A guide to every ferry service between Singapore and Indonesia, including how to connect to other ferry services in Indonesia.
Singapore and Indonesia are close maritime neighbours separated by the Singapore Strait. The two countries are just over 5 km apart at their closest point, and the fastest ferry services take a little under an hour.
There are numerous daily ferry services from Singapore to Batam, Bintan, and Karimun Besar. Batam is a manufacturing and financial hub, and Bintan is a popular resort destination for Singaporeans looking for a beach break without flying.
Getting the ferry to Indonesia is also a crucial link for overlanders travelling from Mainland Southeast Asia to Maritime Southeast Asia.
Index
Map of Singapore – Indonesia ferry ports
Singapore – Batam
HarbourFront – Batam Centre
HarbourFront – Harbour Bay
HarbourFront – Sekupang
HarbourFront – Teluk Senimba
Tanah Merah – Batam Centre
Tanah Merah – Nongsapura
Singapore – Bintan
Tanah Merah – Tanjung Pinang
Tanah Merah – Teluk Sebong
Singapore – Karimun Besar
HarbourFront – Tanjung Balai
Singapore – Sumatra
How to go from Singapore to Sumatra by ferry
Singapore – Java
How to go from Singapore to Jakarta by ferry
Check ferry times
How to buy ferry tickets
Map of Singapore – Indonesia ferry ports
Ports referenced in this guide are shown on this map.
[View map of Singapore – Indonesia ferry ports.]
Singapore – Batam
HarbourFront Passenger Terminal is the main port for cruises and ferries in Singapore. This is the most useful port for Batam if you are staying in Central Singapore. The terminal is connected to the Harbourfront MRT, so it’s easy to get to by public transport.
Ferries from Tanah Merah to Batam are useful if you are based in the east of Singapore or if you are coming directly from Changi Airport.
When booking a ferry to Batam, make sure you know what port you want to go to. There are five ports in Batam that receive ferries from Singapore. This list gives a brief description of each port to help decide which port to go to.
[List of Batam ferry operators at HarbourFront in Singapore.]
HarbourFront – Batam Centre
Batam Centre is the administrative area of Batam, with government offices based here.
HarbourFront – Batam Centre: BatamFast Ferry
HarbourFront – Batam Centre: Majestic Fast Ferry
HarbourFront – Batam Centre: Sindo Ferry
Compare tickets and times at 12Go
Search for hotels in Batam Centre
HarbourFront – Harbour Bay
Harbour Bay is near Lubuk Baja, which is better known as Nagoya (named after the Japanese who were working on infrastructure projects in Batam in the 1970s). The Nagoya area is the best area to stay in Batam, so you are coming to Batam just to check it out, then get the ferry to Harbour Bay.
HarbourFront – Harbour Bay: Horizon Fast Ferry
Search for hotels in the Nagoya area of Batam
HarbourFront – Sekupang
Sekupang port is useful to get ferries to other destinations in the Riau Islands.
HarbourFront – Sekupang: BatamFast Ferry
HarbourFront – Sekupang: Majestic Fast Ferry
HarbourFront – Sekupang: Sindo Ferry
Compare tickets and times at 12Go
HarbourFront – Teluk Senimba
Teluk Senimba is the port of the Waterfront City development. There is not much here yet, and the ferry operator doesn’t appear to have a website.
HarbourFront – Teluk Senimba: Indo Falcon.
Tanah Merah – Batam Centre
Tanah Merah – Batam Centre: BatamFast Ferry
Tanah Merah – Batam Centre: Majestic Fast Ferry
Tanah Merah – Batam Centre: Sindo Ferry
Compare tickets and times at 12Go
Tanah Merah – Nongsapura
Nongsapura is in the northeast of Batam. The area includes some resorts and Raja Golf Palm Springs.
Tanah Merah – Nongsapura: BatamFast Ferry.
Search for Hotels near Nongsa Pura Ferry Terminal
Singapore – Bintan
Ferries from Singapore to Bintan depart from Tanah Merah in the east of Singapore. You can get the MRT to Tanah Merah, then take bus 35 towards Tanah Merah Ferry Terminal. There is also a shuttle bus from Changi Airport.
Tanah Merah – Tanjung Pinang
Tanjung Pinang is the main port city of Bintan and it’s the capital of Riau Islands Province. Tanjung Pinang has ferry services to other ports of the Riau Islands, and it’s the closest port to the resorts on the east coast of Bintan.
Tanah Merah – Tanjung Pinang: Majestic Fast Ferry
Tanah Merah – Tanjung Pinang: Sindo Ferry
Compare tickets and times at 12Go
Search for hotels in Tanjung Pinang
Tanah Merah – Teluk Sebong
Teluk Sebong (also referred to as Bandar Bentan Telani Terminal) serves the resorts on the northwest coast of Bintan.
