Guitarz

Hello all,

I am arriving Singapore from Shanghai around 6am in the morning, and will have to catch a flight to Bangkok at 6.30pm.

As a frequent visitor to Singapore (4 times a year), I am looking for a new thing to do. I learned that there's a premium outlet in JB, and there's always a bus from SG to MY.

The question is, is it possible to do this?
Thanks

Sjoerd

Short answer: yes.

Longer answer: check Malaysia visa requirements (if any) for the citizenship you hold. Allow lots of time (especially during weekends and public holidays) for the border crossings, especially coming back to Singapore from JB.

invisible

Exactly where in JB?

I was there yesterday, on Good Friday and probably it was a stupid thing to do because on Malaysian border I was stuck 2 hours waiting in the line.

If you just need to go right across causeway in City Square, it is quite easy thing to do: from Changi, go to MRT. From East-West Line (green) change on North-South (red) line and get out on Marsiling MRT. Get out there, cross over street, take bus #950. You will get out on both checkpoints - on Singapore and MY side. One on MY side - it is up to you what to do.

It will take 2 hours (minimum) from Changi to MY side. So if you plan to use public transportation, you need to reserve at least 4 hours minimum. However you can cut this time by half if you take taxi from Changi to the Woodlands Checkpoint and back. It will cost you appx $60 taxi fare both ways.

dsgtc0408

There's another way to get to the Johor Premium Outlets from Changi Airport. It involves two buses, as follows:

1) Changi Airport <-> JB CIQ (passport control): TS1, Transtar bus
2) JB CIQ <-> Johor Premium Outlets: JP01, Causeway Link bus

The JB CIQ (Johor Bahru Customs, Immigration, Quarantine) complex is right on the Malaysia side of the Causeway. Transferring between these bus services takes place within the CIQ complex itself.

The good part about this method is that the buses themselves are fuss free once you're on board and moving. The tricky part is the transfer within the CIQ; you're going up and down escalators and walking through a fair number of corridors. The actual distance is not far but I estimate that it would be a ten minute walk not including waiting and inspection time in going through passport control. Note also that the dropoff and pickup for TS1 is on the sterile side ('no man's land') of the CIQ. Pickup and drop off for JP01 is at a domestic bus terminal on the ground level of the CIQ. You are in Malaysia at this point.

Note that Invisible is correct in saying that the wait at the Causeway (entry into both Malaysia and into Singapore when returning) can be lengthy, not just on holidays but on certain times of the day as well. If in spite of all this you're willing to try anyway please post again on this thread. Here are the links:

http://premiumoutlets.com.my/

http://www.changiairport.com/c/docum...&groupId=10136

https://www.causewaylink.com.my/view...720&height=440

One other thing: The Johor Premium Outlet is not in Johor Bahru (a city); it's in a town further north called Kulaijaya. This is just to point out there are some real distances involved here.

invisible

OK, given the information provided, I think taxi on both side of the border is the only realistic option.

dsgtc0408

Depends. I can see it regarding the taxi on the Singapore side, this can speed things up. However on the JB side one needs to negotiate a flat rate with the cab driver - and a lot of the cabbies don't speak English. I also believe that JPO is outside the JB city zone - not sure what sort of surcharges will kick in for that. Taking the city bus to go to JPO (the JP01) should be fairly straightforward since this has nothing to do with going within the sterile zone or the Causeway back to Singapore.

I suppose it's a question of whether or not the OP is feeling adventurous. (OP - one thing. If you do this, I suggest you dress down. You don't want to look too well to do.)

jpatokal

OP, are you dead-set on the Premium Outlets in Kulaijaya? There's another duty-free complex called The Zon that's very close to the CIQ, only a 5 RM taxi ride away. That said, the shopping there isn't particularly amazing compared to the offerings in Singapore, we used to go just for the awesome Korean food at Jang Won BBQ right next door.

jahason

If you do go make sure you book a taxi on the Singapore side on the way back. A few time I have ended up waiting an hour for a taxi just after crossing back into Singapore.

SirJman

These outlets are really not worth the time or effort to get to. I'll be in JB and the cost of the taxi to get there just isn't worth it, let alone from SIN!

The Zon is an even bigger waste of time.

AA_EXP09

From what I remember there is no duty free allowance going into Singapore from Malaysia (and also no allowance as you would have had to reenter Singapore within 48hr of leaving.)
That means that you would have to pay GST on the goods upon entry to Singapore and claim a refund on the way out.

jpatokal

In theory, yes. But in practice, Customs only cares about drugs, tobacco and alcohol, in that order.

invisible

They did confiscate two boxes of gum from me.

gilbertaue

Timing wise it all depends on when you plan to head there. If its over the May Day long weekend for example, you will be stuck for awhile trying to cross the border.

But the main reason for my post: If you travel a lot, you will find better deals somewhere else. The stuff on sale at the Premium Outlets are in now way a match to European or American premium outlets.

I did the trip once (just to go to the Premium Outlets) and left feeling that I had completely wasted a day. There is unfortunately nothing else around there.