Hari Raya 2027 Travel: Causeway Jams & Plans

Hari Raya Puasa 2027 is a public holiday in Singapore on Wednesday 10 March 2027, and Malaysia's official list gives Wednesday 10 and Thursday 11 March (expected, as the final date depends on the moon sighting). Expect the heaviest northbound traffic at Woodlands and Tuas on Monday 8 and Tuesday 9 March, as Malaysians working in Singapore head home, and the heaviest southbound traffic over the weekend of 13–14 March, when they return. Singapore's March school holidays start on Saturday 13 March, so that weekend will be busy in both directions. If you can, cross early in the morning, avoid the eve of Raya, and plan your return before or after that weekend.

For the general picture of holiday traffic across the whole year, see our Causeway jams on public holidays guide. This post focuses on Hari Raya week itself.

Hari Raya Puasa 2027: the key dates

Date	What happens	Status
Around Mon 8 Feb 2027	Ramadan expected to begin	Expected; confirmed by the religious authorities nearer the time
Wed 10 Mar 2027	Hari Raya Puasa, Singapore public holiday	Gazetted by MOM
Wed 10 – Thu 11 Mar 2027	Hari Raya Aidilfitri, Malaysia (including Johor)	Expected, subject to moon sighting
Sat 13 – Sun 21 Mar 2027	Singapore March school holidays	Published by MOE

Because Hari Raya falls on a Wednesday, Singapore does not get a long weekend. Many people take leave on Thursday 11 and Friday 12 March to make a five-day break, running straight into the school holidays. Our 2027 long weekends guide has more leave combinations, and the Malaysia public holidays 2027 guide lists the state-by-state dates.

Why Hari Raya is one of the busiest weeks at the border

Hari Raya is the biggest festival of the year for Malay families on both sides of the Causeway. Tens of thousands of Malaysians who work in Singapore travel home for it, a journey known as balik kampung, many with gifts, luggage and children. At the same time, some Singapore residents use the break for a short trip into Malaysia. Both flows squeeze through the same two checkpoints within a few days.

The numbers from 2026 show what to expect. Singapore's Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) reported that more than 5 million travellers crossed Woodlands and Tuas during the March school holidays and Hari Raya Puasa period from 13 to 22 March 2026. The busiest day, 18 March, saw more than 564,000 travellers, and car travellers waited up to three hours at peak times because of tailbacks from the Malaysian side. In 2027, with Raya and the school holidays back to back again, a similar pattern is likely.

The Hari Raya week, day by day

Day (2027)	Northbound (into Malaysia)	Southbound (into Singapore)
Fri 5 – Sun 7 Mar	Busy at weekend peaks; early leavers start heading home	Normal weekend pattern
Mon 8 Mar	Heavy from the evening	Moderate
Tue 9 Mar (Raya eve)	Very heavy, especially afternoon and evening	Moderate
Wed 10 Mar (Raya day)	Usually lighter from mid-morning, as families are home celebrating	Light to moderate
Thu 11 – Fri 12 Mar	Moderate	Building on Friday as some return early
Sat 13 – Sun 14 Mar	Heavy, as Singapore school holidays begin	Very heavy, especially Sunday afternoon and evening
Sat 20 – Sun 21 Mar	Moderate	Heavy on Sunday as the school holidays end

This table is a planning guide based on how past festive weeks have behaved, not a forecast. ICA usually issues a traffic advisory before Hari Raya, and our Woodlands and Tuas traffic page shows the live cameras.

Plans that work

Going home for Raya (balik kampung)

• Leave on Monday 8 March before dawn, or very early on Tuesday 9 March, rather than after work on the eve.
• Come back on Thursday 11 or Friday 12 March if your leave allows, or very early on Monday 15 March, to avoid the Sunday crush.
• If home is further north (Melaka, Negeri Sembilan, KL or beyond), the Tuas Second Link is often the better crossing, and it saves you the JB city traffic.

A Raya trip into Malaysia from Singapore

• Go on Raya morning rather than on the eve. Roads tend to be calmer while families are at prayers and visiting relatives.
• Expect some closures. Many Malay-run eateries and small shops close for the first days of Syawal. Big malls and hotels usually stay open, but check before you visit a specific restaurant.
• Book rooms early in Melaka, Port Dickson and the Johor resorts; the school holidays push demand up right after Raya.

Visiting friends in JB for open house

Raya open houses continue through the month of Syawal, so you don't have to go during the busiest week. A weekday visit later in March, or a weekend in early April, usually means a far easier crossing and a more relaxed visit.

Ramadan bazaar trips in February and March

During Ramadan, evening bazaars pop up across Johor Bahru, and they are a popular trip for Singapore food lovers. Roads in JB get busy in the hour before the evening meal, so arrive in the late afternoon and come back after dinner. For ideas on what else to do in the city, see our things to do in Johor Bahru guide.

Practical tips for Raya week

• Check passports now. Malaysia requires at least six months' validity. Renewing in late February will be stressful.
• Use MyICA QR clearance on the Singapore side for faster clearance, and still carry everyone's passport.
• Non-citizen residents of Singapore may need the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card; see our MDAC guide.
• Pack snacks and water, and charge your phone. A three-hour queue is not the time to discover an empty bottle.
• Respect those fasting. If you are travelling during Ramadan, avoid eating or drinking openly in front of fasting drivers and staff where you can.
• Keep dates flexible. If the moon sighting moves Raya by a day in Malaysia, travel plans built around the eve will move too.

Raya week by private car

With heavy queues almost guaranteed, how you wait matters. In a private car you stay in your seat through immigration at both checkpoints, with your bags and gifts in the boot, instead of queueing in packed halls and changing buses on the other side. Your driver picks you up at your door anywhere in Singapore and takes you straight to the family home or hotel, and our cross-border drivers know when each crossing tends to move during festive weeks. Fares are per car and the same in both directions, with tolls, checkpoint fees, fuel and parking included. Cars for Raya week book out early, so reserve once your leave is approved.

Heading in for Raya? Book on our online booking form or start from the Singapore to Johor Bahru page. For the trip back, see our Johor Bahru to Singapore and Kuala Lumpur to Singapore transfers, or Whatsapp us your dates and we will suggest a sensible time to cross. No deposit; you pay the driver on arrival.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 14 October 2026