More JB-Woodlands shuttle train trips from tomorrow

There will be 12 trips from JB Sentral into Woodlands and 10 trips in the opposite direction every day.
There will be 12 trips from JB Sentral into Woodlands and 10 trips in the opposite direction every day. ST FILE PHOTO

There will be more frequent trains for Shuttle Tebrau, the train service between Johor Baru (JB) and Woodlands.

From tomorrow, the number will be increased from 14 to 22 trips daily, said Malaysian rail operator Keretapi Tanah Melayu (KTM).

There will be 12 trips from JB Sentral into Woodlands and 10 trips in the opposite direction every day.

The move is aimed at easing congestion along the Causeway.

The shuttle, which started operations in July last year, takes five minutes to travel between JB and Woodlands. Each trip, costing RM5 (S$1.80) from JB and $5 from Woodlands, caters to about 320 passengers. It is not known how many commuters use the shuttle daily.

The Shuttle Tebrau is popular among workers and students commuting from Malaysia into Singapore, providing a speedier alternative to buses. Buses can take more than two hours to cross the checkpoints due to queues, Customs clearance and traffic jams.

Malaysian daily The Star reported earlier this month that Datuk Tee Siew Kiong, Johor Tourism, Trade and Consumers Affairs committee chairman, said the shuttle could be used to ferry tourists from Singapore to JB and help boost tourism in the state.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Straits Times on January 16, 2016, with the headline More JB-Woodlands shuttle train trips from tomorrow. Subscribe