Twin Tower to JB CIQ: Walking to Singapore Customs

Living at Twin Tower Residence puts the JB CIQ, the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) customs complex, within walking distance of your front door. That is a rare advantage in Johor Bahru, where most residents have to drive, ride or catch a bus just to reach the checkpoint. This guide explains how the walk from Twin Tower to JB CIQ works, what happens once you are inside, how to get across the Causeway (hint: by bus, not on foot), and how the routine will change when the RTS Link opens.

What is JB CIQ?

“CIQ” stands for customs, immigration and quarantine. In Johor Bahru, the CIQ most people mean is the Sultan Iskandar Building (Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, or BSI), the Malaysian checkpoint at the JB end of the Causeway. It opened in December 2008 as part of the Southern Integrated Gateway, a transport hub that also includes JB Sentral railway station and a large bus terminal.

Across the water, Singapore’s checkpoint is Woodlands Checkpoint. The road distance between the two checkpoints across the Causeway is about 2.4 km, which is why travellers ride a bus, car or motorcycle between them.

JB CIQ vs Bukit Chagar RTS CIQ

From 2027 there will be two passenger checkpoints near Twin Tower: the existing BSI complex for road travellers, and the new Bukit Chagar CIQ building for RTS rail passengers. They are different facilities with different processes, compared below.

How do you walk from Twin Tower to JB CIQ?

Twin Tower Residence is in Bukit Chagar, in the city centre cluster around JB Sentral, Johor Bahru City Square and the BSI complex. A pedestrian bridge links Johor Bahru City Square with JB Sentral, and JB Sentral is integrated with the CIQ complex, so much of the route can be done through covered, connected spaces rather than along busy roads.

Because building entrances, shortcuts and opening hours can change, we describe this as a short walk rather than quoting a fixed number of minutes. The best approach is to try it once during the day with a resident or with us at a viewing.

Can you walk across the Causeway to Singapore?

No, not legally from the Malaysian side. The Malaysian Highway Authority (LLM) and concessionaire PLUS reaffirmed in April 2026 that walking along the Johor Causeway is not allowed for safety reasons, with fines of RM300 to RM2,000 for people who ignore the traffic signs. The ban has been in place since the BSI complex opened in 2008. Singapore’s ICA said at the time that there was no change to pedestrian access on the Singapore side, but pedestrian movement there is not actively facilitated.

In other words: you can walk to JB CIQ from Twin Tower, but you should ride across the Causeway. Occasional photos of people walking the bridge during massive jams do not make it a permitted or safe route.

Step by step: Twin Tower to Singapore via JB CIQ

1. Prepare your clearance. Carry your passport. If eligible, set up Malaysia’s MyNIISe QR (registration is open to citizens and non-citizens) and Singapore’s MyICA QR code in advance.
2. Walk to the BSI complex from Twin Tower via the city-centre connections.
3. Clear Malaysian departure in the bus departure hall. Since August 2026, counters 9 and 10 in the bus departure hall have offered priority clearance for MyNIISe QR users from 4:30am to 8am.
4. Board a cross-border bus to Woodlands Checkpoint. Common services include Causeway Link CW1 (to Kranji MRT) and CW2 (to Queen Street), and SBS Transit/SMRT routes such as 160, 170, 170X and 950.
5. Alight at Woodlands Checkpoint and clear Singapore immigration. Singapore allows QR code clearance via the MyICA app for bus passengers (first-time visitors on a new passport must present it at the counter).
6. Continue your journey on the same operator’s bus with a valid ticket, or take a connecting service to Kranji MRT, Woodlands Interchange or Queen Street.

How much does the bus cost and how do you pay?

Fares depend on the operator and direction. A Wise guide checked in September 2026 listed CW1 at up to S$2.60 and CW2 at up to S$4.80 when travelling from Singapore; SBS Transit and SMRT routes such as 170X and 950 charge distance-based fares. Payment is cashless on most services: Causeway Link accepts ManjaLink, contactless Visa or Mastercard, EZ-Link where applicable and QR tickets, and stopped accepting cash on cross-border services from 1 October 2026.

Fares and payment methods change; check the operator before you travel.

