Getting from SYD to Johor Bahru?

[Forg]

Some friends are to be married in JB next June, and not yet having had the chance to chat with them about the best way to get there (I mean they’ve done the trip plenty of times so prolly have opinions), I was wondering what AFF thinks about getting there?

The relevant parameters & wot I has discovered:
(*) I’d prefer at least premium economy, and few carriers have a PE config where my wife & I would be plonked next to a rando
(*) just the two of us
(*) we’re both status-free zones these days, with all alliances/airlines, and FF points mean little to me; this also means no lounge access, but for short flights does that matter?
(*) only 7-8 hours means you could maybe do daytime flights?
(*) flying the whole way is doable but it looks like maybe a hire-car transfer from SIN might only be US$50-US$75 and save a fair bit of time compared to flying to elsewhere & thence to JB?
(*) Singapore is the only place I’ve visited in SE Asia so there is maybe some value in going via another airport & having a few days there, eg. is KL worth a few days if you enjoy good food but aren’t super adventurous (in terms of obtaining it rather than in terms of what you like)?

Thoughts?
Apologies in advance if this thread is a bit too Me Me Me; and probably can’t become much of a discussion as the options probably aren’t numerous.

 

[flyingfan]

I had a similar trip planned and comments were it was easier to fly KUL-JHB rather than into SIN and cross the Causeway so that's what I ended up doing, the domestic leg with AirAsia and it wasn't too bad.

Edit: fixed airport code

 

[Forg]

I had a similar trip planned and comments were it was easier to fly KUL-JNB rather than into SIN and cross the Causeway so that's what I ended up doing, the domestic leg with AirAsia and it wasn't too bad.

My quick airfare searching kinda failed to find PE (what’s the approved AFF nerd-abbreviation fror that?) to KUL, Y gets a bit hard on the knees for 8hrs & J is getting a tad spendy … but can see what you’re saying about the AirAsia connections/flights, seem like plenty to choose from!

MH on J is 150% SQ on PE but gets us the whole way there, what are people’s thoughts about MH? I think they had a heap of bad luck rather than anything being their fault, I mean it’s hard to plan for SAM-happy crime-family level-bosses like Putin … ?

Oh, also, @flyingfan … do you recall the issues with crossing that Causeway? Googling around there seem to be numerous sites for companies where I can book us an aircon’d people-mover to get us from SIN to JB for ~$100 (aside didn’t the SGD used to be worth heaps less than AUD?) and the fact you can enter your flight-number makes it look like those are legit … are there visa or passport or immigration issues we’d not encounter flying & not being land-side in Singapore?

 

[flyingfan]

Personally would happily fly MH again (even in Y and even if you weren't after oneworld benefits) their two major tragedies notwithstanding, found service and seats very good. Think PE is the abbreviation I've seen used here. Sorry haven't flown PE on either of those airlines so can't comment.

Might also depend on whether you want to spend the other days in Singapore or Malaysia aside from the wedding.

 

[jase05]

My quick airfare searching kinda failed to find PE (what’s the approved AFF nerd-abbreviation fror that?) to KUL, Y gets a bit hard on the knees for 8hrs & J is getting a tad spendy … but can see what you’re saying about the AirAsia connections/flights, seem like plenty to choose from!

MH on J is 150% SQ on PE but gets us the whole way there, what are people’s thoughts about MH? I think they had a heap of bad luck rather than anything being their fault, I mean it’s hard to plan for SAM-happy crime-family level-bosses like Putin … ?

I have no issue with MH and have flown with them many times most recently a couple of weeks ago KUL-ADL and flight was good again. In J I actually prefer MH over the SQ A350 services ex Australia.
Depending where you are located Air Asia offers pretty competitive fares for their lie flat long haul services and that could be a cheaper option. As others have said it depends where you want to spend some time, I love both Singapore and KL so if you haven’t been to KL I’d recommend it highly

 

[flyingfan]

Oh, also, @flyingfan … do you recall the issues with crossing that Causeway? Googling around there seem to be numerous sites for companies where I can book us an aircon’d people-mover to get us from SIN to JB for ~$100 (aside didn’t the SGD used to be worth heaps less than AUD?) and the fact you can enter your flight-number makes it look like those are legit … are there visa or passport or immigration issues we’d not encounter flying & not being land-side in Singapore?

The gist was it was very slow and tedious (traffic etc) even though SIN is so close to JHB (and I realise that a domestic transfer KUL-JHB also takes time). I haven't done a land crossing on that route in a very long time so don't have recent personal experience. If I was keen on spending time in SIN before going over I'd do it though.


Edit: fixed airport code

 

[Forg]

The gist was it was very slow and tedious (traffic etc) even though SIN is so close to JNB (and I realise that a domestic transfer KUL-JNB also takes time). I haven't done a land crossing on that route in a very long time so don't have recent personal experience. If I was keen on spending time in SIN before going over I'd do it though.

Thanks muchly! Singapore’s actually the only place I’ve been in SE Asia and not dovetailing this in with a trip elsewhere (eg KL) seems silly, but the fact that flying to JNB has about double the flight-time compared to SIN (due to KUL being further & then waits/flight coming back) was what had me thinking alternatives. On the flipside, it seems to me most Asian cities are about commerce & poverty rather than sightseeing, so I’m not sure exactly what I’d be looking-at in KL …

 

[Austman]

I've done the trip Melbourne to JB dozens of times. And from other origins to JB dozens of times.

You simply get more choice of airlines if you fly to SIN. If you are looking at PE, why not consider eg Jetstar Business Class? It's a pretty good PE like product. Some of the other LCCs can have a more premium product as well.

