VEP & Holiday Traffic: Best Times to Cross the Border

A long weekend or public holiday is the perfect opportunity for a road trip to Malaysia. Unfortunately, thousands of other Singaporean drivers have the same idea. This leads to the legendary, multi-hour traffic jams at the Woodlands and Tuas checkpoints.

The worst traffic is always when everyone is trying to do the same thing at the same time. To avoid the worst jams, you must travel at unconventional hours.

• The evening before a public holiday (e.g., Thursday evening before Good Friday).
• The morning of the first day of a long weekend (e.g., Saturday morning).
• The afternoon and evening of the last day of a long weekend (e.g., Sunday from 12 PM to 9 PM).

• Best Time: Late at night (after 11 PM) on the day before the holiday starts. The traffic has usually cleared out by then.
• Good Time: Very early in the morning (4 AM to 5:30 AM) on the first day of the holiday. You'll beat the main rush which starts from 6 AM.
• Worst Time: 6 AM to 2 PM on the first day of the holiday. This is peak departure time.
• Best Time: Very early in the morning (before 9 AM) on the last day of the holiday.
• Good Time: Late at night (after 10 PM) on the last day of the holiday, after the main dinner crowd has returned.
• Worst Time: 12 PM to 9 PM on the last day of the holiday. This is peak return time and when the longest jams occur.

Even the best-timed journey can be ruined if you get stuck at the gantry with a VEP issue. Before any holiday trip, do these 30-second checks:

• Log in to the VEP portal to ensure your status is 'Active'.
• Open your TNG eWallet to ensure you have a healthy balance.
• Ensure your car insurance hasn't expired.

Holiday travel is stressful enough. Let us take the VEP worries off your plate. By using MyMechanic's service, you can get your VEP application approved and your tag installed well in advance of any holiday period.

Frequently Asked Questions