Worked example: monthly bus budget

Say you commute 22 days a month and your return trip on CW1 costs about S$2.60 each way. That is 22 × 2 × S$2.60 = S$114.40 a month, before any MRT leg in Singapore. Use your actual fare and route; the point is that the walk from Twin Tower to the CIQ adds nothing to this cost, because you do not need a taxi or feeder bus to reach the checkpoint.

Is there a train option from the CIQ area?

Yes. The KTM Shuttle Tebrau runs from JB Sentral, part of the same hub, to Woodlands Train Checkpoint in about five minutes. The one-way fare is RM5 from JB and S$5 from Woodlands. The service will be discontinued six months after the RTS Link begins operations, so it remains a useful option through much of 2027. Seats are limited and tickets sell out at peak times, so book ahead through KTMB. Read more in our guide to JB Sentral, KTM and ETS trains from Twin Tower.

What changes when the RTS Link opens?

When RTS passenger service starts (expected February 2027), Twin Tower residents gain a second, faster route. Instead of walking to the BSI and riding a bus across the Causeway, you walk to Bukit Chagar station beside the building, clear both countries’ immigration in one place, and ride about five minutes to Woodlands North, where you can transfer to the Thomson–East Coast Line. See the full RTS Link guide.

The BSI complex will remain essential for drivers, motorcyclists and bus passengers heading to destinations not served by the RTS, so having both checkpoints within walking distance gives you flexibility.

Who benefits from living within walking distance of the CIQ?

If you are a daily commuter to Singapore

You skip the first leg that many JB residents struggle with: getting to the checkpoint. No parking, no e-hailing surge, no waiting for a feeder bus.

If you are a frequent visitor

Weekend shoppers and family visitors can come and go easily. Nearby Johor Bahru City Square and KOMTAR JBCC cover dining and daily needs.

If you are a landlord

Tenants who work in Singapore actively search for homes near the CIQ and RTS. Portal asking rents for Twin Tower in October 2026 were roughly RM2,300–3,000 for studios and RM3,000–3,500 for 2-bedroom units (indicative asking figures). For more, see who rents at Twin Tower.

When is the best time to cross?

Queues at both checkpoints rise and fall in a fairly predictable pattern. These are general observations to help you plan, not guarantees:

• Weekday early mornings: large numbers of Malaysian workers cross before dawn. MyNIISe users can use the priority counters from 4:30am to 8am.
• Weekday middle of the day: usually calmer than the morning and evening peaks, good for errands, medical visits or family trips.
• Friday evenings and public-holiday eves: Singaporeans heading into JB and Malaysians heading home overlap, often the busiest time of the week.
• School holidays: Singapore’s ICA usually issues heavy-traffic advisories in advance; check official announcements before you go.

Living within walking distance gives you one big advantage: you can change plans on the spot. If the queue looks long, wait an hour at home rather than sitting in a car in traffic.

Checklist for your first CIQ crossing

• Passport valid and in hand (QR clearance does not replace carrying it).
• MyNIISe and MyICA apps set up if eligible.
• Contactless card, EZ-Link or ManjaLink ready (no cash on Causeway Link from 1 Oct 2026).
• Know your bus route and Singapore end point.
• Avoid public-holiday eves and Friday evenings if you can; queues are longest then.

Thinking about living a short walk from the CIQ and the RTS? WhatsApp Darren for the latest Twin Tower Residence units, floor plans and asking rents, or browse current listings.

Conclusion

From Twin Tower Residence you can walk to JB CIQ, clear Malaysian departure and be on a bus to Woodlands without needing a car or taxi for the first leg. Just remember the Causeway itself is not a walking route. From early 2027, the RTS Link beside the building adds a five-minute rail option, giving residents the two most convenient ways into Singapore from one address.

Sources

• Malay Mail – Can you walk across the Causeway? (19 Apr 2026)
• Wikipedia – Southern Integrated Gateway
• Wikipedia – Johor–Singapore Causeway
• Bernama – MyNIISe priority counters at BSI (11 Aug 2026)
• The Iskandarian – MyNIISe QR code for JB–SG border
• ICA – Use of QR code for immigration clearance at Woodlands and Tuas
• Wise – Bus from Singapore to JB: routes, fares and timings (Sept 2026)
• Land Transport Guru – Getting to Johor Bahru by bus
• Bernama – Tebrau Shuttle to end six months after RTS starts (8 Oct 2026)