Cross-border taxis can drop off passengers anywhere in Singapore, parts of Johor from May 4

SINGAPORE – Those planning to take cross-border taxis from Johor Bahru back to Singapore will be able to board them from more locations from May 4.

Travellers heading to Johor will also be able to alight anywhere in Johor Bahru, Iskandar Puteri, Forest City, Kulai and Senai.

The move will provide them greater convenience, said Singapore and Malaysia’s transport ministries in a joint statement on April 30.

Currently, cross-border taxis are allowed to use only one designated pick-up and drop-off point after crossing the border.

For Singapore-registered taxis, this is Larkin Sentral Terminal, the main public transport terminal in Johor Bahru. For Malaysian taxis, it is Ban San Street Terminal in Bugis.

Grab users can also book Singapore-registered cross-border taxis at Toppen Shopping Centre, Angsana Mall and at The Mall, Mid Valley Southkey, under a new cross-border ride-hailing service operator licence awarded by the Land Transport Authority on April 30.

Malaysian taxis registered with Grab will also be able to pick up passengers near VivoCity shopping complex, near Century Square mall in Tampines, and at Joo Koon MRT station.

Fares have also been revised, with pick-ups at Ban San Street Terminal to Larkin, or any destination within 35km of it, costing $80 for a standard four-seater car. Any other area will cost an additional $20.

The current cost of hailing a cross-border taxi to Larkin is $60.

In addition to the fare increase, more vehicle options will be made available, with the introduction of six-seaters.

They will come in two varieties – standard and premium – with the standard option, such as the Toyota Wish, costing $120, and premium vehicles, such as Toyota Alphards, costing $180. It will cost an additional $30 for any other destination.

Malaysian cross-border taxis, meanwhile, will cost almost the same as their Singapore equivalents, with the cheapest option, a four-seater, costing RM240 (S$77.30).

On Grab’s website, it says that payments will have to be made before the trip starts, with cashless payments allowed only in Singapore.

Trips originating from Johor Bahru will require cash payment in Singapore dollars or Malaysian ringgit.

Grab said in a statement that its service will allow door-to-door rides between the two countries, with passengers able to make bookings from 12 hours to seven days in advance through its app.

While Singapore-registered vehicles on Grab will be able to pick up from any location here and drop off passengers anywhere in parts of Johor Bahru, return trips can be booked only from the four pick-up points in Malaysia.

The same is true for Malaysia-registered vehicles, although in reverse.

The changes, aimed at improving travel convenience between the neighbouring countries, were earlier mentioned by both transport ministries in a joint statement on Dec 5, 2025.

Both countries also said then that they will gradually increase the quota for licensed taxis from 200 to 500, although this will be done incrementally.

The initial increase will be by 100 taxis, with larger and more premium vehicles being prioritised to address the needs of larger groups as well as business travellers, said the ministries in their April 30 statement.

Unmet demand for legal cross-border taxi services has resulted in a black market, with companies offering illegal services.

The authorities in Singapore have been clamping down on such services since ride-hailing drivers here tipped them off to Malaysia-registered cars showing up at locations such as Changi Airport and Gardens by the Bay, having ferried passengers within the country.

To combat this, licensed cross-border taxis must have clearly identifiable livery on both sides of the vehicle, classifying them as such.

Malaysian cross-border taxis will also have to install on-board units for Singapore’s next-generation Electronic Road Pricing system, and bear licence plates beginning with “H”. Singapore ones will have the prefix “SH”.

Taxi operators in Singapore have welcomed the latest development.

Mr Neo Chee Yong, director of Prime Group, said the status quo leaves a gap that illegal cross-border services fill.

These illegal services are a bugbear for Malaysian cabbies whom The Straits Times spoke to, with many responding to the announcement enthusiastically.

Similarly, Mr Eddie Jui, a GrabCab driver who is currently waiting for approval from the authorities to start offering cross-border taxi services, said he is anticipating being able to do so to supplement his income.

Such rides will hopefully make up for periods of low demand locally, the 49-year-old said.