RTS Link passenger service pushed to February 2027 as system tests and trial runs expected to complete by end of the year

SINGAPORE/JOHOR: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link (RTS Link) operator RTSO has announced that passenger service is now expected to commence in February 2027, with all system tests and trial runs targeted for completion by Dec 31, 2026, pushing the opening back by approximately one month from the previously communicated January 2027 target.

In a media statement dated Oct 2, 2026, RTSO said the revised timeline takes into account the expected duration of remaining works as well as the time required for third-party safety certification and approval by both Grantors: the governments of Singapore and Malaysia.

“Our goal is to provide a safe and reliable service on the RTS Link,” RTSO said.

What the RTS Link will deliver

When passenger service begins, the RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore, with a peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction and a journey time of approximately five minutes.

Co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine facilities will be provided at both stations, allowing commuters to undergo immigration clearance at their point of departure rather than upon arrival. This design is intended to create a seamless travel experience and reduce processing time at the border.

A one-month delay with significant downstream implications

The shift from January to February 2027 is modest in timeline terms but significant in practical impact. Businesses in Johor Bahru’s food, retail, and service sectors that have been preparing for the opening, some of which have already begun hiring, renovating, or repositioning their offerings for an expected surge in cross-border foot traffic, will need to adjust their planning accordingly.

The MCBA’s 400 border security trainees, who were expected to complete training by end-September ahead of an October deployment and dry runs, will now have additional preparation time before the February opening. The Singapore Ministry of Health’s review of the overseas MediSave scheme, flagged in September as being conducted in anticipation of increased cross-border patient flow via the RTS Link, also has a slightly longer runway before the link goes live.

The RTS Link’s February 2027 opening will still represent a landmark moment in Malaysia-Singapore connectivity; the first rail link between the two countries in over two decades, and the most significant physical infrastructure development in the JS-SEZ’s early phase.