The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is one of Southeast Asia’s (SEA) most important cross-border transportation projects, designed to transform travel between Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Woodlands North Station in Singapore. Once operational, it will provide a fast, efficient and reliable alternative to the heavily congested causeway. Beyond improving the daily commute, the project represents a new era of economic cooperation between the two neighbouring countries, strengthening labour mobility, tourism, and investment. It also supports the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ), with Bukit Chagar emerging as a major transit-oriented development hub. Complementary investments in roads, feeder buses and the proposed autonomous rapid transit (ART) system will further enhance last-mile connectivity and regional growth.

Project features

The Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is a 4 km, fully automated railway connecting Bukit Chagar Station in Johor Bahru in Malaysia with Woodlands North Station in Singapore. The project is designed to provide a journey time of approximately five minutes between the two stations. One of the railway’s defining features is its driverless metro technology, allowing trains to operate at high frequency with improved operational efficiency and reliability. Around an average of 500,000 people crossed the causeway every single day in 2025, making it one of the busiest international land crossings in the world. The line has been designed to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction at a maximum speed of 80 kmph, with an estimated initial ridership of around 40,000 passengers daily. As of December 31, 2023, the project’s estimated cost had increased by 29.9 per cent (RM 1.2 billion) to RM 5.24 billion, compared to the original estimate of RM 4.03 billion in January 2018.

The most innovative feature is the implementation of co-located customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities at both Bukit Chagar and Woodlands North stations. Instead of undergoing immigration clearance twice, passengers will complete border formalities only once before boarding the train. This integrated border-control model is expected to dramatically reduce waiting times and provide a seamless metro-style international travel experience unlike conventional cross-border rail services. The RTS Link will also integrate directly with Singapore’s Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) at Woodlands North Station, enabling commuters to continue their journeys across Singapore’s wider public transport network without relying on private vehicles. The RTS Link will connect the underground Woodlands North Station to the elevated Bukit Chagar station via a 25 metre high bridge spanning the Straits of Johor.

Construction progress

The RTS Link has had a long and complex development history. The project was first announced in May 2010 and was formalised through a bilateral agreement in January 2018. Construction was suspended in April 2019 after Malaysia requested a review, before both governments agreed to proceed under revised commercial arrangements. The construction work resumed in July 2020; however, it started officially in January 2021.

By June 2024, the project had achieved more than 77 per cent progress. The project reached one of its most visible milestones on June 30, 2025, with the unveiling of the first of eight RTS Link trains at the Singapore Rail Test Centre. The four-car, 76.5 metre long driverless train marked the transition from large-scale civil construction to railway systems integration and operational preparation. At the time, approximately 56 per cent completion was achieved. The trains are equipped with a hearing induction loop system that directly transmits public announcements to compatible hearing aids, marking the first deployment of this technology on trains in Singapore and Malaysia.

As of April 2026, construction work is nearly complete, with the project entering system installation, integration and testing, which are expected to conclude by the end of 2026. On-site e-gate installation has been completed, while body screening equipment and baggage scanner installation is under way. Once operational, the RTS Link will feature 10 security screening lanes, 18 baggage scanners and 100 e-gate lanes, including dedicated lanes for passengers without luggage.

Engineering challenges

The cross-border nature of the RTS Link makes it one of the most complex rail infrastructure projects in SEA, requiring extensive coordination among multiple stakeholders, including governments of Singapore and Malaysia, transport authorities, immigration and customs agencies, contractors and railway operators. Since the line will function as an integrated international transit system, every stage of planning and construction requires close bilateral cooperation to ensure that engineering, operational and regulatory requirements are aligned.

One of the project’s key engineering challenges is the construction of the bridge across the Straits of Johor. As the strait is an active international shipping channel, construction activities must be carefully planned and sequenced to avoid disrupting maritime traffic while maintaining safety and ensuring the timely completion of bridge works. On the Singapore side, the RTS Link is being built adjacent to the TEL and Woodlands North Station, which requires minimisation of any impact on the existing underground tunnels and operational rail infrastructure. Construction methods, therefore, have been carefully designed to protect nearby assets and ensure uninterrupted operation of the TEL throughout the project. The project also faces significant geotechnical challenges due to the site’s hard granite rock formations.

To address these conditions, construction involves the use of high-capacity drilling equipment, deep and extended piling works, and controlled rock excavation and demolition techniques. Therefore, real-time instrumentation and monitoring systems, along with rigorous survey checks, are deployed to continuously assess ground movement and structural stability, ensuring the safety of both the new infrastructure and surrounding facilities during construction.

Outlook

Taken together, the latest developments demonstrate that the RTS Link has moved well beyond the planning and construction phases and is now firmly in the final stage of operational readiness. Over the coming months, efforts will focus on systems integration, dynamic testing, safety certification, operational simulations, border-control readiness, staff training and final regulatory approvals to ensure the project is fully prepared for commercial service in January 2027.

Beyond its engineering achievements, the RTS Link represents a new model for cross-border mobility in SEA, seamlessly integrating advanced rail technology with CIQ facilities. As the region’s first fully integrated cross-border rapid transit system, it is expected to transform the daily commute for thousands of passengers by reducing journey times while providing a reliable alternative to the heavily congested Johor-Singapore Causeway. The project also delivers significant sustainability benefits by encouraging a modal shift from private vehicles to high-capacity electric rail transport. By reducing traffic congestion, fuel consumption and transport-related greenhouse gas emissions, the RTS Link will contribute to cleaner air, lower carbon emissions and ensure more sustainable urban mobility. Economically, the project is expected to strengthen labour mobility and facilitate tourism and business travel. It is also expected to catalyse new residential, commercial and mixed-use developments around Bukit Chagar, demonstrating how major transport infrastructure can drive sustainable urban regeneration.