A first ride at last: Johor–Singapore RTS Link hits key milestone with inaugural train test from depot to border

SINGAPORE, Dec 29 — The Johor–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link reached a major milestone on December 26 when its first train successfully completed a dynamic test run on the mainline, signalling tangible progress on the long-delayed cross-border rail project.

In a Facebook post yesterday, RTS Operations (RTSO) said the test train departed from Singapore’s Wadi Hana Depot, passed Bukit Chagar Station, travelled along elevated viaduct sections and reached the international border before returning safely to the depot.

The run marked the first of a series of dynamic tests under the project’s testing and commissioning programme, which will intensify over the coming months as the system moves towards operational readiness.

Engineers from RTSO were joined by teams from Jacobs, CRRC, Pestech and CHEC, with support from InfraCo partners Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRT Corp) and Land Transport Authority (LTA), highlighting the close coordination required for a rail line that physically and operationally links two countries.

Before dynamic testing began, the project team completed key safety and technical checks, including line clearance, onboard systems verification and traction power readiness. Initial test runs will be conducted at low speeds, with gradual increases subject to strict safety requirements.

“As testing advances, our focus remains firmly on operational readiness, with safety at the core of every step,” RTSO said.

The RTS Link is designed to connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore, easing chronic congestion at the Causeway by shifting thousands of daily commuters from road to rail. 

Once operational, the line is expected to cut cross-border travel times to about five minutes per trip and form a critical part of daily commuting between southern Johor and Singapore.

The project, jointly developed by Malaysia and Singapore after being revived in 2020 following earlier delays, is seen as a key piece of cross-border infrastructure with economic and social implications for both sides of the strait.