. Items such as cooking sauces or drinks in large glass bottles, sparkling juices in wine bottles, multiple canned drinks, etc, always result in bags being asked to be opened and checked by customs officers. So, do prepare these items for ready inspection instead of waiting for the officer to ask you to open up your baggage and empty everything.

Other than alcohol-bottle-lookalikes, objects that look like weapons, such as guns or sharp blades, cigarette packs, vapers, chewing gums, etc, are all likely to result in delays too.

#14. Skip Bus Service 170 (if going to Kranji Station)

If you are going to Kranji MRT Station during off-peak hours, queue at the lane for Bus Service 170X. There are separate lanes for Service 160 (to Jurong East) and Service 170 (to Queen Street). However, all 3 lanes will board the next bus (160/170/170X) that comes along for those who are going to Kranji MRT Station.

The 3 bus services will call at Kranji MRT Station with one difference — Service 160 and 170X will head directly to the station while Service 170 will make a loop around the old Woodlands Centre (additional 10-20 minutes depending on traffic conditions) before going to Kranji Station. Skip Service 170 if you want to reach Kranji MRT Station sooner during off-peak hours.

Avoid queuing at the lane for Bus Service 160 if you see a non-moving queue in the lane, the queuers are mostly going beyond Kranji Station towards Jurong East. You will need to get pass the queue and will probably be slowed down and missed the bus.

During peak hours or when there are traffic congestions on the Causeway, board any buses that come along — for all you know, the next bus may be more than 30 minutes or hours away in the congestion. Alternatively, walk over to Woodlands Train Checkpoint and exit from there. You can take Service 170 to Kranji MRT Station, or other services to other destinations, at the bus stop outside the train checkpoint.

Above are the tips that I have been using to get through Singapore-Johor customs without wasting time since 2017 and they are still applicable after the border reopened on 1st April 2022. Do use them to your advantage and alway play by ears. Also, help yourself by helping others to get through faster, share this post with them.

Next: Explore Johor Bahru