The Republic of Singapore is one of those must-visit places on any trip to Southeast Asia. This island city-state is known to this day as one of the most important financial centers in the world. All this thanks to its origins as a trading post of the British West India Company. British colonial influences can be seen in some of the buildings in the city, which also has Chinese influences, making it a unique place. From the bustling streets of Singapore, you can head north to Malaysia, where there are many fantastic places. One such place is the city of Ipoh. The capital of Perak, this interesting city also retains much of its British colonial architecture, although it has more open spaces such as Cameron Highlands, caves and Buddhist temples. In addition, this city is also known for its gastronomy. Read on to find out how to get from Singapore to Ipoh.
The second bridge connecting Malaysia and Singapore is one of two bridges connecting the two countries © EQRoy / Shutterstock.com
Travel options from Singapore to Ipoh
The road from Singapore to Ipoh is 560 kilometers, so it’s not a particularly quick or easy drive. Fortunately, the roads between these two destinations are not in a very bad condition, so it doesn’t take as long to cover the distance as in other neighboring countries. The bus journey takes around 8 hours, but there are differences between some services and others. You can also take the train, but there are no direct trains from Singapore to Ipoh, so you have to make a few changes along the way, or partly by bus and partly by train. As it is a long journey and not necessarily cheap, we do not recommend taking the train from Singapore to Ipoh. The last option is to fly by plane, which is quick and fairly easy, but expensive compared to a bus ticket.
Singapore to Ipoh flights
Changi Departure Hall, now rated the best airport in the world by Skytrax © Trong Nguyen / Shutterstock.com
When long distances have to be covered, flying is usually the most practical option as it saves a lot of time compared to traveling by car. This also applies to the route from Singapore to Ipoh, as the flight takes only 1 hour and 20 minutes to connect both destinations. Flight time is only part of the journey as you first need to arrive at Singapore Changi Airport, check in, go through security and wait for boarding. Upon arrival, you need to count the time it takes to get off the plane, wait for your luggage and go through immigration control, because don’t forget that you will be traveling from one country to another.
The good thing is that Ipoh’s Sultan Azlan Shah Airport is only 6 kilometers from the city center, so it won’t take long to get to your hotel. As Singapore is a much busier place, it takes longer to travel via Changi Airport, but there are good connections from the city via Mass Rapid Transit and buses.
Flights from Singapore to Ipoh are available with two different airlines. Scoot (formerly Tigerair) offers at least one flight a day, as does AirAsia. You will generally find that tickets from Singapore to Ipoh are cheaper with Scoot than AirAsia, but check what is included in each ticket to see if you have to pay extra for checked baggage or not. Remember that airline tickets are usually cheaper if booked in advance. If you postpone the purchase until the last minute, the prices can be exorbitant.
From Singapore to Ipoh by bus
Although flying from Singapore to Ipoh is an expensive option, a plane ticket is not too expensive either. Still, if you want to keep expenses to a minimum, you can find the cheapest transportation option to get from Singapore to Ipoh. In this case, you will be interested in traveling by bus.
There are several bus companies operating from Singapore to Ipoh. Two of the largest are StarMart Express and Sri Maju Group. Both offer multiple daily departures with multiple departure points in Singapore and multiple arrival locations in Ipoh. Ticket prices are quite similar between the two companies, although Sri Maju is usually a bit more expensive. The services they offer are not much different. Both companies operate VIP 24 buses, which are usually the most luxurious. These buses have wider seats and only three seats in a row instead of four. In addition, the buses have a snack service on board, as well as a stewardess, televisions and, of course, air conditioning.
Since the price difference between StarMart and Sri Maju is only a few euros, you will ultimately choose the one that best suits your travel plans. Two companies run several times a day from Singapore to Ipoh. Many of these buses depart from the Golden Mile area of Singapore. StarMart Express also offers departures from City Plaza or Book Lay. Depending on where you are in Singapore, these places may be better for you, so you don’t have to move around the city as much.
Scheduled bus journey times from Singapore to Ipoh range from 7 hours 55 minutes to 11 hours 10 minutes, although most services are 8.5 hours. Duration may vary depending on how long it takes to cross the Malaysian border. If you travel during off-peak hours, you can avoid an extended trip. Advance booking is always recommended to ensure a seat on the bus that best suits your plans. You can easily book online through the site 12Go.asia. When you perform a search on this page, you will immediately see all available bus options for your Singapore to Ipoh route. This way, it will be easy to compare the prices and services of all options.
Since a bus ticket is roughly half the price of a plane ticket, it is tempting to travel from Singapore to Ipoh by land. However, if you want to travel as quickly as possible, choosing a plane will save you a few hours of travel.