How to Cross the Causeway by Bus (No Car Needed)

You don't need a car — or a VEP, or a 3/4 tank of fuel — to get to Johor Bahru. Several bus services run straight across Woodlands Causeway and Tuas Second Link. Here's how they work.

The short answer

For most Singapore-side departures, the 170X (Kranji MRT) and 950 (Woodlands/Marsiling MRT) are the highest-frequency options into central JB. If you're headed toward Legoland, Bukit Indah, or Iskandar Puteri, take a Causeway Link CW service via Tuas Second Link instead — it's a more direct route than going through central JB first.

Woodlands Causeway routes

Tuas Second Link routes

Tuas services are the fastest way to reach Legoland Malaysia, Bukit Indah, Sunway Big Box, and Iskandar Puteri without first detouring through central JB.

How the immigration stop works

Unlike private cars, cross-border buses don't just drive through — passengers clear immigration on foot partway through the journey. In general: the bus stops at the Singapore checkpoint, you disembark and clear ICA exit immigration on foot, then continue (usually re-boarding the same service, sometimes the next one along the same route) to the Malaysian checkpoint, where you disembark again to clear Malaysian entry immigration before continuing to your final stop.

Have your passport out and ready before the bus reaches each checkpoint — fumbling for it while the queue behind you waits is the single most common holdup for first-time bus crossers.

Payment

SMRT and SBS Transit services (950, 170/170X, 160) accept EZ-Link and other Singapore contactless fare cards for the Singapore-side fare. Causeway Link (CW-prefixed) services generally accept ManjaLink cards or Visa/Mastercard contactless — check the fare display on board, as accepted payment methods can vary by operator and have changed over time.

Why take the bus over driving

• No VEP registration, no RFID tag, no vehicle paperwork at all — see our VEP guide for what drivers have to sort out that bus passengers skip entirely.
• No 3/4 fuel tank requirement, no road charge, no parking to find on the JB side.
• Bus lanes and passenger processing at both checkpoints often move independently of car queue congestion — a heavy car backup doesn't necessarily mean a slow bus crossing.