Johor Bahru, the capital of the state of Johor at the southern tip of mainland Asia, sits just across a narrow strait from Singapore, and the two cities are joined by one of the busiest land borders in the world. For many visitors JB, as it is universally known, is a gateway: Singaporeans cross for cheaper food, shopping, fuel and family days out, and travelers heading north begin their Malaysian rail journey at JB Sentral, which since December 2025 has had direct ETS electric trains to Kuala Lumpur. But the city has its own attractions too: a royal capital with a grand Victorian-era state mosque and palace museum, a restored Chinese heritage quarter, a temple lined with glass, the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort and the mangrove-fringed southern tip of Asia at Tanjung Piai. In 2026 the city is preparing for the opening of the Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link, a cross-border shuttle train targeted to start passenger service at the end of the year.
Right now in Johor Bahru
- Wed24–33°C76–91°F3 mm rain
- Thu22–33°C72–91°F1 mm rain
- Fri24–31°C76–88°F6 mm rain
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Johor Bahru at a glance
- Best for: cross-border trips from Singapore, food and shopping, LEGOLAND, the start or end of a rail journey through Malaysia, and the coast of southern Johor.
- How long: 1 to 2 days for the city and LEGOLAND; more with Desaru, Tanjung Piai or the islands off Mersing.
- Best time: all year; February is usually the driest month and November to January the wettest, with highs of about 30–32 °C (87–90 °F).
- Getting there: from Singapore by bus or the Shuttle Tebrau train across the Causeway; from Kuala Lumpur by ETS train (about 4 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes) or bus; Senai International Airport has domestic flights.
- Getting around: Grab ride-hailing and taxis; walking in the old town; buses.
- Good to know: the RTS Link is not yet open; until it is, expect long queues at the Causeway checkpoints at weekends, on Friday evenings and on public holidays.
- Before you go: the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card (MDAC), visa-free stays, money and general safety are in our Malaysia travel guide.
Johor Bahru’s areas and where to stay
JB has spread far beyond its old center into new townships and the Iskandar Malaysia development zone, so distances are large and you will rely on Grab.
City center and Bukit Chagar
The old downtown, next to the Causeway checkpoint and JB Sentral station, has the heritage quarter, the Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque, malls such as City Square and Komtar JBCC, and many hotels. Bukit Chagar, just north, is the site of the Malaysian terminus of the RTS Link. Staying here is the most convenient choice for border crossings and trains.
Johor Bahru heritage quarter
Jalan Tan Hiok Nee, Jalan Dhoby and the surrounding lanes are lined with restored shophouses, cafés, the Old Chinese Temple and the street murals that mark the city’s Chinese and Indian heritage.
Iskandar Puteri (Nusajaya) and Puteri Harbour
West of the center, near the Second Link bridge to Singapore, Iskandar Puteri is a planned township with the LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort, Puteri Harbour marina, the state administrative center and family hotels. It is about 30 minutes by car from the old center.
Mount Austin, Tebrau and the eastern suburbs
Northeast of the center, these are residential and commercial districts popular with Singaporean day-trippers for their restaurants, cafés and big malls such as AEON Tebrau and IKEA. They suit travelers with a car or visiting friends.
Top things to see in Johor Bahru
Sultan Abu Bakar State Mosque
Completed at the turn of the 20th century, the white state mosque on a hill overlooking the Johor Strait combines Victorian, Moorish and Malay architectural details, with four minarets resembling British clock towers. Non-Muslim visitors may view the exterior and, at permitted times and with modest dress, the grounds; respect prayer times.
Istana Besar and the Royal Abu Bakar Museum
The 19th-century Istana Besar, the Johor sultan’s palace, stands in landscaped gardens by the strait. Part of it has been a museum of royal treasures, though access has varied over the years; check locally whether the museum is open. The surrounding gardens are pleasant for a walk.
Arulmigu Sri Rajakaliamman Glass Temple
This Hindu temple is covered inside with hundreds of thousands of pieces of glass and mirror mosaic, glittering in reds, greens and blues. Visitors are welcome outside prayer times; dress modestly, remove shoes and check opening hours before visiting.
The heritage quarter and the Old Chinese Temple
The Johor Bahru Old Chinese Temple, more than 150 years old, unites the five main Chinese dialect groups of the city under one roof and is the focus of the Chingay parade, a spectacular procession of deities, lion dances and floats held after Chinese New Year. Around it, Jalan Tan Hiok Nee has cafés, bakeries and craft shops in restored shophouses, and the Johor Bahru Chinese Heritage Museum tells the story of the Chinese pioneers who planted pepper and gambier in the 19th century.
LEGOLAND Malaysia Resort
Malaysia’s LEGOLAND, in Iskandar Puteri, was the first in Asia. It has a theme park with more than 40 rides and a miniature Asia built of LEGO bricks, a water park, a SEA LIFE aquarium and a themed hotel. According to the resort, theme park hours are typically 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. (last entry 4 p.m.), and the water park and aquarium close at 6 p.m., but hours vary by day and season, so check before you go. Ticket prices vary with dates and online deals.
Tanjung Piai
About 1.5 hours southwest of the city, Tanjung Piai National Park protects mangroves and mudflats at the southernmost point of mainland Asia, with boardwalks to a viewpoint where ships queue for the Strait of Malacca. It is a Ramsar wetland of international importance.
More classic sights
- Danga Bay: a waterfront park and promenade on the strait.
- Johor Premium Outlets and the big malls: discount shopping at Kulai, and the giant Mid Valley Southkey, KSL City and Paradigm malls.
- Desaru Coast: a beach resort area on the southeast coast with hotels, golf and the Adventure Waterpark, about an hour away.
- Kukup: a Chinese fishing village on stilts famous for seafood, near Tanjung Piai.
Other things to do in Johor Bahru
Food and drink
JB is a food city, and Singaporeans cross the border for it. Try laksa Johor, a local version made with spaghetti in a thick fish-based gravy; mee rebus, yellow noodles in sweet potato gravy; kacang pool, a spiced bean stew eaten with bread, of Middle Eastern origin; otak-otak, spiced fish paste grilled in leaves, from the nearby town of Muar; and Chinese seafood, bak kut teh and dim sum in Taman Pelangi, Taman Sentosa and Mount Austin. Night markets pop up in different neighborhoods every evening, and durian stalls appear in season.
Shopping
The low ringgit makes JB a shopping destination for Singaporeans; the malls in the center and along the Tebrau Highway are vast. City Square and Komtar JBCC are directly connected to the Causeway checkpoint.
Beaches and islands
JB itself has no beach, but Desaru, on the southeast coast, has long sandy beaches, and Mersing, about 2.5 hours north, is the jumping-off point for Pulau Tioman and the islands of the Johor Marine Park, reached by ferry in the drier months. See our beaches and snorkeling guides.
Day trips from Johor Bahru
- Singapore: across the Causeway, by bus, the Shuttle Tebrau train or, once open, the RTS Link. See our Singapore guide.
- Tanjung Piai and Kukup: the southern tip of Asia and a fishing village on stilts, about 1.5 hours away by car.
- Desaru Coast: beaches, resorts and a water park, about an hour east.
- Kota Tinggi: waterfalls in the forest and evening firefly boat trips, about an hour northeast.
- Malacca: the UNESCO-listed historic city, about three hours by bus; better overnight. See our Malacca City guide.
Nearby destinations
- Sentosa24 km
- Batam49 km
- Bintan91 km
- Malacca City187 km
- Kuala Lumpur297 km
Getting there and getting around
To and from Singapore
Two road crossings link JB with Singapore: the Causeway, from Woodlands to the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs, immigration and quarantine complex in the city center, and the Second Link at Tuas, arriving at the Sultan Abu Bakar complex near Iskandar Puteri. Public buses (such as SBS Transit 160, 170 and 950 from Singapore and the Causeway Link buses) and cross-border express buses use both. You get off at each country’s checkpoint for immigration, then reboard. Queues can last hours at peak times. Singapore citizens are exempt from the MDAC, but most other foreign visitors must complete it; according to the Immigration Department, special arrangements apply to travelers arriving at the BSI and Sultan Abu Bakar complexes and at JB Sentral, so check the MDAC website before you cross.
KTMB’s Shuttle Tebrau train runs between JB Sentral and Woodlands in Singapore, a crossing of a few minutes; book ahead, as seats sell out.
The RTS Link (not yet open)
The Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is a 4 km (2.5-mile) light rail line across the strait from Bukit Chagar in JB to Woodlands North in Singapore, where it connects with Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast MRT line. According to Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA), the journey will take about five minutes, the line will carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction, and passengers will clear both countries’ immigration at the departure station, with nothing to do on arrival. The LTA says the RTS Link is targeted to begin passenger service at the end of 2026; as of October 2026 it is not yet in service, and fares and the exact opening date have still to be announced. Check the operators’ websites before you travel.
By train from the rest of Malaysia
Since December 12, 2025, KTMB’s ETS electric trains have run between KL Sentral and JB Sentral on the new electrified double track from Gemas, a trip of about 4 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes, with fares from RM82. According to KTMB, eight ETS services run on the route every day, and four extra trains run on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays until December 27, 2026. Stops include Kluang, Segamat, Gemas, Pulau Sebang/Tampin (for Malacca), Seremban and Kajang. Book on KTMB’s website or the KITS Style app. Since June 16, 2026, KTMB’s Shuttle Selatan commuter trains have linked JB Sentral with Kulai and, from August 8, 2026, with Kluang and Paloh, while a second route runs from Kempas Baru to Pasir Gudang.
