Round-the-clock bus service for JB-S’pore commuters

JOHOR BARU: Commuters crossing the Malaysia-Singapore border can do so round the clock as a bus service will be extending its operating hours starting Aug 1.

This came about following feedback from customers, that they sometimes missed the last bus and would then have trouble crossing the border, said deputy executive director of Handal Indah Group of Companies Lim Chern Fang.

“We are providing extra hours of the bus service to help those who work late and to allow more people to travel past midnight.

“We believe this will be beneficial to those working as well as leisure travellers who are looking for late-night bus services,” she said.

This 24-hour service is limited to its CW2 bus route that runs between Johor Baru’s Sultan Iskandar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) Complex and Queen Street Bus Terminal in Singapore via the Causeway.

The CW2 bus service currently runs from 4am (first trip) until 10.30pm (last trip) for those boarding from the Johor Baru CIQ while the first bus from Queen Street leaves at 6.30am with the last bus leaving at 11.30pm.

“The bus service is the first and only 24-hour bus service we will be providing.

“We are running about 100 to 120 trips daily and more trips will be added depending on the demand.

“The number of trips is unpredictable and not fixed especially when the Causeway is congested, so the schedule may be subjected to change from time to time without prior notice due to the traffic condition,” added Lim.

Despite the longer operating hours, Lim said the price would remain the same at RM4.80 per trip from Johor Baru to Queen Street and S$4.80 from Queen Street to Johor Baru.

She also noted that the EZ Link and NETZ payments are not available in Queen Street as the company’s counter is closed from 11.30pm to 6.30am, so passengers are encouraged to pay using the ManjaLink card, Visa card or cash.

ManjaLink is a contactless smart card that stores travel points for payments on Causeway Link buses as the company’s way to encourage cashless travel.