Johor Bahru Day Trip: A 1-Day Solo Itinerary From Woodlands

How to get to JB from Singapore by bus

Take a public bus to Woodlands Checkpoint. SBS Transit 170 runs from Queen Street Terminal up to Larkin, and Causeway Link's CW services do the same crossing. Clear Singapore immigration at Woodlands, cross the Causeway, clear Malaysian immigration at the Sultan Iskandar CIQ, then walk through JB Sentral and you are inside JB City Square, roughly a five minute walk from the checkpoint hall. One thing people get wrong: if you are on 160, 170, 170X or 950, tap your card when you alight at the checkpoint so the journey is suspended, otherwise you pay a fresh fare when you get back on. Leaving at 10am on a weekend is late, so expect a queue. If you would rather thrift without leaving the island, the weekend market at Bugis Street Level 2 covers similar ground.

What to do in JB in one day

Lunch first, inside City Square, because you are standing in it the moment you clear the CIQ and the food court and chain outlets there are cheaper than the same brands at home. Then Jalan Jalan Japan for thrifting. The stock is second-hand goods shipped from BOOKOFF in Japan, so it is not only clothes: old Japanese board games, toys, kitchenware, bags, with plenty of items starting around RM1. The city centre outlet is at Galleria Kotaraya on Jalan Trus, a short walk or quick Grab from City Square, and there are bigger branches at KIP Mall Tampoi and KIP Mall Masai if you want to make a day of it. They open daily. After that, a LAN cafe, which is the stop that makes this itinerary feel like 2012 again, and JB still has plenty of them charging by the hour. Finish at Eco Palladium in Taman Ekoflora, a cluster of shoplot boutiques rather than a mall, where Megumi's Room by tyng is the one most people go for. That last stop is not walkable from the city centre, so budget for a Grab each way.

What to bring and what to know before you cross

Bring your passport, and make sure it has at least six months of validity left. Singapore citizens are exempt from the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card, but if you hold another passport you need to submit the MDAC before you cross. Carry some ringgit for the small shops and hawker stalls, since plenty of independent sellers and thrift stores are cash only, though malls and chains take cards. Grab is the easy way to move around JB and it works the same as at home. More day-trip and weekend ideas are on the blog.

FAQs

Do I need a passport to go to Johor Bahru for the day?

Yes. You need a passport with at least six months of validity to cross into Malaysia, even for a day trip.

Do Singaporeans need the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card?

No. Singapore citizens are exempt from the MDAC at all entry points, including the Woodlands and Tuas land crossings. Other passport holders need to submit it before crossing.

How do I get from the checkpoint to JB City Square?

Clear immigration at the Sultan Iskandar CIQ, then walk through JB Sentral. City Square is connected, about a five minute walk from the CIQ.

Where is Jalan Jalan Japan in JB?

The city centre outlet is at Galleria Kotaraya on Jalan Trus, near City Square. There are larger branches at KIP Mall Tampoi and KIP Mall Masai. All open daily.

Can I do this trip without a car?

Yes. The bus gets you to the checkpoint, City Square and Jalan Jalan Japan's Kotaraya outlet are walkable from JB Sentral, and Grab covers the trip out to Eco Palladium.