Ferry passengers heading from Tanah Merah to Desaru Coast this monsoon season may land at Tanjung Pengelih instead. BatamFast, the appointed operator on the route, has published a November 2026 contingency diversion plan that can swap the Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal for Tanjung Pengelih Ferry Terminal in Johor when rough north-east monsoon seas make the crossing uncomfortable, with a coach covering the last leg.
How the diversion works
BatamFast has not published a date when the plan is in force; check with the operator before travelling. When the plan is in place, no ferry runs directly between Singapore and Desaru Coast. Outbound passengers sail from Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal to Tanjung Pengelih, then board a coach to Desaru Coast Ferry Terminal. The return runs the other way: coach from Desaru Coast to Tanjung Pengelih, then the ferry to Tanah Merah. BatamFast’s graphic shows about 45 minutes for the ferry leg to Tanjung Pengelih and 45 minutes for the coach leg; it does not give a total journey time. Boarding passes must be endorsed by staff before boarding.
The coach is part of the ticket and is run by the ferry operator. Malaysian immigration and customs clearance, both arriving and leaving, moves to Tanjung Pengelih. Hotels, resorts and hosts at Desaru Coast keep collecting and dropping off guests at the Desaru Coast terminal.
Published sailing times and port codes stay the same on every booking platform, and e-tickets and boarding passes still show DSR as the destination, so existing tickets do not need to be reissued. Passengers who leave the arrangement and make their own way by another ferry or car end the operator’s responsibility for that journey.
Every booking with a departure inside the diversion period falls under the plan if it is activated. Rescheduling, cancellations and refunds go through [email protected], WhatsApp on +62 811 3800 2288, or the hotlines +65 6270 2228 and +62 778 321 120. Package and third-party bookings go back to the agent that sold them.
Sailings and fares
The Tanah Merah to Desaru Coast service runs on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays only, under the schedule in effect from 1 November 2026:
- Tanah Merah to Desaru Coast: 10.10am, Singapore time
- Desaru Coast to Tanah Merah: 5.30pm, Malaysia time
A return ticket costs S$108 and a one-way S$70, the same for every age group. The published fares exclude a fuel surcharge that each passenger pays before departure from 12 March 2026: S$12 from Tanah Merah to Desaru Coast and RM40 or S$12 back. Check the final fare, including any fuel surcharge, when booking.
The Tanjung Pengelih route also runs as a service in its own right on Saturdays and Sundays, leaving Tanah Merah at 8.30am and Tanjung Pengelih at 4pm. A return there is S$73 and a one-way S$43, plus a fuel surcharge of S$6 each way (RM20 or S$6 from Tanjung Pengelih).
Promo codes to 31 December
BatamFast’s Exploring Malaysia campaign runs from 1 October to 31 December 2026 for Desaru Coast trips, subject to terms and conditions:
- DESARUDEAL: S$6 off Friday, Saturday and Sunday departures
- GOTHUR: S$10 off Thursday departures only
- S$5 off walk-in treats
Bookings are on BatamFast’s Desaru booking site, and the full diversion terms are in the November 2026 trip diversion plan.
