Planning a trip to JB is a tale as old as time. You’ve got your trusty bus routes, the KTM Shuttle Tebrau, and that upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link. But maybe you prefer to take it easy by sitting in a car and crossing the Causeway without the whole up-and-down dance at customs. That’s where the licensed Singapore to JB taxis come in.
Come 4th May 2026, the rules of the cross-border taxi service will be relaxed significantly, allowing licensed taxi operators to drop off passengers anywhere in Singapore, Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai, and Senai. Grab was also recently awarded the first Cross-border Ride-hail Service Operator Licence (CRSOL), meaning you can book taxis on the app for greater convenience.
Keep reading to find out more about the new rules.
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Image credit: Taxi Singapore
The Singapore-Malaysia cross-border taxi scheme allows legal taxis to drive you from Singapore to JB. Previously, Malaysian taxis could only drop you off at 2 designated points, Larkin Sentral in JB and Ban San Street Terminal in Singapore. However, that rule has since been relaxed, and you can be dropped off anywhere in Singapore. If you’re going to Malaysia, you can be dropped off anywhere in Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai, and Senai.
However, pick-up rules are still a little strict. Foreign taxis can only pick up at designated pick-up points. Here are the details:
Malaysian taxis can only pick up passengers within Singapore at:
Singapore taxis can only pick up passengers within Malaysia at:
Find more FAQs about the cross-border taxi scheme pick-up points on the Land Transport Authority (LTA) website.
No, it’s illegal, and Singapore- and Malaysia-registered taxis are the only legal providers of cross-border services. Even if you’re hitching a ride to JB with official ride-hailing operators like Grab, you can only book the taxis to get across the border, not a private car.
TBF, private hires have become so normalised in the past few years that it’s easy to assume they’re legit. But “normal” doesn’t mean “legal”; these vehicles are not properly insured and licensed, which leaves you in a sticky situation in the event of an accident. Plus, with the government’s recent clampdown on illegal operators, the last thing you’d want is a hiccup derailing your next JB trip.
P.S. For a list of services that look legitimate but aren’t, check out our guide to illegal Singapore-JB cross-border services to avoid.
1 of the 19 drivers caught providing illegal ride-hailing services during patrols at a land checkpoint on 5th August 2025.
Image credit: LTA via Facebook
The LTA has been stepping up patrols at tourist spots like Gardens By the Bay and Changi Airport to catch illegal cross-border operators. Case in point: during one patrol on 5th August 2025, officers nabbed 19 unlicensed drivers in a day.
If caught, offenders can be fined up to $3,000, jailed for up to 6 months, or both. The vehicle used may also be forfeited.
With doorstep pick-ups and flexible drop-offs, these private operators might seem like an obvious choice for your JB getaway, but they actually pose more risks than you’d think.
For one, most of them don’t have proper insurance – so if anything happens on the road, you’re basically on your own. They also affect the livelihoods of licensed Singapore-to-JB taxi drivers, making it harder for them to earn a fair living.
Here’s a breakdown of licensed Singapore to JB taxi operators to contact. Reviews online recommend calling the operators for bookings, since some of their apps are not as updated.
| Taxi operator | Contact | App |
| Comfort Taxi | +65 6552 1111 (press 0 for cross-border rides) | App Store | Google Play (cross-border taxi app bookings will be available in the future) |
| Trans-Cab | +65 6555 3333 | App Store | Google Play |
| STRIDES Premier | Online booking form | – |
| Prime Taxi | +65 6778 0808 | – |
| Grab | Via the app | App Store | Google Play |
To book a cross-border taxi on Grab, look out for the new service Cross-Border SG-JB (Beta). It’s slowly rolling out on the app from 4th May.
| Departing from | Route | Operator | Price |
| Singapore | Anywhere in Singapore → JB | ComfortDelGro TransCab STRIDES Premier Grab | From $80 |
| Changi/Seletar Airport → Larkin Terminal | $120 | ||
| JB | Larkin Terminal → Anywhere in Singapore | $60 (no booking) / $70 (advance booking) |
Instead of charging by the meter, fares are fixed and regulated, and will start from $80 for a 4-seater taxi, and from $120 for a larger 6-seater taxi. Trips from Changi Airport and Seletar Airport will cost a bit more at $120 per trip.
Pre-bookings can be made by contacting taxi operators directly or using their official apps. Note that all pre-bookings to JB must be made at least 3-5 days in advance; with ComfortDelGro, bookings can be made up to 7 days in advance; with Grab, bookings can be made between 12 hours and 7 days in advance.
To celebrate the launch of Grab as a new operator of cross-border taxis, there will be an introductory discount of up to 20% for all bookings.
Besides these licensed taxis, here’s a roundup of other legal modes of transport you can take to travel from Singapore to JB.
If you prioritise travel flexibility during your JB trips, renting a car could be a great option. You won’t have to wait for your Grab driver to arrive, and you’ll have more control over your itinerary schedule.
But be prepared to fork out steeper rental fees for your car. There’s also the logistical headache of collecting your car in SG, and finding parking while you’re in JB.
For my fellow passenger princesses, excursion buses may be more your style. There are plenty of tour operators who run cross-border buses from Singapore to JB.
Depending on your itinerary, this may be an even better option than taxis since the buses usually stop at major attractions in Malaysia, like LEGOLAND and even as far as Desaru.
However, these buses operate on fixed schedules and may be slightly inflexible. Check out our guide to Singapore-Johor buses for more information.
The lure of private hire transport to JB is admittedly tempting, but think about the risks and spare a thought for the livelihoods of law-abiding, licensed Singapore to JB taxi drivers.
Bookmark this guide for your next trip to JB – you’ll travel with peace of mind, and actually enjoy the journey instead of stressing over sketchy private hires.
Other JB content:
Cover image adapted from: Kiyo Horimoto & Chu Ted via Google Maps
Originally published on 25th August 2025. Last updated by Josiah Neo on 1st May 2026.
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