The first weekend of June brought about a record number of travellers crossing the land checkpoints, and this heavy traffic is expected to continue till the June Holidays end.
Here’s all the information you need to help you avoid peak hours and long waiting times.
Record Number of Travellers Since Reopening
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) shared that the amount of people crossing the checkpoints have been increasing, with heavy traffic since the June Holidays started.
In fact, the first weekend of June had the largest number of travellers crossing the checkpoints since the reopening in April.
To compare, the Good Friday weekend saw about 149,000 travellers per day, while the Vesak Day weekend saw about 224,000.
The first June Holidays weekend from 3 to 5 June saw nearly 262,000 travellers per day, almost 40,000 more than the previous record.
Expect Delays, Plan Around Peak Hours
Given the high amounts of people travelling across the borders, you can expect delays at checkpoints during this period.
Do factor in time for immigration clearance too. As a guide, travellers had to wait almost two and a half hours for clearance during the peak of 2019’s June Holidays.
Alternatively, you can plan around these peak hours to avoid the crowds. For departing Singapore, here are the timings to avoid:
- Fridays: 6pm to 11:59pm
- Saturdays: 6am to 9am, 9pm to 11:59pm
- Sundays: 6am to 8am
For those arriving in Singapore, here are the timings to avoid:
- Weekdays till 24 June: 10pm to 11:59pm
- Saturdays: 9pm to 11:59pm
- Sundays: 6pm to 11:59pm
Additionally, Malaysia’s immigration department started upgrading works on the arrival car booths at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar at Woodlands Checkpoint since 6 June.
If you’re arriving by car, do remember that these booths will not be available during upgrading works.
Check Traffic Conditions Before Travelling
You’re advised to check the traffic conditions through LTA’s One Motoring website, or via the Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System (EMAS) along the BKE and AYE.
Alternatively, you can check ICA’s Facebook or Twitter accounts for updates.
If you don’t want to be caught in traffic jams, do consider taking cross-border bus services instead of your private vehicles.
Lastly, if you’re driving, do remember to observe traffic rules,maintain lane discipline, and co-operate with the officers at the checkpoints.
After all, you don’t want to be fined RM500 for crossing into the bus lanes.
Featured Image: bemyself780 / Shutterstock.com
