What Is the RTS Link? A Simple Explainer

If you have heard people in Johor Bahru talk about “the RTS” and wondered what exactly it is, this explainer is for you. In one sentence: the RTS Link is a short, dedicated train that shuttles people across the Straits of Johor between JB city centre and Woodlands, with customs and immigration handled inside the stations. Below we explain what the RTS Link is in plain language — the route, the trains, the border process, who builds and runs it, how it connects to the rest of JB and Singapore, and why it matters for people who live, work or own property near the Causeway. For the detailed story of the opening date, see our separate guide to the RTS Link opening date; here we focus on what the system actually is.

What is the RTS Link, in one minute?

The RTS Link is a cross-border light rail transit (LRT) shuttle. It is not part of Malaysia’s KTM network or a branch of Singapore’s MRT; it is a standalone line built for one job — moving large numbers of people between Johor Bahru and Singapore quickly and predictably.

• Full name: Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link). In Chinese it is commonly called 新山RTS or 新山捷运.
• Stations: two only — Bukit Chagar (JB) and Woodlands North (Singapore). No stops in between.
• Length: about 4 km between the stations — roughly 2.7 km on the Malaysian side and 1.3 km on the Singapore side.
• Ride time: about 5 minutes.
• Capacity: up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.
• Border clearance: co-located customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) at both ends, so you clear once, before boarding.
• Status: infrastructure substantially complete; passenger service targeted for February 2027, subject to safety certification and approvals.

Think of it as a high-frequency shuttle rather than a metro line. Its value is not distance — 4 km is short — but certainty: a fixed few-minute ride replaces a Causeway crossing that can take anything from minutes to hours depending on traffic and queues.

Where does the JB RTS run? Route and stations

The RTS Link runs from Bukit Chagar, on the edge of Johor Bahru city centre, across the Straits of Johor to Woodlands North in Singapore. Most of the line is elevated on viaducts, with a short underground section approaching Woodlands North, and the strait itself is crossed on a bridge about 25 m high.

Bukit Chagar station (Johor Bahru)

Bukit Chagar station sits on Jalan Tun Abdul Razak, 80300 Johor Bahru, close to JB Sentral and the existing Bangunan Sultan Iskandar (BSI) checkpoint. It has its own CIQ complex and is linked to JB Sentral by a walkway of about 400 m. That puts it next to the city’s main bus terminal and KTM rail services, and within walking distance of the older JB city centre. We cover exits and walkways in more depth in our station guide; for a quick sense of which homes are within walking distance, see our shortlist of condos near the JB RTS station.

Woodlands North station (Singapore)

Woodlands North is the Singapore terminus. It is an underground station that connects through an underground concourse to Woodlands North MRT station on the Thomson–East Coast Line (TEL). From there, riders can continue into Woodlands, towards Orchard and into the city on Singapore’s MRT network. LTA released photos of the completed station in September 2026, including its pick-up and drop-off area.

The depot

The trains are maintained at a depot in Wadi Hana, Johor Bahru — one of the changes made when the project was restructured in 2020 (earlier plans had shared Singapore’s Mandai depot).

How does the RTS Link work for passengers?

For a rider, the RTS Link works like an airport-style process compressed into a few minutes: enter the station, clear both countries’ immigration and customs, board the train, and walk straight out at the other end.

1. Arrive at your departure station — Bukit Chagar if you are starting in JB, Woodlands North if you are starting in Singapore.
2. Clear CIQ once. Malaysian and Singapore officers sit in the same complex, so you complete departure and arrival formalities for both countries before boarding.
3. Board the train. At peak, a train is scheduled about every 3.6 minutes; off-peak, about every 6 minutes.
4. Ride about 5 minutes across the strait.
5. Exit without queuing again and continue your journey — by TEL in Singapore, or by foot, bus, rail or car in JB.

This one-stop clearance is the heart of the system. Legislation passed in May 2026 allows both countries’ CIQ facilities to be co-located at each station. The reported operating hours are about 6am to midnight from both ends, to be confirmed by the operator before opening. How long the immigration queue itself takes will become clearer once real passenger numbers are known; our customs guide will track that.

RTS Link key facts and figures

The RTS Link is small in length but built for heavy, frequent traffic. Here are the published numbers in one place:

The capacity figure follows from the frequency: about 16 trains an hour at a 3.6-minute headway, each carrying around 600 people, gives roughly 10,000 per hour in each direction.

Who builds and runs the RTS Link?

The RTS Link is a joint Malaysia–Singapore project, with each country building the infrastructure on its own side and a shared company running the trains.