Tanah Merah – Teluk Sebong Bintan Resort Ferries
Search for hotels and resorts on Bintan Island
Singapore – Karimun Besar
Karimun Besar is the largest island of Karimun regency in Riau Islands province.
Harbourfront – Tanjung Balai
HarbourFront – Tanjung Balai Sindo Ferry (check on 12Go)
Singapore – Sumatra
There are no direct ferries from Singapore to Sumatra.
How to go from Singapore to Sumatra by ferry
Sekupang port had ferries to Sumatra, though there aren’t any recent updates from the ferry operators. There are old reports of ferry services from Sekupang to Dumai (Sumatra) with Batam Jet and Dumai Express.
Singapore – Java
How to go from Singapore to Jakarta by ferry
There is no direct ferry service from Singapore to Jakarta, but there is a Pelni ferry from Batam to Jakarta. With some preplanning you can go from Singapore to Batam to Jakarta by ferry.
Pelni is the national cargo and passenger shipping company of Indonesia. Pelni ship KM.KELUD departs Batam on Wednesdays at 16:00 and arrives at Tanjung Priok Port in Jakarta the next day at 22:00 (1 day and 6 hours travel time). Check with the website to confirm if the ship is sailing or if there are other days added.
I did a test booking in English and I could find economy and cabin tickets. There is also a Pelni office in Batam if the website isn’t accepting your payment.
[Pelni booking site showing class options for Batam – Jakarta ferry.]
The return leg comes back to Batam and continues to Belawan Port in Medan (North Sumatra).
Google Maps is showing Sekupang as the port for the ferry to Tanjung Priok, but the ferry departs from Batu Ampar. The closest port to Batu Ampar is Harbour Bay, so you will need to get a taxi between ports.
Here is a trip report of an overlander who went economy in a bunk bed, and here is a trip report in a private cabin.
Check ferry times
All ferry times are on the Singapore Cruise Centre website (the ferry terminal operator of Singapore). Keep track of ferry departure and arrival with live updates.
Check schedule for Ferries.
How to buy ferry tickets
Ferry tickets can be bought online or at the ferry terminal. Every ferry operator has their own sales counter, so you need to know which ferry operator and port you are going to.
The first time I went to Batam I didn’t know where to go, so I picked Batam Centre because of its name. This port is further away from the Nagoya area, though taxis are not too expensive.
On my next trip to Batam I went to Harbour Bay, and the ticket agent asked if I was sure I wanted to go to Harbour Bay.
[Ticket counter for Horizon Fast Ferry at HarbourFront Singapore.]
I travelled midweek during the day, so there was no problem to turn up and book a seat. I would have booked in advance if it was the weekend or closer to peak hour travel.
[Seats on Horizon Fast Ferry.]
Another thing to consider is that I couldn’t use my Visa or Mastercard (they wanted a local NET card). I had already spent my Singapore Dollars so I had to go to an ATM (and incur a withdrawal fee) to pay for the ticket in cash. If I had of known this I would have booked online.
I have listed all the ferry websites where you can book directly, and you can also compare tickets with 12Go. Search in SGD to compare prices.
I was surprised with how expensive the tickets were considering how many ferry operators there are. It turns out that the ferry operators have a history of anti-competitive behavior, and they are once again being called out for possible price-fixing.
[Nomadic Notes is an affiliate of 12Go and Agoda.]
Hi James,
Nice roundup, but I think you’ve mistaken one Tanjung Balai for another.
From S’pore one can take a ferry to Tanjung Balai on Karimun island, just west of Batam, not to the one near Medan.
There may be ferries from Batam to Dumai, South Sumatra.
Apparently Karimun is a bit of a low-end holiday island, but I’ve never been there myself. Tanjung Pinang is ok, and a useful starting point for island hopping around Riau.
Happy travels!
Serge
Thanks Serge, I thought htat didn’t seem right, I appreciate the update!
This comprehensive guide is a lifesaver for planning my ferry journey from Singapore to Indonesia! Your detailed list of ports and ferry operators is invaluable. The inclusion of practical tips and schedules makes navigating the trip so much easier. The images of the ferry terminals and vessels add a visual dimension that enhances the planning experience. Thank you for compiling such useful information in one place!
As a resident of Singapore, I’m super grateful to you for putting this list together! Many thanks! The only ferry I took so far was from Tanah Merah to Bintan 🙂
This detailed guide has been incredibly helpful for planning my ferry journey from Singapore to Indonesia! The thorough list of ports and ferry operators is invaluable, and the practical tips and schedules greatly simplify the trip. The images of ferry terminals and vessels provide a useful visual reference. Thank you for putting together such essential information in one place!