Great news. There are buses running again from Brunei to Miri, and while we’re not yet at the stage of having a twice daily bus as it was pre-pandemic, they are at least running. However, there are different options in 2024 that also include taxis to and from borders, buses, and walking a way too. Here are all the current details of how to go to Miri from Brunei.
Note that I’m updating this article with all comments from readers, so if you have an experience that will help another traveler, please drop me an email [email protected] or drop a note in the comments.
THIS POST MAY CONTAIN COMPENSATED AND AFFILIATE LINKS MORE INFORMATION IN OUR DISCLAIMER
Brunei to Miri in 2025
Update: September 2 2025
From Adam: We ended up making the trip through Find Me Logistics (Pauline) – 150$BND for a private car. She took us door to door from our hotel in Miri to our hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan via a quick stop at the Billionth Barrel monument. Comfy 7 seater car, so plenty room for us and our luggage, and some nice info about the country and sights on the drive. Passport control was really straight forward, didn’t have to leave the car or talk to anyone other than our driver.
In November 2024 there are now direct buses running again (hurray) from Brunei to Miri. There are buses available from MHS Express and also from DAMRI. And there are also transfers as provided by Pauline and Mr Lau (see details below).
This update from Steen Aagaard:
There is an Indonesian bus passing Miri, Kuching and going further on to Pontianak in Indonesia. The fare was 35 BND. They dropped me on the ringroad close to Miri town. The bus company is MHS Express. (there is a photo below). It leaves on Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday. There will possibly be another day each week added to the schedule. This bus leaves from the waterfront in Bandar at around 11:15 and drops in Miri at around 14:15. (Note this is Jalan McArthur & Klanggeh Rd corner in BSB)
DAMRI is also offering buses. They have an office opposite the waterfront in BSB. (Note this is Jalan McArthur & Klanggeh Rd corner in BSB) While it may look possible to book these DAMRI buses online I (Sarah) haven’t successfully managed to make a booking online (it’s via RedBus). But I’m working with our partners in Malaysia and Brunei to try and get an online booking availability. I’ll keep you posted!
Thanks to Adam, who updates in August 2025 that Al-Baraka are no longer selling tickets for the Damri bus as the service is no longer running.
This update from Mazlinda Adnan
Hi, I want to share our recent experience (31st October 2024) travel from BSB to Miri by bus (express bus). We used the Damri Bus, which their original route is from BSB to Pontianak. But the bus will stop at Miri, Bintulu and Kuching (if I’m not mistaken). Do note that the bus from BSB will be leaving at 2:00 pm on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday only.
PRACTICAL TRAVEL TIPS
- 🛡️ Get Travel Insurance: Civitatis includes medical expenses, repatriation, theft, luggage delays. No deductibles or upfront payments. Get a quote here.
- 🛏️ Sea view? Laundry? Private bath? Book a Room.
- 🔌 Be ready for the plug, socket & power situation.
- 📶 Internet, maps and data on the go. eSims for Travel
If anyone is planning to use the service, you can buy the ticket from Al-Baraka Travel (can reach them via WhatsApp, Instagram or Facebook). The fare will cost you BND 25 per person and the journey will take you about 2.5 to 3 hours, considering the time at the immigration.
In Miri, the bus will drop you by the roadside in front of EMart Tudan. Hope this will help anyone who is planning to travel from BSB to Miri.
*****************************************
NOTE: You’ll need to complete a DIGITAL Arrival Card BEFORE getting to the border if you’re not a Malaysian resident or citizen. Use this link https://imigresen-online.imi.gov.my/mdac/main to get it done. There are BIG queues at the border because of people not doing this.
Updates as they happen on this border crossing
UPDATE: 8th March 2024 – Sergio from Turin, Italy – would like to confirm you that Mr. Lai provides a very good transportation service between BSB and Miri (Malaysia). It cost me 35 BND. It’s just a confirmation in case other people have to move between these cities.
UPDATE: March 8th 2024: Used FindMeLogistics with ease, even being a late flight arriving in the evening they managed to get me across to Miri for 80BND without any headaches.
Update March 8th 2024
First of all we want to thank you for providing all the information and keeping it updated! We travelled with Find me Logistics on March 6th from Miri airport to BSB and everything worked out great. She even waited 90 minutes for us because our flight was delayed. Since finding recent information on how to get from BSB to Kota Kinabalu wasn’t that easy we thought sharing our experience might also help some.
1. Bus. Actually the bus (Sipitang express) only operated three times a week (Tue, Thu, Sat) and apparently did not operate at all in the last two weeks. We don’t know if there will be busses again but if you look on their website you can’t even choose BSB as your origin or destination. If it does operate again check for the bus terminal since that also changed.
2. Ferry. People told us that after Covid the ferry from Brunei (Serasa ferry terminal) to Labuan does not operate as often and reliable as it used to. Sometimes there is no ferry at all. We couldn’t find a current schedule online. When you look up the ferry terminal on google maps you find a picture with two numbers (+6738731299 and +6737443544) to contact on WhatsApp to get the schedule for the next weeks, which worked out. (Until March 17th there is a daily ferry at 8:30 am and then either at 1 pm or 4:30 pm to Labuan.) We took a dart to the terminal (22 BND) and bought the tickets (25 BND, cash only). Boarding starts 30 minutes before departure. The ferry ride took us 1:20h plus 20 minutes for immigration. From Labuan to KK there is no more ferry at all. We booked a speedboat to Menumbok in advance (22 MYR, 30 minutes, labuanpay) and then a bus from there to KK, which we also booked the day before (22 MYR, 2:45h, easybook).
3. Flight. Flying was no option for us but the two most affordable options seemed to be to either take a private transport back to Miri and fly from there or try to get to Limbang (~1h from BSB) and get a flight from there. Hope this will help some people!
UPDATE: 6th March 2024: We travelled with Find me Logistics on March 6th from Miri airport to BSB and everything worked out great. She even waited 90 minutes for us because our flight was delayed.
