Singapore ↔ Batam: the Singapore to Indonesia border crossing
About 60 minutes of formalities between Singapore and Indonesia, and this is one of the frontiers you can cross without abandoning your seat.
Singapore ↔ Indonesia · about 60 minutes · 1 service · 2 written-up journeys
How the crossing works
Singapore ↔ Batam
Singapore ↔ Indonesia- Where
- Ferry terminal — immigration at the terminal, not on the boat
- On the train?
- n/a
- Luggage
- Yes
- Visa
- Indonesian visa-on-arrival or e-VOA is available to many nationalities at the main Batam terminals. Confirm the specific terminal is an international checkpoint.
- Cash on the far side
- Indonesian rupiah.
- Time cost
- About 60 minutes of formalities
The trap. Some Riau ferry terminals are domestic-only. Arriving at the wrong one wastes a day.
What crosses here
| Service | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Singapore (HarbourFront) → Batam Centre HarbourFront or Tanah Merah fast ferry | Riau / Straits ferries | 1h | $18 |
Typical scheduled running time for the crossing leg itself, which does not include the 60 minutes of formalities above. Allow for both when you are working out whether a connection holds. Fares are indicative.
Riau / Straits ferries. Operators on the Straits routes change often. Check what is currently sailing before you commit to a date. Punctuality: weather.
Getting to each side
The frontier is rarely the problem. Reaching it on a day when something onward is still running usually is.
Singapore (HarbourFront)
SingaporeWorth knowing. Rail dead end. Everything onward from here is a boat.
| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woodlands CIQ → Singapore (HarbourFront) MRT Thomson–East Coast Line | Urban metro | 30m | $1.5 |
Batam Centre
Indonesia| Reached by | Operator | Time | Fare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Batam Centre → Dumai Riau inter-island ferry | Riau / Straits ferries | 6h | $30 |
Journeys through Singapore ↔ Batam
Written up in full, each with this crossing in its proper place in the itinerary rather than as a footnote.
- Singapore to Bali without flying 12 legs · 8d · $283
- Singapore to Jakarta without flying 8 legs · 5d · $166
Plan a journey through it Pick two places and the crossing appears in the itinerary, with the buffer it needs.