JB-Singapore RTS Link targets February 2027 launch新山-新加坡RTS连接线计划于2027年2月开通
SINGAPORE, JOHOR BAHRU — The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will not begin passenger service as planned on Jan 1, 2027, with its opening delayed for a month. RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), the joint venture company operating the cross-border rail link, announced on Thursday (Oct 1) that passenger services will commence in February 2027, following the expected...
SINGAPORE, JOHOR BAHRU — The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link will not begin passenger service as planned on Jan 1, 2027, with its opening delayed for a month.
RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), the joint venture company operating the cross-border rail link, announced on Thursday (Oct 1) that passenger services will commence in February 2027, following the expected completion of works, third-party safety certification and approval by the grantors.
"Our goal is to provide a safe and reliable service on the RTS link," RTS announced in a press release on Friday (Oct 2).
The announcement comes as the RTS Link enters its final testing and commissioning phase, which is required before the system can be declared operational.
The project had previously been targeted to begin passenger service in early 2027.
The cross-border system — first announced in 2010 — is a 4km shuttle service that connects Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru (JB) to Woodlands North in Singapore.
RTSO is a joint venture between Singapore's SMRT Corporation and Malaysia's state-owned transport operator Prasarana Malaysia Bhd.
During an AsiaOne site visit to the RTS Link project in Johor Bahru on Sept 28, construction and installation works were still ongoing at several parts of the development.
Several areas appeared incomplete then, with scaffolding still visible around parts of the worksite while workers continued construction and installation activities.
This comes as the project enters its final testing and commissioning phase.
LTA had said earlier in September that the Woodlands North Station on the Singapore side had been completed.
The station's ticketing concourse, immigration facilities and platforms are in place, with its Temporary Occupation Permit obtained within the stipulated timeline.
However, the wider RTS Link project involves more than the station itself, including the rail systems, signalling, communications, trains and cross-border integration between the Singapore and Malaysia sides.
Testing before passenger service
The RTS Link's rail systems must also undergo testing and commissioning before passenger service can begin.
These includes integration and dynamic testing of the trains and various railway systems, including signalling, platform screen doors and onboard communications.
The first RTS Link train arrived at Woodlands North Station in February this year, after being put through system integration testing at the Singapore Rail Test Centre.
Its arrival demonstrated that Singapore's RTS Link infrastructure had been completed to the specifications needed to support operational testing.
The system is designed to support a peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, with the journey between Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar expected to take about five minutes.
The shuttle between the two stations will operate at a maximum speed of 80kmh.
Expected gains from RTS Link
A study commissioned by the Singapore Business Federation, Restaurant Association of Singapore and Singapore Retailers Association in March this year had projected that Singaporeans will spend an additional $1.05 billion annually on retail and F&B purchases in JB once the RTS Link opens.
At the same time, local businesses stand to gain an estimated $756 million annually from JB visitors, resulting in an additional net annual spending outflow of about $290 million — 0.4 per cent of Singapore's total retail and F&B sales in 2025.
Fares for RTS Link are expected to be priced around $5 to $7 per trip , said Malaysia's Transport Minister Anthony Loke in February.
AsiaOne spoke to the owner of J.B. Breakfast and Toast Cafe, which opened in July this year, in a largely residential neighbourhood in Johor Bahru near the future RTS Link.
He said the cafe currently attracts mostly Malaysian residents living in the area. They also see some Singaporean customers due to its proximity to the Johor Bahru CIQ complex.
"It will be better once the RTS Link is up," he told AsiaOne, adding that his 15 staff and manager are already prepared to handle more customers.
Timeline of RTS Link
May 2010: RTS Link first announced, with a target completion date of 2018.
January 2019: Then Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan said project behind schedule and may be delayed beyond 2024.
April 2019: Project suspended for 6 months at Malaysia's request to review scope, structure and costs.
July 2020: The project was officially resumed.
March 2023 : Piling works for the RTS Link's Singapore section completed.
January 2024 : Singapore and Malaysia marked completion of connecting span across Straits of Johor.
November 2024 : More than four-fifths of Singapore's civil infrastructure works completed, while Malaysian railway civil infrastructure works had reached 93% completion.
June 2025 : First RTS Link train unveiled at the Singapore Rail Test Centre. RTSO said rail systems works were around 56% complete.
July 2025 : Senior Minister K Shanmugam said RTS Link targeted to begin operations at end 2026, with preparations well underway.
February 2026 : First RTS Link train arrived at Woodlands North Station for testing.
April 2026 : Cross-Border Railways (Border Control Co-location) Bill introduced in Parliament, setting out arrangements for co-located immigration, customs and quarantine facilities at both RTS Link stations.
May 2026 : Bill passed following its Second Reading and wrap-up debate.
June 2026 : Law and Home Affairs Minister Edwin Tong visited Woodlands North Station.
