SINGAPORE: Heavy traffic through the Woodlands and Tuas Checkpoints is expected over the next few days because of the upcoming National Day time public holiday, mentioned the Immigration plus Checkpoints Authority (ICA) on Thursday (Aug 4).
National Day drops on Aug 9, which is next Tuesday.
“Travellers ought to expect delays from Aug 5 in order to Aug 10 and therefore are advised to adjust their own travel plans, where possible, to avoid getting caught in traffic congestion, ” said ICA.
The agency said traffic flow through the checkpoints has been gradually growing. The number of travellers exceeded 290, 000 daily over the last weekend – the highest since the reopening of the land edges on Apr one
This surpassed the previous weekend report of 278, 1000 travellers per day during the June school holidays.
There were 224, 000 travellers per day during the Vesak Day weekend in May, plus 149, 000 travellers per day during the Good Friday weekend within April.
During the peak from the National Day long weekend in 2019, travellers departing plus arriving by car through the land checkpoints had to wait as much as four hours before clearing immigration, mentioned ICA.
The particular agency advised travellers to factor in more hours for immigration clearance and avoid the following peak hours:
Departing Singapore
- Friday (Aug 5): 3pm to 11. 59pm
- Sunday (Aug 6): 6am to 10am, 4pm to 9pm
Arriving in Singapore
- Sunday (Aug 7) to Wednesday (Aug 10): 6pm to 11. 59pm
Travellers leaving via Woodlands Checkpoint should also remember that upgrading works on introduction immigration car booths are ongoing on Malaysia’s Bangunan Sultan Iskandar since Jun 6. Booths going through upgrading will not be operational during this period.
ICA also advised road users to check the traffic situation at the property checkpoints through the Land Transport Authority’s One Motoring website or via the Expressway Monitoring & Advisory System (EMAS) installed across the Bukit Timah Expressway (BKE) and Ayer Rajah Expressway (AYE).
Motorists may also get updates within the traffic situation through ICA’s Facebook and Twitter accounts along with local radio stations.
Since Monday, almost all travellers entering Malaysia no longer have to fill in the traveller’s card in the MySejahtera mobile application.
The particular move is aimed at simplifying entry techniques, Malaysia’ Health Ressortchef (umgangssprachlich) Khairy Jamaluddin stated last week.