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| Home > City Guide - Singapore - Getting There By Road | ||
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Getting There By Road The road system in Singapore is clear, easy and efficient, but can get very congested at peak times, and especially on weekends and holidays when Singaporeans crowd the causeway to Johor Bahru in Malaysia. Driving is on the left and the speed limit is 50kph (31mph) in residential areas and 80kph (50mph) on expressways – and visitors should note that there are very high punishments for speeding. For tourists, a valid driving licence from the country of residence is required for driving in Singapore. An International Driving Permit is recommended, especially if the driving licence is not in English, as it can help expedite proceedings where police are involved. The Automobile Association of Singapore has a helpline (tel: 6831 2195) for information on IDPs, but drivers can expect to pay a S$20 processing fee for an IDP. Foreign residents, however, must convert their national licence (or IDP) into a local licence. The Traffic Police (tel: 6547 1818) should be contacted for converting licences, as well as for reporting all traffic accidents and information on road conditions. Minimum third-party insurance is required for driving in Singapore, which can be extended to cover Malaysia. The maximum legal alcohol to blood ratio for driving is 0.08%. Further information can be obtained from the Automobile Association of Singapore (tel: 6737 2444; fax: 6733 5094; e-mail: aasmail@aas.com.sg; website: www.aas.com.sg). Emergency breakdown services: AAS 6748 9911 Routes to the city: The main route into Singapore is the kilometre-long causeway, linking the northern district of Woodlands with Malaysia’s Johor Bahru. At weekends, the volume of traffic multiplies and this causeway is usually very busy. The ‘Second Link’, officially the Malaysia-Singapore Second Crossing, was built to alleviate the traffic and should be faster at busy periods. This second bridge is located on the western side of Singapore and it links the Tuas checkpoint in Singapore with Tanjung Kupang in Malaysia. The highway then runs up the western part of the Malay peninsular. The East Coast Parkway (ECP) runs from the airport into the city along the coast; Changi Road and Pan-Island Expressway (PIE) both provide alternative routes. Driving times to Singapore: From Johor Bahru – between 20 minutes and 3 hours, depending on traffic; Kuala Lumpur – 3 hours; Malacca – 3 hours 30 minutes. Coach services: Operators include Regent Star Travel, Lavender MRT station (tel: 6292 9009), Hasry (tel: 6294 9306) and Malacca-Singapore Express (tel: 6293 5915), which are both located at the bus terminal on the corner of Lavender Street and Kallang Bahru. Coach services go to a number of Malaysian destinations, including Kuala Lumpur and Penang, and usually depart every morning and evening. |
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