Proposed RTS Link fare to be presented to Malaysia, Singapore governments: Minister

JOHOR BAHRU - The proposed fare for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) is expected to be presented to both the Malaysian and Singapore governments in the third quarter of 2026, said Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke.

The operator, RTS Operations (RTSO), would present the proposed rates, he added.

“The presentation is to obtain agreement from both governments through the Land Public Transport Agency in Malaysia and the Land Transport Authority in Singapore before the fares can be announced to the public,” he said at a media briefing at the project site on April 3.

Mr Loke in February suggested that the fare could cost between $5 and $7 per trip.

Asked whether a season pass would be introduced to provide a fixed fare for frequent cross-border travellers, he said the government welcomes proposals for such passes but they must be commercially viable.

“Based on our experience, a season pass for public transportation services usually involves government subsidies and we will look at how we can help Malaysians.

“For our side, we are not going to subsidise foreigners and I am sure that Singapore (if it were to introduce a season pass) will also do the same (for its citizens),” he said.

He said discussions about such passes have to be held with RTSO, a joint venture between Malaysia and Singapore, as the rail services involve international travel.

“They have to ensure the revenue can cover the expenses, therefore any type of season pass must be commercially viable,” he added.

The global geopolitical situation and conflict in the Middle East has had minimal impact on the progress of the project.

He said physical work for the Bukit Chagar station and immigration, Customs and quarantine complex (ICQ) is nearly complete.

“The systems are being installed in phases so it does not involve much fuel costs at this point. The present situation will not affect the project’s progress. The contractor has not highlighted any issues or requests related to the cost of the project either,” he said.

“I am confident the project costs are still under control according to the original costing.”

Installation of e-gates at the ICQ building is complete, he added, while installation of body scanners and baggage scanners has begun, more than two months ahead of the original May 2026 target.

“Once completed, the hall will be equipped with 10 security screening lanes, 18 baggage scanners and 100 e-gate lanes, including dedicated lanes for passengers without baggage,” he said.

The next phase includes system installation, acceptance testing, integration and dynamic testing, all of which will lead to the final field readiness (FFR) stage, he said, adding: “The FFR is expected to begin as early as September, paving the way for the project’s targeted opening by the end of this year.”

The approximately 4km RTS Link is a railway shuttle link with two stations, one in Bukit Chagar, Johor Bahru, and one in Woodlands, Singapore.

The service will have a capacity of 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction and an expected ridership of about 40,000 passengers per day upon its opening on Jan 1, 2027.
THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK