Singapore Road Trunk: Traffic Jams at Tuas & Woodlands Checkpoints
What happened?
On the evening of Friday, Dec 14, and the following Saturday, Singapore’s main border crossings—Tuas and Woodlands—turned into traffic purgates. Travelers heading to or from Johor Bahru had to tackle queues that felt like a never‑ending carousel.
Why did it get so bad?
- Tuas Checkpoint: People were stuck in a traffic jam for around six hours on Friday night and into the early hours of Saturday.
- Woodlands Checkpoint: Saturday afternoon saw queues lasting four to five hours.
- One extreme case: A 30‑year‑old traveler named Ms Winnie’s a real hero. She was stuck for a whopping eight hours on Friday evening—just because she wanted to head to her weekend destination in JB.
Readers’ reactions
Netizens flocked to the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority’s (ICA) Facebook page, venting about the endless lines. “I thought there was a coffee break in the middle of the smudged asphalt!” one user joked. Another wrote, “I kept scrolling my phone so long I almost missed my train.”
How to stay sane in a traffic jam
- Pack an investment‑grade playlist—because no one listens to their phone in a quiet office space.
- Make a top‑secret snack stash—crackers, bananas, or whatever keeps you from crying.
- Take a mindful breathing break—six minutes in the car is still better than stomping the highway.
In the end, the traffic jams were a reminder that sometimes the journey is just…unplanned. Whether you’re a weekend wanderer or a cross‑border commuter, you’ll need patience, humor, and a good playlist to survive the long haul.
Traffic Jam Tales at the Tuas Checkpoint
Picture this: it’s Friday afternoon, traffic’s already a wall of cars, and Ms. Winnie is cruising towards the Tuas checkpoint. But instead of a smooth ride, she ends up stuck for hours.
Winnie’s Wild Wait
- She hit the Tuas lane at 4:30 pm Friday and was still bumper‑to‑bumper by midnight Saturday before making it to Johor Bahru.
- Her first stop was a back‑flow that hit the Citrus‑Sparks highway—think of it as a traffic‑jam version of a “Moving Average” chart.
- After 90 minutes, she managed a mile‑long shuffle—so slow, you could finish a latte.
- On Saturday, the traffic lightened a bit, but still, she spent two hours negotiating the checkpoint at around 5:15 pm.
How the Checkpoint Used to Be
Ms. Winnie reminded us that the Singapore checkpoint was a breeze back in the day: 1.5 hours peak, then < 1 hour after. And before 5 pm, the Tuas lane was practically empty.
Modern-Day Snafus
“Even a tiny line now takes a full hour,” Winnie laments. It’s a common plight—travelers hitting a wall of cars overnight.
Ikhsan’s 4‑Hour Marathon
- Ikhsan Putra Ibrahim—30, chasing a bride—joined the Tuas queue at 6:15 am Saturday.
- He only cleared customs at 10:15 am, a four‑hour wait, but still made it to the wedding at noon.
- Like Winnie, he had to stay on guard against slick queue‑cutters.
Queue‑Cutting Chaos
Ikhsan saw cars cutting lines at the checkpoint entrance. Some got away, while most got hit with a chorus of angry horns from the honest drivers who stuck to the rules.
He says: “Without traffic police, it would have turned into a circus.”
ICA’s Daily Updates
- ICA’s Facebook alerts said traffic at both Tuas and Woodlands checkpoints surged since 6:20 pm Friday.
- Saturday’s updates at 8:20 am and 2:05 pm confirm the jam, with delays still looming.
- Police and Civil Defence Units report no accidents to blame.
Bottom Line
Year‑end travel around Malaysia’s borders is a roller‑coaster—traffic, queue‑cutting, and the ever‑pervasive good‑will horns. So, if you’re planning a road trip, buckle up and maybe bring a snack. After all, “You can’t trade a queue for a rush!”
