Major Jams Likely At Woodlands, Tuas Checkpoints Over March School Holidays

Those planning a trip to Malaysia during the upcoming March school holidays should allow for extra travel time due to heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from Friday to March 20. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) warned those travelling by car or bus on Monday that they may have to wait longer for immigration clearance because traffic flow has returned to pre-pandemic levels during peak hours. During the peak of the March school holidays in 2019, the average wait time for people leaving or arriving by car via land checkpoints was approximately three hours.

With the upcoming March school holidays, ICA anticipates similar heavy traffic at both land checkpoints, with tailbacks also expected from Malaysia. During the year-end school holidays last year, approximately 362,000 people passed through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints on a daily basis. Due to tailbacks from the Causeway, there were several instances of heavy departure traffic on the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) towards the Woodlands checkpoint, according to ICA.

"Motorists are also reminded to avoid queue-cutting as it can cause severe congestion and jeopardise the safety of other motorists," said the ICA, urging drivers to follow traffic laws, maintain lane discipline, and cooperate with officers on the scene. Before beginning their journey, motorists should check the traffic situation at both checkpoints using the Land Transport Authority's OneMotoring website or the Expressway Monitoring and Advisory System installed on the BKE and Ayer Rajah Expressway. Traffic updates will also be posted on the ICA's Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as broadcasted on local radio stations Money FM 89.3, Kiss92, One FM 91.3, 96.3 Hao FM, and UFM 100.3. All short-term visitors, including those with in-principle approval for a long-term pass, must submit their SG Arrival Card along with a health declaration three days before their arrival in Singapore.

Because of the high volume of traffic and daily commuting for employment and studies, Singapore citizens, permanent residents, and long-term pass holders are exempt from submitting a health declaration if returning to Singapore via land checkpoints.

If they enter through sea or air checkpoints, they must submit a health declaration.