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Getting a bike into Singapore is not as simple as for other countries. Below is the process.

Also, below are details of shipping arrangements to send a bike to Darwin.

Getting your bike into Singapore

Before you can take your bike across to Singapore, you will need to go across to Singapore on foot and do the following (you must leave your bike on the Malaysia side of things (Johor Bahru):

a) Get the 'entry' section of your carnet endorsed by the AA in Singapore.

b) Buy an ICP (International Circulation Permit from the AA in Singapore.

c) In order to get a & b, above, you will need to demonstrate that you have insurance coverage for Singapore. I got insurance in Johor from UniAsia General at their office at 17/18 Jalan Tebrau, tel. 07-223 0488. It cost MYR 31 for 4 days' cover and covers both Malaysia and Singapore).

To go on foot to the AA offices in Singapore:

- Walk across to the border control on the Malaysia side of things and get your passport stamped out.

- When you come out, get any of the buses (MYR 90 cents) to Karangi MRT station. The bus will take you firstly across the bridge, however, with hindsight, because of traffic, it would have been quicker to walk.

- Go up to the bus immigration hall (where there is a massive queue, so go early) and pick up 2 forms - one for now and one for when you return again later with your bike.

- Once your passport is stamped in, go out and find the bus from whichever company you used and carry on on it for 5 mins to Karangi station (everyone gets off here). Then, get some SGD from the ATM at the station and buy an MRT (train) ticket to Somerset and make your way (7 mins walk) to the AA Singapore offices at 335 River Valley Road (GPS co-ord's N01 17.696 E103 50.20).

- Speak to Rosie Chan (or anyone else) and pay SGD 10.70 for the ICP. Also get the bottom portion of your carnet endorsed (a stamp and a signature).

Return to Malaysia:

- Back to Somerset MRT then to Karangi and bus back to border.

- At 2pm, there was no queue at all to get out of Singapore passport control. Then back on the bus and fill in an immigration card to Malaysia.

- Walk out of the Malaysian border and pick up your bike (I left mine at the hotel).

Back to Singapore with the bike:

- Take the bike lane on the left and get your passport stamped out of Malaysia without even getting off.

- Around 50 metres later, there is an attempt at a customs booth. Stop by the police checkpoint on the left and park up. You then have to walk through a maze of buildings to the Singapore-Malaysia direction of travel to find the office to get your carnet stamped out of Malaysia.

- Ride across the bridge in the left bike lane and then pass through the bike gates where you give the man your passport and immigration card (that you picked up earlier on). Stamped in 30 seconds!

- At the 2nd immigration post, pull in to the right and find someone to:

     a) Stamp your carnet into Singapore

     b) Sell you a SGD 10 Autopass card for Singapore roads (more on this below!).

- Carry on through. There is a further customs who may or may not bother to search you (they didn't even look at me!).

- You are now free(ish) to roam the streets of Singapore.

...but beware of the ERP system. This is a road charging system whereby if you travel on certain roads during certain hours, you need to pay a toll. This is done via your Autopass card being deducted. HOWEVER(!) they cannot deduct it as you need to have a small box machine fitted to your bike. As you don't have one, you will get your picture taken as you pass through the gantries. There is no warning or opportunity to turn off before the ERP gantries, so basically, you WILL be potentially fined SGD 70 per time!! As I was concerned about fines either being sent to my home or showing up next time I visited Singapore, I went (by MRT to Bishan as I didn't want to get any more fines) to the LTA transport office at 10 Sin Min Drive to confess my sins. I spoke to a lady there (Gurneet on 6553 5118) to explain the predicament and she was very understanding and agreed to cancel any fines that showed up in the system (one did show up).

Total costs: MYR 31 (Insurance) + MYR 1.80 + SGD 2.80 (Bus and Train return) + SGD 10.70 (ICP) + SGD 10 (Autopass). Total equivalent in Nov 07 was USD 21.

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Arranging shipping and Dropping off your bike at the Singapore docks

Perkins are one of the main shipping companies between Singapore and Darwin. They have previously dealt with a number of overlanders, so the process really is very easy.

Megastar are the Singapore agents for Perkins. Call Angie Ong there on 6225 8226 or email at angie.ong@megastar.com.sg. Angie will tell you which dates are available (you can also go to www.perkins.com.au for timings). I only emailed Angie a few days before the shipping date and asked her to book me space and there were no issues.

When I got to Singapore, I went to the Megastar offices at 31a Neil Road, near to Tanjong Pajar MRT station and walked around 5 minutes to the offices (GPS co-ord's N01 16.801 E103 50.603). Angie needed to photocopy my carnet, ICP and passport and gave me an 'initial waybill' to take to the cargo depot when I dropped off my bike as well as a letter to the port to provide me with a harbour pass. The day before you are due to drop off the bike for shipping (which can still be a few days before it leaves), go back to AA Singapore and get the exit portion (middle) of your carnet stamped and endorsed. You will need to provide them with confirmed details of the exit vessel etc.

The bike has to be spotless to get past Australian quarantine, so I went to BMW in Singapore at GPS co-ord's N01 20.213 E103 47.015 to use their cleaning area and power hose.

The next day, I went to drop off the bike at PSA Pasir Panjang Wharf. The address that Angie had given me was for Gate 3, however, first it is necessary to go up to Gate 4 (GPS co-ord's N01 17.472 E103 46.019) to get the pass.

- At Gate 4, the queue here took almost 2 hours! You will need to pay around SGD 3.50 for the pass, but they only accept payment from a special chip card, which you won't have, so ask someone in the queue to pay and give them the cash.

- Go to the Gate 3 area (GPS co-ord's N01 16.50 E103 47.438) and get your carnet stamped out.

- Now go to the actual gate and show your pass.

- Head down to PT4 cargo building. Around half way along, inside the building is a portacabin and that is where they measure the bike. You need to give them the 'initial waybill' that Angie gave you. They will write the w/m (weight measure) on it and give it back to you to take back to Angie (as a comparison, my BMW F650 GS Dakar was 2.6 cubic metres including the panniers). There was no need to crate the bike, which saved both time and money. Among other things, if you crate to Australia with wood, it has to be fumigated and certified first.

- Give the bike a final wipe over.

- Take a bus to the nearest MRT station (Harbour Front) and go back to the Megastar offices.

- Give Angie the waybill with the w/m on it and pay in cash (you can pay freight charges in USD and the other charges in SGD or just pay the lot in SGD).

- Finally, give Angie your Autopass for cancellation / return to the LTA.

Total costs: Equivalent to just under USD 400 made up as follows (Nov 07 exchange rates)

Freight                USD 300   (flat)

Bunker costs      USD 36     (2.8 cubic metres at USD 15)

LCL                     SGD 48     (2.8 cubic metres at SGD 20)

Wharf handling   SGD 4.87 (2.8 cubic metres at SGD 1.75)

UCI Fee              SGD 5       (a flat fee of SGD 10 but in my case split between 2 bikes)

B/L Doc Fee      SGD 30     (a flat fee of SGD 60 but in my case split between 2 bikes)

Port Pass           SGD 3.50  (paid to port office to get an access pass)

...see this link for details of collection in Darwin

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