MH all the way via KL is not a bad option. The problem today can be long connection times in KL because MH does not fly the KUL-JHB route all that frequently any more. Check for connection times for the return as well. The long connection times have ruled out the MH-MH option for me, for now.

You can of course choose AirAsia for KUL-JHB and return. But they use the monster that is KLIA2! You and your luggage have to get over there. Still, it's not all that bad. MH-MH transfers all in KLIA1 are much easier if the connection times work.

If you do choose SIN, you have the dreaded "crossing" to contend with in order to get to JB (and back). That 1km or so of causeway can take anywhere from 20 minutes to 2 hours to negotiate. Sometimes longer! Allow about an hour and be happy if it turns out to be quicker. There are well known busy times that a bit of research will reveal. But it's always a bit of an ordeal. It's also a fair way away from Changi and central Singapore. JB on the other hand is right at the other end.

In a airconditioned car it's really just a waiting game. At least its more comfortable than standing in a long, long line. Lots of passport control and customs officialdom if you are going there directly from Changi:

1. The Changi passport control and customs. These days not quite as quick as it used to be. A quite complex online form is needed.
2. The Woodlands (Singapore) side passport control and customs of the causeway. They are even wanting to see your eticket these days.
3. The JB (Malaysia) side passport control and customs of the causeway. At least there's no form to fill out for Malaysia.

If you go via KL there's just the one passport control and customs to go through. Again AFAIK there's no form to fill out.

 

[Quickstatus]

I would fly into SIN and the organise a chauffeur limo to cross the Causeway.

I was going to also suggest the Luxury train which runs between Sing and bangkok. You would travel south to make it worthwhile. Although it does not officially stop in Jb you could just get off at the immigration in JB

 

[drron]

Although my one experience of hiring a car and driving in Malaysia was many years ago I would not recommend it. The locals believe car accidents only happen if it is the will of Allah. I will never forget driving on a 2 lane road and coming around a corner seeing 3 trucks across the road coming at me. My son who was about 12 was in the back seat counting the number of swear words. It was in the hundreds.

KL is enjoyable for a few days and I love the variety of food you can get.

 

[Austman]

I don't think the OP was suggesting they drive themselves over the causeway? There are many transport firms that will drive the crossing for you. It's not exactly cheap if it's from Changi to JB but it's comfortable.

JB airport (JHB) now has a few international routes. So it's actually possible to get there from a few nearby countries.

Once actually in JB, GRAB (the equivalent of Uber) is an almost ridiculously cheap way to get around.

 

[Forg]

I don't think the OP was suggesting they drive themselves over the causeway. There are many transport firms that will drive the crossing for you. It's not exactly cheap if it's from Changi to JB but it's comfortable.

Absolutely this ... as I also mentioned a few times in this thread there are numerous services that'll pick you up from Changi and drive you across to JB, and paying ~$100 for that is probably more comfortable than changing between terminals at KUL and flying back ... the KUL<==>JHB flights are about an hour, KUL is an extra half-hour from SYD, and then there's waiting times. And the AirAsia flights are about the same as the cost of that car-trip, except the car-trip is going to be more comfortable (and now I think about it the ~$100 might be the whole car not per-person).

...
> JB airport now has a few international routes. So it's actually
> possible to get there from a few nearby countries.
...

I'll do a bit more searching, I was only coming-up with routes which all went via KUL, which means going through the hub of whichever airline it was PLUS KUL and THEN a code-share with MH or AirAsia (?FD?). And the connections must've been fairly long, as most of them were 24hr-ish trips (when the one time I've left the airport at SIN I was hopping in a taxi 7.5hrs after the doors closed on the flight at SYD - add 2hrs to that in a comfy car & it seems a lot more covilized than a collection of airport concourses or 2nd-tier carrier J lounges).

 

[Austman]

I was only coming-up with routes which all went via KUL

Take a look a JHB airport's official website. AirAsia has a few non-stop international destinations. I was only really suggesting it if perhaps a stop in one of those countries might be something you'd consider?

As for travel times, realise that JHB airport is 30 to 40 minutes outside of JB central. So that has to be added too.

JB central is of course right on the Malaysia side of the causeway/crossing.

 

[AIRwin]

BA is also another option between SYD and SIN...

 

[Austman]

As for is KL worth a stop-over?

If you have never been to KL, I'd say yes, it very much is.

 

[Quickstatus]

I’ve spoken to friends in KL
They say causeway weekday crossing when takes 1-2 hours depends on time of day.
Weekend crossings are almost always worse.

 

[Forg]

As for is KL worth a stop-over?

If you have never been to KL, I'd say yes, it very much is.

Hey how long for, you reckon? Checking flights at the moment, looks like Thursdays are considerably cheaper & we could save $2k in airfares by arriving in KL 9 days before the wedding in JB … would 8 days in KL be too many? 4 was enough in Singapore … I guess we can always shelter in the aircon of the hotel for most of it.

 

[Austman]

They say causeway weekday crossing when takes 1-2 hours depends on time of day.

I've actually done it dozens (perhaps a 100 by now) times.

Most recently last week. It was lightning fast at ca 1pm last Friday in the Johor Bahru to Singapore direction. Only about 20 minutes total. Almost unheard of. It was slower but still good in the other direction.

I've done dozens more crossings when that hasn't been the case.

It's a great conversation topic for Singaporeans and Malaysians who use the crossing regularly. What time to do it? It's a bit like discussing traffic in Dallas. Everyone has an opinion.

 

[Quickstatus]

would 8 days in KL be too many

No more than 4 days

 

[Austman]

Hey how long for, you reckon?

A few days. It's quite a nice city but hasn't a huge number of attractions. Eating and shopping are perhaps the highlights. And it does of course get very hot and humid out.