UPDATE: 4th March 2024:
Thank you for your post on how to travel from Brunei to Miri, it was of great help when I did the journey yesterday! I used Pauline’s company, Find Me Logistics, worked like a charm. You agree on a pick-up and drop-off point through Whatsapp. From Bandar Seri Begawan it took a bit more than three hours for me as there was a pick-up and drop-off along the way, as well as a flat tyre (the car has a spare tyre, but it still took a little while to change it). There were also queues on the Malaysian side.
A small note on the coverage for mobile phones: On your page it says there is no coverage at the border, but I had full coverage on my Bruneian sim card from DST both at the Bruneian and Malaysian checkpoints. I only activated my Malaysian sim card closer to Miri so I don’t know what the situation is for them right now. Can be worth knowing, as the digital arrival card is now mandatory for Malaysia and if you have a Bruneian sim card and have forgotten to fill it in, you could do it while waiting in queue. Pauline / Find Me will however remind you several times to fill it in.
Update 2nd March 2024:
Hello, we travelled from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by plane and even though it is a 20 minutes flight, the actual journey time was over 5 hours and very boring. We looked at various options for the return journey, including via Miri but the wait at the border was not something I was looking forward to, and the ferry to Labuan then ferry to Menumbok or flying from Labuan to KK just looked too convoluted and susceptible to cancellations and delays. So, we finally settled on hiring a car with a driver to drive us to KK, which as it turned out was a really good option (on the 2nd of March). The journey took just under 6 hours with stops for coffee and snacks. There were no queues on the border and the scenery is amazing. The cost was for the car, so we could have had 4 people in the car and it would still have cost the same. I highly recommend it. 300 BN$
UPDATE: February 26th 2024: We (a family of four from the UK) made the journey from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei, and then on to Miri in February 2024. There are still no bus connections into or out of Brunei from Malaysia. Thanks to this blog, we contacted Pauline and she provided an excellent transfer service that allowed us to spend some time in Brunei. Like others, we had a very smooth and enjoyable experience with some additional interesting stops provided along the way. The border crossings were also very straight forward. Brunei is certainly worth the effort – it’s a fascinating and beautiful place. Just one additional comment from us. Grab/Gojek/Uber don’t work in Brunei. They use their own version called Dart (downloadable as an app). We were told that you needed to have a local SIM in order to use it but we found that it worked using our e-sim. Like everybody else in Brunei, the Dart drivers were really friendly and wonderful.
UPDATE: 7th February 2024: Find me Logistics to travel from Brunei to Miri on 7th February 2024. First class. Excellent communication. Very comfortable transport and a very pleasant driver. Highly recommended.
UPDATE December 2023: There are now TWO different services offering transfers from BSB to Miri. Take 1.5 hours to 2 hours to complete the journey using these services
- Pauline at FIND ME LOGISTICS – car service from Brunei to Miri to Brunei. They offer car shuttle services from Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND40/pax. Whatsapp at +6010-3773743. Private service available for 80-120 BND, depending on requirements.
- Mr Lai (+673 871 2009) (in Miri) – 120$ for a chartered car or 35$ if shared, one way.
UPDATE: December 2023: Things are still working well with Pauline – please see the comments for an update from Sarah
UPDATE: July 2023: The price is now BND$40 per person.
UPDATE: APRIL 2023 – this from Pauline at FIND ME LOGISTICS – they are running a car service from Brunei to Miri to Brunei. They offer car shuttle services from Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND35/pax. Custom checkpoint open from 6am – 10pm daily. That may help for those who want to travel to Brunei/ Miri for now.
Anyone interested may contact us via Whatsapp at +6010-3773743 or Brunei Number +673-7336377
If you take Pauline up on this PLEASE let me know how the service is and I’ll keep everyone up to date!
*****
Taking the Bus from Brunei to Miri
Back to the buses: If you want to do this by bus, then its a combination of buses, all public and a little walking and then a GRAB/taxi from the Malaysian border.
Primarily you’re going to be catching a series of buses, or taxis. START EARLY – don’t try and do this crossing late afternoon. Leave BSB in the morning.
1. Get from BSB to Kuala Belait
Take a Minibus from the corner of Kianggeh Rd & Jln Pemancha (outside the Brunei Hotel) that heads to Seria.
The first bus goes at 6 am and then every hour. Buses from BSB to Seria cost 6 BND per person.
You can find the Brunei to Miri bus schedule (via Kuala Belait and the border) here all the public bus services in Brunei are here.
It’s a local minibus and you’re going to want to go to the end of the line, to Seria. Go earlier than you need to as these buses stop everywhere and for everyone. Jake, Camila, and Lukas left BSB at 7am and were in Miri by 11:30 in March 2023.
Alternatively, if you can find an express bus to Seria or even better Kuala Belait take that.
If you’ve taken the minibus from BSB to Seria, then you need to get on the bus to Kuala Belait. you get this bus from the same place that you get off the minibus from BSB.
The bus from Seria to Kuala Belait costs 1 BND per person.
Buses from Seria to Kuala Belait stop at around 4 pm. Go early to do this trip.
The bus to Kuala Belait finishes in a parking lot and across the road from that is a covered parking lot, you’ll recognize it by the fact that there’s a barbers shop there.
2. Going to Kuala Belait to the Border
From this parking lot, there’s a taxi that goes to Miri. Again you’ll need to go early, you’re unlikely to find the taxi here much beyond 4 pm.
If you don’t find a taxi there, then just ask at the barber shop for a private car to go to the border. The going rate is $20 BND You can ask if someone will take you to Miri if you want to make it a lot easier.
3. Exiting Brunei at the Border
When you get to Customs and Immigration you’re going to stand in the line with all the cars. This isn’t a border that people normally walk over, so you’ll be something of a curiosity.
Make sure you’ve got all the required paperwork or electronic documentation to exit Brunei and enter Miri. There’s no WiFi here and if you have a Malaysian SIM card it isn’t covered here.
4. Walk Across No Man’s Land
Once you’ve exited Brunei you need to walk across no man’s land to Malaysia. Again START THIS JOURNEY EARLY. You don’t want to be walking across no man’s land in the dark. It’s not that it’s dangerous, it’s just that it’s dark!
