Passengers should reserve more time for customs clearance during holidays when land checkpoints are congested
(Morning News) The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority reminded people to reserve extra time for customs clearance when they travel during the year-end festive season.
The Immigration and Checkpoints Authority issued a statement on Monday (November 19) saying that the traffic flow at the Woodlands Checkpoint and Tuas Checkpoint over the weekend had recovered to about 84% of the pre-epidemic traffic flow, and the traffic flow during peak hours had returned to pre-epidemic levels. The traffic flow out of the Woodlands Checkpoint was so large that it even blocked the Bukit Timah Expressway.
During the peak hours of the 2019 holiday season, motorists entering and leaving the land checkpoint had to wait an average of three hours. As a result, the Immigration and Checkpoints Authority expects that the traffic flow may be blocked back to the Bukit Timah Expressway and the Ayer Raja Expressway.
The authorities appealed that passengers who want to drive a car or take a bus to and from the land checkpoint during the holiday period should allow more time for customs clearance.
Before travelers travel, they can check the traffic conditions at the checkpoint through the One Motoring website, radio traffic broadcasts, or the Land Transport Authority's traffic alert system on the Ayer Raja Expressway and Bukit Timah Expressway.