• Malaysian infrastructure company: Malaysia Rapid Transit System Sdn Bhd (MRTS), part of MRT Corp, responsible for works in Johor including Bukit Chagar station and the Wadi Hana depot.
• Singapore infrastructure company: the Land Transport Authority (LTA), responsible for Woodlands North station and the Singapore section.
• Operator: RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), a joint venture between SMRT RTS Pte Ltd and Prasarana RTS Operations Sdn Bhd, appointed for an initial 30-year concession. RTSO runs the trains, sets fares commercially and must obtain safety certification before opening.

This shared structure explains why announcements on dates and fares are always made jointly — neither government can set them alone.

Is the RTS Link the same as the MRT, KTM shuttle or high-speed rail?

No. The RTS Link is often confused with other rail projects, so here is the short version:

• Not the KTM Shuttle Tebrau. The existing KTM shuttle train runs between JB Sentral and Woodlands Train Checkpoint. The RTS Link is a separate, higher-capacity line with its own stations and co-located CIQ.
• Not an extension of Singapore’s MRT. Early plans had the RTS use the Thomson–East Coast Line system, but since 2020 it has been a standalone LRT system. It connects to the TEL at Woodlands North but is a different line.
• Not the KL–Singapore high-speed rail. That is a separate long-distance project; the RTS Link is a short urban shuttle.
• Linked to future JB transit. MRT Corp has said the planned Autonomous Rail Transit (ART) system in JB would have a stop at Bukit Chagar with a direct connection to the RTS, and the transport ministry has approved an RM60 million bridge to give KTM Komuter passengers direct access to the RTS station, expected to take about 12 months to build.

When will the RTS Link open, and how much will it cost to ride?

Passenger service is targeted for February 2027, subject to independent safety certification and final approvals, and the fare has not been announced. Infrastructure on both sides has been described by the authorities as substantially complete, with final trial runs due by 31 December 2026.

We keep the full, dated detail — why the target moved from end-2026, what still has to happen and the latest ministerial statements — in our dedicated RTS Link opening date guide, so we will not repeat it here. On fares, both governments have said the price will be announced jointly before service begins; until then, any figure you see is an estimate, not an official fare.

Why the RTS Link matters for people living in JB

The RTS Link matters because it turns the most unpredictable part of a JB–Singapore day — the Causeway crossing — into a short, scheduled ride. That has practical effects for several groups:

• Daily commuters working in northern Singapore can plan their mornings around a timetable rather than traffic reports.
• Families with ties on both sides can cross for school, medical appointments or visits without a car.
• Visitors from Singapore can reach JB city centre for food, shopping and weekend stays with less hassle.
• Businesses in JB city centre gain a steadier flow of cross-border customers and staff.

The catch is the first and last mile. The ride is only 5 minutes, so your real commute is decided by how you get to Bukit Chagar. Walking there is the simplest option; driving depends on parking arrangements that are still being rolled out, and bus and rail links around JB Sentral are being expanded alongside the opening.

What the RTS Link means for homes near Bukit Chagar

Homes within comfortable walking distance of Bukit Chagar tend to appeal to cross-border commuters and tenants who value predictable travel time. Historically, in many cities, proximity to a major transit node has supported rental demand and resale interest, though no specific outcome is guaranteed and every project should be judged on its own merits.

Around the station there is a mix of completed condominiums and new launches. Among new projects, Causewayz Square at JBCC Johor Bahru by EXSIM — often called “Exsim CIQ” — is one of the closest: a freehold development on Jalan Lumba Kuda about 800 m from RTS Bukit Chagar and about 600 m from JB CIQ. The developer has proposed a pedestrian link towards CIQ and the RTS (proposed, not yet confirmed). Target completion is around 2030, which means owners would move in after the RTS Link has been operating for a few years. For a quieter residential setting, The Asteriaz at Kebun Teh is about a 10-minute drive to CIQ, with a proposed shuttle — not walkable to the RTS, but well connected by road.

You can see these side by side with other options in our guide to JB RTS Link condos and our project comparison. For the latest SPA price list on any EXSIM project, WhatsApp us.

Sources

• LTA: RTS Link service targeted for February 2027 (2 Oct 2026)
• MOT Singapore: Joint statement on resumption of the RTS Link project (30 Jul 2020)
• Land Transport Guru: RTS Link overview and specifications
• Mothership: RTS Link delay explainer (Oct 2026)
• The Star: LTA offers glimpse of completed RTS station (15 Sep 2026)
• Malay Mail: RM60m bridge to give Komuter passengers direct RTS access (18 Aug 2026)
• Bernama: MRT Corp on Bukit Chagar integrated hub and ART link (20 Mar 2026)

This guide is general information, not financial advice.