September 2026 : LTA announces completion of Woodlands North Station, with its Temporary Occupation Permit obtained.
asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com
新加坡、新山——新山-新加坡捷运系统（RTS）连接线将不会按计划于2027年1月1日开始载客服务，其开通时间将推迟一个月。
运营跨境铁路的合资公司RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO) 于周四（10月1日）宣布，在工程预计完工、获得第三方安全认证和拨款方批准后，客运服务将于2027年2月开始。
“我们的目标是在RTS链路上提供安全可靠的服务，”RTS在周五（10月2日）的新闻稿中宣布。
该公告发布之际，RTS Link 正进入最终测试和调试阶段，这是系统宣布投入运行前必须完成的阶段。
该项目此前计划于 2027 年初开始客运服务。
该跨境系统于 2010 年首次宣布开通，是一条 4 公里的穿梭巴士线路，连接柔佛州新山的武吉查卡和新加坡的兀兰北。
RTSO 是新加坡 SMRT 公司和马来西亚国有交通运营商 Prasarana Malaysia Bhd 的合资企业。
9月28日，AsiaOne记者前往柔佛新山RTS Link项目现场考察时发现，该项目的多个部分仍在进行建设和安装工作。
当时一些区域似乎尚未完工，工地部分区域仍可见脚手架，工人们仍在继续施工和安装活动。
此时，该项目已进入最终测试和调试阶段。
陆路交通管理局曾在9月初表示，新加坡一侧的兀兰北站已经竣工。
车站的售票大厅、入境设施和站台均已到位，其临时占用许可证也已在规定的时间内获得。
然而，更广泛的RTS Link项目涉及的不仅仅是车站本身，还包括铁路系统、信号系统、通信系统、列车以及新加坡和马来西亚之间的跨境整合。
乘客服务前测试
RTS Link 的轨道系统也必须经过测试和调试，才能开始载客服务。
这包括对列车和各种铁路系统（包括信号系统、站台屏蔽门和车载通信系统）进行集成和动态测试。
今年2月，首列RTS Link列车抵达兀兰北站，此前该列车已在新加坡铁路测试中心完成系统集成测试。
它的到来表明新加坡的RTS Link基础设施已经按照支持运行测试所需的规格完成。
该系统设计最大运力为每个方向每小时 10,000 名乘客，兀兰北站和武吉查卡站之间的行程预计需要大约 5 分钟。
两站之间的摆渡车最高运行速度为80公里/小时。
RTS Link的预期收益
今年 3 月，新加坡商业联合会、新加坡餐饮协会和新加坡零售商协会委托进行的一项研究预测，一旦 RTS Link 开通，新加坡人每年将在新山的零售和餐饮消费上额外花费 10.5 亿美元。
与此同时，当地企业每年预计将从新山游客那里获得约 7.56 亿美元的收入，从而导致每年净支出流出约 2.9 亿美元——占新加坡 2025 年零售和餐饮总销售额的 0.4%。
马来西亚交通部长陆兆福在2月份表示，RTS Link的票价预计每次行程在5至7美元左右。
AsiaOne 采访了 JB Breakfast and Toast Cafe 的老板，这家咖啡馆于今年 7 月开业，位于柔佛新山一个以住宅为主的街区，靠近未来的 RTS Link。
他说，这家咖啡馆目前主要吸引居住在附近的马来西亚居民。由于靠近新山关卡大楼，他们也接待一些新加坡顾客。
“RTS Link开通后情况会好转，”他告诉AsiaOne，并补充说他的15名员工和经理已经做好准备接待更多顾客。
RTS Link 的时间线
2010 年 5 月：RTS Link 项目首次公布，目标完成日期为 2018 年。
2019 年 1 月：时任交通部长许文远表示，该项目进度落后，可能会推迟到 2024 年以后。
2019 年 4 月：应马来西亚的要求，项目暂停 6 个月，以便审查范围、结构和成本。
2020年7月：该项目正式恢复。
2023年3月：RTS Link新加坡段的桩基工程竣工。
2024年1月：新加坡和马来西亚庆祝跨越柔佛海峡的连接桥梁竣工。
2024 年 11 月：新加坡超过五分之四的民用基础设施工程已完工，而马来西亚铁路民用基础设施工程已完成 93%。
2025年6月：首列RTS Link列车在新加坡铁路测试中心亮相。RTSO表示，铁路系统工程已完成约56%。
2025 年 7 月：高级部长尚穆根表示，RTS Link 计划于 2026 年底开始运营，目前各项准备工作正在顺利进行中。
2026年2月：首列RTS Link列车抵达兀兰北站进行测试。
2026 年 4 月：《跨境铁路（边境管制合设）法案》提交议会，规定了在 RTS Link 两个车站设立合设的移民、海关和检疫设施的安排。
2026 年 5 月：该法案在二读和总结辩论后获得通过。
2026年6月：律政兼内政部长唐振辉访问兀兰北站。
2026 年 9 月：陆路交通管理局宣布兀兰北站竣工，并已获得临时占用许可证。
asyiqin.nadzri@asiaone.com