Going from Singapore to Malaysia? Know the entry requirements, travel methods, VTL flight updates and more

Planning on going to Malaysia from Singapore? Not sure about the best way to get there, or the rules for entering Malaysia from Singapore in the new normal Covid times? This guide is for you.

We’ll walk through the latest on Malaysia entry requirements, and how to travel to Malaysia from Singapore by land, train, air and more. Plus, we’ll look at how Wise can help you make your dollars go further when you’re in Malaysia or further afield.

VTL Malaysia to Singapore

Let’s start with an obvious question - what happened to the Singapore to Malaysia VTL? While Covid travel restrictions were in place in Singapore, Malaysia and globally, VTL (Vaccinated Travel Lanes) were in place to facilitate safe travel from Singapore and back again, to designated countries.

The good news is that this system no longer applies at the time of writing. Malaysia started to allow travellers to enter without specific Covid rules from August 2022¹, and Singapore followed suit in February 2023². As there are no specific Covid related rules to enter Singapore now, the VTL system doesn’t apply. Just make sure you’re complying with all the other Malaysia entry requirements, and any requirements in place to re-enter Singapore (based on your citizenship and residence), and you’re good to go.

It’s important to note that travel restrictions and requirements can change with little notice - so checking all the live details before you travel is essential. We’ll look at the rules as they stand at the time of writing, next.

Malaysia entry requirements from Singapore

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs advises that Singapore passport holders can generally enter Malaysia without a visa for up to 30 days. If you’re travelling on from Malaysia to another country you’ll need to check if a visa is required for entry there. Aside from this, the basic Malaysia entry requirements from Singapore include³:

1. Singapore passports must be valid for at least another 6 months at the time of travel
2. You must pass through a manned immigration booth, and passports must be stamped before leaving the immigration booth

If you’re a daily traveller to Malaysia and qualify for the MACS system⁴, the rules may be slightly different. You’ll also be able to get more information, including useful details for travellers, through Malaysia’s MySejahtera app⁵.

From the Singapore side, there are no specific rules in place that you’ll need to comply with when leaving⁶. However, you’ll need to check up on the requirements for re-entering Singapore after your trip - including completing the correct ICA Singapore arrival card⁷ based on your residence status.

Prohibited items from Singapore to Malaysia

Before you travel you’ll want to double check the rules about dutiable and restricted goods, which are available through the Malaysian customs website⁸. It’s also helpful to know that you’ll have to make a customs declaration if you’re carrying a large amount of money over the border. MYR in excess of the equivalent of 10,000 USD must be declared when either entering or leaving Malaysia.

Travel to Malaysia from Singapore - options and considerations

There are plenty of different ways to get over to Malaysia from Singapore, including driving across the land border, flying, taking the train or even getting a ferry. Which is best for you will depend on your personal preferences and where exactly in Malaysia you need to be. Let’s take a look at the most popular travel options from Singapore to Malaysia.

Driving to Malaysia from Singapore

If you have your own car you’ll be able to drive from Singapore to Malaysia across the land border. There are also plenty of services offering private hire cars with a driver, and buses which pass over the causeway. In fact, there are even people who make this trip every day, cross border commuters who live in Singapore but work or study in Malaysia, and navigate the border daily.

In general, if you’re travelling in a group, taking a private car with a driver can be a convenient and reasonably economical option. Services will be able to advise you on the best time to travel to beat the border traffic, which is notoriously tricky at times.

All in all, travelling from Singapore to Malaysia by car - to a popular destination like Legoland for example - can be done in just an hour or so, depending on your starting point in Singapore. If you’re travelling alone, a bus may make more sense on the basis of costs - and there are plenty of options available depending on your travel times and ultimate destination.

If you’re planning on driving your own car to Malaysia it’s important to know you need a Malaysian Vehicle Entry Permit⁹ to enter with a foreign registered vehicle. There’s also a fee to pay every time you cross the border. If you’re using a private hire car, make sure the driver is allowed to drive legally in both Singapore and Malaysia, so you don’t run into any hassle.

Getting from Singapore to Malaysia by train

Another option if you want to travel from Singapore to Malaysia by land is to take the train. There are shuttle services over the border which only take 5 minutes, with 13 services a day available¹⁰. As the train arrives in Johor Bahru Sentral Station you’ll also find it easy to connect to the next train you need for your onward travel.

Travelling to Malaysia from Singapore by air

While driving is an easy way to get to Johor Bahru or popular Malaysian destinations like Legoland, probably the most popular option to travel to Malaysia if you’re headed to Kuala Lumpur is to fly. Flying is also the only choice if you’re headed to Kota Kinabalu or another destination outside of Peninsular Malaysia.

The good news is that there are lots of flights available from Singapore to a wide selection of destinations in Malaysia, including KL, Penang, Ipoh and Langkawi. Flight times to Kuala Lumpur and many other destinations in Peninsular Malaysia are just over an hour, while it’ll take you about 2.5 hours to reach Kota Kinabalu.

Travelling to Malaysia? Get the Wise card to spend MYR without losing on exchange rates and foreign transaction fees

Whether you’re headed to Malaysia for work or a well deserved break, you could save when you spend in MYR, with Wise.

Open a Wise account online or in the Wise app to manage and exchange 40+ currencies right from your phone. You can then order a Wise card which can be used in 150+ countries , for spending with the mid-market exchange rate and low conversion fees from 0.43%. Just top up your Wise account in SGD and automatically start spending in MYR.

Wise will always use the mid-market rate and not add any sneaky transaction fees, which can mean you save significantly compared to using your regular bank card for spending abroad.

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Pricing/fees: Please see Terms of Use for your region or visit Wise Fees & Pricing for the most up to date pricing and fee information

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Now that borders have reopened there’s plenty of options for travel - so whether you’re thinking of a short break in Langkawi or a shopping spree in KL, getting from Singapore to Malaysia is easy. Use this guide to scope out your options, and don’t forget to also open a Wise account and card to make your dollars go further when you’re on your trip.

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Sources:

1. My Safe Travel
2. ICA - entering Singapore
3. Ministry of Foreign Affairs
4. MACS
5. MySejahtera
6. ICA - departing Singapore
7. ICA Singapore arrival card
8. Malaysian customs website
9. Malaysia VEP
10. Malaysia trains

Sources checked on 04/19/2023