RTS Link moves closer to opening as Malaysia completes station and rail infrastructure

JOHOR BAHRU: Anthony Loke, the Transport Minister of Malaysia, announced earlier this week that all station and rail infrastructure on the Malaysian side of the Singapore-Johor Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is now complete.

The RTS Link is slated to open early next year and will cut the end-to-end journey between Singapore and Malaysia to just six minutes. The link will also be an important part of the solution to the persistent traffic problems on the Causeway between the two countries, which is used by approximately 300,000 people daily.

Excitement for the Link’s opening has been building, and it is now in the final stages of integration testing.

On Aug 18, members of the media were invited to try out a ride on the Link, going from Bukit Chagar to Woodlands North and vice versa. Each trip lasted a mere six to eight minutes, according to reporting from The Rakyat Post.

The report noted how the train cabin has window seating similar to the MRT in Singapore, as well as a space for standing passengers. It added that the trains have four cars each.

Mr Loke, along with his colleagues from the Ministry of Transport, was present on Aug 18 as well. The group’s aim was to personally assess the progress of the Link. 

He wrote in a social media post the next day that he was satisfied with how far the project has come, and added that a new connecting route between the KTM and RTS Link stations was announced on Aug 18.

Expected to “ensure greater convenience and comfort for pedestrians using both services,” the new link means that the walking distance between the two stations will be reduced from 431 meters to 271 meters.

“Integration work like this is important to ensure that our public transportation system is more integrated and user-friendly,” he added.

The RTS Link has the capacity to transport around 10,000 passengers each way. The project is budgeted to cost S$3.24 billion, with Malaysia taking on a 39% share of the costs while Singapore will shoulder the remaining 61%.

“This project is much more than building bridges—it is also about building a better future for both countries, strengthening our longstanding friendship and creating more win-win opportunities for our businesses and citizens in areas of common interest and mutual benefit,” said former Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat in 2024. /TISG

Read also: JB hospital expects continued healthcare demand from Singapore MediSave patients as RTS Link nears