SINGAPORE - About 33,700 travellers have crossed the land borders between Singapore and Malaysia as at 5pm on Friday (April 1) since the borders fully reopened at midnight.

The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) said on Friday afternoon that 27,600 people have departed Singapore via the Causeway and the Second Link.

Of these travellers, 9,400 of them departed on foot or buses, 9,700 in cars and the remaining 8,500 on motorcycles.

On arrivals, ICA said 3,500 people came into Singapore on foot or buses, 1,600 in cars and 1,000 on motorcycles.

These travellers comprised those on foot at Woodlands Checkpoint, and in cars and on motorcycles and bicycles at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

Causeway Link, which started operating shuttle bus services between Woodlands and Johor Baru's Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex on Friday, had initially planned to operate just one shuttle bus service every 15 minutes, or four shuttle bus services per hour.

But after queues for buses formed at Woodlands Checkpoint on Friday, it increased the frequency to up to 12 trips per hour during peak hours.

While the full reopening of the land borders between Singapore and Malaysia has restored a sense of normality to the Causeway and the Second Link, the volume of travellers remains far from the number of people - 415,000 - who used the land checkpoints daily before the pandemic.

Speaking to reporters at about 5.30pm, Deputy Assistant Commissioner Jackson Tan, Commander at Tuas, said operations at the Second Link have been smooth since midnight. 

He added that Tuas Checkpoint has a total of 80 automated motorcycle lanes and 64 car counters across arrival and departure. 

“The car counters can be converted flexibly to clear both vehicular modes based on real-time demands,” said DAC Tan.

He reminded those entering Singapore to submit their SG Arrival Card and ensure that they have proof of vaccination before reaching the checkpoints.

Travellers should also make travel plans early and avoid non-essential travel during peak periods, he added. 

At around 6.30pm Friday, The Straits Times observed little traffic in both directions at the Second Link.

Some vehicles entering Singapore were seen turning back at the checkpoint, as they likely did not have all the required documents ready.