The bustling city-state of Singapore is located at the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula. Vibrant, colourful, unique and packed with tourist attractions, Singapore is definitely a place to put on your bucket list, as is Malaysia’s capital, Kuala Lumpur. 355 kilometers north of Singapore (222 miles), Kuala Lumpur shares many similarities as it is a bustling city that combines modern skyscrapers with British colonial architecture and religious temples. Perhaps that is why so many people manage to travel from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
Travel options from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
The second bridge connecting Malaysia to Singapore is one of two bridges connecting the two countries. © EQRoy / Shutterstock.com
Singapore may be an island, but it is less than a kilometer (about half a mile) off Malaysia’s south coast and is connected to Malaysia by two bridges. This makes traveling from Singapore to Malaysia so much easier to reach the capital Kuala Lumpur.
So what are the options to get from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur? With the bridges that connect Singapore to the mainland, traveling by road is a very good option, and there are several bus companies you can choose from to make this journey. Traveling by train used to be another good option but unfortunately this service was discontinued in 2016 so now you have to make some changes and be prepared to go slow if you want to go by train. The last option to travel between the two cities is by plane. Despite being an expensive means of transport, there are almost 40 flights a day on this route, making it the most convenient and fastest way to travel from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flights
Departure Lounge at Changi Airport, voted the best airport in the world by Skytrax © Trong Nguyen / Shutterstock.com
Flying from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur is without a doubt the fastest way to travel between the two destinations as the flight time is less than an hour. Even if you factor in the waiting time at the airport, you’ll be able to reach Kuala Lumpur by lunchtime. This makes the flight an ideal option for short visits to Kuala Lumpur, which is great if you’re short on time.
There are many flights to choose from with ten different airlines serving this route. Most of them fly to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia’s largest and busiest airport, while a few fly from Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, also known as Subang Airport. There are about 40 daily flights between the two cities. We advise you to do a little research as prices can vary greatly and be either very cheap or exorbitant. For example, Firefly is one of the airlines that fly to Subang airport and their prices are usually very reasonable. If you buy your ticket in advance and don’t mind flying at less convenient times, you can also find inexpensive flights to Kuala Lumpur International Airport, while buying a ticket a few days in advance and at a more convenient time will cost you more, certainly with Singapore Airlines or Malaysia Airlines.
Bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur
Bersepadu Selatan Terminal (TBS) is Kuala Lumpur’s main bus terminal © Spectral-Design / Shutterstock.com
While you can find cheap flights from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, the cost may be too high if you are traveling on a budget. Then the buses come on the scene. The bus from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur takes 5-6 hours, so it’s a slower option, but the price is much cheaper.
There are several bus companies you can choose from, and if you’ve traveled by bus in Asia before, you’ll know that the quality can vary from company to company, as can the price of tickets. If you’re looking for a bit of comfort and luxury, there are four companies to choose from between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur: Five Stars Express, Grasslands Express, StarMart Express and Konsortium Express. These companies cover the entire journey, including the border crossing to Malaysia. Crossing the border is quite easy and the bus staff make it easy so they will tell you what to do. Depending on how congested the border is, this procedure may add a bit to the journey. Nevertheless, even if the crossing is delayed, the total travel time should not exceed 6 hours.
Advice for those who travel on a reasonable budget. The companies we have listed are very good, but if you buy a ticket to travel from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur that includes a crossing to Malaysia, you will pay more for a seat. If you want to save as much as possible, you can cross to Malaysia on your own. While this may extend the trip, it may save you some money. You can choose this option by taking a local bus in Singapore at Queen Street Bus Station. This bus will take you over the Causeway Bridge to Malaysia. Cross the border and buy a bus ticket to Kuala Lumpur at Larkin Station.
From Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train
KTM ETS High Speed Trains from Gemas to Kuala Lumpur © SL Chen / Shutterstock.com
While there is no direct train from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, we thought it was worth including a short paragraph about trains as there are ways to travel between the two cities using this mode of transport. You’ll have to take three different trains, so it’s not a very practical option. The entire journey will take around nine hours, although it is undoubtedly the cheapest way to get from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.
The first train leaves Woodland, Singapore, for Johor Bahru Sentral, Malaysia. You will then need to take the train to Gemas, which takes approximately 4 hours to make the journey. Finally, you need to take the ETS high-speed train from Gemas to Kuala Lumpur (2 hours and 20 minutes). To this you have to add the waiting time, which results in a journey lasting about 9 hours.