KTM: JB in 5 MINUTES!

It is undeniable that we Singaporeans love to visit Johor Bahru (JB) for a quick getaway. Be it for hair or nail services, food, body massages, or just to pump some petrol (oops), JB is a place for everyone.

However, we all hate the massive (human and traffic) jam we have to face during peak hours and seasons. I do not frequent JB that much because I hear horrifying stories about the waiting times at the customs from many of my friends. Some claim that they ever wait up to 3 hours! Imagine that.

But! Fear not because there's another alternative mode of transport to Malaysia - KTM Shuttle.

(posters can be found along the bridge to City Square)

Train Timings

(from SG to JB)

 (from JB to SG)

So Tim and I decided to try this on our way back from JB, because we figured that the crowd on a Friday morning is still manageable.

If you are wondering, we took Bus 170 from Kranji MRT to JB. Another side note: The money changer at Kranji MRT was offering S$1 = RM2.89, and charged S$5.70 "service charge". Still a pretty decent rate for small amount of cash though..

Location of KTM Counters (in JB)

I'm not going to lie. Tim and I had some difficulties finding the counters.

Basically, after you exit from the Malaysian customs, you will walk down several escalators till you reach this small "mall" before City Square. After crossing a small road, and walking into the "mall", you will see Starbucks on your right. TURN LEFT, and walk straight alllllllllll the way, and you will see the counters!

Seriously hope my explanation is clear enough.

Ticket to Singapore - RM5/pax (S$1.70)
It will be good if you buy the ticket once you reach JB to secure your seats on the train back. There are certain time slots which will be sold out by noon.

I heard from my mum that the train ticket price from Singapore to JB is S$5. I'm not sure if that's really true, but if any of you readers happen to know, do kindly leave a comment below. Thanks!

Boarding

We got the tickets for the 7PM train back to Singapore. Gates will open 30 minutes before departure time. It's really quite simple. The guy at the counter would have already told you which gate to go to. All you have to do is just follow the crowd. There will be separate custom counters just for passengers who take the trains!

The train looks old, but is surprisingly clean. It is also air-conditioned so the wait was comfortable. There's seriously nothing much to complain about since it was just a 5-minute ride. I guess the best part was the fact that we zoomed past all the cars and buses stuck in the jam.

I hope this blog post will bring more convenience to both Singaporeans and Malaysians who love travelling across the causeway. X