Construction of JB-Singapore RTS link 65% complete; on track for end-2026 start

[JOHOR] The Johor Bahru (JB)-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link – a 4 km light rail that will ferry passengers between Woodlands North in Singapore and Bukit Chagar in JB – has reached 65 per cent completion as at Dec 31 last year.

The cross-border project, which is on track to begin operations by December 2026, reached a “significant milestone” with the completion of the connecting span, which connects the marine viaduct between Malaysia and Singapore, said the two countries’ transport ministries on Thursday (Jan 11).

Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim were at the RTS Link Marine Viaduct site in the Strait of Johor on Thursday to grace a ceremony to commemorate the milestone.

They signed commemorative plaques to symbolise the “shared commitment” to deliver the RTS Link, which will further improve connectivity between the two countries.

Singapore’s Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat, who was part of PM Lee’s delegation, said the event brings both sides closer to the completion of the project.

“As the third land connection, the RTS Link will make travel between two countries more convenient and benefit both Singaporeans and Malaysians,” he told reporters after the ceremony.

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Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke noted that 350,000 people cross the Causeway daily for work, education and social visits.

“We must ensure that our infrastructure meets the demands of one of the world’s busiest border crossings. The RTS Link, once operational, will reduce congestion on the Causeway by 35 per cent,” said Loke. 

In an update on the project’s development, the two ministries said that the 17.1 m connecting span was completed in end-December 2023.

The reinforced concrete structure, rising at over 26 m above sea level and weighing 340 tonnes, spans the pier on the Singapore side located closest to Malaysia and that on the JB end nearest to Singapore.

All 12 pile caps that provide the foundation for the piers supporting the 730 m RTS Link marine and land viaduct on the Singapore side have also been completed. Construction of the piers, as well as the launch of viaduct segments, are ongoing.

The viaduct will connect through underground tunnels to the RTS Link Woodlands North station, which will be accessible to a customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) building by an underground linkway. The total gross floor area of the RTS Link Woodlands North station and the CIQ building is about 10 times the size of a typical MRT station.

After civil infrastructure works are completed, RTS Operations will carry out the installation works.

RTS Operations is a joint venture formed between Singapore rail operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana to run the rail shuttle service.

When operational, the RTS Link – with an estimated project cost of RM10 billion (S$2.9 billion) – will have the capacity to serve 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction between Woodlands North station and Bukit Chagar in JB. Malaysia’s MRT Corp said in a factsheet that the first-year ridership is estimated to be 41,400 passengers per day.

The journey will last about five minutes. Both countries have agreed that the fares, which are not yet finalised, will be determined by RTS Operations.

Asked about the fare structure, Chee said: “The (operator) will have to take into account certain factors such as the demand for the services, which may grow over time, and the costs of providing an efficient and reliable service for commuters on a financially sustainable basis. (The operator will also take into account) the fares charged by alternative travel options such as taxis, coaches and ferries.”

Loke said the fares will “definitely be competitive”. He said: “The RTS Link provides not just a convenience, but the cutting down of travelling time. That is very crucial and important.”

As the immigration facilities of Singapore and Malaysia will be co-located at both stations, passengers only need to clear the immigration authorities at departure.

The RTS Link Woodlands North station is linked to the Woodlands North MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line via an underground concourse, allowing passengers to continue their journey to other parts of Singapore without needing to exit the station.