Ferries to Singapore

Almost every ferry out of Singapore is a short international hop: to the Indonesian Riau Islands of Batam and Bintan, plus a few sailings to the coast of Johor opposite. Three terminals share that traffic. They lie far apart and serve different destinations, so the destination decides where you board, not the other way round.

Ferry terminals in Singapore

HarbourFront Centre

HarbourFront Centre in the south west, right at the MRT station of the same name, is the terminal for Batam. The busiest run is the ferry to Batam Centre: Batam Fast Ferry, Majestic Fast Ferry and Sindo Ferry sail up to 38 times on a strong day, and the crossing takes about an hour and a quarter. Sekupang and Harbour Bay are quicker, both around 45 minutes. Smaller jetties follow: Gold Coast Bengkong, Waterfront and Nirup Island, plus Tanjung Balai on Sumatra, the only longer haul at roughly an hour and a half.

Tanah Merah

Tanah Merah in the east serves Bintan and Malaysia. Bintan Resort Ferries reaches Bandar Bentan Telani, the jetty for the resorts on the north of the island, in a little over an hour; Sindo Ferry and Majestic Fast Ferry take around two hours to Tanjung Pinang, the main town in the south. Batam is served from here too: 45 minutes to Nongsapura, about an hour to Batam Centre. The Malaysian routes are thin, with four sailings a week to Desaru on the east coast and two to Tanjung Pengelih in Johor. The terminal is not at the MRT station of the same name, so plan for a bus or taxi for the last stretch.

Marina South Pier

Marina South Pier, south of Marina Bay, does not go abroad at all: it is the berth for Singapore's own southern islands. Singapore Island Cruise sails to St John's Island in around 30 minutes and to Kusu Island in around 45. Plan the return leg at the same time: on the islands you are tied to the timetable, and the last sailing back decides how long you can stay.

Every crossing to Indonesia and Malaysia leaves the country. Bring your passport, check the entry rules of the destination in advance and be at the terminal early: immigration and security close well before departure.