Driving from Malaysia to Singapore

I was planning to go to Universal Studios Singapore (USS) on last 24 Oct 2012. The plan was extensively laid down and managed to be put into action in the most smoothness of perfection on that day.

Here was my plan:

1. Leave my house early 
2. Take breakfast in Malaysia 
3. Drive into Singapore check point 
4. Drive to USS 
5. Park at Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) car park 
6. Spend whole day at USS 
7. Drive back to Malaysia 

It was Wednesday and I was planning to enjoy all the rides in USS early before the crowd took over. That was the reason of having such an early start for that day. I was a bit scary, thinking that I will be driving myself into Singapore and cross-over the mainland to reach the Sentosa Island (where USS is at) at the southern tip of Singapore.

For those that maybe interested for following my plan, let me brief step by step on how to actually manage yourself into driving straight to USS in Singapore.

1) Check your passport

• Ensure that your passport will not expired for another 6 month or less. 
• If passport about to expired, renew it early. 
• Go for online passport renewal (for renewal of Malaysia International Passport). No hassle of queuing up for the tedious passport renewal process and you can do the online application after office hour at home. 

2) Buy USS ticket online

• Purchase ticket online to confirm the ticket availability. 
• Survey for promotional ticket to get the best deal 
• Op of Print Ticket at Home. The printout will directly allow you to enter USS, without having to queue at the counter to get the ticket voucher. 
• Once you get the ticket to print, print using inkjet printer at a reasonable quality (not Fast Draft). Try to scan the barcode on the printout to verify that it is readable enough by the scanner. 

3) Prepare for expenditure in Singapore Dollar

• List down your budget and change your currency to SGD as needed as per your budget.
• Call bank to allow ATM Plus (using your bank card at oversea) on your ATM card. 
• Turn on international access to your credit card too by calling the bank if you want to use credit card there. 

4) Fill up to car’s fuel

• Buying fuel in Singapore is much more expensive than in Malaysia. 
• Fill up your car’s fuel to the max before entering Singapore. 

5) Pre-trip spending in Malaysia 

• Buy what you need in Malaysia before entering Singapore. 
• Have breakfast or lunch in Malaysia 
• Buy mineral water and foods and stock up your car for things that you may need. 

6) Entering Malaysia Immigration at Tanjung Kupang

• I am entering Singapore through Tanjung Kupang checkpoint so I directly drive using Second Link highway. 
• The toll at Tanjung Kupang has to be paid using Touch n Go at RM7.50 per entry. 
• At Malaysia Immigration, wait for Green Light, drive to the counter, just give your passport at the checkpoint and wind down your window so that the officer can verify everyone in the car. 
• They normally do not check your vehicle, but just be ready to go down and open your car’s bonnet if requested. 

7) Entering Singapore Immigration at Tuas

• After passed through Malaysia checkpoint, go to Singapore checkpoint passing around 5 minutes drive between the borders. 
• Wait for Green Light and enter the counter. 
• Please make sure you already filled up the White Card (Disembarkation Card). If not, you have to request the card from the officer, park your car aside and fill it up before go back to the counter.
• While the officer is checking your passport, please insert your Autopass Card into the slot and press the “Car” button to register your “in” time to Singapore. Having Autopass is a must, if you do not have one, park your car aside and go get the Autopass on the building next to the checkpoint. 
• To request for new Autopass: 
• Fill up the form 
• Prepare your passport and road tax slip. If no road tax slip, the officer will need to go to your car to check the road tax. 
• Pay S$10. S$6 will be deducted for the Autopass card fees and S$4 will be the credit balance in the card. 
• The counter will scan your Autopass, so no need to insert it again on the immigration counter. 

8) Top up Autopass 

• The easiest place to Top Up Autopass is at Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim which just next to the immigration area. 
• It situated on North bound of the AYE (the highway that you are on, right after you exit the immigration). Since I am heading south, exit the highway after the “Top Up” signboard and make a “U” turn to go to the top up counter. 
• In Singapore, when you are turning to the right of the road, both way of traffic will have “Green” light. You need to wait at the middle of the junction and turn right once the incoming traffic is cleared, before the traffic light turn “Red”. 
• The Top Up counter is “Drive-In” not “Drive-Through”. So park your car at the side of the road, but give enough clearance for other car to pass by your car. You have to step down from your car to reach the Top Up counter. 
• The process of topping up is similar as if topping up your Touch n Go card. After top up, make a “U” turn right before the immigration area and head back south on AYE (Ayer Rajah Expressway) towards Sentosa Island. 

9) Straight to USS 

• Have GPS ready. With GPS getting cheaper and Android phone can easily be installed with free navigation and maps, make use GPS to the fullest. With clear direction to the destination, you will have a smooth ride, enjoying drive and save fuel and time. 
• Set your GPS destination to 1.25438°N,103.825521°E. This will bring you straight to Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) basement car park. 
• After you entered Sentosa Gateway, please stay on the left side of the road so that you will not miss the exit to the car park. If you accidentally enter the Sentosa Island gantry, you will have to pay for the entrance to Sentosa Island, than have to turn around to reach RWS car park. 
• Once you enter the car park, stay on the right lane to reach B1 parking zone. 
• Use your Autopass to enter the car park and park at any of the zone. Information from RWS, for Malaysian's car, you can only pay the car park fees using Autopass only.

From the car park, go upwards using the nearby escalator. Once on the ground level, look for the big Universal Globe and ready to enter the USS.

I will be updating some review on my trip to USS soon.