Even as you leave the land of the ERP, you need to pay a crossing toll. The amount depends on which crossing you take:
Tuas (3.70 SGD each way) or
Woodlands (1.20 SGD departure only).
[Tolls as at October 29, 2006]
Cashcards
For this you must use a cashcard. These must be bought before you front up at immigration. Not a problem for Singaporean cars as everybody has one but for foreign cars you need to get yourself one. If you take the Tuas link, there is a kiosk after the PIE on Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim - it is well signposted.
Cashcards can be purchased from many outlets including:
· Designated petrol stations
· Post Offices
· Designated 7-Eleven stores
· NTUC Fairprice outlets
· The Land Transport Authority
On the return leg for both crossings you will need to pay again.
Getting around Singapore
Foreign registered cars pay a daily fee for driving in Singapore. At present foreign vehicles are allowed 10 working days free a year before charges apply. [See the SIngapore Malaysian border crossing page for more details].
You may also hire an ERP in-car unit if you intend to use the CBD Mon-Fri or the city freeways during peak times. These also work off cashcards and can be easily fitted. There is a deposit required. Details can be had from the LTA website. (See Links).
Alternatively now you can simply opt to pay a flat SGD 5 a day and not bother with a unit at all. Much less hassle. Some carparks require an in car unit to pay so using these parks will require you to go the office to prepay before you leave.
Malaysia
The cost of enjoying the North South Expressway is the expressed in two words.. User Pays
This is an excellent expressway system but it has toll booths everywhere. The good news though is that the tolls are not that expensive. Rates are 70 cents a km, which means that a Singaporean driving along the entire NSE from Johore to Bukit Kayu Hitam in Kedah will pay all up 82.20 MYR (approx. 38 SGD, 20 USD). Tolls are paid in cash or if you are a frequent traveller through the PLUS electronic pay method.
Change Money?
Be warned, these tolls start right after the Singaporean border. Make sure you have Malaysian currency on hand. Singapore dollars will be accepted but at the rather novel exchange rate of 1:1. A colleague got the fright of his life when he presented a 50 SGD note for a 6.60 MYR toll and was given 43.40 MYR change. A frantic strip search of the car and its occupants resulted in payment being achieved through a more acceptable mixture of Malaysian and Singaporean coin.
Thailand
The good news is that apart from the elevated Freeway in Bangkok, there are no tolls. You will naturally have to pay for Ferries etc but the mainroads outside of the capital are free.
Laos
Don't get me started ... we paid all sorts of tolls to get through the border crossing, not large but definitely many. I'm still working it out - I'll let you know when I do. After that however its toll free - which is just as well - see Roads and find out why.
