Singapore RTS Link station completed, 2027 launch on track

SINGAPORE: The Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link has cleared another major milestone with the completion of its Woodlands North station, bringing the much-anticipated five-minute cross-border train journey closer to reality.

The Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the completion on Sept 4, saying the project remained on course to begin passenger services in 2027.

The 4km rail link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Baru with Woodlands North in Singapore, where passengers can interchange with the Thomson-East Coast MRT Line, LTA said in a statement.

The service is designed to carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction during peak periods, with projected daily ridership of about 40,000.

The underground Woodlands North station reaches a maximum depth of 28 metres and comprises three levels, including two basement floors and an underground linkway to the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex.

Passengers arriving at the station will undergo immigration clearance before proceeding to the train platforms.

The station's construction presented a major engineering challenge because of the hard rock beneath the site.

LTA said high-capacity drilling equipment was deployed and more than 600 controlled rock blasts were carried out in small quantities, timed when trains had left the nearby station, to minimise vibrations affecting Thomson-East Coast Line passengers.

The station's Basement 1 houses the ticketing concourse and arrival hall, while passengers can transfer directly to the RTS Link from the MRT station.

Bus services will provide onward connections to other parts of Singapore.

The station also incorporates sustainability features, including High-Volume Low Speed fans for hybrid cooling.

Meanwhile, its pick-up and drop-off area draws on tree-inspired colours and design elements reflecting the Woodlands area's natural identity.

Artwork at the ticketing concourse features symbols representing themes including nature, science, friendship and heritage.

The cross-border rail line will run over the Johor Strait on a viaduct featuring a clasped-hands motif, symbolising the close ties between Malaysia and Singapore.

Meanwhile, Transport Minister Anthony Loke said all station and rail infrastructure on the Malaysian side had been completed, with the project entering its final integration testing phase between the two countries.