KUALA LUMPUR: Each trip on the Johor-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link may cost around RM15.50 to RM21.70, or S$5 to S$7, although the cost of the fares is expected to be announced later this year.
According to a report on February 13 in Sin Chew Daily, Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke said that while the price of the fares for the RTS Link will be higher than regular public transport fares in Kuala Lumpur, he pointed out that it will still be more cost-effective for passengers than travelling cross-border by car.
The RTS Link is expected to begin operations by the end of 2026. On February 4, the project reached a milestone when the first train arrived in Woodlands North Station for a scheduled train demo.
Each trip between Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore is estimated to take only five minutes. More importantly, the RTS Link will be an important part of the solution to the persistent traffic problems on the Causeway between Singapore and Malaysia, which is used by approximately 300,000 people daily.
Mr Loke also said that the price of the fares would be set by RTS Operations, a joint venture between Prasarana Malaysia and the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (SMRT) Corporation, but added that subsidies would not be provided by the government of Singapore.
Therefore, “the operating model must ensure sustainable development,” the Transport Minister added.
When asked if discounts would be offered for monthly passes, the New Straits Times quoted Mr Loke as saying that since Singaporean commuters will not be subsidised by Malaysian authorities, discounts would be hard to implement.
Read also: RTS Link hits major milestone as full traction power system is energised
The RTS Link has the capacity to transport around 10,000 passengers each way. The project is budgeted to cost S$3.24 billion, with Singapore taking on a 61 per cent share of the costs while Malaysia will shoulder the remaining 39 per cent.
The typical travel time between Johor Bahru and Singapore is around 25 minutes to an hour, depending on the mode of transportation, or sometimes even more, when traffic is heavy or when immigration queues are long.
The Bukit Chagar Integrated Immigration, Customs and Quarantine (ICQ) Complex for the RTS link will have100 immigration e-gate lanes, making travel easier. /TISG
Read also: First JB–Singapore RTS train pulls into Woodlands for demonstration
