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Cross The Causeway For A Johor Bahru Foodie Adventure

The Vaccinated Travel Lane (VTL), will be open to all who are fully vaccinated (at least two doses, ya) starting 20th of December 2021, here is a short guide on what you need to do to cross the causeway to grab a bite in JB!


Download The My Sejahtera App
MY Sejahtera is an app created by the Malaysian ministry of health (KKM) as a means of contact tracing for those in the country. In the app you can update your vaccination status, fill in a daily update if you have symptoms, and check into any venue by scanning a QR code. Needless to say, you will need this app if you wish to make your way to Johor. The app can be downloaded on the respective stores for iOS and Android. Once downloaded, create an account and register your particulars.

Upload Proof Of Vaccination On MySafeTravel
Register on MySafeTravel and upload the required documents. You can obtain your vaccination certificate from the Notarise Portal, or the Trace Together and HealthHub app. You will also need to purchase Travel Insurance with a minimum coverage amount of RM100,000. The Insurance policy must also be uploaded to the MySafeTravel site.

Secure Tickets For VTL
At the moment, travel between Singapore and Malaysia via Johor can only be done with designated bus services, Causeway link and Transtar. A ticket has to be purchased from the respective bus operator website, which are Causewaylink and Transtar

Getting a ticket is pretty tricky as they are scooped by travelers from both Singapore and Malaysia relatively quickly, and not to mention the long waiting list just to access the site due to the large amount of users hoping to buy a ticket.
The bus services for Causewaylink will operate from Queen Street, Singapore, to Larkin Sentral, Johor, while Transtar will depart from the Woodlands temporary bus interchange.

Now that you have a ticket, here's what you have to do next.

Pre-Departure Covid-19 Test
Either a Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test or Antigen Rapid Test (ART) will suffice, and these tests can be done at any laboratory or certified clinic (certified as in recognized by the Ministry of health of the specific country you are traveling to). The test needs to be taken within 2-days before your departure, so let's say you're leaving on Wednesday, you have to be tested either on Monday or Tuesday, if you were tested on Sunday, then that will not count!
Here is a list of places you can get tested in.

Here is a list of places you can get your pre departure test done


Enter Johor
Hold on! Be sure to have the following on hand before departing
1) Proof of VTL Land Registration
2) Pre-departure test results
3) Vaccination Certificates
4) Bus ticket (if this one don't have then jialat)
5) If Possible at least 60 Malaysian Ringgit in cash (more on why later)

After completing all of the above down to the dot, it is now time to enter Johor. As mentioned earlier, the bus will be dropping you off at Larkin Sentral and not City Square. On arrival you will need to undergo an on-arrival test that costs RM60 (roughly 19-ish Sing dollars). Expect to wait up to 30 minutes for your results, and once you're tested negative, TIME TO MAKAN LA!

What To Eat Nearby
All that traveling must have gotten you hungry (I write this also hungry), so check out our feature on the best places to eat nearby, you made it all the way back to JB, you deserve it!