How to Get From Kota Kinabalu to Singapore
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What you can’t bring in to Singapore
One important thing to keep in mind when entering Singapore is that they can be very strict about what you bring into the country. Allow us to share with you Maarten's own experience when crossing the Malaysia-Singapore border by bus. “My friend and I had a big bottle of gin when we checked in for customs and immigration. We were taken to a separate room for around 30 minutes before they finally let us leave with the alcohol. All the time we were so scared our bus would leave without us!” Apparently, you can bring alcohol into Singapore, but there is a 1-litre limit when coming from Malaysia. If you exceed that, you’ll have to pay a hefty fine. So pay attention to what goes into your luggage when travelling from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore. They won’t care if you don’t know the rules or if you just forgot to take it out of your bag. Prepare to spend a fortune on fines if you’re caught carrying any of these into Singapore:- Chewing tobacco and imitation tobacco products, including e-cigarettes
- Chewing gum, except those used for medical/dental purposes
- Any object that looks like a weapon (toy guns or cigarette lighters shaped like a gun, etc.)
- Pirated materials (movies, software, etc.)
- Illegal drugs, firecrackers, or any form of unlicensed weapon
- Obscene materials (magazines, videos, etc.)
How to get from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore?
The flight is the only suitable way for travellers to travel the 430 km distance from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore. The journey takes around 3h 30m, and ticket prices start from 63 SGD ($49).
3h 30m
63 SGD ($49)
Already in Singapore?
Onward from Singapore
Once you're in Singapore, here's where to next — 5 researched onward routes to pick from.
Kota Kinabalu to Singapore by Flight
Step 1: How to get to Kota Kinabalu Airport
From Kota Kinabalu city centre, you’ll first have to travel 10 km south to reach Kota Kinabalu International Airport. You have 2 transport choices: a 40-minute bus or a 30-minute taxi.
Buses bound for the airport depart from Merdeka Square. Hourly trips are available from 07:30-20:30, and a ticket costs 5 MYR ($1.30).
If you prefer to take a taxi, we highly recommend booking one with Klook. Rates start from 40 MYR ($10) for a 3-seater car. Minivans are also available for larger groups.
Taxis in Kota Kinabalu are known for overcharging and not using their meters. So unless you’re willing to pay double or triple the normal price, make the effort to book a Klook ride beforehand.
Step 2: Flight from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore
Air Asia, Scoot, and Batik Air offer several flights to Singapore from Kota Kinabalu every day. Flight time is around 2.5 hours. Airfares start from 51 SGD ($40).
Flights are limited, just about four available daily. It's best to book your flight in advance to get the schedule you prefer.
Step 3: Singapore Airport to City Centre
From Singapore Changi Airport, you’ll have to travel 20 km west to reach downtown Singapore, where most of the tourist hotels are located. You have 4 options: a city shuttle for 10 SGD ($7.80); a taxi from 25 SGD ($20); the train for 2.7 SGD ($2.10); or a public bus for 2.5 SGD ($2.00).
Travelling solo? The city shuttle is a good mix of comfort and affordability. Although a shared ride, they offer free drop-off to most hotels in the city centre. You can book them at the airport upon arrival or online beforehand via Klook.
If you're travelling in a group, it will be more cost-efficient to take a taxi. There's plenty available at the airport. But if you want your private ride waiting for you as soon as you arrive, you can also pre-book one through Klook or BookAway
The train and the public bus are way cheaper, but often require at least one transfer. If you're carrying bulky luggage, they're not exactly a convenient way to get from the airport to Singapore city centre. For more details, check out our page on Singapore Airport.
TIP: If you decide to travel by plane, please consider including a carbon compensation fee to reduce your impact on the environment.
Rounding it up
We hope this guide was helpful in planning how to get from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore. If there's anything else you're wondering about, drop us a comment and we'll do our best to answer you within a few days.
PS: If you've recently travelled this route, share your experience with fellow travellers and help us improve this post. Thanks for helping out our travel community!
Frequently Asked Questions
The distance from Kota Kinabalu to Singapore is 430 km.
ABOUT YOUR DESTINATION
Why Visit Singapore?
For a small island city-state, Singapore is a huge tourist hub in Southeast Asia. In 2024, the number of tourists visiting Singapore was nearly 3x its population!
This is for good reason. Head to downtown Singapore and you'll find a number of tourist attractions, all connected by efficient and high-quality transportation.
To revisit your childhood, there's Universal Studios and the resort island of Sentosa. For shopping, head to Orchard Road. For art, visit the Kampong Glam area. For an amazing night and light show, you have to visit Marina Bay Sands.
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About the Authors
Senior Travel Writer
Ela is a storyteller, content producer, solo traveller and a mermaid-in-training. When she's not in front of her laptop, you will find her barefoot and living her best tan on some island in the Philippines. Or exploring the depths of its seas as a budding freediver. An island girl at heart, she'll be happy anywhere there is sea, sand, sun and coffee.
Travel Writer & Digital Nomad
Kate is a travel content creator, writer and founder of Stay Wild Travel, a tour company running group trips for women beyond your typical destinations. Her full-time travels have taken her to almost 60 countries, and she doesn't intend to stop anytime soon.
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