9-6-2023 (SINGAPORE) The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) announced on Thursday (June 8) that close to 1.5 million travellers cleared through both the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints during the Wesak Day long weekend from June 1 to 4. This figure marks the highest number of travellers recorded for a long weekend since the reopening of land borders between Singapore and Malaysia in April 2022.
On June 1, the daily departures reached their peak since the border reopening, with over 250,000 travellers leaving Singapore for Malaysia via both land checkpoints.
The significant influx of travellers was attributed to the Wesak Day long weekend coinciding with the June school holidays, according to ICA on June 2.
To manage congestion and facilitate the movement of travellers, ICA implemented several measures. Collaboration with the Land Transport Authority and cross-border bus service providers resulted in increased bus schedules. Additional officers were deployed to control crowds at the bus concourses, and real-time traffic updates were provided through ICA’s Facebook page and local radio broadcasts.
Travellers should anticipate longer waiting times as ICA expects heavy traffic at both land checkpoints throughout the June school holidays, which conclude on June 25. Since the lifting of travel restrictions imposed during the Covid-19 pandemic, heavy traffic has been reported at the Singapore-Malaysia land checkpoints.
During the Good Friday long weekend in April, nearly 1.4 million travellers crossed the land checkpoints, with an average of approximately 350,000 individuals entering and leaving Singapore each day.