5. Go Through the Malaysian Immigration
If it’s not obvious where to check in when you get to the Malaysian entry point, then someone will help. If you’re happy to grab a lift with someone to Miri, just look lost, and hopeful, and ask someone. Folks are generally pretty friendly here. Give them some money for the gas. In two recent reports, travelers have had success just asking someone for a lift and giving them some cash.
6. Getting from the Border to Miri
Otherwise, if you can find a ride, then after customs and immigration you’ll want to head to the LEFT at the big roundabout. After about 1 kilometer there’s a toll booth here and you should be able to find a ride from there.
It’s likely to be 10 kilometers or so before you get internet access if you have a Malaysian SIM, and so you can arrange a Grab to pick you up and take you to Miri.
Alternatively, if anyone that you find at the border has Grab, or can “loan you some internet” ask them to order you a Grab (which might convince them to take you to Miri themselves and make a few dollars.
You will have a MUCH easier time doing this crossing earlier in the day. Want to know what to do in Miri? Our guide to Miri is here.
Brunei to Miri by Car with FindMe Logistics
Pauline at FIND ME LOGISTICS runs a car service from Brunei to Miri to Brunei. They offer car shuttle services from Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND35/pax. Custom checkpoint open from 6am – 10pm daily. That may help for those who want to travel to Brunei/ Miri for now.
Anyone interested contact via Whatsapp at +6010-3773743 or Brunei Number +673-7336377
Readers report that this is MUCH better than the local buses as its a semi-tourguide service, so you’ll learn a lot en route. Pauline is also very experienced at transiting the border here and you won’t be joining the big lines!
Driving a Rental Car from Brunei to Miri or Miri to Brunei
We’ve received several questions about whether its possible to rent a car in Brunei and drive to Miri, Malaysia, or the other way round. The answer is that the border controls will let you drive through, BUT it is unlikely that the rental car company will let you take the car out of the country. Check with your rental car company and if they agree its possible, then make sure you get it in writing and that you have all the paperwork for the car in the car with you.
Where to Stay in Miri
There are some great places to stay in Miri– here’s our pick of the luxury places to stay in Miri, mid-range places to stay in Miri, and budget accommodations in Miri.
Pullman Miri Waterfront, Miri: The Pullman Miri Waterfront is ideally located right in the center of Miri, conveniently surrounded by the main attractions of the city. Each sleek room at this luxury Miri hotel is equipped with a flat-screen TV, high-speed internet connection, a mini-bar, a mini-fridge, a private bathroom, a desk, a seating area, and a view of the bustling city. . The fitness center has a Jacuzzi, and steam and sauna rooms are also available. The Pullman Miri Waterfront is a luxury Miri hotel in Miri City. You can check room rates and availability here.
Ajang Hotel, Miri: The Ajang Hotel is located in the Commercial Center in Miri. Each room at this budget hotel in Miri features air-conditioning, a flat-screen TV, a fridge, a private bathroom, an iron and ironing board, complimentary water, an in-room safe, a coffee/tea maker, and a complimentary WiFi connection. The budget Miri hotel has a coffee shop and room service. The Ajang Hotel is a popular place to stay in Miri. You can find out more about this in-demand accommodation in Miri and also check dates and rates here.
Malaysia Travel Tips
- Get Travel Insurance: Civitatis includes medical expenses, repatriation, theft, luggage delays. No deductibles or upfront payments. Get a quote here.
- Get online immediately with an eSIM for Malaysia.
- Complete your Malaysia Digital Arrivals Card – this replaces the paper based card as of November 2023.
- Arriving by air? Book your airport transfer with Welcome Pickups.
- Download and install a VPN BEFORE you travel to Malaysia > discount coupon here
- Book the best Malaysia tours and guides on Klook
- Save money in Malaysia with a Wise debit card
- Book Buses in Malaysia with BusonlineTicket
- Book accommodation in Malaysia with Booking
Final Words on Going from Brunei to Miri in 2024
Unfortunately, the PHLS direct bus is no longer running, and that made this border crossing super easy. Now you’ll have to either get yourself a taxi to the border, walk across the border and then get another taxi down to Miri, or you can take a bus to Kuala Belait and then grab a ride to the border. You *may* score a taxi from Kuala Belait to Miri – read the details, best of luck and let me know how you get on! A transfer service from Brunei to Miri is now available, which gets RAVE reviews, and gives you a lot of local knowledge on the way too.
ASocialNomad is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.com, amazon.co.uk, and amazon.ca. Amazon and the Amazon logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
92 thoughts on “How To Go from Brunei to Miri, Malaysia”
Hi, I’m planning to travel to BSB from Miri and looking forward to catching the bus from Miri. Do you have a suggestion of where I should wait for the bus? Is the Pujut Corner Express Bus Terminal my best option here?
I’m a little bit anxious because it’s really the only bus that I know of that connects Miri-BSB and so little information about it’s whole existence, it’s almost elusive or urban-legend-ish in a way. LOL. Even the official PHLS Express website doesn’t offer much information regarding the bus schedules or routes. I’ve emailed the contact person and I got no answer, yet.
I’m planning to catch the earliest departure which I’ve read is around 8 in the morning. And I only have one chance to do it because the next day I’m flying to Kota Kinabalu from BSB airport.
Please help me, my kind fellow wayfarer. Thank you very much.
Hallo there! Yes Pujut Corner is your best bet. Tell your taxi driver that you’re going for the PHLS bus to BSB from PC and he’ll take you to PC. It’s definitely not a myth, but like you we worried for a good while that the bus was actually real! I think it’s more that no one really writes about it! It was mainly Malaysians on the bus when we were there, only one other east of western tourists.. ( and we didn’t get a response from PHLS on email either, so don’t worry about that either..). You can also book your ticket online, there is a link in the blog. Good luck and hope you enjoy!
Useful tips. Thank you
May I know how’s the hotel in miri central. About the room rate, location and cleanliness. We are at work persons travelling. Thank you
We paid USD$20.94 a night for a private room with a private bathroom including breakfast. The room was superbly clean. Staff were friendly, wifi worked well. Location was also great, it was easy to walk to the market for food, although we needed a taxi from the bus station (there were no buses from there to the centre) and you also need a taxi – from everywhere to the airport.
