Going to Singapore/Malaysia

Quoting mag3 regarding Going to
Singapore/Malaysia in a message dated Tue, 09 Mar 2004 23:13:49 -0500:

OK - Have set up an Itinerary for Singapore/Malaysia for later this year. Have
some questions for those in the know as follows:

1) Arrival - I'll be arriving at Changi Airport shortly after midnight but
turning right around to get on the KTMB "Express Rakyat" train for KL
at 08:30am. It seems not to make sense to check into an expensive
hotel just for 3 hours or so. Is is possible to go directly to the
train station (on Keppel Rd I assume) and wait there 6 hours for the
8:30am departure or is the station closed at that hour of the morning?
If it is closed, then can anyone recommed a safe/secure hotel with very
close proximity to the train station (ie. walking distance with a
bit of luggage)?


UPDATE: I am considering the decision to forgo travel on the KTMB train and
instead, fly to KUL directly from SIN having landed there just after midnight.
I will stay in the Singapore Airport Transit hotel for the night. This way, I
can check my baggage straight through to KUL and not have to go through
immigration/customs at SIN until I return from KUL for a 3 day stay in SIN.
While it's a little more expensive than the train (US$217.00 RT Economy) , I
think the extra convenience and avoidance of Immigration/Customs on the train
etc. more than make it worth it. Moreover, I get more time in KL, arriving
there in the early morning (where I can leave my baggage at the hotel while I
await the room being ready and go tour the city). That is, if I can book this
particular flight.

The first flight from SIN to KUL (and the only one in the morning) is on
SriLankan Airlines (UL 316) at 07:40. Unfortunately, their website is
restricted and does not permit one to book certain itineraries (mine being one
of them). I think it's because this flight originates in Columbo and my segment
is on the "continuation" segment SIN--KUL. Oddly enough, I could book it
through "Travelocity" but I'd prefer not to. I'll call their ticket office in
NJ.

Is anyone familiar with Sri-Lankan air? Good Safety record? Good Service?
I'm not happy with them restricting bookings on their website, but we'll see
what happens when I talk with their agent. The other alternatives is SQ from
SIN to KUL but the first flight leaves at around 14:55. I'd be spending the
whole morning airside in SIN. I'd like to avoid that if possible, and I'm not
sure I can get my baggage checked straight through if I wait that long.

TIA





__________________________________

Regards,
Arnold.

(E-mail address altered, to prevent spamming. :-|
Remove all asterisks and the *hates*spam* to get true address.)

In rec.travel.air mag3 wrote:
UPDATE: I am considering the decision to forgo travel on the KTMB train and
instead, fly to KUL directly from SIN having landed there just after midnight.
I will stay in the Singapore Airport Transit hotel for the night. This way, I
can check my baggage straight through to KUL and not have to go through
immigration/customs at SIN until I return from KUL for a 3 day stay in SIN.

You don't mention what country you're from, but as an Aussie Singapore
customs is probably the easiest I've ever been through - pretty much wave
your passport at them and just walk through. My shortest visit to
Singapore is about 7 minutes from in-bound customs to out-bound customs.
(A can on Coke is cheaper at the supermarket outside customs than anywhere
inside

The first flight from SIN to KUL (and the only one in the morning) is on
SriLankan Airlines (UL 316) at 07:40. Unfortunately, their website is

There are dozens of flights from SIN to KUL each day. Both SQ and MH run
regular flights, which average about one an hour for most of the day.
First for MH is 6:00am, first for SQ is 6:30am.

If you're after cheap the other way is to cross the board to Johor Bahru
in Malaysia (Catch the train at the station, then a short bus/taxi over
the border and to the airport), then get a flight from JHB to KUL with
AirAsia (www.airasia.com). Depending on when you fly it could cost as
little as about US$3 (yes, US$3!!)

Scott.

On Mon, 22 Mar 2004 20:54:00 -0500, mag3
wrote:

Quoting mag3 regarding Going to
Singapore/Malaysia in a message dated Tue, 09 Mar 2004 23:13:49 -0500:

OK - Have set up an Itinerary for Singapore/Malaysia for later this year. Have
some questions for those in the know as follows:

1) Arrival - I'll be arriving at Changi Airport shortly after midnight but
turning right around to get on the KTMB "Express Rakyat" train for KL
at 08:30am. It seems not to make sense to check into an expensive
hotel just for 3 hours or so. Is is possible to go directly to the
train station (on Keppel Rd I assume) and wait there 6 hours for the
8:30am departure or is the station closed at that hour of the morning?
If it is closed, then can anyone recommed a safe/secure hotel with very
close proximity to the train station (ie. walking distance with a
bit of luggage)?


