RTS Link operator opens corporate office in JB in latest milestone for rail project

SINGAPORE - An office space on the 17th floor of a commercial tower in Johor Bahru’s city centre will serve as the corporate base for the operator of the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link.

In the latest milestone for the cross-border rail service, RTS Operations (RTSO), the company appointed to run the rail line, officially opened its new corporate office at the Menara JLand building on Feb 5. It is near the Johor Bahru checkpoint in Jalan Wong Ah Fook.

RTSO said the 4km rail line is on track for completion by the end of 2026. Work to get the operating assets for the rail link up and running is about 45 per cent done, said RTSO chairman Khairil Anwar Ahmad. These assets include the tracks, trains and rail systems.

RTSO said on social media that its new office underscores its commitment to being based in Johor Bahru and operationalising the project.

When ready, the light rail transit line will be able to carry up to 10,000 people an hour in each direction between Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore, easing congestion on the Causeway.

Speaking at the opening of the new RTSO office, Datuk Khairil said the RTS Link will play a key role in reducing carbon emissions and serve as a catalyst for

the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone,

a zone for business and investment.

He noted that the location of the office was strategically selected to keep a close eye on the progress of the rail project.

“From this vantage point, we not only have a bird’s-eye view of the construction site, but also a clear line of sight to the Wadi Hana depot,” he said, referring to the rail line’s maintenance depot in Johor Bahru.

“At the same time, we will also be able to ensure that the highest standards of safety... are complied with at all times.”

RTSO, a Singapore-incorporated joint venture between Singapore rail operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana, was appointed in 2020 to run and maintain the RTS Link for an initial 30-year period.

Senior officials from RTSO, SMRT, Prasarana and Malaysia’s Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) attended the opening of the office on Feb 5.

Based on business records, RTSO has a paid-up capital of about $410.7 million, with Prasarana holding 52 per cent of the shares and SMRT holding 48 per cent.

RTSO will own, design, build and finance the rail link’s operating assets.

In November 2024, it was reported that RTSO would be

progressively given access to the RTS Link’s civil structures,

so it could begin installing key systems. These structures include the stations, tunnels, viaducts and depot.

This development came after construction of the civil structures on the Singapore side of the rail link by the Land Transport Authority reached more than 80 per cent completion.

Civil construction on the Malaysia side, handled by MRT Corp, was 93 per cent completed as at November 2024.