Deepavali 2023: Prepare For Heavy Traffic Along Singapore - Malaysia Land Borders

Visitors and road users planning to visit Malaysia during the Deepavali long weekend should expect very heavy traffic at both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints, according to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA).

Due to the upcoming public holiday on Sunday and the end-of-year school vacations, travellers should expect longer wait times for immigration clearance between Thursday and the following Tuesday.

Furthermore, in light of the growing insecurity in the Middle East, the ICA has increased security at checkpoints.

During the Children's Day weekend in October, more than 1.27 million people used the land checkpoints, with the highest daily crossings totaling over 460,000 on October 6.

This was the highest daily number of land checkpoint crossings since they reopened in 2022 following the COVID-19 pandemic, with more than half of these crossings representing departures. During peak periods, ICA reported that passengers departing by car faced wait times of up to three hours.

When utilising the land checkpoints, ICA further exhorts drivers to be patient, follow traffic laws, maintain lane discipline, and collaborate with on-site officers.

To maintain traffic discipline at busy intersections and on the routes leading to checkpoints, it places a strong emphasis on cooperation with the traffic police.

Traffic updates will be available on the ICA's social media accounts, including Facebook and Twitter.