UPDATE: I am considering the decision to forgo travel on the KTMB train and
instead, fly to KUL directly from SIN having landed there just after midnight.
I will stay in the Singapore Airport Transit hotel for the night. This way, I
can check my baggage straight through to KUL and not have to go through
immigration/customs at SIN until I return from KUL for a 3 day stay in SIN.
While it's a little more expensive than the train (US$217.00 RT Economy) , I
think the extra convenience and avoidance of Immigration/Customs on the train
etc. more than make it worth it. Moreover, I get more time in KL, arriving
there in the early morning (where I can leave my baggage at the hotel while I
await the room being ready and go tour the city). That is, if I can book this
particular flight.

The first flight from SIN to KUL (and the only one in the morning) is on
SriLankan Airlines (UL 316) at 07:40. Unfortunately, their website is
restricted and does not permit one to book certain itineraries (mine being one
of them). I think it's because this flight originates in Columbo and my segment
is on the "continuation" segment SIN--KUL. Oddly enough, I could book it
through "Travelocity" but I'd prefer not to. I'll call their ticket office in
NJ.

Is anyone familiar with Sri-Lankan air? Good Safety record? Good Service?
I'm not happy with them restricting bookings on their website, but we'll see
what happens when I talk with their agent. The other alternatives is SQ from
SIN to KUL but the first flight leaves at around 14:55. I'd be spending the
whole morning airside in SIN. I'd like to avoid that if possible, and I'm not
sure I can get my baggage checked straight through if I wait that long.

TIA


Why are you concerned about Singapore immigration/customs? Singapore
is a very civilized place, you fill in a simple form, hand it over
with your passport, they stamp it, smile, and say 'Welcome to
Singapore'. You don't need to spend hours airside at Changi, just
enter the country and get the MRT in to town for a few hours. In any
case I find it hard to believe that all the SQ/MH shuttle flights are
full on the morning you want to travel, they start early and offer a
very frequent service.
--==++AJC++==--

Quoting Scott Howard regarding Going to
Singapore/Malaysia in a message dated 23 Mar 2004 11:33:38 GMT:

In rec.travel.air mag3 wrote:
UPDATE: I am considering the decision to forgo travel on the KTMB train and
instead, fly to KUL directly from SIN having landed there just after midnight.
I will stay in the Singapore Airport Transit hotel for the night. This way, I
can check my baggage straight through to KUL and not have to go through
immigration/customs at SIN until I return from KUL for a 3 day stay in SIN.

You don't mention what country you're from,

USA

but as an Aussie Singapore
customs is probably the easiest I've ever been through - pretty much wave
your passport at them and just walk through.

You wouldn't think so if you believed their website at face value.

Specifically, I travel with a laptop and DVD movies which (according to their
website) have to be submitted for censorship checks. The regulating board
for films (the MDA) even has a separate website where you can check to see
if a particular film has passed censorship testing. Apparently, you don't want
to be caught with "objectionable" films.

Similarly, if you bring medications in for your own personal use, you must have
a letter from your doctor authorizing their use. If any contain ingredients
listed on their "controlled substances" list, "officially," you must file for a
special permit to bring the meds into the country. Get caught with them
without that permit, and its off to Changi Prison and potentially, a few lashes
with the Rotan cane!

Now of course, as you pointed out, actual "Shake and Bake" inspections rarely
occur, and unless you look like a "drug smuggler" (whatever that looks like -
and which I *don't* think I look like), they will just wave you through. But
I have a few things not going in my favor. I'm single, a male, traveling alone
with a laptop and two large pullman size suitcases but claiming to be "on
vacation," for no more than a week, which I am, but convince them of that.
For the past two years I've been hit with a mini "Shake and Bake" each time
I've entered NRT (they check one bag at random and then let me go). Let's just
say it's not worth the risk to me. I'd rather have the paperwork I need.

Point of all this being, If I can minimize the number of interactions with
both Singapore and Malaysian Customs so to avoid the hassles, then so much the
better. With the flight, It's only two interactions. With the Train, it's 3-4.
Also, with flying, I can check my luggage straight through to KUL as opposed to
having to worry about collecting it the next morning from the lost/found after
staying at the transit hotel.

The first flight from SIN to KUL (and the only one in the morning) is on
SriLankan Airlines (UL 316) at 07:40. Unfortunately, their website is

There are dozens of flights from SIN to KUL each day. Both SQ and MH run
regular flights, which average about one an hour for most of the day.
First for MH is 6:00am, first for SQ is 6:30am.

