RTS Link Operators in final stages of deciding fares as Singapore and Malaysia launch first train

SINGAPORE: RTS Operations, the operator of the highly anticipated Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS Link), has entered the final stage of market research to determine the fares for cross-border commuters.

The announcement was made today (30 June) during a joint press conference by Singapore’s Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke. The ministers were speaking after officiating the launch of the first RTS Link train at Singapore’s Rail Test Centre.

Mr Loke explained that RTS Operations is studying several factors to arrive at a fare structure that is both sustainable and attractive to commuters. A key consideration, he said, is pricing the service competitively against the cost of driving a motorcycle into Singapore, which remains a common choice for many daily commuters working in Singapore.

“If the fare is lower than the cost of riding a motorcycle across, it will encourage more people to take the RTS Link,” Mr Loke noted.

The RTS Link is scheduled to run daily from 6am to midnight when it begins passenger service but Mr Loke added that the operator is also reviewing whether these hours can be adjusted to better match the needs of workers who travel into Singapore at dawn.

Noting that some people start crossing the border before 5am, he indicated that earlier operating hours could be on the table to accommodate the early morning rush.

Despite the RTS Link’s promise to ease border traffic, the ministers confirmed there are currently no plans to scale back the number of cross-border bus services once the system opens. This is expected to provide commuters with more options while ensuring that public transport capacity keeps pace with demand.

The 4-kilometre RTS Link, which will connect Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North station in Singapore, is slated to begin operations by the end of 2026. The line is designed to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, significantly reducing travel time between the two countries.