Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by train: see southern Malaysia’s rural charm at a gentle pace
- Direct rail services between the Lion City and Kuala Lumpur ended in 2011, but it is still possible to cover almost all of the famous route by train
- The first leg of the journey takes passengers past shimmering green plantations and through small towns with rows of ageing Chinese shophouses
When the last train departed from Singapore railway station just after 11pm on June 30, 2011, Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar of Johor was at the helm. The sultan, who also flies jets and helicopters, and skippers yachts, had learned to drive trains especially for this occasion.
It slowly made its way northwards along the ageing rails that once cut a tree-lined path across the island, before crossing over the causeway linking Singapore and Malaysia and pulling into the modern expanse of Johor Bahru Sentral station, now the southern terminus for the Malaysian rail network.
With tickets booked, the whole journey is stress-free and easily managed, leaving plenty of time to enjoy a good book and the leisurely ride across the bottom half of Malaysia.
Woodlands Train Checkpoint, a nondescript station at the northern tip of Singapore, serves as the starting point for any rail journey leaving the island state. In keeping with the spirit of trying to do the journey by rail, take Singapore’s fantastic metro to Woodlands MRT station (and a short bus ride on #911 to the checkpoint).