By air and bus
Senai International Airport (JHB), about 30 km (19 miles) northwest, has domestic flights to Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Kuching, Kota Kinabalu and other cities, often cheaper than flights from Singapore. Long-distance buses leave from Larkin Sentral terminal, north of the center, for Kuala Lumpur (about four hours), Malacca, Mersing and the east coast.
In the city
Distances are large and public buses are limited, so most visitors use Grab, which is cheap and reliable; book from the checkpoint pickup points. The old town is walkable, and covered walkways link JB Sentral, the BSI checkpoint and the nearby malls.
When to go and how long to stay
Johor Bahru is hot, humid and wet all year. Malaysia’s long-term climate station for the city is at Senai, but its 1991–2020 normals are not in the WMO archive, so the table uses the normals for Singapore’s Changi climate station, about 25 km (16 miles) southeast across the strait, which has a very similar climate. Inland JB gets a little more rain and slightly cooler nights than Changi.
| Month | Average high / low | Rain (days with 1 mm or more) | What to expect |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 31 °C (87 °F) / 24 °C (76 °F) | 222 mm (8.7 in), 11 days | Northeast monsoon rain; Chinese New Year rush at the border |
| February | 32 °C (89 °F) / 25 °C (76 °F) | 105 mm (4.1 in), 6 days | The driest month; Chingay parade |
| March | 32 °C (90 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F) | 151 mm (5.9 in), 9 days | Hot; afternoon storms return |
| April | 32 °C (90 °F) / 25 °C (78 °F) | 164 mm (6.4 in), 11 days | Inter-monsoon thunderstorms |
| May | 32 °C (90 °F) / 26 °C (78 °F) | 164 mm (6.4 in), 11 days | Hot and humid |
| June | 32 °C (89 °F) / 26 °C (78 °F) | 137 mm (5.4 in), 10 days | Southwest monsoon; early-morning squalls; haze possible |
| July | 31 °C (89 °F) / 25 °C (78 °F) | 145 mm (5.7 in), 10 days | School holidays in Singapore and Malaysia |
| August | 31 °C (89 °F) / 25 °C (78 °F) | 149 mm (5.9 in), 11 days | Haze possible |
| September | 32 °C (89 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F) | 125 mm (4.9 in), 10 days | Relatively dry |
| October | 32 °C (89 °F) / 25 °C (77 °F) | 166 mm (6.6 in), 12 days | Inter-monsoon storms |
| November | 31 °C (88 °F) / 25 °C (76 °F) | 254 mm (10.0 in), 15 days | Northeast monsoon begins; heavy rain |
| December | 30 °C (87 °F) / 24 °C (76 °F) | 332 mm (13.1 in), 16 days | The wettest month; holiday traffic at the border |
According to the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia), the northeast monsoon, from November to March, brings heavy rain and sometimes major floods to the states on the east coast of the peninsula, including eastern Johor; Mersing and the Johor islands are at their roughest then. Haze from regional forest fires can occur between about June and September.
One day in Johor Bahru
Cross early from Singapore, breakfast on kacang pool or mee rebus, then visit the State Mosque, the Istana gardens and the heritage quarter with the Old Chinese Temple and the Glass Temple. Spend the afternoon in a mall or at LEGOLAND, and finish with a seafood dinner before crossing back late, after the evening peak.
Two days
Add LEGOLAND for a full day, or a trip to Tanjung Piai and Kukup or the beaches of Desaru.
Where to stay in Johor Bahru
- City center: hotels next to JB Sentral and the Causeway checkpoint; best for border crossings and trains.
- Iskandar Puteri: the LEGOLAND Hotel and family resorts near the theme park and the Second Link.
- Mount Austin and Tebrau: business hotels near cafés and malls; best with a car.
- Desaru Coast: beach resorts for a longer stay.
Foreign guests pay Malaysia’s tourism tax of RM10 per room per night. Hotels are cheaper than in Singapore, but weekend and holiday prices rise.
