|
| |
|
MOVING ON FROM SINGAPORE |
| |
|
|
| |
To begin, select a topic in the navigation bar to the left
By plane
There are good deals on plane tickets from Singapore to Australia, Bali,
Bangkok and Hong Kong. However, if you're planning to head for either
Malaysia or Indonesia by air, it might be worth going to JB , across the
causeway, or Batam, the nearest Indonesian island , and buying a flight
from there. To get to Changi Airport, bus #36 (daily 6am-midnight; S$1.50)
runs frequently, down Orchard Road and Brah Basah Road. Taxis costs S$12-15.
By bus
The easiest way across the causeway to Malaysia is to get the #170 Johor
Bahru -bound bus from the Ban San Terminal (every 15min, 6am-12.30am;
S$1.20) or the plusher air-con Singapore-Johor Express (every 10min,
6.30am-11.30pm; S$2.40), both of which take around an hour (including
border formalities); both stop at JB bus terminal. From the taxi stand
next to the terminal, a car to JB (seating four) costs S$30. The
Singapore-Kuala Lumpur Express leaves from the Ban San Terminal daily at
9am, 1pm, 5pm and 10pm (6hr; 23). For other destinations, go to the
Lavender Street Terminal or the Golden Mile Complex, from where buses to
Butterworth (S$29), Penang (S$30), Kota Bharu (S$30) and Ipoh (S$27)
tend to leave in the late afternoon; those to Melaka (S$11), Mersing (S$11)
and Kuantan (S$17) depart in the early morning and afternoon. For Kuala
Lumpur (S$17) there are both morning and night departures from this
terminal. Book as far in advance as possible - operators at the terminal
include Pan Malaysia Express (tel 294 7034), Hasry Ekoba Express (tel
292 6243), Malacca-Singapore Express (tel 293 5915) and Masmara Travel (tel
294 7034). It's slightly cheaper to travel to JB and then catch an
onward bus from the bus terminal there - though it still pays to make an
early start from Singapore.
Buses to Thailand leave early morning from the Golden Mile Complex at
5001 Beach Rd. You can buy a ticket all the way to Bangkok (though it
may be cheaper just to buy one as far as Hat Yai and pay for the rest of
the journey in Thai currency once there). Fares to Hat Yai (16hr) start
at around S$30, while Bangkok costs S$70. Try Phya Travel Service (tel
294 5415) or Sunny Holidays (tel 292 7927), and don't forget to allow
two working days for securing a Thai visa (needed for stays of over
fifteen days).
By train
You can make free seat reservations up to one month in advance of
departure at the information kiosk (daily 8.30am-2.30pm & 3.00-7pm; tel
222 5165) in the train station. The 10pm Express Senandung Malam gets
into Kuala Lumpur early the next morning; the 7.30am Express Rakyat
arrives in the early afternoon - this continues to Butterworth ,
arriving at 10pm. Unfortunately, none of the trains to Butterworth
connect conveniently with the international express to Bangkok ,
involving either an overnight stop in Butterworth or, at best, a six-and-a-half-hour
wait. It's a tiring journey done in one go, particularly if you don't
book a berth on the overnight leg between Butterworth and Bangkok, but
it is the quickest way (other than flying) to travel right through
Malaysia.
By boat
Boats to Batam in Indonesia 's Riau Archipelago depart throughout the
day from the World Trade Centre (7.30am-7pm; S$17 one-way), docking at
Sekupang, from where you take a taxi to Hangnadim airport for internal
Indonesian flights. There are also four boats a day (S$49 one-way) from
the Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal (bus 35 from Bedok MRT) to Tanjung Pinang
on Pulau Bintan , also in the Riau Archipelago; info and tickets from
Dino Shipping (tel 276 9722), or Bintan Resort Ferries (tel 542 4369).
From Kijang Port, south of Tanjung Pinang, there are boat services to
Jakarta .
It's also possible to travel betweeen Singapore and Malaysia by boat.
Bumboats to Kampung Pengerang on the southeastern coast of Johor Bahru (daily
when full, 7am-4pm; 45min; S$5 one-way) leave from Changi Village,
beyond the airport. Newer, more reliable Ferrylink ferries depart from
Changi ferry terminal for Tanjung Belungkor , in Johor, a little way
east of Changi Village, departing here daily at 7.30am, 11.30am, 4pm and
8pm (45min; S$32 return; tel 545 3600); check in one hour before
departure. Ferries to Tioman Island run from the Tanah Merah Ferry
Terminal (March-Oct daily except Wed at 8.30am; S$140 return).
Information and tickets from Auto Batam (tel 271 4866); check-in is one
hour beforehand.
|
| |
|
