With a journey time of just five minutes and an estimated cost of 5 to 7 Singapore dollars per journey, the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link is anticipated to begin operations in late 2026.
Cross-border rail services are expected to be a fast and comparatively inexpensive solution for commuters who’ve long been stuck in traffic jams along the Johor-Singapore Causeway.
The project has now gained legal ground following the approval by the Malaysian Parliament of the Rapid Transit System (RTS) Connectivity Bill 2026. Both the Malaysian and Singaporean governments see the system as a strategic move to speed up people’s mobility while strengthening bilateral economic ties.
Malaysian Deputy Home Minister Shamsul Anuar Nasarah said the train would operate on a daily schedule and carry a maximum of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction. Each trainset can carry over 600 passengers in a single journey, making RTS the brand new backbone for cross-border mobility.
7 second immigration clearance
The speed of RTS depends not only on travel time, but additionally on the border control process.
A complete of 100 AI-powered electronic gates will probably be installed at Bukit Chagar stations in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore. Immigration clearance is anticipated to take not more than seven seconds per passenger.
Under the only check-in system, immigration checks in each countries will probably be carried out at stations in a single integrated process, reducing the overall cross-border transfer time to roughly five minutes.
To support operations, Malaysia will create 794 recent positions, including immigration, customs and police personnel, with deployment ranging from October 1. On jurisdictional issues, Malaysian officers stationed in Singapore will probably be granted legal immunity from official duties while being subject to Malaysian law.
The government also stressed that every one sensitive data, including passenger biometric data, will only be stored in official Malaysian government data centers, protected by stringent physical and cybersecurity measures. Such data won’t be transferred to foreign servers without formal authorization.
Direct route Bukit Chagar – Woodlands North
The RTS Link line will directly connect Bukit Chagar station in central Johor Bahru with Woodlands North station with none intermediate stops. On the Singapore side, the road is integrated with the Woodlands North MRT on the Thomson–East Coast Line, allowing commuters to seamlessly proceed their journey to other parts of town state.
In Malaysia, Bukit Chagar is anticipated to turn into a brand new transport hub in Johor Bahru, fully integrated into the local transit network. This configuration goals to create a compact and centralized cross-border transfer system, reducing dependence on road crossings similar to the Johor-Singapore Causeway.
Subsidy-free industrial tariff program
Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke said official fares can be announced within the second half of 2026. He noted that while RTS fares might not be as little as public transport in Kuala Lumpur, they’re expected to stay more economical than taking a personal automobile into Singapore.
The Singapore government won’t provide fee subsidies, requiring the operating model to make sure long-term financial sustainability.
Ticket prices will probably be set on a industrial basis by RTS Operations, a three way partnership between Prasarana Malaysia Berhad and SMRT Corporation. The Malaysian government has also confirmed that no subsidy will probably be provided to passengers traveling from Singapore.
In comparison, a fee of 20 Malaysian ringgit is currently charged for Singapore-registered vehicles entering Malaysia. From this levy alone, the state of Johor generates roughly $70 million annually.
