ICA Warns of Heavy Traffic in Checkpoints From This Friday (31 May) Onwards

Is it the June school holidays for you now?

If it is, you must have seen a lot of your friends’ posts on Instagram as they flock overseas for a short getaway to locations such as Bangkok, Taiwan, Korea, etc.

But if no money how leh? Go JB lor.

But if that is indeed your plan, you might want to reconsider too.

For the entirety of the month of June (31st May – 30 June), ICA is expecting heavy traffic flow at land checkpoints (Woodlands and Tuas) due to the combination of school holidays and Hari Raya Puasa.

One of the prominent past cases of heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints was in December 2018.

According to Straits Times, one woman was stuck in traffic for a whopping 8 hours before managing to drive into JB!

Even though that was considered an extreme case, even the “luckier” ones experience delays of 4 to 6 hours.

If we were to use that as a gauge, anyone planning to venture northwards this coming month is up for an arduous journey.

However, if you die-die want to go, then you better plan ahead.

Helpful Tips

Here are some tips to prevent delays and inconvenience to everyone (including yourself) to ensure a smoother journey through the customs.

• Don’t smuggle bring any prohibited items! I know we love our chewing gums and firecrackers but let’s make life easier for everyone yeah?
• If you are bringing any controlled items such as eggs, meats, or potted plants, make sure that you declare to the customs officers before the checks!

• Ensure that your passport still has a validity of at least 6 months, or else you may end up being rejected and causing delays.
• Do not cut the queue at checkpoints! Singaporeans are kiasu but refrain from this and maintain lane discipline or you could actually worsen the congestion for everyone!

• Use the automated lane clearance if eligible, as it speeds up your process and shortens the queue for those ineligible.
• Before you set off, you can check the traffic condition through the One Motoring website (www.onemotoring.com.sg)  or via the Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System (EMAS) installed along the BKE and AYE respectively. Alternatively, you can also check the ICA’s Facebook page for updates on the traffic situation.

Here’s one more personal tip from me:

There is a lesser-known checkpoint at Woodlands, called the Woodlands Train Checkpoint (as known as Woodlands CIQ). As the name suggests, this checkpoint is used solely for train rides!

While its popularity has been rising through the years, it would still be no surprise if you and many others haven’t heard of this train service operated by KTM ETS (Keretapi Tanah Melayu Electric Train Service).

As a result, the crowd is much smaller at this checkpoint and your Journey to the North will be a lot smoother. You can book KTM train rides to Johor Bahru or other parts of Malaysia at Easybook.

If you have fun plans in this upcoming month in JB for some good food, cheap shopping, karaoke, or more, remember to plan ahead by following the tips above and observing the traffic condition in advance, and we wish you a pleasant journey!