Shuttle Tebrau

Shuttle Tebrau is the name given to the shuttle train service between JB Sentral in Johor and Woodlands, Singapore. Since all KTMB Intercity trains now terminate at JB Sentral station, the Shuttle is the only way to travel between Malaysia and Singapore by train. The journey across the Causeway takes just 5 minutes.

2024 Timetable

These are the latest timetable (as at March 2024). Please note there are variations in the timings from day to day. You can check KTMB’s official website for updates and to make a booking.

As you can see, trains from JB to Singapore start at 5am whereas trains in the opposite direction only start at 8.30am. Presumably the rationale is that the Shuttle is used mainly by Malaysians commuting to Singapore for work (less so in the opposite direction) so the services are concentrated around peak hours.

This means that the trains are very busy and peak hour services get booked up days, or even weeks, in advance. Tourists should aim to travel at off-peak times.

The other curious thing about the timetable is that there are 18 trains going to Singapore every day but only 13 coming back. The other 5 trains must return to Malaysia empty which seems a bit pointless. They’re coming back anyway, why not carry passengers? Maybe because the staff on the Singapore side don't want to start work as early as 5am.

2024 Ticket Prices

The pricing system is a historical oddity.
The one-way fare from JB Sentral to Woodlands is MYR5.
The one-way fare from Woodlands to JB Sentral is SGD5 (i.e. RM 17.80, over three times as much at current exchange rates).
If you are coming from Malaysia you can buy a return ticket for MYR10.
If you are starting in Singapore a return ticket would cost you SGD10. It would be cheaper in this case to buy two singles (for MYR5 and SGD5).

Each train can hold 320 passengers, mostly seated but a minority will be standing only. Since it is such a short journey, standing up is not such a hardship.

Booking Tickets

You can purchase tickets at any KTMB Intercity counter, or book online through KTMB’s website up to 30 days before the date of departure.

Advantages & Disadvantages of Shuttle Tebrau

Advantages:

Quicker (avoid traffic jams on the Causeway)
Safe
Reliable
Can book seat in advance

Disadvantages:

May be fully booked
More expensive than bus
Long waits between trains in the middle of the day
Still cannot avoid the hassle of clearing Immigration (CIQ) checks at both ends. A delay at Immigration might cause you to miss your train.