If you are headed to Singapore, chances are the next stop on your trip will be Malaysia or vice versa. Malaysia and Singapore are part of the South-East Asian triad of Bangkok-Singapore-Malaysia that most travelers prefer to club together in one trip. For one, all these destinations are very close to one another and hence easy to travel to and secondly, a combined trip makes economic sense. Singapore is a mere 320 kms away from Kuala Lumpur (capital of Malaysia), with the latter being located to the northwest of the former. This short distance can be travelled by air, road or rail; depending on what travel mode you’d prefer the most.
Editor's note (November 2026): First published in 2013. We've rewritten the train section, because the old direct Singapore–Kuala Lumpur train no longer runs. Bus fares and journey times will also have changed.
- Train
If you are not in hurry to get to your destination and want to enjoy the travel experience, then embarking on a train ride from Singapore to Malaysia would make perfect sense. There's no longer a direct train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur. Instead, take the KTM Shuttle Tebrau from Woodlands station across the causeway to JB Sentral in Johor Bahru (about five minutes, plus time for immigration), then the fast ETS train from JB Sentral to KL Sentral, which takes about four and a half hours. Book both legs on the KTMB website or app: tickets go on sale 30 days ahead, and weekend trains sell out quickly. The new RTS Link between Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru is due to open in early 2027 and will replace the shuttle.
- Bus/Road
320 kms is definitely not too long a distance to cover by road. There are many luxury bus services that operate between the two cities. Singapore tourism has no definite bus depot, so buses depart from Clarke Quay, Harbourfront Centre and Orchard Road. These luxury buses offer services like massage chairs and wi-fi. If you are looking for cheaper travel options, then you can choose from a host of secondary bus services like Consortium, Transnasional Express, among others. The journey usually takes 5 – 7 hours depending on immigration. However, traffic can play spoilsport on weekends and considerably lengthen the trip. The tickets cost anything from US $25 - US $60 and it is recommended to book them in advance.
- Air
The flight between the two cities is merely 45 minutes. There are numerous budget airlines that run services between Singapore and Malaysia. AirAsia and Scoot are among the budget airlines with good deals on this route. However, you will be required to check-in an hour earlier and once you arrive, it will take minimum one hour to get to Kuala Lumpur city centre from the airport.