'Very heavy traffic' expected at Woodlands & Tuas checkpoints during Hari Raya Haji & June holidays

Travellers heading to Malaysia over the upcoming Hari Raya Haji, Vesak Day weekend and June school holidays may want to prepare for longer waiting times at Singapore’s land checkpoints.

In a statement, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said it expects “very heavy traffic” at Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from May 26 to Jun. 28.

According to ICA, more than 2 million travellers crossed the land checkpoints during the recent Labour Day long weekend between Apr. 30 and May 3. Traffic reportedly peaked on Apr. 30, when close to 580,000 travellers crossed in a single day.

ICA said:

“During the peak hours, car travellers experienced waiting times of up to three hours for immigration clearance due to traffic tailbacks from Malaysia.”

The authority added that security checks at all checkpoints have also been stepped up since Feb. 28 due to the “heightened global security environment,” particularly concerning recent developments in the Middle East.

This is probably a reference to the US-Israel war on Iran, and Israel's war in Lebanon, with Iran's subsequent strikes on its Gulf neighbours. Although a tenuous ceasefire is in place for peace negotiations, there still have been reported incidents of violence.

As a result, travellers should expect even longer waiting times during peak travel periods.

ICA advises travellers to avoid peak periods

ICA encouraged travellers to plan their journeys in advance and consider travelling during non-peak periods such as early mornings or late evenings.

Travellers were also advised to check traffic conditions before making their way to the checkpoints.

According to ICA, initiatives introduced under its New Clearance Concept, such as QR code clearance and facial clearance for motorcyclists and pillion riders, have increased clearance throughput by more than 35 per cent during departure peak periods compared to pre-COVID levels in 2019.

The authority said this translated to an additional 7,600 travellers being cleared per hour during peak departure timings.

ICA also strongly encouraged travellers to use QR codes generated through the MyICA mobile app for faster immigration clearance.

Queue-cutting motorists may be made to re-queue

ICA reminded motorists to cooperate with officers, observe lane discipline and follow traffic rules while approaching the checkpoints.

The authority warned: “Queue cutting disrupts traffic flow. Those caught queue cutting will be directed to re-queue from the back of the line.”

ICA added that firm action would be taken against travellers who fail to comply with officers’ instructions or commit traffic offences.

According to ICA, 19 motorists were caught for traffic-related offences and dangerous road behaviour during the recent Labour Day long weekend.

Enforcement actions reportedly included referrals to the Traffic Police for investigation and prosecution, requiring motorists to make U-turns and re-queue, as well as bans from entering Singapore.

Reminders for travellers

ICA also reminded travellers to:

• Bring passports with at least six months’ validity
• Submit their Singapore Arrival Card through the MyICA app before arrival
• Avoid bringing prohibited or controlled items into Singapore
• Ensure Vehicle Entry Permits (VEP) and Autopass cards are valid for foreign-registered vehicles

ICA’s full advisory and checkpoint traffic updates are available on its official channels.