Is the 1 PM bus from BSB to Miri still running? I can’t find the tickets for it on easy book. Thanks.
Yes. It’s running, I checked just now. You need to select the start point as “Waterfont Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei Darussalam, Brunei ” – as it goes from the Waterfront, not the main bus station. (its my pet hate with Easybook, that you can’t just put in BSB!, but star typing Bandar seri and it will come up with the options, and its Waterfront that you need.
I will be trying out the Brunei to Miri direct bus for the first time, and already, Easybook.com made the critical mistake of “refreshing” my page at payment and changing my departure date to a wrong one. Anyway, hope the trip itself will be smooth and pleasant. It sure sounds OK from the article in this blog. 🙂
Ah oh dear, I’m sorry you had that experience with them – I hope the trip goes well, we found it very smooth and an easy trip to make. Good luck!
Hi,
Great info. I’ve been researching this topic for an upcoming trip as well. In the easybook.com website, there is also an option to take the bus from Miri to BSB at the E-mart, which departs later and is a shorter trip. My guess is that this is just the same bus from PC, but the 2.5 hour travel time seems quite attractive. The only problem is that I have no idea where the EMart location is! Easybook doesn’t give the map location. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Hi, thanks! There are two emarts in Miri, one that you’ll find by searching for emart riam (which is further on from Miri, towards the airport) and emart Tudan, which is the road to Brunei. I truly don;t know which one it is. I can’t see how the time to travel could be reduced by 2.5 hours, as the distance between emart tudan and pujut corner isn;t that great and the time in travel can’t really be cut down. We saw no evidence, when we were in either Miri or BSB that there were 2 buses. Sorry I can’t help, but do let me know if you find anymore info! Sarah
Hi Sarah,
Planning to visit Miri from Brunei on July 1, 2019.
I wanted to experience culture and diversity.
Now, having said that is there any requirements except passport passing all the boarders? I am a Philippine passport holder.
Regards,
Ricky
Just a quick note to say that the bus NO longer exists. The Easybook site does not return any buses and I can tell you, from standing on the corner in BSB from where the bus was meant to depart from, the afternoon bus, that it does not exist. Also mention “the bus to Miri” to the locals and there is much shaking of heads and comments such as “no bus”, “no more” or “company gone, they broke”.
What I did was as follows:
1) Minibus from the corner of Kianggeh Rd & Jln Pemancha that heads to Seria. Just ask, it is pronounced as the country, Syria, and seem to turn up about every 30 min. Go to the end of the line. This is a locals public transport sort of bus so not the fastest. There may be express buses to Seria or Kuala Belait but I didn’t see them.
2) From the spot where 1) terminates, grab the next bus to Kuala Belait. I was lucky and got the last bus of the day at about 4pm. This would be the slowest bus I have ever been on but passes through an intriguing area, firstly through the British Army base, then the Shell oil area, both operations and where the staff live. This bus terminates in a parking lot. Over the road is another parking lot that is covered and has a barbershop. Supposedly a Miri taxi departs from here. I was there at about 5pm and the taxi had just left.
3) Ask around and you may be lucky to find someone to drive you to the border – I was, a lovely retired gentleman, gave him $20. For some reason I brain faded at the time and didn’t think to ask about a taxi just to the border, just to Miri, which had left. I then walked up to the Customs/Immigration and stood in the queue with all the cars around me – this is not a checkpoint like Singapore/JB, people normally don’t walk it.
4) At the checkpoint don’t get involved in a stray dog fight and make sure you have the electronic entry/exit thingy, a pdf. If you came in via ferry from Labuan, which I did, you won’t. The officials were really good and created one for me as I didn’t have Brunei net access and Malaysian net does not reach.
5) Check out of Brunei and start the walk across no man’s land to Malaysia. Best not to do this at 6:30pm as it will be dark although the sky at sunset is beautiful. If it is Friday night, you could score a lift with the locals pouring down to Miri to party so you don’t have to walk.
6) At the Malaysian side, just look lost and an official will direct you where to go to check into Malaysia. Once again, you may score a lift into Miri otherwise start the walk. When you come out of the Customs area, there is a large roundabout, veer to the left. About 1km down, there is a toll booth. You can get net access by now so I was lucky, a nice bloke by the name of Quan, gave me a lift to his place, which was about 12km from the border, from where I got a Grab into town, about another 15km. I suppose during the day you could get a Grab to come out and get you.
Overall it was “an experience”. I had to get through all this as I flew out of Miri the next morning. My flaw was waiting around to see if the bus did turn up and in turn just missed a Seria bus that cost me another 30 minutes. Get off the ferry, a taxi into town, a bus down south and you should be good.
thanks for the update Andrew. I’ll update the post.
Currently, the bus from Miri to Brunei doesn’t seem to be running anymore (checked dates for March 2023). Which exactly leaves no option to travel between the two overland. Or do you know alternative ways?
Els – check the comment from Andrew just a few days ago.
Hi I just did this trip yesterday, there is no longer a bus that runs across the boarder, if you want to cross the boarder you have to take a taxi to the boarder then cross on foot and try and find a ride on the other side
Gracias, teniamos pensado viajar a Brunei desde Miri, pero me parece que no podra ser.
Lo siento, es muy difícil en este momento. ¡Espero que el autobús directo se reinicie pronto!
We are planning to make the crossing from Miri into BSB on March 23 2023. Do you think it will be possible to do it this way around? For now all the info online seems to be misleading or dead ends generally so we will try our luck and give ourselves a couple of days to complete the crossing in case things went south. We will let you know what our experience is like once we get into BSB.
Thanks for posting the updates!
