KTM Shuttle Tebrau 86up 5.30pm Train from Woodlands CIQ to JB Sentral Train Review

KTM Shuttle Tebrau 86up is a popular evening shuttle train on weekdays from Woodlands CIQ to JB Sentral with its 5.30pm departure timing. For this Friday evening heading up to JB to catch my bus to Butterworth, I was lucky to spot someone who had cancelled his or her Shuttle Tebrau 86up ticket a few days before departure, and so I quickly clicked to purchase it to avoid the Friday crowds over at the bus checkpoint.

Woodlands Train Checkpoint (Woodlands CIQ)

Woodlands Train Checkpoint (Woodlands CIQ) is the only railway station in Singapore, located just meters from the shores of the Strait of Johor. I arrived in good time just in case there was a jam leading to Woodlands Train Checkpoint while on the bus, but thankfully, there was none.

The KTM ticket counter for KTM Shuttle Tebrau trains only is located within Woodlands Train Checkpoint (Woodlands CIQ) on the ground floor.

KTM Shuttle Tebrau train tickets are open up to 7 months before departure, so it’s quite unsurprising that KTM Shuttle Tebrau tickets for northbound trains were all sold out on the day of departure. Unlike other websites that advise you to walk in for the KTM Shuttle Tebrau, take it from my actual experience.

Boarding for the KTM Shuttle Tebrau opens 40 minutes before departure and closes 20 minutes before departure.

Head upstairs to the bridge for passport scanning and entry into the immigration area. Your passport is your KTM Shuttle Tebrau ticket.

Singapore immigration comes first, followed by Malaysia immigration and Malaysia customs. All exit procedures from Singapore and entry procedures into Malaysia are done and completed in Woodlands Train Checkpoint (Woodlands CIQ) in Singapore.

Boarding the train is immediately after Malaysia customs.

Customs = x-ray. Customs is not chop passport.

ASC (Hyundai-Padu Sedia)

The interior of the ASC (Hyundai-Padu Sedia) coach, with 60 seats in a 2+2 configuration in a fixed forward or reverse direction.

The KTM Shuttle Tebrau train has no assigned seat numbers and is free seating. There are 240 available seats for 320 ticketed passengers, and standing is allowed on board the KTM Shuttle Tebrau train.

The legroom on board the ASC (Hyundai-Padu Sedia) coach.

My KTM Shuttle Tebrau 86up departed from Woodlands Train Checkpoint (Woodlands CIQ) at 5.25pm – 5 minutes early.

Johor Bahru Sentral Railway Station (JB Sentral)

My KTM Shuttle Tebrau 86up arrived at Johor Bahru Sentral Railway Station (JB Sentral) at 5.29pm – 6 minutes early. This makes this cross-border train journey from Singapore to Malaysia at only 4 minutes.

Heading up the escalator out from the platform.

Once the last of the incoming Shuttle Tebrau 86up passengers had gone up to the transfer level, boarding for the southbound Shuttle Tebrau 87dn train immediately begins.

Exiting at the main hall of Johor Bahru Sentral Railway Station (JB Sentral).

Heading down to the linkbridge from Johor Bahru Sentral Railway Station (JB Sentral) to Johor Bahru City Square and Komtar JBCC.

The façade of Johor Bahru Sentral Railway Station (JB Sentral).

Conclusion

The KTM Shuttle Tebrau is the first choice to cross the border from Singapore to Malaysia on a Friday evening. Even with my early arrival at Woodlands Train Checkpoint (Woodlands CIQ) before the gate was open for ticket checking, I am sure that the total time spent waiting for and going through the train procedures till arrival at JB Sentral is still much faster than if I had taken the bus and joined the Friday exodus to JB. It is not difficult to see why KTM Shuttle Tebrau train tickets are sold out up to 7 months before departure.