How not to cross the border Singapore to Malaysia!

How not to cross Malaysia from Singapore

At the time of writing in 2014, there are many options 1) Numberous cheap flights, 2) Bus travel, 3) train travel and the last 4) the wrong-way (legally still good). 4th option is still good with a light backpack!.

I found a good flight ticket from Johar bahru to Kota Kinabalu and hell yeah, airasia provides free ground transportation to senai airport from Singapore. I havent had much experience in crossing the border to  Malaysia other than couple of times with neat coaches.

With a valid PNR air-asia gives bus tickets to Senai airport. On the actual travel day –  when I went to queen street, couple of taxi drivers (malaysian taxis) offered taxi Senai airport (johar bahru) for a flat fee of $80 – which I shoud have taken graciously!

But, I had the bus ticket,  so went to the bus stop just to see 100s of people queued. With the airport-shuttle ticket (dont let the name to fool you), I was allowed to board a bus bit quickly with all the luggages. I had to get down at Singapore immigration, and by the time I cleared singapore immigration, our bus left. I had to catch another bus where I had to stand in the queues of 1000s after finding the right 1000s queue. I was properly frowned for those luggages almost all places.

I thought the nightmare was over. Next episode was finding the bus to Senai aiport at Malaysian Immigration. It was around 8pm – not late for the airport by any means. I was told to wait for 30 minutes for the next shuttle to airport at a isolated bus bay. After waiting for 20 mins they suggested I go to Kotraya to get taxi from there. I dont want to create any conspiracy here;  a shuttle came and the driver promptly gave some money to the bus bay attender (who told us to wait) and the bus left. My best guess is its meant for airport but they are reluctant to run a bus just for a family.

I decided I had enough for the day and took a taxi (after 10 minutes of walk) to my destination which was smooth. Learning of the day was – “Never cross to Malaysia with luggages during peak hours”.

When I returned, I didnt want to make things worse,  so from Senai airport after my vacation, I asked for a cross border taxi directly to singapore. To my fate, we were told taxi can only go to Central (Kotraya) as those cross-border taxis are limited. I had no choice but got a decent car to Kotraya. To my worst nightmare there were 100s of people waiting for the taxi in queue to singapore and no taxi were in sight. It was sunday. I was approached by near-hooligan-looking drivers asking “want private taxi?”.  When I doubtfully said yes they gave me $150 as the quote. Not ringgits but dollars. That too with the most harrassing take it or leave it attitude. If I need to recollect the sentence, it was “you want? its $150” and then the loud sarcastic laughter from the head banded driver who smoked  right at us.  Later from the other driver we came to know generally Indians dont take private taxi as it was expensive – hence that sarcasm. Hmmm.

After 5 minutes of waiting, I caught a private taxi and agreed (not negotiated) to $100 just to cross the border. He explained the extreme overheads of doing this such as there are drug trafickers and how he avoids them etc. He was polite and drove courtesously considering the long traffic jams.

So to sum it up, if you have backpack and have plenty of time bus is an option. Else, there are other options. Including a budget flight to KL.