What a trip to Johor Bahru costs
Prices are approximate, for October 2026, converted at about RM4.08 to the US dollar.
| Item | Typical cost |
|---|---|
| ETS train, KL Sentral to JB Sentral | from RM82 (about US$20) |
| Grab ride within the city | RM10–25 (about US$2.50–6) |
| Cross-border bus, Singapore to JB | about S$2–5 or RM2–5, depending on direction and operator |
| Laksa Johor or mee rebus | RM7–12 (about US$1.70–3) |
| Seafood dinner for two | RM100–200 (about US$25–49) |
| LEGOLAND theme park, one-day adult ticket | about RM200–300 (about US$49–74), less online |
| Mid-range hotel double, per night | RM180–350 (about US$44–86) |
| Tourism tax, per room per night | RM10 (about US$2.45) |
Practical tips for Johor Bahru
- Time your border crossing: avoid Friday evenings, Saturday mornings, Sunday evenings and public holidays; check the live traffic cameras or apps before you go.
- Fill in the MDAC before crossing if your nationality requires it, and keep your passport handy for both checkpoints.
- Book the Shuttle Tebrau and ETS ahead: both sell out at weekends.
- Use Grab: it is the easiest way around a spread-out city.
- Watch the RTS Link news: once it opens, it will be the quickest way across the border.
Safety
Johor Bahru has a reputation for petty crime, especially snatch thefts by motorcyclists and thefts from cars, so keep bags on the side away from the road, don’t leave valuables visible in vehicles and be alert in quiet streets at night. Traffic is heavy and fast, and drivers often ignore pedestrian crossings. The biggest practical problem is the border: queues can stretch for hours, with heat and long walks in the checkpoint buildings, so carry water. In the northeast monsoon, heavy rain can cause flash floods in the city and more serious floods in eastern Johor, and the sea off Mersing and Desaru becomes rough. In an emergency, call 999.
What to pack for Johor Bahru
Light clothes, an umbrella for the afternoon storms, sun protection, comfortable shoes for the long walks through the checkpoints, and modest clothing for the mosque and temples. Malaysia uses 240 V and British-style three-pin plugs (type G), the same as Singapore. See our rain jackets guide.
Johor Bahru travel FAQ
Is the RTS Link between Johor Bahru and Singapore open?
Not yet. Singapore’s Land Transport Authority says the RTS Link is targeted to start passenger service at the end of 2026; as of October 2026 it is not running. Check the official announcements for the opening date and fares.
How do I get from Singapore to Johor Bahru?
Take a cross-border bus from Woodlands, Kranji or Queen Street, the Shuttle Tebrau train from Woodlands to JB Sentral, or a taxi or private car across the Causeway or the Second Link.
Do I need the MDAC to enter Johor Bahru from Singapore?
Singapore citizens are exempt. Most other foreign visitors must complete the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card within three days before arrival; check the Immigration Department’s MDAC website for the arrangements at the JB checkpoints.
How long does it take to cross the Causeway?
From under an hour at quiet times to three hours or more on Friday evenings, weekends and public holidays.
Is there a train from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bahru?
Yes. ETS electric trains have run between KL Sentral and JB Sentral since December 12, 2025, in about 4 hours 10 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes, with fares from RM82.
What are LEGOLAND Malaysia’s opening hours?
The theme park typically opens from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with last entry at 4 p.m., and the water park and SEA LIFE from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.; hours vary by date, so check the resort’s website.
Is Johor Bahru worth visiting?
Yes, as a food and shopping day trip from Singapore, for LEGOLAND, or as the start of a journey up the Malaysian peninsula.
Where should I stay in Johor Bahru?
In the city center near JB Sentral for trains and border crossings, or in Iskandar Puteri for LEGOLAND.
What food is Johor Bahru known for?
Laksa Johor made with spaghetti, mee rebus, kacang pool, otak-otak and Chinese seafood.
Can I use Singapore dollars in Johor Bahru?
Some shops near the border accept them at poor rates; pay in ringgit, changing money at licensed money changers in the malls, or use cards and e-wallets.
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🇲🇾 Useful Malay phrases for Johor Bahru
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Sources · last reviewed 4 October 2026
Researched and last reviewed on 4 October 2026. RTS Link details and target opening: Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) and Prasarana Malaysia; ETS services to JB Sentral, timings, fares, extra weekend trains and the Shuttle Tebrau route: Keretapi Tanah Melayu Berhad (KTMB); MDAC requirements and the Singapore exemption: the Immigration Department of Malaysia; LEGOLAND hours: the resort; monsoon and flood patterns: the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MetMalaysia); climate normals: Singapore’s Changi station, via the World Meteorological Organization; exchange rate: the US Federal Reserve. Border queue times, bus routes, attraction details, the tourism tax rate and typical prices are general references or estimates, flagged for checking. Prices and hours change, so check the official sites before you go. For entry rules, money and general safety, see our Malaysia travel guide.
Data: Weather: MET Norway (CC BY 4.0) · Sea temperature: NOAA CoastWatch · Rates: ECB · Costs: World Bank ICP and price levels · Wikidata (CC0)