F&S
Hi Federica – you’ll need to take a Grab to as close as they will take you to the border – my guess is that if you’re paying they’ll take you as far as they can. (its about 28 km from downtown Miri). From the other side of the border, I’d ask around for a lift, or to pay someone to take your Kuala Belait, and then you can take a bus into BSB from there. Best of luck and thanks in advance for letting us all know how it goes! Sarah
Hi! It appears we will be doing the same on 23rd after two days in Brunei. It’s three of us, it might be easier/cheaper if try to cross together? Feel free to drop us a message
Jake, Camilla and Lukas
Hi Jakr, thanks for this, I’ve dropped an email to you and Federica with your contact details, so as to remove your WhatsApp from public view. Sarha
Thanks so much for the update. I planned to go from Miri to Brunei in June and wanted to take the bus. I will let you know if there are any changes/updates in summer.
Thanks Mary, I’ll also update if and when I get more information! Sarah
Hello Sarah, do you have any news from Frederica and Jakr who said that they would travel on the 23rd of march ? I intend to go from Miri to BSB in April.
Have a nice week-end
Louis
Hi Louis – yes! All went well. Jake (Jakr was my misspelling) and three others traveled on the 23rd. I’ve incorporated their updates into the article, but in essence, take the bus from the Brunei Hotel to Seria, then another bus to Kuala Belait. Then ask at the barbers shop for a taxi (20BND) to the border. Then find a friendly local on the other side to take you into Miri. Start early (7am bus is a good option from BSB) and you’ll be in Miri before lunch! Good luck and let me know how you get on!
Thanks for the update Sarah ! I’ll keep you informed about my experience.
Louis
Hi Sarah! I will go to Miri from BSB on 14-May to catch my flight going to KUL. Are the buses from Brunei Hotel going to Seria has intervals? Let say the first trip is 7am when is the next bus schedule? Also any updates for the direct bus from BSB to Miri? Thanks!
Hi Leo – there’s still no direct bus, and there’s no news on whether there will be one (PHLS doesn’t run anymore), the bus from the Brunei Hotel to Seria runs every hour. However, you can now also contact a car shuttle service run by Find me Runner Services (see Pauline’s comment) and also
Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND35/pax. Custom check point open from 6am – 10pm daily. That may help for those who want to travel to Brunei/ Miri for now.
Anyone interested may contact us via Whatsapp at +6010-3773743 or Brunei Number +673-7336377
Hi Sarah, I’m Pauline, we do offer car shuttle services from Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND35/pax. Custom check point open from 6am – 10pm daily. That may help for those who want to travel to Brunei/ Miri for now.
Anyone interested may contact us via Whatsapp at +6010-3773743 or Brunei Number +673-7336377
Thanks Pauline, that’s fabulous to hear! There are lots of folks wanting this service!
Thanks a lot Sarah 🙂
Hi Sarah, I contacted FM Logistics on the WhatsApp number you gave to organise travel from Miri to BSB. Pauline was fantastic – saved me A LOT of trouble. I asked for a shared car if available on my date but would do private charter if not. Not a problem. Pauline got in touch the day before, as promised, saying other passengers wanted to go, so we could all share. I paid in Malaysian Ringitt – RM120 for one way, door to door from my hotel in Miri to my hostel in BSB. A private charter would have been RM267. Way cheaper than taxis. Moreover, Pauline helped us through the border including with the Brunei E-declaration forms and gave us a free car tour of some Brunei towns en route to BSB. I genuinely think I would have been stuck on the Brunei side of the border if I just got a taxi from Miri to the Malaysian side. There were no taxis, no buses, the local town 20km away and no signal on my phone (Malaysian SIM). I wouldn’t have fancied hitchhiking, the only option that seemed available. Huge thanks to Pauline for the excellent service and to you for pointing me in her direction!
Yay! Glad to head it was useful and that you had a great trip! Thanks Paul!
Hi Sarah
Thanks for consolidating all the comments. I’m wondering whether it’s worth to consider a day-trip to Brunei while staying in Miri over the weekend. I will be flying from Sg to Miri. Is there any tour agency that offers day-trip to major attractions in Brunei?
Hi Adrian – Pauline of Findme Logistics might be able to help with that – Whatsapp at +6010-3773743 or Brunei Number +673-7336377 – or if you get over the border, then you could join this tour – I found that the stilt villages and the water ways were fascinating in BSB.
Thank you so much for this! I’ve contacted Pauline to set up transport from Brunei to miri. Honestly was very stressed when I discovered the bus wasn’t running until I discovered your updated article! I really appreciate the effort you put into this, so helpful!
Hi Robin! May I know if you are solo trip going to Miri? And how much did you pay for the fare? I will also going to Miri from Kuala Belait. Hoping for your response.
Hi Leo – Pauline’s charges are in the article “They offer car shuttle services from Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND35/pax. ” – I suggest you contact her she’ll give you a price. Robin was going from Bruni to Miri, the other direction to you. Sarah
Hi, I’m Paul from Singapore, and recently I have use Pauline’s service to travel from Miri to Brunei.
I am a single traveler, Pauline charge me around Brunei $70 to get from the airport straight to BSB.
My flight was delayed about an hour and I have reached the terminal late, Pauline was very kind enough to wait for me. Was greeted by her outside the airport, direction given was clear and there is only one super red vehicle waiting for me outside.
She was using a very new, clean, spacious 7 seater car to fetch me. Overall the vehicle is extremely comfortable and wide window for me to view the outside as I’m traveling.
She is a good communicator as well, sharing many information around MIRI as well as Brunei. We stopped a few places of interest along the way before reaching to my final destination.
I feel that it is more than just a vehicle that bring me from point A to point B, but it feels like I am having a tour along the way.
The total journey from Miri airport to BSB Gadong took about 4hours including immigration time.
I really enjoyed myself and I am very fortunate to meet Pauline during my trip.
I highly recommend those who are exploring or looking for a mode of transport to find her and/or company.
Many thanks to Pauline on making my trip a memorable one.
