Brunei is compact and its roads are excellent, but public transport is thin. Most visitors fly in, use the Dart ride-hailing app or a hotel car in town, walk the small centre and join a tour for anything further out. This page covers the airport, entry formalities, every way of getting around, and the land and sea routes to Malaysian Borneo.
Arriving by air
Brunei International Airport (BWN) is at Berakas, about 10 km north of the city centre — 15 to 20 minutes by car. It is a small, calm, modern airport with one terminal. The national carrier, Royal Brunei Airlines, flies to cities across Southeast and East Asia, to Australia, the Gulf and London; several regional airlines link Bandar Seri Begawan with Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Manila and other hubs. Routes change, so check current schedules.
From the airport to the city
| How | Time | Cost (approx.) | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dart ride-hailing app | 15–20 min | often around B$10–15 — check the app | Most travellers with mobile data |
| Airport taxi | 15–20 min | roughly B$25–30; confirm before you ride | Arrivals without the app |
| Pre-booked private transfer | 15–20 min | from ≈€56 per vehicle | Late arrivals, families, peace of mind |
| Hotel shuttle | 15–30 min | free or a small charge at some hotels | Guests who arrange it in advance |
| Public bus | 30–45 min | B$1 | Daytime arrivals with light luggage |
Dart: Brunei’s ride-hailing app
Grab and Gojek do not operate in Brunei. The local equivalent is Dart: download the app, register with a phone number and pay by card or cash. Prices are fixed before you confirm and are reasonable for short city hops. Cars are plentiful by day around the centre, Gadong and the airport, and scarcer late at night and in outlying areas such as Jerudong and Muara — book ahead for early flights.
Taxis
There are very few conventional taxis, and you cannot rely on hailing one in the street. They wait at the airport, the central bus station and some hotels. Agree the fare or check that the meter is running before you set off.
Public buses
Small purple buses run a network of routes from the central bus station on Jalan Cator to Gadong, the airport, Kota Batu, Muara and elsewhere. The fare is a flat B$1. They are useful by day if you are patient, but they are infrequent, have no reliable timetable and stop running around 6 pm. Tell the conductor or driver where you are going.
Water taxis
The fastest transport in the capital is on the river. Wooden speedboats shuttle between the waterfront and Kampong Ayer all day for about B$1 a crossing, and can be chartered by the hour for sightseeing or a river safari at a negotiated price.
Car hire and driving
For day trips to Jerudong, Muara, Tutong, Seria or Temburong, a rental car is the most flexible option. Driving is on the left, roads are well maintained and well signposted, traffic is light outside the short rush hours and fuel is among the cheapest in the region. Several agencies have desks at the airport. Drivers are courteous and horn use is rare; speed limits are enforced.
Walking
The city centre is flat and small: the Omar Ali Saifuddien Mosque, the waterfront, the Royal Regalia Museum and Tamu Kianggeh are all within ten to fifteen minutes of one another. The limits are heat, humidity and sudden downpours — walk early and late, and carry an umbrella.
To Temburong
The Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Bridge crosses Brunei Bay to the Temburong district, putting Bangar within an hour’s drive of the capital without leaving Brunei. See our guide to Ulu Temburong National Park.
Overland and by sea to Malaysia
- Miri (Sarawak): express buses run from Bandar Seri Begawan to Miri via Seria and Kuala Belait, crossing at Sungai Tujoh; the journey takes roughly three to four hours. By car it is about two and a half hours. Miri has flights to Mulu and across Malaysia.
- Kota Kinabalu (Sabah): long-distance buses make the trip in around eight to nine hours, crossing between Brunei, Sarawak and Sabah several times — expect a passport full of stamps. Departures are few; reserve a seat.
- Labuan and on to Sabah: passenger ferries sail from the Serasa terminal near Muara to Labuan in about one and a half to two hours, with onward boats from Labuan to Kota Kinabalu or Menumbok.
- Limbang and Lawas: the Sarawak towns on either side of Temburong are reached through the Kuala Lurah, Puni and Labu border posts.
Land border posts are not open around the clock and queues build at weekends and Malaysian school holidays. Schedules for buses and ferries change often; confirm locally a day or two ahead, and remember the E-Arrival Card each time you re-enter Brunei.
