This is for anyone in Johor Bahru, or commuting from Singapore, who is deciding where to buy or rent with the RTS Link in mind. The short answer as of 17 October 2026: passenger service is now expected in February 2027, not 1 January, the exact day will only be named after safety approvals, and fares have still not been announced.
For the basics (the 4 km Bukit Chagar to Woodlands North route and the co-located CIQ), see my RTS Link property guide.
The opening date: February 2027, subject to approvals
On 2 October 2026, Malaysia’s Transport Ministry and Singapore’s Land Transport Authority (LTA) issued a joint statement after the operator, RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO), told them of a revised timeline. Service is now expected to start in February 2027. That depends on RTSO getting independent safety certification and final regulatory approval.
Transport Minister Anthony Loke said on 8 October that this is a buffer rather than a delay. Station and CIQ works are complete, testing runs to 31 December, and then an independent safety assessor and the regulators (APAD in Malaysia, LTA in Singapore) must sign off. The exact date will be announced only after all approvals. Mothership reported the aim is to start before Hari Raya 2027.
| Date | What happened |
|---|---|
| January 2018 | Bilateral agreement signed, with an end-2024 target |
| April 2019 to July 2020 | Project suspended; target moved to end-2026 |
| February 2026 | First train arrived at Woodlands North |
| May 2026 | Legislation passed to allow co-located CIQ at each station |
| 18 August 2026 | Loke: physical works done, testing begins; 1 January 2027 target; fare to be announced jointly |
| 2 October 2026 | Joint MOT–LTA statement: service expected in February 2027 |
| 8 October 2026 | Loke: February chosen as a buffer for safety and technical approvals |
| 31 December 2026 | Target to finish final system tests and trial runs |
| February 2027 | Expected start of passenger service (exact date not yet announced) |
Fares and ticketing: still not announced
As of mid-October 2026, there is no official fare. In August, Loke said the fare and payment method were in the final stage of discussion at RTSO and would be announced jointly by both governments. Figures you may see online, such as RM15 to RM22 a trip, are estimates, not approved fares.
On hours, Mothership reported first and last trains at 6am and 12am from both ends, with trains as often as every 3.6 minutes at peak. Treat that as reported, not a published timetable. The co-located CIQ means you clear both countries’ immigration at the station you depart from, but how long queues will be at peak is not yet known.
Getting to Bukit Chagar: buses, bridges, parking and the ART
Station access matters for property as much as the train. The latest I could verify:
- Parking. In March 2026, Bernama reported plans for a 1,500-bay park-and-ride at Bukit Chagar, plus 700 bays reserved for RTS users in a neighbouring development.
- Bridge to KTMB. In August 2026 the government approved a RM60 million bridge linking Bukit Chagar directly to the KTMB station at JB Sentral. Loke said it would take about 12 months to build, so it will not be ready on opening day. My JB Sentral and Bukit Chagar area guide covers the homes around it.
- Buses. At least 200 new buses are planned under the Stage Bus Service Transformation 2.0 programme for routes from JB housing areas to Bukit Chagar, timed for the RTS opening, plus an RTS shuttle and dedicated bus lanes (Malay Mail, July 2026).
- E-ART. The Elevated Autonomous Rapid Transit on the Skudai, Tebrau and Iskandar Puteri corridors was approved by Cabinet in June 2026, but funding terms were still being negotiated in July. Cost reports differ: about RM10 billion (Malay Mail) and about RM7 billion (CIMB, via The Star). Malay Mail said completion is expected within four years of the letter of acceptance, so it will not be running when the RTS opens.
Traffic and the Causeway
The RTS is designed for up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, and about 40,000 riders a day were expected at opening. That is a fraction of the more than 300,000 people Mothership says cross at Woodlands each day, so do not expect the Causeway queues to disappear. Bernama also warned that the transit-oriented development around Bukit Chagar may still be under construction when trains start, so expect road changes near the station for a while.
What has happened to prices and rents near Bukit Chagar
I could not find a dated, published survey of residential rents around Bukit Chagar for 2026, so I will not quote one. What the reports do show:
- New launch pricing. StarProperty reported in January 2026 that serviced apartment launches at the Bukit Chagar–CIQ node had reached about RM1,500 psf.
- Supply. CIMB, reported in July 2026, counted 108,863 serviced apartments in Johor Bahru as of 1Q2026, with 41,832 more incoming up to 2030 and 18,712 planned to 2031. CBRE WTW expects Iskandar Malaysia’s high-rise completions to peak at 32,783 units in 2029, and warned that many projects finishing just after the RTS could pressure take-up in 2027 to 2029.
- Commercial rents. The Straits Times reported in August 2026 that downtown JB shoplots were asking RM8,000 to RM25,000 a month, and one Taman Melodies café’s rent rose from RM7,000 in 2023 to RM18,000 in 2026.
Consultants quoted by EdgeProp in September 2026 agree with what I tell clients: proximity alone is not enough. Access, build quality, management and competing supply decide rents. For a look at the city centre beyond the station, see my JB city centre guide.
What is still unknown
- The exact opening day in February 2027.
- The fare, how you pay, and whether there will be concession or monthly passes.
- Official operating hours and real peak-hour CIQ waiting times.
- When the KTMB bridge, the new bus routes and the park-and-ride will all be running.
- How rents behave as the new supply completes.
What I would do now
If you are buying to live in and commute, wait for the fare and the first few weeks of real queues before paying extra for being a short walk from the station. If you are buying to rent out, compare against completed units with a real rental record; my subsale condo listings in Johor Bahru are a fair place to start. Either way, walk the route to the station yourself.
Questions about your situation?
Tell me where you work and where you are looking, and I will help you weigh the RTS factor honestly.
Sources: The Star, “JB-Singapore RTS Link to commence operations in February 2027”, October 2026; Bernama, “RTS Link Passenger Service Expected To Begin in February 2027”, October 2026; Malay Mail, “Anthony Loke: RTS Link not delayed, buffer time needed for safety approvals”, October 2026; Mothership, “16 years & slight delay later, Johor Bahru-S’pore RTS Link coming to pass. Finally.”, October 2026; The Star, “No more RTS Link delays, please”, October 2026; Malay Mail, “Malaysia and Singapore to announce RTS Link fare soon, Loke says talks moving smoothly”, August 2026; The Star, “RTS Link entering testing phase ahead of January launch, says Loke”, August 2026; Malay Mail, “Transport Ministry greenlights RM60m bridge, giving Komuter passengers direct access to RTS station”, August 2026; Bernama, “RTS Link Planned As Part Of Integrated Johor Bahru-Singapore Mobility Network”, March 2026; Malay Mail, “Loke: Putrajaya to help fund Johor’s RM10b E-ART as private funding alone ‘not viable’”, July 2026; The Star, “Johor high-rise segment faces oversupply risks”, July 2026; StarProperty, “Will Johor’s high-rise boom sustain its momentum?”, January 2026; EdgeProp, “RTS Link poised to reshape JB’s property outlook as connectivity gains traction”, September 2026; The Straits Times (via Asia News Network), “From old bungalows to chic cafes: How upcoming rail link is reshaping this Malaysian city’s neighbourhoods”, August 2026; Land Transport Authority, “Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System Link”, May 2025
Jason Lim, REN 84424, IQI Realty Sdn. Bhd. E (1) 1584/6. General information checked on 17 October 2026, not legal, tax or financial advice.