Paul, thank you SO much for the update! And so glad that you had a great experience with Pauline! Sarah
Just to drop a comment about our trip from BSB to Miri today (May, 13th, 2023). We followed exactly the itinerrary written here, public bus to Seria from “bus terminal” (B$6), then to K.B. (B$1). We already used public buses in BSB, so we knew about that bus. The ride to Seria took around 1.5h. A guy approached us already in Seria and then wait for us at K.B. He asked B$50 to get to the border which we rejected (although he said there is no one else doing this taxi). We then asked the guy in barber shop and he found a guy which dropped us there for B$25. It’s Saturday, after lunch. (Anyway, very good Indian restaurant with good prices next to the bus stop in K.B.). We then walked with cars to the Brunei control, got a stamp and then walked through the “land of nobody” and approached the Malaysian side, again went with the cars and got a stamp. We were trying to call a Grab afterwards but was not succcessful. An older Bruneian couple stopped and picked us to Miri. We had a nice talk and they dropped us in the city center (they went to one of the shopping mall).
Hi Sara.
I have recently used Pauline’s services to go from Miri to BSB and three days later from BSB to KK. I can only say that the service is extraordinary.
A great professional.
Thank you Pauline for your good work.
I wish there is a bus operating again from bsb to miri and from miri to bsb. It’s a public transport which require to operate from one country to another country.
I agree, it would be so much easier, but Pauline is doing a GREAT job!
Hello. Thank you for the help getting out of Brunei. I took the Find Me Logistics and would love to tell you about it. It was absolutely amazing. Send me your email and would love to give you a detailed reply of my experience. It was an absolutely amazing way to leave Brunei
Hi Levi, thanks I’m [email protected]
Hi there! Thanks to your advice, we traveled with Pauline and she was fantastic. Here’s a review I wrote for her. Highly recommended!!
We had a wonderful ride from Brunei (BSB) to Miri, Malaysia, with Pauline. I contacted her before the trip and she was always reliable and quick to respond. She picked us up on time at our Airbnb apartment in her comfortable car at a very affordable price. Best of all, Pauline was extremely friendly and interesting. She gave us a great tour of BSB, and stopped for us to buy a cheap local lunch/snack on the way to Miri. She also stopped at some landmarks of Brunei and gave us time to walk around (like the coast and the energy museum). She delivered us right to our hotel in Miri. We only expected a ride and in return got a wonderful tour with interesting info about local history and culture, and lunch! I can’t recommend her services more highly. Big thanks to Pauline, you will be in excellent hands if you drive with her!
Robin and Francis Malinosky-Rummell, USA
Hi. Just wanted to let you know that I traveled from BSB to Miri with Pauline’s service. Everything went smoothly. The price is BND 40 though, not 35.
Thanks John! I guess inflation has crept in! Thanks again for the update.
Hello Sarah
May i get the contact of Pauline, i tried to google but the information seems incorrect.
Thank you in advance
Hi Dan – the information is in the post – but here it is
UPDATE: APRIL 2023 – this from Pauline at FIND ME LOGISTICS – they are running a car service from Brunei to Miri to Brunei. They offer car shuttle services from Miri – Brunei via Brunei – Miri cost BND35/pax. Custom checkpoint open from 6am – 10pm daily. That may help for those who want to travel to Brunei/ Miri for now.
Anyone interested may contact us via Whatsapp at +6010-3773743 or Brunei Number +673-7336377
Me and my boyfriend traveled from miri to brunei last week with pauline’s services.
The service is perfectly fine only our driver drove very hard and allmost hit a car in front of us.
I think it was just bad luck with the driver.
Thanks for letting us know Sheila, glad you’re ok and hoping that your trip goes well.
Hi Sarah! Razlan here. I’ll travel to Brunei in Mid November and researching the option of travelling to Miri from BSB. I found a piece of information that says the Borneo express bus is available though we have to catch it either from Temburong or Kuala Belait to get to Miri. could you or anyone else reading this post that know about the service to please share the information here?
Hi Razlan, I haven’t heard that. All the recent travelers are still reporting that the transfer service mentioned in the blogpost is the only way, other than to catch the regular buses from BSB to Kuala Belait. Please feel free to send me the details of it and I’ll get in contact with the suppliers and see if its a viable route. [email protected]
I afraid the information I had was not reliable. by the way, I’ve contacted the ALBN DAMRI service agent in BSB, and he confirmed me that we can take the Brunei-Pontianak Indonesia route, which pass through Miri and request to stop at Tudan E-Mart. the bus leaves Pontianak for BSB every Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays and leaves brunei at 2 PM on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. read the article here: https://en.antaranews.com/news/273780/damri-to-resume-bus-services-to-brunei-darussalam-from-march
Hello!! Sarah Carter.
I recently traveled from Brunei to Kuching via Miri.
I was planning a trip based on your blog article.
However, as I was walking down the street, I happened to find a travel agency (AL-BARAKA) selling bus tickets from Brunei to Pontianak.
In the end, my trip was successful.
Buses from Brunei to Pontianak are operated by DAMRI and depart every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 14:00.
The bus boarding location is the bus stop on the Brunei Waterfront. (Same place to catch the bus to Seria)
Fares are Miri (BND 50) and Pontianak (BND 110).
The expected transit time was 18:00, but because there were few passengers, the time at the border was shortened. The actual arrival time in Miri was around 17:00.
The drop off point in Miri is Emart Tudan.
It drops you off on the main road, so you have to cross a six-lane road to get to Emart Tudan.
Emart Tudan has a currency exchange office and SIM card counter, and free Wi-Fi is also available.
I took Grab here and headed to Miri Bus Terminal.
Thanks! That’s great to hear – so for folks wanting to book, you’ll need to hear into Al Baraka – as its still not possible to book these tickets online. You can find their address here https://www.facebook.com/albarakatravel.bn/
I just wanted to add an update to this. DAMRI have confirmed to me that they only run the bus from Brunei to Pontianak and that you can’t buy a ticket to get off in Miri. If you’re able to buy a ticket in BSB and do this trip (i.e. get off in Miri), do let me know!
Hi Sarah! may I know if there’s network coverage for DST at the border checkpoint?