If that's true, then I can't see them on their website, or on Travelocity for
my particular date of travel. The first SQ flights I can see begin on or after
13:00 on my travel date. The Sri-Lankan Airlines flight is the only flight I
can see that leaves in the morning (07:40).





__________________________________

Regards,
Arnold.

(E-mail address altered, to prevent spamming. :-|
Remove all asterisks and the *hates*spam* to get true address.)

Quoting AJC regarding Going to Singapore/Malaysia in a message
dated Tue, 23 Mar 2004 15:43:44 +0100:

While it's a little more expensive than the train (US$217.00 RT Economy) , I
think the extra convenience and avoidance of Immigration/Customs on the train
etc. more than make it worth it. Moreover, I get more time in KL, arriving
there in the early morning (where I can leave my baggage at the hotel while I
await the room being ready and go tour the city). That is, if I can book this
particular flight.

Why are you concerned about Singapore immigration/customs? Singapore
is a very civilized place, you fill in a simple form, hand it over
with your passport, they stamp it, smile, and say 'Welcome to
Singapore'. You don't need to spend hours airside at Changi, just
enter the country and get the MRT in to town for a few hours. In any
case I find it hard to believe that all the SQ/MH shuttle flights are
full on the morning you want to travel, they start early and offer a
very frequent service.

See my reply to Scott Howard.

Thanks.



__________________________________

Regards,
Arnold.

(E-mail address altered, to prevent spamming. :-|
Remove all asterisks and the *hates*spam* to get true address.)

In rec.travel.air mag3 wrote:
Specifically, I travel with a laptop and DVD movies which (according to their
website) have to be submitted for censorship checks. The regulating board
for films (the MDA) even has a separate website where you can check to see
if a particular film has passed censorship testing. Apparently, you don't want
to be caught with "objectionable" films.

Unless you give them a reason to care, they wont. I did a day-trip to JB,
Malaysia and came back with some.. umm.. "cheap" VCDs and DVD. Singapore
customs showed the some interest due to the quantity (about 10 VCDs, 3
DVDs) but once they realised I wasn't from Singapore they just waved me
through. If I'd been a Singapore/Malaysian national, or if I'd been
taking in more then they might have acted differently.

Similarly, if you bring medications in for your own personal use, you must have
a letter from your doctor authorizing their use. If any contain ingredients
listed on their "controlled substances" list, "officially," you must file for a

If you go looking you'll probably find most all countries have similar
regulations. Just follow the usual recommendations (pill bottles with
your name on them, doctors letters for anything unusual, etc) and you
won't have a problem.

Singapore is _very_ strict, but only if you do something wrong. Only a
few days ago a Melbourne man was sentenced to death for heroin smuggling -
but what do you expect if you try and take in 400 grams of the stuff?

Scott

On Tue, 23 Mar 2004 21:33:51 -0500, mag3
wrote:

Quoting Scott Howard regarding Going to
Singapore/Malaysia in a message dated 23 Mar 2004 11:33:38 GMT:

In rec.travel.air mag3 wrote:
UPDATE: I am considering the decision to forgo travel on the KTMB train and
instead, fly to KUL directly from SIN having landed there just after midnight.
I will stay in the Singapore Airport Transit hotel for the night. This way, I
can check my baggage straight through to KUL and not have to go through
immigration/customs at SIN until I return from KUL for a 3 day stay in SIN.

You don't mention what country you're from,

USA

but as an Aussie Singapore
customs is probably the easiest I've ever been through - pretty much wave
your passport at them and just walk through.

You wouldn't think so if you believed their website at face value.

Specifically, I travel with a laptop and DVD movies which (according to their
website) have to be submitted for censorship checks. The regulating board
for films (the MDA) even has a separate website where you can check to see
if a particular film has passed censorship testing. Apparently, you don't want
to be caught with "objectionable" films.

Similarly, if you bring medications in for your own personal use, you must have
a letter from your doctor authorizing their use. If any contain ingredients
listed on their "controlled substances" list, "officially," you must file for a
special permit to bring the meds into the country. Get caught with them
without that permit, and its off to Changi Prison and potentially, a few lashes
with the Rotan cane!

Now of course, as you pointed out, actual "Shake and Bake" inspections rarely
occur, and unless you look like a "drug smuggler" (whatever that looks like -
and which I *don't* think I look like), they will just wave you through. But
I have a few things not going in my favor. I'm single, a male, traveling alone
with a laptop and two large pullman size suitcases but claiming to be "on
vacation," for no more than a week, which I am, but convince them of that.
For the past two years I've been hit with a mini "Shake and Bake" each time
I've entered NRT (they check one bag at random and then let me go). Let's just
say it's not worth the risk to me. I'd rather have the paperwork I need.


