5 Things to consider when booking bus ride from Singapore to Malaysia (KL/Genting Highland/Melaka)
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Bus transport is a popular travel mode in Singapore! 🚌This is the simplest, direct and cheapest way to get there!
👇Here are still some points to take note of!
Time and Duration of Bus Ride
Pic Credit: http://freekaidea.com/
The ride from Singapore to KL/Genting takes approximately 5-7 hrs. To maximise the trip, most people would take a night bus and arrive in the morning. This is okay for those that are able to sleep anywhere but not so okay for those that needs a bed.💤🛌 For me, if I don’t have enough sleep, I will become grumpy and annoyed easily. 😒 All of us have been sleep deprived at some point in our lives and I’m sure we can all relate with that. No matter how nice the place or food is, you will still be feeling erm so so lor. You won’t want to be like a zombie especially during holiday.
At the last part of the journey to Genting, the roads are curvy roads with narrow turns and turn as well as lots of uphill and downhill. Sleeping on the bus may not be that easy. This may be uncomfortable to people who are susceptible to motion sickness.🌀🌀
And of course, a bus ride also means that there is no toilet! 🚽🚽Hoohoo! But of course, there will be toilet stops along the way. I don’t think it is wise if you are traveling with kids or elderly.
Bus Operator
Since you already know it’s a 6hr bus ride the comfort of the bus matters. The safest way to ensure your bus ride is comfortable is to book with a reliable bus operator. Don’t be stingy and book the cheapest one! There’s a reason for it to be this cheap! This is based on true experience because this is also a mistake I have made before.🙅🙅
Being thrifty, I book the cheapest bus available. In my mind, I thought how bad can bus be? Anyway, can sleep can already! So, I went on and booked the lowest price bus. It turns out to be really a disaster. I will not mention the name so as not to tarnish its reputation but all I can say is it is not worth it to get the lowest price and suffer.🤦♀️🤦♀️
Here’s what happened.
The bus we booked was 11:45 pm but the bus came only at 1 am. During the wait, we constantly called the bus operator but no one picks up. Finally, the bus came. When we saw the bus it was another nightmare. We were told to board an old 11-seater van instead of 27 Seaters VIP bus which we booked. The van was highly claustrophobic and cramped. We were informed that the 27-seater bus is overpacked and this is then our bus.😱
The worse of all was the condition of the van. It was old and noisy. The air-condition not working. It was so weak, there was no air coming out. We were sweating profusely. In other words, a sauna bus. And when we ask the driver to switch on the air con, he told us it was already on. It was unbelievable. There was barely any air coming out. And the driver can still say “it’s like that one”.😤
When the van started driving, wow it was so noisy. There was clearly something wrong with the engine. The driver said “aiyo, today the bus very noisy because I can only fix it on Monday. you are unlucky.” This is unbelievable, we can hear every slight movement from engine and wheels. In fact, it was not only noisy but also unsafe! The next feel hours was such a torture.😩
Despite all, we didn’t have any other choice. There weren’t any other options for us. Sorry to those went through this bus nightmare with me!🤧
Thus, I would really recommend you to look up reviews and ratings of bus operator before booking! It’s really not worth it to get the cheapest and go through such an unpleasant experience.🙏🙏
Bus Route
Do remember to check the pickup and drop off point. This may sound like a no brainer but people do go to the wrong pick up place and wait for their bus or even alight somewhere you have no idea where is it! You should know where you are boarding and alighting! Both are equally important because you could miss your bus or arrive somewhere else!🙀
Singapore
Pick-up points: Tampines, Golden Mile Complex, Tanjong Katong Complex, Little India, Boon Lay
Depending on which place is convenient for you, you can check the timings and book.