Hi Razlan, it looks like there isn’t – here’s DST’s own cell phone coverage map https://dst.com.bn/network-coverage-area/
Hi I used Pauline at Find me logistics yesterday and can highly recommend. Not only do they provide a door to door service but you also get informed about what you are passing, if you are interested, you don’t get a free tour guide on the bus! I learned so much as all my many questions were answered knowledgeably. However the reason I would recommend using this service is because of the long queues currently being experienced at the border, due to a change in process from 1St December. Luckily Pauline had sent me the link to the online form but we still had to queue for hours. This was fine in a nice air-conditioned car but I was very pleased I hadn’t taken any other option as I had agreed a fixed price.
Thanks Sarah! Glad to see its working well with Pauline and thanks also for the update for the immigration process!
Hi,
I’ve used this blog to help me cross from Miri-Brunei-Miri this week so I wanted to update and shared my experience if it can help someone in the same situation.
Some buses might be working but I preferred reaching out to drivers since it was more hassle free and worth the cost in my opinion. It takes 1.5-2h from door to door and you don’t have to get out of the car.
From Miri-Bandar, I contacted Mr Lai (+673 871 2009) recommended by my airbnb host who was very kind and accommodating. His fees are 120$ for a chartered car or 35$ if shared, one way. I was lucky enough to contact him early to get a shared ride which was arrange by him according to my landing time.
From Bandar-Miri, I contacted ‘Pauline’ found on this page (+60 10 377 3743). The fees were 80-150$ for return trips depending if shared or alone. I managed to be flexible with timings and shared a car for 40$ one way.
Both drivers can be reached on Whatsapp. Make sure to fill out the e-arrival card for Brunei. No email confirmation will be send to your email.
Have a great time in Bandar. It’s small but worth a stop if you have the time!
Great to hear, thanks for the feedback I’ll update for all.
Sarah
Used Find me Logistics to travel from Brunei to Miri on 7th February 2024. First class. Excellent communication. Very comfortable transport and a very pleasant driver. Highly recommended.
Thanks Mick! Great to hear that it went well
We (a family of four from the UK) made the journey from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei, and then on to Miri in February 2024. There are still no bus connections into or out of Brunei from Malaysia. Thanks to this blog, we contacted Pauline and she provided an excellent transfer service that allowed us to spend some time in Brunei. Like others, we had a very smooth and enjoyable experience with some additional interesting stops provided along the way. The border crossings were also very straight forward. Brunei is certainly worth the effort – it’s a fascinating and beautiful place.
Just one additional comment from us. Grab/Gojek/Uber don’t work in Brunei. They use their own version called Dart (downloadable as an app). We were told that you needed to have a local SIM in order to use it but we found that it worked using our e-sim. Like everybody else in Brunei, the Dart drivers were really friendly and wonderful.
Thanks so much for the update Peter, glad to see that people are still able to take this route despite the bus situation!
Hello, we travelled from Kota Kinabalu to Brunei by plane and even though it is a 20 minutes flight, the actual journey time was over 5 hours and very boring. We looked at various options for the return journey, including via Miri but the wait at the border was not something I was looking forward to, and the ferry to Labuan then ferry to Menumbok or flying from Labuan to KK just looked too convoluted and susceptible to cancellations and delays. So, we finally settled on hiring a car with a driver to drive us to KK, which as it turned out was a really good option (on the 2nd of March). The journey took just under 6 hours with stops for coffee and snacks. There were no queues on the border and the scenery is amazing. The cost was for the car, so we could have had 4 people in the car and it would still have cost the same. I highly recommend it. 300 BN$
Thanks so much for the update. Sounds like you had a great trip.
This random blog absolutely saved me, thank you! Used FindMeLogistics with ease, even being a late flight arriving in the evening they managed to get me across to Miri for 80BND without any headaches.
First of all we want to thank you for providing all the information and keeping it updated!
We travelled with Find me Logistics on March 6th from Miri airport to BSB and everything worked out great. She even waited 90 minutes for us because our flight was delayed.
Since finding recent information on how to get from BSB to Kota Kinabalu wasn’t that easy we thought sharing our experience might also help some.
1. Bus. Actually the bus (Sipitang express) only operated three times a week (Tue, Thu, Sat) and apparently did not operate at all in the last two weeks. We don’t know if there will be busses again but if you look on their website you can’t even choose BSB as your origin or destination. If it does operate again check for the bus terminal since that also changed.
2. Ferry. People told us that after Covid the ferry from Brunei (Serasa ferry terminal) to Labuan does not operate as often and reliable as it used to. Sometimes there is no ferry at all. We couldn’t find a current schedule online. When you look up the ferry terminal on google maps you find a picture with two numbers (+6738731299 and +6737443544) to contact on WhatsApp to get the schedule for the next weeks, which worked out. (Until March 17th there is a daily ferry at 8:30 am and then either at 1 pm or 4:30 pm to Labuan.) We took a dart to the terminal (22 BND) and bought the tickets (25 BND, cash only). Boarding starts 30 minutes before departure. The ferry ride took us 1:20h plus 20 minutes for immigration.
From Labuan to KK there is no more ferry at all. We booked a speedboat to Menumbok in advance (22 MYR, 30 minutes, labuanpay) and then a bus from there to KK, which we also booked the day before (22 MYR, 2:45h, easybook).
3. Flight. Flying was no option for us but the two most affordable options seemed to be to either take a private transport back to Miri and fly from there or try to get to Limbang (~1h from BSB) and get a flight from there.
Hope this will help some people!
Thanks so much for the update!
Sharing my personal notes and experience from March 2024. Only new infos/updates added to the above original post :
1. Get from BSB to Kuala Belait
** Was told that 1st bus is at 7am
** Duration : left BSB at 8:20am and reached Seria at 10:15am
** Not sure what is called ‘’express bus’’ in the post as there are currently no others buses than the local minibus or the Damri Bus (office at 1st Floor, 4 Jalan McArthur, Bandar Seri Begawan BS8811, runs 3 times a week, leaving BSB at 2pm, direct from BSB to Miri, @50BND)
2. Going to Kuala Belait to the Border
** Don’t think that finding someone (other than taxi) that is willing to take you up to Miri would be easier to do/find (at least, from the parking lot. Surely easier if you stand on the side of the road going to the border, which still means a 1h walk from the parking lot, or a taxi; which makes me saying that this option, yet feasible, might not really be the easiest one), but the opportunity can exist indeed. Myself, have been lucky enough to find someone from the parking lot to drop me to the border, for free. That was pure generosity, as he was not even going to Malaysia.
