The Malaysian government announced plans to build a RM60 million bridge connecting the Bukit Chagar RTS Link Station and the KTMB Komuter station to improve public transport integration and ease passenger access [1, 2, 3, 4, 5]. Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the project will take about 12 months to complete, shortening the walking distance between the two stations [1, 2, 4, 5].
Alongside the bridge construction, at least 200 new buses will be introduced under the Stage Bus Service Transformation 2.0 programme to serve routes from Johor Bahru's residential areas to Bukit Chagar, timed with the RTS Link opening [1, 2, 4, 5]. The Bukit Chagar RTS Link Station is being developed as a multi-modal hub integrated with JB Sentral, KTMB Komuter, bus services, and e-hailing options [1, 4, 5].
Physical construction of the Bukit Chagar RTS Link station and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex is complete, with the project now in its testing and commissioning phase [1, 2, 4, 5]. The RTS Link rail infrastructure on the Malaysian side is finished and undergoing final integration testing with Singapore before passenger services begin [6, 7, 8, 2, 4, 5].
The RTS Link is a 4 km cross-border shuttle connecting Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore MRT, expected to carry about 40,000 passengers daily [6, 7, 8]. It can accommodate up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction [1, 4, 9].
At Bukit Chagar, 100 e-gates will be installed for immigration clearance using QR codes or passport scans, enabling processing times of just seconds, according to MRT Corp’s RTS Link project director Zulkifli Mohamed [6, 7, 8]. Minister Anthony Loke said, "As this is a bilateral project between Malaysia and Singapore, the official announcement in terms of the actual date of operation and the fare will be announced concurrently together between Malaysia and Singapore" [6]. He added, "We want to encourage RTS Link users to take public transport to reach Bukit Chagar or to exit from Bukit Chagar" [1]. RTS Operations Sdn Bhd (RTSO) is finalising fare and payment mechanisms balancing user interests with long-term sustainability, noted Loke [9].
Passenger service on the RTS Link is scheduled to commence on January 1, 2027 [1, 4, 9]. The RM60 million bridge aims to enhance connectivity for the growing multi-modal transport network around Bukit Chagar.
