Mr Loke announced the signing of a sales and purchase agreement between Malaysia Rapid Transit System Sdn Bhd (MRTS) and Coronade Properties Sdn Bhd (CPSB), in which MRTS would acquire 781 parking spaces at Coronation Square dedicated to commuters of the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. The completion rate of the RTS Link as of end-July was at 83 per cent for physical construction, with Malaysia and Singapore having similar completion rates. The handover to the system provider is expected to be completed by the end of the year.
The RTS Link is anticipated to begin passenger service by the end of 2026 and aims to alleviate traffic congestion on the Causeway by transporting up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction, with a journey time of about five minutes. The project is estimated to cost RM10 billion, with Singapore funding 61 per cent of the cost. Services will operate between the Woodlands North station in Singapore and the Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru, with an underground linkway connecting Woodlands North station to the immigration area and immigration facilities located at Bukit Chagar station to facilitate a single immigration clearance point for passengers.
Fares for the RTS Link will be commercially determined once the service is operational, as per Singapore’s then-Acting Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat. Originally slated for completion in 2024, the project experienced several suspensions after the Pakatan Harapan coalition government assumed power in Malaysia in 2018. The project officially resumed in July 2020 following a bilateral ceremony on the Causeway attended by Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and then-Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin. In January, current Malaysia Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Singapore’s Senior Minister Lee marked the completion of the connecting span of the project and reaffirmed the countries’ commitment to improving connectivity.
The RTS Link, with completion scheduled for 2026, is expected to ease congestion on the Causeway and improve cross-border connectivity between Malaysia and Singapore. The project, which was halted multiple times after the change in government in Malaysia in 2018, officially resumed in July 2020. Both countries have reported an 83 per cent completion rate for the physical construction of the link, with the handover to the system provider set to be completed by the end of the year. The bilateral agreement to build the link was signed in 2018, and the project aims to transport up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction, taking approximately five minutes for the journey.
The RTS Link will operate between Woodlands North station in Singapore and Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru, with underground linkways connecting the stations to the immigration areas. Immigration facilities will be located at both stations to enable a single immigration clearance for passengers, eliminating the need to clear immigration upon arrival. Upon completion, fares for the RTS Link will be determined commercially. The project is estimated to cost RM10 billion, with Singapore funding 61 per cent of the cost. The project faced delays following the change in government in Malaysia in 2018 but officially resumed in July 2020, with a ceremony attended by both countries’ leaders.
