Getting the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore involves three separate train journeys. Here are the trains to book and how to buy the tickets.
There used to be a direct train service from Kuala Lumpur to Singpaore. That service was discontinued in 2011, and the rail corridor in Singapore has been turned into a walking path and nature reserve.
It’s still possible to get the train from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore, but it requires planning. There is only one combination of trains if you want to travel on the same day. This is because the rail line is being upgraded to a double-tracked electric service. Half of the project is completed, so the journey requires a change of train at Gemas. As for the Singapore section, there is a separate shuttle train that crosses the border, and that also requires a separate ticket.
Booking tickets
To add to this inconvenience of multiple trains, the tickets need to be booked separately as the official rail site doesn’t sell combined tickets.
Before making a booking, make sure there are tickets available on the same day. I’ve made the mistake of booking one leg only to find out that the other leg had sold out.
To do this, go to online.ktmb.com.my and open two separate browsers and do a search for each leg:
Train 9321: Kuala Lumpur (KL Sentral) to Gemas.
Depart KL Sentral: 12:19
Arrive Gemas: 14:52
Train 45: Gemas to Johor Bahru (JB Sentral).
Depart Gemas: 15:20
Arrive JB Sentral: 19:45
Shuttle Tebrau 91: For Johor Bahru to Woodlands (Singapore), check at shuttleonline.ktmb.com.my/Home/Shuttle.
Depart JB Sentral 20:15
Arrive Woodlands 20:20
This is the segment that will sell out in advance the fastest. There are two more trains after 20:15 but it is getting late by then.
KL to Singapore trains
ETS 9321: KL Sentral to Gemas
The first section from KL to Gemas is ETS 9321 from Butterworth. This is a through-train that stops at KL Sentral.
[ETS 9321 at KL Sentral.]
The ETS trains travel at speeds of up to 140 km/h so this the quickest leg of the journey.
ES 45: Gemas to JB Sentral
Gemas is as far south that the electrified double-tracking rail project has reached. At Gemas, service ES 45 is waiting on the opposite platform for onward travel.
ETS 9321 arrives at Gemas at 14:52. and ES 45 departs Gemas at 15:20. Read more about ES 45 from Gemas to JB Sentral.
Shuttle Tebrau: JB Sentral to Woodlands
The final leg is from JB Sentral to Woodlands via the Shuttle Tebrau.
This is a popular service as it’s a much quicker way to cross the border than using the shuttle bus service. The immigration process takes about 15 minutes, even if it is busy. I saw some veteran border crossers that knew what carriage to get on in order to be the first in the immigration queue, but even when I was at the back of the queue the line moves fast.
[Free seating assignment on the Shuttle Tebrau.]
As if getting three trains wasn’t complicated enough, Woodlands is not connected to a metro station. I walked to the nearest station at Marsiling MRT Station, which is 1.5 km/22 minutes away (according to Google Maps). You are then looking at another hour of travel time on the MRT to get to Central Singapore.
By the time you check in to your hotel you might be reconsidering if it’s worth doing this trip in one day. This is not an efficient way to travel if you need to be in Singapore that day. If you are travelling overland and have time, I would stay over night in JB and explore the Old City area the next morning before getting on the shuttle to continue your journey.
[James on the Shuttle Tebrau from JB to Woodlands.]
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train
Going from Singapore to KL by train also requires planning. Here is how to go from
Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train.
Future KL-Singapore train services
KL-JB ETS services
The Gemas-Johor Bahru electrified double-tracking rail project is expected to by completed by 2025. Once that is finished then ETS services will run from KL to JB in one service. There should be numerous services a day so you won’t be restricted to the current combination.
The ETS will not be extended to Singapore though, so it will still require a second train. There is a new urban rail link being built from JB to Singapore (RTS Link), so passengers will be able to show up and ride without needing to prebook a ticket.
Kuala Lumpur – Singapore High-Speed Railway
In addition to the current West Coast Line, a high-speed railway from KL to Singapore is being planned. This will travel on a different alignment and not pass through JB Sentral. This is still in planning, so it could be years away from being a reality. If it is built then there will be two different ways to travel from KL to Singapore by rail.
More Malaysia and Southeast Asia rail travel
This article is part of the Nomadic Notes train travel series. Read more about Malaysia train travel and Southeast Asia train travel.
I still find it somewhat puzzling that through services to Singapore have been discontinued and that Malaysia has not seen the benefits of connecting their services both to Singapore and at the other end into Thailand. One would have thought is was a no brainer and the politicians and bureaucrats should be ashamed of themselves. Is KL /Singapore still the busiest air route? I wonder why
Yes it’s odd that they haven’t kept the service running. The cachet of having “Singapore” on the departure board at KL Sentral would be worth it, as too for a regular service to Hat Yai (and not just the occasional special train that runs from KL to Hat Yai).
It appears that the current shuttle service from JB to Woodlands will be discontinued when the RTS link opens, which will be a shame. I think that once the entire line is electrified they should run daily non-stop services from KL to Singapore, not stopping at JB, and have the immigration for both sides at Woodlands.
Malaysia also has the same problem as Thailand, in that they are building out a duel gauge system. The current West Coast line has been completely rebuilt from scratch (new rail, electric wiring, new trains) but they built it on the metre gauge. The line should have been upgraded to standard gauge, then they would have got a faster service and perhaps not need the high-speed line. Meanwhile Malaysia are building a standard gauge railway on the East Coast Rail Link project.