Malaysia Transport Minister Anthony Loke (centre) at the RTS-Link station construction site in Johor Bahru on Nov 3, 2025. (Photo: Ministry of Transport Malaysia)

RTS Link on track for Jan 2027 launch despite global energy pressures, says Malaysia transport minister

Speaking to local media during a site visit on Friday (Apr 3), Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke said the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is now in the system installation phase, which involves limited fuel costs and is unlikely to be affected by the global energy situation.

04 Apr 2026, 06:42 · CNA · Join

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SINGAPORE: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link remains on track for its scheduled January 2027 launch despite global energy-related pressures, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on Friday (Apr 3), according to local media reports.

On fares, Loke said RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), the rail operator, is expected to submit its pricing proposal in the third quarter to Malaysia’s Land Public Transport Agency and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority.

The fare package will be considered by both governments before prices are announced to the public by year-end, he said.

RTSO is a joint venture between Malaysia’s state-owned transport operator Prasarana Malaysia Bhd and Singapore’s SMRT Corporation.

“The presentation is to obtain agreement from both governments,” Loke said.

Loke also said Malaysia is open to introducing a season pass for frequent cross-border commuters, but stressed that any such scheme would have to be commercially viable and would likely require government subsidies.

He said public transport season passes “usually involve government subsidies”, adding they would have to look at how it could support Malaysians, but “would not subsidise foreigners”. He added that Singapore would likely take the same position.

Loke said any season pass proposal would need to be discussed with RTSO because the service is a cross-border rail operation involving both Malaysia and Singapore.

He said the main issue was whether recurring revenue from such passes could cover operating costs, even if there was policy interest in helping Malaysian commuters.

His remarks come after he told local media on Wednesday that the energy crisis was a “very, very serious matter” and that the Malaysian government had entered “crisis mode”.

Malaysia has faced spillover effects from global energy market turbulence linked to the United States and Israel’s war on Iran, which has driven up energy costs and increased pressure on the country’s fuel subsidy bill.

Still, Loke said the RTS Link project would not be affected as it had moved into the system installation stage, with major physical construction largely nearing completion.

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ENERGY CRISES TO NOT IMPACT RTS LINK

Speaking after a site visit to the project on Friday, Loke said works at Bukit Chagar Station and the Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ) complex were in the final phase.

He said e-gate installation at the ICQ complex had been completed, while work on body and baggage scanners was underway.

“Right now, it is the system installation phase,” he said, adding that this stage involved limited fuel costs and should not be affected by the global energy situation.

He also said contractors had not raised requests related to cost increases and that spending remained manageable “according to the original cost”.

The next stage of the project will involve acceptance, integration and dynamic testing, followed by field readiness testing scheduled to begin in September.

In February, Loke said one-way fares were expected to be around S$5 to S$7. He added then that fares for the cross-border rail service were unlikely to be as cheap as public transport in Kuala Lumpur, though they would still be more cost-effective than travelling to Singapore by car.

He also said in February that Singapore would not provide subsidies, meaning the operating model would have to be commercially sustainable.

Loke is due to meet his Singapore counterpart later this month to review progress and integration efforts ahead of the scheduled opening, according to local reports.

The RTS Link completed its first test run in December 2025. Experts say it is expected to reduce traffic congestion at the checkpoints by up to 25 per cent.

The 4km rail link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru, Malaysia with Woodlands North in Singapore. It will have the capacity to carry up to 10,000 passengers an hour in each direction, with projected daily ridership of about 40,000 when operations begin.

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