Progress on both sides of the link shows promise, with significant milestones anticipated in 2024.
JOHOR BAHRU: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is slated for completion by the end of 2026, with construction now halfway completed on the Singapore side.
In a press briefing in Johor Bahru on Thursday (May 11), Singapore’s Transport Minister S. Iswaran reported that 50% of the construction on Singapore’s side of the RTS Link had been completed. His Malaysian counterpart, Anthony Loke, revealed that 33% of the work had been finished on the Malaysia side. The two ministers shared their insights after visiting the RTS Link Project Marine Viaduct site in Johor Bahru.
Mr. Iswaran stated: “We are making good progress with the civil construction on the Singapore side, including the overall railway infrastructure and marine viaduct. By the end of 2026, we expect to be ready to start passenger services.”
He added that the next key milestone would be the completion of the “drop-in span bridge” that will connect the two sides of the viaduct. This achievement is expected to be celebrated in early 2024 by the prime ministers of both countries.
On the Malaysian side, Mr. Loke assured that Malaysia is committed to completing the project on schedule, in line with the bilateral agreement. As of April 30, 36% of Malaysia’s railway infrastructure and 30% of the marine viaduct had been completed.
Once operational, the RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands in Singapore, facilitating the transportation of about 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, aiming to alleviate traffic congestion on the Causeway. The RTS Link will have a 25m-high viaduct spanning the Straits of Johor, with co-located customs, immigration, and quarantine facilities at both the Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar stations.
Following the press conference, Singapore’s Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority (LTA) issued a joint statement, confirming that work at the RTS Link Woodlands North terminus is progressing as scheduled. Despite the challenges posed by the area’s hard granite, LTA has successfully employed advanced drilling machines and rock blasting techniques.
The statement also noted that the Woodlands North station, part of the broader RTS Link development, will be built to a depth of 28 meters and will connect to the Thomson-East Coast Line’s Woodlands North MRT station, further integrating Singapore’s public transport network.
Mr. Iswaran has reaffirmed that the RTS Link is set for completion by the end of 2026, despite delays caused by multiple suspensions of the project. The RTS Link project, initially scheduled for completion in 2024, was delayed after the change in Malaysia’s government in 2018, but resumed in 2020 with both Singapore and Malaysia signing a new bilateral agreement.
Discussions on the potential revival of the Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail (HSR) project were also raised, with both ministers expressing interest in revisiting the project, should proposals from the private sector align with both countries’ goals.