NRT is Tokyo, Japan, what has that got to do with Sinagpore? If you
have a transit room at SIN just leave your suspect goods there and go
in to town. When I do it I just enter with passport, ticket, boarding
card, it really is very simple.





Point of all this being, If I can minimize the number of interactions with
both Singapore and Malaysian Customs so to avoid the hassles, then so much the
better. With the flight, It's only two interactions. With the Train, it's 3-4.
Also, with flying, I can check my luggage straight through to KUL as opposed to
having to worry about collecting it the next morning from the lost/found after
staying at the transit hotel.

The first flight from SIN to KUL (and the only one in the morning) is on
SriLankan Airlines (UL 316) at 07:40. Unfortunately, their website is

There are dozens of flights from SIN to KUL each day. Both SQ and MH run
regular flights, which average about one an hour for most of the day.
First for MH is 6:00am, first for SQ is 6:30am.

If that's true, then I can't see them on their website, or on Travelocity for
my particular date of travel. The first SQ flights I can see begin on or after
13:00 on my travel date. The Sri-Lankan Airlines flight is the only flight I
can see that leaves in the morning (07:40).




These are the available flights for a date chosen at random, but
typically daily for MH and SQ services:

SIN KUL APR/27 0700 -

SIN KUL 0630 0725 SQ 102 F4 P4 A4 S9 Y9 E9 B9 M9 W9 H9 772
SIN KUL 0650 0745 MH 602 FA YA LA 734
SIN KUL 0740 0840 UL 316 JA YA MA BA HA KA QA LA VA 330
SIN KUL 0830 0925 SQ 106 F4 A4 Y9 B4 M0 W4 Q4 N4 V0 P4 772
SIN KUL 0925 1020 AI 447 JA CA DA WA YA BA HA KA LA MA 310
SIN KUL 1005 1100 MH 604 FA YA LA 330
SIN KUL 1235 1330 SQ 110 F4 A4 Y9 B4 M4 W4 Q4 N0 V0 P4 772
SIN KUL 1345 1440 MH 606 FA YA LA 330
-------------------- SEPARATOR
------------------------------------------------------------
SIN KUL 1455 1550 SQ 112 F4 P4 A4 S9 Y9 E9 B9 M9 W9 H9 772
SIN KUL 1700 1755 SQ 116 F4 A2 Y9 B4 M4 W4 Q4 N0 V0 P2 772
SIN KUL 1725 1820 MH 608 FA YA LA 330
SIN KUL 1940 2040 JL 721 CA DA IA YA BA MA KC NR QA XR 767
SIN KUL 2000 2055 SQ 118 F4 P3 A3 S9 Y9 E9 B9 M9 W9 H9 772
SIN KUL 2110 2205 MH 610 FLIGHT CANCELLED 330
--==++AJC++==--

mag3 wrote:
You wouldn't think so if you believed their website at face value.

Yes, that never helps.

Specifically, I travel with a laptop and DVD movies which (according to
their website) have to be submitted for censorship checks. The regulating
board for films (the MDA) even has a separate website where you can check
to see if a particular film has passed censorship testing. Apparently, you
don't want to be caught with "objectionable" films.

I've passed through Singapore and Malaysia border formalities more times
than I can count and have never had any hassles, laptop or no. I doubt there
are any actively controlled borders on the planet (i.e., leaving out the
Belgium-Luxembourg frontier) that are less trouble for a foreigner.

Now of course, as you pointed out, actual "Shake and Bake" inspections
rarely occur, and unless you look like a "drug smuggler" (whatever that
looks like - and which I *don't* think I look like), they will just wave
you through.

I might - talk, dark, and scruffy. But I still get the wave.

miguel
--
Hit The Road! Photos and tales from around the world: http://travel.u.nu

Quoting Scott Howard regarding Going to
Singapore/Malaysia in a message dated 24 Mar 2004 10:15:00 GMT:

In rec.travel.air mag3 wrote:
Specifically, I travel with a laptop and DVD movies which (according to their
website) have to be submitted for censorship checks. The regulating board
for films (the MDA) even has a separate website where you can check to see
if a particular film has passed censorship testing. Apparently, you don't want
to be caught with "objectionable" films.

Unless you give them a reason to care, they wont.

That's just it. I'm not sure constitutes a "reason to care" from their
viewpoint. But from what I'm hearing, it takes "quite a bit" for them to
"care."

I did a day-trip to JB,
Malaysia and came back with some.. umm.. "cheap" VCDs and DVD. Singapore
customs showed the some interest due to the quantity (about 10 VCDs, 3
DVDs) but once they realised I wasn't from Singapore they just waved me
through. If I'd been a Singapore/Malaysian national, or if I'd been
taking in more then they might have acted differently.

