With a travel time of just five minutes and an estimated fare of 5 to 7 Singapore dollars per trip, the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is scheduled to begin operations by late 2026.
The cross border rail service is projected to offer a fast and relatively affordable solution for commuters who have long been trapped in congestion along the Johor–Singapore Causeway.
The project has now secured its legal foundation after the Parliament of Malaysia approved the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Bill 2026. Both the Malaysia and Singapore governments view the system as a strategic move to accelerate people mobility while strengthening bilateral economic connectivity.
Malaysia’s Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah stated that the train will operate on a regular schedule with a maximum capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour per direction. Each trainset can carry more than 600 passengers per trip, positioning the RTS as a new backbone of cross border mobility.
7-Second Immigration Clearance
The speed of the RTS lies not only in its travel time, but also in its border control process.
A total of 100 artificial intelligence powered electronic gates will be installed at Bukit Chagar Station in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North Station in Singapore. Immigration clearance is expected to take no more than seven seconds per passenger.
Under the one clearance system, immigration checks for both countries will be conducted in a single integrated process at the stations, reducing total cross border transfer time to around five minutes.
To support operations, Malaysia will create 794 new positions, covering Immigration, Customs, and Police personnel, with deployment beginning on 1 October. On jurisdictional matters, Malaysian officers stationed in Singapore will be granted legal immunity for official duties, while remaining subject to Malaysian law.
The government has also emphasized that all sensitive data, including passenger biometric information, will be stored exclusively in official Malaysian government data centers, protected by strict physical and cybersecurity measures. Such data will not be transferred to foreign servers without formal authorization.
Direct Bukit Chagar–Woodlands North Route
The RTS Link will directly connect Bukit Chagar Station in central Johor Bahru with Woodlands North Station without any intermediate stops. On the Singapore side, the line is integrated with Woodlands North MRT on the Thomson–East Coast Line, allowing commuters to continue their journeys seamlessly to other parts of the city state.
In Malaysia, Bukit Chagar is expected to emerge as a new transportation hub in Johor Bahru, fully integrated with the local transit network. This configuration is designed to create a compact and centralized cross border transfer system, reducing reliance on road based crossings such as the Johor–Singapore Causeway.
Commercial Fare Scheme Without Subsidies
Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke stated that official fares will be announced in the second half of 2026. He noted that while RTS fares may not be as low as public transport in Kuala Lumpur, they are expected to remain more economical than crossing into Singapore by private car.
The Singapore government will not provide fare subsidies, requiring the operating model to ensure long term financial sustainability.
Fares will be set on a commercial basis by RTS Operations, a joint venture between Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and SMRT Corporation. The Malaysian government has also confirmed that no subsidies will be extended to passengers traveling from Singapore.
For comparison, Singapore registered vehicles entering Malaysia are currently charged a toll of 20 Malaysian ringgit. From this toll alone, the state of Johor generates approximately 70 million US dollars annually.
