Travellers heading across the Causeway and Second Link during the September school holidays have been urged to brace themselves for long waits. The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has issued a travel advisory cautioning that traffic at both Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints will be heavy between 5 and 15 September.
According to ICA, the holiday period typically sees a sharp surge in cross-border travel, with congestion expected at both arrival and departure car lanes. Travellers have been encouraged to check real-time traffic updates online before setting off and to factor in additional waiting time when planning their journeys.
In addition, ICA advised that those heading across the border could consider using cross-border bus services instead of private cars, as buses tend to clear immigration faster during peak periods. To further ease clearance, travellers are also encouraged to use QR codes generated from the MyICA mobile app for quicker processing.
Lessons from the National Day Weekend Rush
The advisory comes after the National Day long weekend in August, which saw close to two million travellers crossing the two land checkpoints between 8 and 11 August. On the peak day of 8 August, more than 558,000 people cleared immigration in a single day.
During that period, car travellers endured waiting times of up to three hours, largely due to traffic tailbacks from Malaysia. ICA highlighted that such delays are likely to recur during the upcoming school holidays, particularly for those travelling during peak hours such as Friday evenings and Sunday nights.
Authorities reminded motorists to stay patient, follow traffic rules and maintain lane discipline, warning that enforcement action would be taken against offenders who flout officers’ instructions or commit traffic offences at the checkpoints.
Travellers Urged to Plan Ahead
ICA has stressed the importance of early planning to minimise delays, especially for families with children or elderly members. By staggering travel times, making use of public transport, and leveraging digital clearance tools, travellers may avoid the worst of the congestion.
With the September school holidays being a popular time for family trips to Malaysia, both checkpoints are expected to see sustained high volumes of traffic throughout the ten-day period. Travellers are advised to remain vigilant and cooperative to ensure smooth immigration clearance for everyone.