Otherwise, I confirmed that taxi rate is said to be around $20BND.
3. Exiting Brunei at the Border
**Did not feel to be a curiosity. An immigration officer even facilitated me the crossing by making me pass in a separate line where there were no cars.
**Brunei SIM card was still operating, even some kilometres after the border, on Malysian side. But yet, yes, always better not to have the required documentation (if needed) on electronic access only.
** No requirements (for French citizens) for Brunei border exit.
4. Walk Across No Man’s Land
** Lucky enough again that day to be offered a lift from the ‘’No Man’s Land’’ up to Miri !!
5. Go Through the Malaysian Immigration
** Border and immigration check point is obvious, you cannot miss it. But yes, in case you still wonder how to get through, Malaysian officers are very courteous and willing to help, which is always more comfortable to deal with.
** Malaysian border immigration officer did not ask for anything other than the passport, and gave me a 90 days stay stamp with no questions. (French citizen)
I join the expressions of gratitude for this extremely helpful blog post about traveling from BSB to Miri. I’m preparing to make the trip in early August 2024. Since ease of travel is a higher priority for me than the adventure of it or paying the lowest price, I contacted Find Me Logistics via the Whatsapp number provided and they responded very quickly with clear communication about my pick up location in BSB and drop off location in Miri. If there is anything significant to note after the trek, I’ll post again, but for now, your detailed information is helping me to feel confident. Thank you!
Your information has been very useful. Yesterday 10. nov i went from Brunei to Miri. It was my plan doing it by local transport monday, but after some rumours I had heard there would be a bus on sunday. And yes I found it sunday morning and it would leave at 11. So suddenly I was in a hurry. Its an Indonesian bus passing Miri, Kuching and further on to Pontianak in Indonesia. The fare was 35 BND. They dropped me on the ringroad close to Miri town where I told them i wanted. Its leaving at the waterfront in Bandar only sundays and the name is MHS express. Futhermore Damri has busses. They have office opposite the waterfront. When I asked they said it would leave tuesday, and saturday it should have left also, and probably one day more a week. But these info i can not 100% confirm, but there IS a bus. If you send me an email I can send a picture of the MHS bus. This information you can of course use. Thank you
I just want to add myself. It aktually left at 11:15 and 14:15 I was dropped outside Miri. Just 8 MYR with a Grab from city
Thanks for your information about Pauline from Find Me Logistics. Just booked BSB to Miri for March 2025. Service was excellent , booking was easy and at a great price.
Thanks for the update Stephen
I strongly DO NOT recommend Pauline from Find Me Logistics. We arranged transport and 2 days before the service she stopped replying to messages. She read them but didn’t respond. If I hadn’t written, I would probably be waiting for the car. I had to arrange other transportation at the last minute.
Yikes, sorry about that Boris, glad you were able to make alternative arrangements Sarah
Hi Boris,
Thank you for your feedback. We take all feedback seriously. However, after checking our records, we can confirm that no booking was made under your name with Find Me Logistics for the mentioned date.
If you had reached out to inquire but did not receive a confirmation or payment request, please understand that without a confirmed booking, we are unable to proceed with any arrangements. We apologize for any misunderstanding.
We’re always here to assist and ensure a smooth experience for our confirmed clients.
Thank you for your understanding.
Best regards,
Pauline from Find Me Logistics
Update May 1, 2025
there are actually 2 bus companies riding from Brunei to Miri on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
1. Al Baraka Travel, +673 832 0044, WhatsApp
leaving from BSB oceanfront at 2 p.m. and riding to Miri (Emart Tudan, 10km north of Miri) for 25,- BND
2. Sipitang Express, +60 16-836 0009, WhatsApp
leaving from Kuala Lurah right after the border from Malaysia at 2 p.m. and riding to Miri Sentral, which is about 10km south of Miri for 60,- MYR.
You can drive from BSB to Kuala Lurah with public bus no. 42, it takes you around 1h and cost 1 BND.
I preferred the first option because I could leave my luggage in the office of the travel company and walk around in the city centre and oceanfront before leaving to Miri.
The second option you need to go to Kuala Lurah first, and wait after the border for the bus if something happens and you don’t catch this bus you arr stuck at this border.
There is a third option of a private driver who brings you for 50-70 BND (negotiable) from BSB to the border (border crossing by yourself),after that you have to find an option to go to Miri by taxi or hitchhiking The phone number of Mario is +673 725 4004, WhatsApp.
I cannot give any recommendation of how reliable this driver is in case you choose this option cause I was choosing the bus option.
Sarah,
I’m Andrew who posted the long “public transport” method in early ’23. I was just having a quick peek to see if the travel situation had changed and it looks like it has, for the good with the bus that heads down to Indo.
One thing though, a lot of people are mentioning getting the bus from “the waterfront”. You may want to put in a clarifying note as to whether that is in BSB, such as the corner of Jalan McArthur & Klanggeh Rd, or out at Serasa Ferry Port/Muara Beach. I can remember when I did the trip I was a bit confused, and stressed, when I got off the ferry from Labuan, as to where I should be, looking for a bus just out the front of Customs or heading into town and then looking.
Regards,
Andrew
Hi Andrew, thanks for this. DEfinitely Jalan McArthur & Klanggeh Rd in BSB. I’ll get it updated
Unfortunately Al-Bakara seems to no longer offer the bus from Miri to BSB – contacted them today and was informed it isn’t running.
Thanks Adam, I’ll update that for everyone.
We ended up making the trip through Find Me Logistics (Pauline) – 150$BND for a private car. She took us door to door from our hotel in Miri to our hotel in Bandar Seri Begawan via a quick stop at the Billionth Barrel monument. Comfy 7 seater car, so plenty room for us and our luggage, and some nice info about the country and sights on the drive.
Passport control was really straight forward, didn’t have to leave the car or talk to anyone other than our driver.
Fabulous! Thanks Adam!