Entering Johor Bahru (JB, Malaysia) demands careful consideration due to traffic congestion, lengthy customs queues, and extended wait times for public transportation.
I once attempted to enter JB on a Friday evening, an experience that bordered on chaos. While reaching Woodlands Checkpoint via the 170/160 buses was relatively smooth, the real ordeal began after clearing customs, where finding a queue to join was akin to navigating through a maze.
On another occasion, needing to retrieve my car from a JB workshop on a Friday night, and wary of the Woodlands route, I opted for Tuas Secondlink instead. Here’s a recount of my journey:
5:00pm – Concluding an event at the F1 Pit Building, I headed to City Hall MRT and took the train to Jurong East Interchange.
5:30pm – Locating CW3 at the bus interchange proved challenging, given the lack of clear signage. With two nearby interchanges, it took some time to discern the correct one (Jurong Town Hall Bus Interchange).
5:45pm – Joining the queue at CW3’s berth, I opted for the shorter standing line. After waiting for multiple buses, I finally boarded one.
6:15pm – Progress came to a halt due to congestion at Tuas Checkpoint.
6:25pm – Disembarking, I queued at Singapore Immigration and Customs.
6:40pm – Reboarding another CW bus, heading towards Malaysia customs.
6:45pm – Exiting the bus, I proceeded for immigration clearance.
6:55pm – Despite clearing immigration, a disorganized queue awaited outside, causing further delays.
7:05pm – Frustrated by the sluggish pace and uncertainty of the queue’s legitimacy, I attempted to book a Grab ride, facing rejections on JustGrab at RM$40 until finally securing one at a higher fare at RM$68 on GrabCar Plus/Premium.
7:15pm – Finally en route to the car workshop to collect my vehicle.
Reflecting on the journey, it was far from smooth, particularly under time pressure. I can’t fathom enduring such a commute daily and commend those who traverse the border for work, despite the challenges. While the higher earnings may be tempting, the toll on sleep and stress is undeniable.
