ICA warns of heavy congestion along Singapore-Malaysia checkpoints over National Day long weekend

SINGAPORE: With the National Day long weekend approaching, the Immigration & Checkpoints Authority (ICA) has warned travellers to expect heavy traffic at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints from Friday through next Monday, urging those planning to cross the border to make their journeys in advance.

In a statement, the ICA said longer waiting times are expected as security measures at Singapore’s land checkpoints remain heightened following the increasingly serious global security situation, particularly recent developments in the Middle East.

The authority noted that enhanced security measures have been in place since Feb 28, which means immigration clearance may take longer during periods of high travel demand.

The warning comes after several recent holiday periods saw exceptionally high numbers of travellers using the land checkpoints. According to the ICA, more than 18 million people passed through the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints between May 26 and June 28, covering the Hari Raya Haji and Vesak Day public holidays as well as the June school holidays.

Traffic reached a new high on June 19, when more than 598,000 travellers crossed the two checkpoints in a single day. The figure surpassed the previous record of about 589,000 travellers set on Dec 19 last year.

During peak travel periods, motorists may face waits of up to three hours before clearing immigration, the authority said.

To help speed up the clearance process, the ICA encouraged eligible travellers to use QR codes for immigration clearance, which can reduce processing times at the checkpoints.

The authority also reminded motorists to obey traffic rules when approaching the checkpoints, warning that vehicles found cutting queues illegally will be made to leave and rejoin the line.

The ICA added that enforcement officers remain on the lookout for traffic offences. During the Hari Raya Haji, Vesak Day and June school holiday period, 52 drivers were caught for committing traffic violations or engaging in dangerous driving.

With traffic volumes expected to surge again over the National Day long weekend, the ICA advised travellers to factor in additional waiting time and prepare for possible delays before setting off.