By Land: To/From Malaysia:
Bus - For Johor Bahru, SBS bus No 170 leaves from the Ban San terminal on the corner of Queen and Arab Streets ; the Bugis MRT is within walking distance. You can also catch the bus on Rochor Rd, Rochor Canal Rd. or Bukit Timah Rd. You can also take the express bus to Johor Bahru operated by Singapore-Johor Express Ltd (Tel: 6292-8149) which departs every 10 minutes, also from the Ban San terminal.

The bus stops at the Singapore checkpoint while you clear immigration-keep your ticket and you can just hop on the next one that comes along. The bus then stops at Malaysian immigration and customs at the other end of the Causeway, one km away. After clearing the Malaysian checkpoint, you can then catch the bus again (your ticket is still valid) to the Johor bus terminus, or you can walk to the town. Money exchanges, whose first offer will usually be less than the going rates, will approach you or there are plenty of banks and official money exchanges in Johor Bahru.

If you are travelling beyond Johor Bahru, it is easier to catch a long-distance bus straight from Singapore, but there is a greater variety of bus services from Johor Bahru and the fares are cheaper.

In Singapore, most of the long-distance buses to Malaysia leave from and arrive at the bus terminal on the corner of Lavender St. and Kallang Bahru,opposite the large Kallang Bahru complex. It is to the north-east of Bencoolen Street ,near the end of Jalan Besar. Take the MRT to Lavender station the bus No 5 or 61, otherwise it's a half-km walk. However,current plans are to move the Malaysia bus terminal to Beach Rd, near Arab St.

Pan Malaysia Express (Tel: 6294-7034) has buses to Kuala Lumpur (S$17.80) at 9 am, Mersing (S$11.10) at 8, 9, 10 am and 10 pm, Kuantan (S$16.50) at 9 and 10 am and 10 pm, and Kota Bharu (S$30.10) at 7.30 pm. Also at the bus station, Hasry-Ekoba (Tel: 6292-6243) has buses to Kuala Lumpur (S$17), Ipoh (S$24) and Taiping (S$26) at 7.30 and 9.30 pm, Penang (S$30) at 6.30, 7.30 and 8 pm, and Melaka at 8 am and 2.30 pm.Malacca-Singapore Express (6293-5915) has buses to Melaka at 8, 9, 10, 11 am and 1 ,2 ,3 and 4 pm. The fare is S$11 for an air-con bus and the trip takes six hours. Many travel agents also sell bus tickets to Malaysia.

Morning Star Travel (Tel: 6229-2221) is another agent right at the Lavender MRT station. They have buses to Kuala Lumpur (S$17) at 9.30 pm, Penang (S$35) at 8 pm, Alor Setar (S$36) at 6 pm and Kelaka (S$11) at 8.30 am. All buses leave from next to the MRT station, except for the Melaka bus which leaves from the Kallang Bahru terminal.

You can also catch buses to Kuala Lumpur from the Ban San station on the corner of Queen and Arab Streets. Kuala Lumpur-Singapore Express (Tel: 6292-8254) has buses to Kuala Lumpur at 9 am and 10 pm for (S$17.30).

Most of the buses are new and in immaculate condition with TV , toilet and air-conditioned. To Kuala Lumpur takes about eight hours. There's also a lunch and snack break on the way.

By Train:
Singapore is the southern termination point for the Malaysian railway system. Malaysia has two main rail lines: the primary line going from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Butterworth, Alor Star and then into Thailand; and a second line branching off at Gemas and going right up through the center of the country to Tumpat, near Kota Bharu on the east coast.

The Singapore Railway Station (Tel: 6222-5165) for fare and schedule information is on Keppel Rd., South-west of Chinatown, about one km from the Tanjong Pagar MRT station.

Five trains go everyday to Kuala Lumpur. The Ekspres Rakyat leaves at 7.30 am (arrives 2.50 pm), the mail train at 8.30 am (arrives 7.05 pm), the Ekspres Sinaran Pagi at 1.30 pm (arrive 9.10 pm), a limited express train at 8 pm (arrive 6.15 am) and the Sinandung Malam at 11 am (arrive 7.10 am)

All trains are efficient, well - maintained and comfortable, but ordinary and mail train stop at all stations and are slow. The express trains are well worth the extra money, and the Ekspres Rakyat continues on to Butterworth arriving at 10.20 pm. There is also a train to Tumpat (in the very north-east of Malaysia) at 8.10 pm, which passes Jerantut and Kuala Lipis for Taman Negara National Park in the afternoon. Train fares from Singapore to Malaysia include:

Language
There are 4 official languages in Singapore: Malay, Mandarin, Tamil and English. English is the language of business and administration, and is widely spoken and understood. Most Singaporeans are bilingual, and speak their mother tongue as well as English. Malay is the national language.

Getting Around
Singapore is serviced by more than 60 major international airlines. With the new Changi Airport Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station, visitors can travel conveniently to and from the airport to destinations all over the island. Taxis are also abundantly available from the airport to the city centre. There is a surcharge for all taxi journeys commencing from the airport and for after-midnight rides. The rates are displayed in each taxi. Public buses also ply the airport route and visitors may catch one to town from the underground bus station at the Arrival Hall. Singapore's efficient transport system - bus, taxi and MRT - ensures that visitors can get to any destination within the island with minimum fuss and maximum ease.

Airport Tax
A Passenger Service Charge of S$21 should be incorporated in the air ticket. If this has not been done, you can buy the airport tax coupon in advance at most hotels, travel agencies and airline offices. Passengers who are in transit for less than 24 hours may leave the airport without having to pay the service charge upon departure from Singapore.

Visa and Entry Facilities
A valid passport or international travel document is required for all visitors. Visas are not generally required for social visits of fewer than 14 days, and visitors arriving as tourists are given a 14-day social visit pass on arrival. If you want to stay longer, you may apply to the Immigration Department after your arrival.

Entry visas are required for visitors from Afghanistan, Algeria, Cambodia, India, Iraq, Jordan, Laos, Lebanon, Libya, the People's Republic of China, the Russian Federation, Syria, Tunisia Vietnam and Yemen. Visa-free entry is available to citizens of Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Canada, Hong Kong, Malaysia, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. As regulations may change from time to time, check with your nearest Singapore Embassy or Singapore Tourist Promotion Board office before departure.

ASEAN Visa-free Facility
Citizens of the ASEAN countries holding valid passports can visit Malaysia and Thailand for 14 days without a visa. The Philippines only requires a visa for a stay exceeding 21 days. Indonesia offers two months visa-free entry for tourists, provided they have an onward ticket and use designated ports of entry and exit.

Currency
The local currency is Singapore dollars and cents. Other than the Singapore dollar, the United States and Australian dollars, Japanese yen and British pound are also accepted in most shopping centres and big departmental stores.

Money Changers
Banks and hotels can change money and most shopping complexes have a licensed money changer. Visitors are advised not to change money with an unlicensed operator. Most banks open from 9.30 am to 3.00 pm on weekdays and 9.30 am to 11.30 am on Saturdays.

Credit/Charge Cards
Major credit cards are widely accepted in Singapore. Hotels, retailers, restaurants, travel agents and even a taxi company readily accept international credit cards. For more information, you can contact the local office of the credit card operators at the following numbers:

American Express Tel: 6299 8133
Diners Card Tel: 6294 4222
Master Card Tel: 6533 2888
Visa Card Tel: 1-800-3451345 (Service Centre)