But the point is, they *did* check. It's not like they "didn't bother to
look," right?

Singapore is _very_ strict, but only if you do something wrong.

Again, that's just it. What constitutes "wrong?" The slightest little thing,
or does it have to be pretty serious for them to care?

Look, I didn't mean to take the thread in this direction. I'm not as terribly
concerned as it may seem. I just needed to get a sense of just how strict they
really are. When I get comfortable in knowing how they are, I'll be just fine.
It's how I became with such places as NRT, HKG etc., even though NRT still
likes to do a mini Shake & Bake on me.

What I really wanted to know in this thread was if anyone had experience with
Sri-Lankan Airlines, and are they any good??? :-)



__________________________________

Regards,
Arnold.

(E-mail address altered, to prevent spamming. :-|
Remove all asterisks and the *hates*spam* to get true address.)

Quoting AJC regarding Going to Singapore/Malaysia in a message
dated Wed, 24 Mar 2004 11:46:26 +0100:

Now of course, as you pointed out, actual "Shake and Bake" inspections rarely
occur, and unless you look like a "drug smuggler" (whatever that looks like -
and which I *don't* think I look like), they will just wave you through. But
I have a few things not going in my favor. I'm single, a male, traveling alone
with a laptop and two large pullman size suitcases but claiming to be "on
vacation," for no more than a week, which I am, but convince them of that.
For the past two years I've been hit with a mini "Shake and Bake" each time
I've entered NRT (they check one bag at random and then let me go). Let's just
say it's not worth the risk to me. I'd rather have the paperwork I need.


NRT is Tokyo, Japan, what has that got to do with Sinagpore?

Not much. But it's where I've had my most recent experiences with Customs, and
it's the only country that "Shake and Bake's" me on a regular basis, at least
to some extent. And, until recently, I wouldn't have considered them a "strict"
country for enforcement even with similar medication laws etc.

My point in all this is, I don't know yet where I stand with Singapore or
Malaysia. Once I go through them and get to know where they're at, I'll be a
lot more comfortable with what to expect.

If you
have a transit room at SIN just leave your suspect goods there and go
in to town. When I do it I just enter with passport, ticket, boarding
card, it really is very simple.

No, it's not that simple. The itinerary calls for me to arrive in SIN and then
go immediately to Kuala Lumpur for 4 days, and then come back to SIN for
another three days before going back home. So I really can't "leave suspect
goods" at the transit hotel. But it really doesn't matter. I won't be bringing
in anything *that* suspect.

As I said to Scott, I'm really not as concerned as it seems. I just wanted some
opinions as to how strict the authorities really are, and I've gotten some
opinions here, which I appreciate. I'll go through them these two times, and
then, I'll know what to expect.


These are the available flights for a date chosen at random, but
typically daily for MH and SQ services:

SIN KUL APR/27 0700 -

SIN KUL 0630 0725 SQ 102 F4 P4 A4 S9 Y9 E9 B9 M9 W9 H9 772
SIN KUL 0650 0745 MH 602 FA YA LA 734
SIN KUL 0740 0840 UL 316 JA YA MA BA HA KA QA LA VA 330
SIN KUL 0830 0925 SQ 106 F4 A4 Y9 B4 M0 W4 Q4 N4 V0 P4 772
SIN KUL 0925 1020 AI 447 JA CA DA WA YA BA HA KA LA MA 310
SIN KUL 1005 1100 MH 604 FA YA LA 330
SIN KUL 1235 1330 SQ 110 F4 A4 Y9 B4 M4 W4 Q4 N0 V0 P4 772
SIN KUL 1345 1440 MH 606 FA YA LA 330
-------------------- SEPARATOR
------------------------------------------------------------
SIN KUL 1455 1550 SQ 112 F4 P4 A4 S9 Y9 E9 B9 M9 W9 H9 772
SIN KUL 1700 1755 SQ 116 F4 A2 Y9 B4 M4 W4 Q4 N0 V0 P2 772
SIN KUL 1725 1820 MH 608 FA YA LA 330
SIN KUL 1940 2040 JL 721 CA DA IA YA BA MA KC NR QA XR 767
SIN KUL 2000 2055 SQ 118 F4 P3 A3 S9 Y9 E9 B9 M9 W9 H9 772
SIN KUL 2110 2205 MH 610 FLIGHT CANCELLED 330
--==++AJC++==--

OK Thanks. I'll check these out.



__________________________________

Regards,
Arnold.

(E-mail address altered, to prevent spamming. :-|
Remove all asterisks and the *hates*spam* to get true address.)