Johor Bahru

RTS Link Singapore–JB: opening date, fares and how it works

The Woodlands North–Bukit Chagar RTS Link is due in February 2027. What's confirmed on fares, immigration and frequency, and how it compares with the Causeway.

Updated 17 Oct 20266 min read

Passenger service is expected to start in February 2027. LTA and Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport announced the date on 2 October 2026, after the operator, RTS Operations (RTSO), told them it needed more time. The line had been due to open at the end of 2026.

What’s left before opening day:

  • Testing. RTSO expects to finish its final system tests and trial runs by 31 December 2026.
  • A safety check. An independent safety assessor then has to certify the line.
  • Approvals. Regulators in both countries review that certification before they allow passenger service.

The building work is done: both governments say the infrastructure on each side is substantially complete. There’s no exact opening date yet. Malaysia’s transport minister, Anthony Loke, said on 8 October that it will be announced once Malaysia’s land transport agency (APAD) and LTA have given their approvals, and that February leaves a buffer: service could otherwise have started in January.

Fares and tickets

The fare hasn’t been announced (as of 17 October 2026). RTSO sets it on commercial terms, both governments have to approve it, and the two transport ministers will announce it together.

  • The estimate: in February 2026 Loke said a trip could cost around S$5–7 (RM15.50–21.70). He has since said that figure isn’t final, so treat it as a ballpark.
  • Paying: Malaysia has pushed for an open payment system that takes several ways to pay. Which cards and apps will work hasn’t been confirmed.
  • Season passes: none announced.

Immigration: both countries before you board

Each station has the customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) facilities of both countries. You clear Singapore and Malaysia at the station you leave from, and walk straight out at the other end, in either direction.

  • Passport: bring it, with at least six months’ validity left.
  • Malaysia’s arrival card (MDAC): Singapore citizens don’t need one. Other foreign passport holders, Singapore PRs included, must submit the MDAC within three days before arriving in Malaysia. Use the Immigration Department’s own site, imigresen-online.imi.gov.my.
  • Gates and apps: how clearance will work at the RTS stations, such as which automated gates and QR codes you can use, hasn’t been announced.

Frequency, capacity and hours

  • The route: about 4 km, on a bridge 25 m above the Strait of Johor.
  • The ride: about five minutes, by LTA’s estimate (MRT Corp, which built the Malaysian side, says six).
  • The trains: eight trains of four cars, each carrying more than 600 people.
  • Capacity: up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction at peak times.
  • Frequency: the line is designed for a train every 3.6 minutes at the peak, according to MRT Corp. The timetable for opening day isn’t out yet.
  • Hours: not announced. RTSO is setting them with early-morning commuters in mind; Loke has said the line won’t run through the night, as it needs a few hours a day for maintenance.
  • Connections: in Singapore the RTS Link station joins the Thomson–East Coast Line’s Woodlands North station underground.
RTS LinkKTM Shuttle TebrauCauseway (bus or car)
BetweenWoodlands North and Bukit ChagarWoodlands Train Checkpoint and JB SentralWoodlands Checkpoint and Bangunan Sultan Iskandar, JB’s CIQ
RunningFrom February 2027 (expected)Until no later than six months after the RTS Link opensAlways
Capacity10,000 people an hour each wayAbout 8,600 people a daySet by the checkpoint queues
ImmigrationBoth countries, before you boardAt Woodlands and JB SentralAt Woodlands, then at Bangunan Sultan Iskandar
FareNot announced (S$5–7 floated)S$5 one way from Woodlands, RM5 from JB SentralVaries by bus operator
CrossingAbout 5 minutes on the train, plus clearanceAbout 5 minutes on the train, plus clearanceDepends on the queue: see Causeway traffic now

The KTM Shuttle Tebrau will stop. Singapore and Malaysia agreed that all KTMB rail services into Singapore end within six months of the RTS Link starting passenger service, and Malaysia’s transport minister confirmed on 8 October 2026 that the shuttle will stop then. Cross-border buses will keep running after the RTS Link opens.

Which to take, once the RTS Link opens: the RTS Link for JB’s city centre, especially on the eve of a long weekend, when the Causeway queues are longest. For western Johor, such as Iskandar Puteri and Legoland Malaysia, the Second Link at Tuas is the more direct way by car or coach.

Until it opens, it’s the Causeway by bus or car, or the Shuttle Tebrau, with tickets on KTMB’s website and app or at the Woodlands and JB Sentral counters. Check the live checkpoint cameras and jam outlook before you set off: the eve of a long weekend and its last day are the worst.

Where to stay near Bukit Chagar

Bukit Chagar is at the northern edge of JB’s city centre. These are the hotels closest to the RTS station, measured in a straight line on OpenStreetMap:

  • Capri by Fraser Johor Bahru, Jalan Tengku Azizah: about 300 m. Studios and one-bedroom apartments.
  • DoubleTree by Hilton Johor Bahru, Menara Landmark, Jalan Ngee Heng: about 300 m.
  • Amari Johor Bahru, Jalan Trus: about 350 m.
  • Holiday Inn Johor Bahru City Centre, Jalan Tun Abdul Razak: about 400 m.

The walk can be longer than the distance suggests: the routes depend on the station’s exits and links, which open with the line. Check a map before you book if the walk matters.

Compare prices for your dates on Agoda. For things to do, such as Legoland Malaysia or the waterpark at Desaru Coast, compare Klook and Trip.com: prices differ between platforms.

Long weekends that suit JB

Best upcoming long weekends for Johor Bahru

  1. Fri 26 – Sun 28 Mar 2027Good Friday3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave needed
  2. Sat 7 – Mon 9 Aug 2027National Day3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave needed
  3. Sat 6 – Mon 8 Feb 2027Chinese New Year3 days off · no leaveGood weather that monthNo leave neededAlso a holiday in Malaysia, so book early

Questions

When will the RTS Link open?

Passenger service is expected to start in February 2027, after final tests, an independent safety assessment and approvals from both countries. The exact date will be announced once those approvals are in.

How much will the RTS Link cost?

The fare hasn't been announced. Malaysia's transport minister has put it at around S$5–7 (RM15.50–21.70) a trip, but says that isn't final. The two countries' transport ministers will announce it together.

Do I clear immigration twice on the RTS Link?

No. Both countries have their checkpoints at each station, so you clear Singapore and Malaysia before you board, and walk straight out when you arrive.

Will the KTM Shuttle Tebrau stop running?

Yes. Under the two countries' agreement, KTMB's services into Singapore end within six months of the RTS Link opening, and Malaysia's transport minister confirmed in October 2026 that the shuttle will stop then.

Do Singaporeans need the MDAC to enter Malaysia?

Singapore citizens don't. Other foreign passport holders, including Singapore PRs, must submit the Malaysia Digital Arrival Card online within three days before arriving.

How often will RTS Link trains run?

The line is designed for a train every 3.6 minutes at the peak, carrying up to 10,000 passengers an hour each way. The opening timetable and operating hours haven't been published.

Sources

Holiday dates come from MOM's gazetted list, and the leave maths and rankings are worked out the same way as on our long-weekend pages. Updated 17 Oct 2026.

Keep planning