- Key Point (Golden Coach)
- Harbour Front (Aeroline)
- Katong V (KKKL)
- Novena (First Coach)
- Boon Lay Shopping Centre (Grassland, Konsortium and others) and many more
Most of the time we depart from Golden Mile Complex as there are more buses which mean more flexibility in choosing the bus timing. Since there are a lot of buses, it may be slightly confusing and hard to identify your bus. Do check with the bus operator the exact pickup point and the bus license plate when you arrive. Keep a look out for you bus!👀👀
Kuala Lumpur
There are many drop-off points in KL, including direct buses to some hotels. You may check with the hotel if there are bus services directly to the hotel or ask which is the nearest place to alight. The more popular ones are Berjaya Times Square, Chinatown, Petronas Petrol Station, TBS (Terminal Bersepadu Selatan), 1 Utama Shopping Centre, Imbi, KL Sentral. A good place to alight would be Berjaya Time Square as it is in the city area. For those that are exploring KL for the first time, Berjaya Time Square hotel is a good place to stay as there are lots of entertainment and shopping in this area!😉
Genting
There are various drop off point at Genting, mainly the Genting Highlands (First World Hotel) and Genting Highlands (Awana Bus Terminal). I would recommend alighting at Awana Bus Terminal and take a cable car up! This way you can get the full experience of Genting Highlands!🚡🚡
After knowing the pickup and drop off place, you should check out what is available around the area. Is it near a train/bus station? Is there a 711 nearby to grab some bits? How far is it from your accommodation? Even though Malaysia/Kuala Lumpur is a generally safe place, but it is by no means a crime-free city. You should still practice some caution and precaution. If you take an overnight bus, you will arrive at around 530am which is still dark. After alighting, head to somewhere safe and do not loiter around the streets. My advice is going to any nearest hotel lobby where there are security guards. Most hotel lobby has toilets, you can use this chance to wash up as well.😄😄
Where to book from?
Pic Credit: easybook.com
Easybook.com is a bus ticketing website offering long distance bus ticket booking for over 500 bus operators and 20,000 bus routes to and from Singapore and Malaysia. It is the Largest Land & Sea Transport Booking Website in SE Asia. With Easybook, you get to see all the different bus operator, routes, and timing, saving you money and time you’d have otherwise spent on manually comparing between websites.💸⏰
In fact, if you have time, you can go down to Golden Mile Complex where many of the bus companies are! Some operators offer a lower price if you book directly. If I didn’t remember wrongly, Starmart charges $55 for a two-way bus ride(SIN-KUL).
Golden Mile Complex is also known as “Little Thailand” in Singapore whereby many delicious yummy Thai restaurants are located. So, make sure you chow down some Thai food before leaving!!😋😋
Do book your tickets early especially weekends!
Make yourself comfortable
Pic Credit: Konga.com
The last thing I would like to share is how to make your experience easier, safer and one which you can sleep easily.😴
Pack your sleeping pack. Earplugs, eye mask, neck pillow, and jacket. This may be more or less depending on your sleeping style. Some people may even bring lavender oil or lotion to help them sleep better. But for me, the most important thing is jacket and neck pillow! This really helps to make you get cozy and sleep during the bus ride. I really can’t stand freezing in the bus! Thanks to the air conditioning. It is recommended to wear long pants to stay warm.👕👖
Pic Credit: simplybeingmommy.com
And if you are a full-time snacker, BYOS (Bring Your Own Snacks). In some cases, buses may stop at Yong Peng for a 20-30 minutes break. Some buses offer non-stop express bus service to KL. Most overnight buses will not stop for food as they want to reach as soon as possible. I once took a bus which was freezing cold and my stomach started to growl. It really feels quite pathetic to be hungry in the cold. Pack some snacks (biscuits, nuts, energy bar) just in case! I always feel that SIN-KUL is faster than KUL- SIN, so I will buy some famous amos cookie before leaving! Don’t forget to bring water too! But ration your intake as there is usually no toilet on the bus!
If you are feeling rich or think the bus ride is too long, you can also take a plane to KL. And thereafter, take a bus from KL to Genting.
Have you ever taken bus to Malaysia? How was your experience? Feel free to share with us your experience or if you have any travel tips and advice in the comments!
Found this article while researching on the topic: How to select the Best Coach to KL. Really like the 5 points you made above.
I particularly like your travel tips on “Make yourself comfortable”. I always bring along all the 4 items plus a water bottle with me on bus trip to KL.
Thank you, very informative.