RTS Link to Singapore starts Feb 2027, fares due by year-end

The RTS Link between Johor Bahru and Singapore is now due to open to passengers in February 2027. Tests and trial runs are meant to finish by 31 December.

The operator, RTS Operations, announced the date on 2 October. It says independent safety checks and approvals from both governments must come first.

Here is what is known about the delay, the journey and the fares, and what is still missing.

Why the date moved to February

First, the timeline. The service was planned for the end of 2026, so the new date is about two months later.

Next, the trials. System tests and trial runs are still due to finish by 31 December. The first train arrived at Woodlands North in February this year.

However, the delay comes down to safety certification. An independent assessor must sign off before passengers can ride.

The operator also cites the time needed for the remaining works and for approvals from both governments.

Singapore Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said on 3 October that certification and licensing were meant to finish by year-end. They did not.

Still, both sides aim to open before Hari Raya in 2027. The works themselves are described as substantially complete.

Also, the project was suspended from April 2019 to July 2020, so commuters have waited a long time.

What the RTS Link journey will be like

First, the route. The link is about 4 km long and runs between Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore.

The trip takes about five minutes. At peak, it can carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction.

Also, the shortest wait between trains will be 3.6 minutes. One report says first and last trains leave at 6am and 12am daily.

Then the trains. CRRC Zhuzhou built them, and Siemens supplied the signalling and the platform screen doors.

Next, immigration. Passengers clear it at the station where they board, so there is no second check at the other end.

Legislation passed in May allows both countries to run checks at each station. Woodlands Checkpoint sees over 300,000 people a day.

Meanwhile, Johor Bahru is backing e-ART and more buses to ease road traffic. Experts have also named two priority corridors for e-ART.

Fares and what is still unclear

Fares are the big open question. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on 20 October that they should be announced by the end of the year.

He spoke at a press conference during Transport Expo Asia 2026. The announcement will come before the opening, so travellers have time to learn the prices.

Also, he cannot announce fares alone. The project belongs to both countries, so the operator must join him.

However, no fare range has been published. Nor has a payment or ticketing method, and the reports do not mention discounts or passes.

Then there is the schedule. The train frequency and operating hours come from one report, so treat them as provisional.

The operator is owned 52% by Prasarana and 48% by SMRT. That detail also comes from one report.

In short, the RTS Link is due in February, with fares to come by year-end.

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