Fly into Singapore or Kuala Lumpur on one-way ticket to begin overlanding trip?
I want to begin my next big overlanding trip by flying from Sydney (home) to either Singapore or Malaysia on a one-way ticket. I will fly home from an as-yet unknown location when my money runs down low or winter gets in the way.
I know many countries or specific airports have policies that arrivals must have a return ticket or an onward ticket to somewhere. I understand that this may be checked when you board the plane but often is not enforced by anyone at all.
What I would like to know is which of these two destinations is more likely to not care about my onward ticket, or to have the cheaper way of proving that I'm leaving.
For instance if I absolutely have to show an onward ticket I'd prefer to be able to arrange some bus ticket or train ticket or ferry ticket, than a flight ticket. And I'd prefer a ticket that is easy to get a full or partial refund on.
Update
Immigration at Kuala Lumpur did not ask me any questions, including whether I had an onward ticket.
but the "document check and baggage drop" counter at Air Asia X in Sydney did ask. They accepted my train ticket to Singapore (which cost about $10).
(I'm not submitting this as an answer because I can't compare to flying into Singapore, since I have not tried that yet.)
Best Answer
Johor Bahru is the first stop into Malaysia from Singapore, and is very easy to reach by ground transport. According to Seat61 the journey from Singapore to Johor Bahru is a whopping S$ 5, for the 5 minute journey across the border. Not sure you'll manage much better than that for cheap onward travel proof!
I'd suggest you read through the Seat61 page on Singapore and Malaysia, then book a ticket online for the day you expect to leave. Show that at the border, spend a few days in Singapore, then head northwards by train. Quite possibly also carry on with your journey by train from there too, as it looks interesting from the photos!
Pictures about "Fly into Singapore or Kuala Lumpur on one-way ticket to begin overlanding trip?"
How do you travel between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur?
An inexpensive and efficient way to get from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is by bus. The ride typically takes between five and six hours, depending on traffic and processing time at the border.Does Malaysia require proof of onward travel?
\u201cIn order to enter Malaysia, you must provide proof of onward travel out of Malaysia. You only have a one-way ticket,\u201d she explains.Is it easy to get to Malaysia from Singapore?
By Car. If you choose to take a road trip form Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, the way there is pretty easy, but it will take you about 3 hours and 30 minutes to arrive and you should expect tolls and be prepared for the border crossing with your passport and proper documents.Can I go from Malaysia to Singapore by train?
Taking the Kuala Lumpur to Singapore train can be an adventurous experience for rail travel enthusiasts and a cheap way to travel from KL to Singapore. However there are some drawbacks: The journey is very long and slow: over 7 hours and, depending on which train you catch, much of it at night.How to Travel from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore by Train
More answers regarding fly into Singapore or Kuala Lumpur on one-way ticket to begin overlanding trip?
Answer 2
I am most comfortable speaking from a US perspective, but I'll assume MYS and SGP treat AUS the same or better. There do not appear to be any proof of departure plans required for either country for US citizens:
http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_1017.html#entry_requirements http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/cis/cis_960.html#entry_requirements
I assume Australia has a similar resource somewhere on the Internet.
If I had to show proof of onward travel I would buy an inexpensive bus or airline ticket (as mentioned in a comment link above) and consider that to be the cost of my Visa stamp.
Culturally, Singapore would be more likely to enforce any Visa related rules, or any rules in general.
Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.
Images: Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Andrea Piacquadio, Joshua Welch