The Deepavali Long Weekend: How to Survive the Great SG–JB Migration

The Deepavali weekend is coming up.

It's a time for family, celebration… and for half of Singapore to suddenly decide that it’s the perfect moment to conquer Johor Bahru’s malls, eateries, and petrol stations. Champion. If you thought the Causeway jam on a normal weekend was bad, wait till you see the Deepavali rush on Friday all the way to Monday.

Don’t panic, mai gan jeong, with a bit of planning and strategy, you can still enjoy JB without losing your sanity (or your queue patience).

1. Travel at odd hours

Peak crossing times during long weekends are no mystery. Friday evening is a carpark. Saturday morning is a slow crawl. Sunday night is a full-on migration wave. If you can, cross after 10 pm on Friday or before sunrise on Saturday. It’s painful to wake up that early, yes, but while everyone else is honking at Woodlands, you’ll already be sipping kopi at a JB kopitiam. Coming back late on Sunday night or very early Monday morning is another trick seasoned JB-goers swear by.

2. Tuas vs Woodlands: Choose wisely

Woodlands is everyone’s default, which is why it often looks like a motorized mosh pit. If you’re coming from the west, Tuas Second Link can be faster, especially during peak holiday weekends. It’s longer in distance but often moves more smoothly, and traffic tends to be less chaotic. Check the traffic live before committing, you don’t want to pick the wrong queue and regret it for the next two hours.

3. Use live traffic tools (don’t rely on your uncle’s guess)

Download or bookmark tools like Checkpoint.sg, OneMotoring traffic cams, or Waze border updates. These give you real-time traffic data for both Causeway and Tuas. Don’t rely on “Eh, should be okay lah”, that’s how people end up stuck in five-hour jams. Refresh before you leave and plan accordingly. Remember, if you assume, you'll make an ass out of you and me.

4. Pre-fill everything before you move

Nothing kills the mood faster than reaching the checkpoint and realizing you didn’t fill in your MDAC. Do it at home. Top up your Touch ‘n Go wallet beforehand too, preferably via apps like Wise so you don’t waste time at moneychangers. The border queues are brutal enough; don’t make it worse for yourself or the 500 cars behind you.

5. Think like a local in JB

Once you’re in JB, the Singaporean weekend flood spreads out into malls, petrol stations, and supermarkets. Avoid the obvious spots like City Square Mall right after customs, it’s always jammed like an EDM fest at Siloso beach. Instead, head further in: Paradigm Mall, Mount Austin, or even Tebrau often give you more space and better deals. Grocery runs? Do them early in the day, not at 5 pm when everyone else is in panic-buying mode. Remember things do start to get cheaper the further out of JB city you go.

6. Plan your return cleverly

The evening return crawl is legendary. If you can swing it, leave earlier on Sunday afternoon, or go for a late-night drive back after dinner. Bring snacks, good music, and patience, you're going to need all three.

This weekend, the queues will be long and tempers will be short, but with the right moves, you can beat the rush, shop smart, and enjoy JB like a seasoned pro.

Good luck and Happy Deepavali!