SINGAPORE – The first of eight train sets for the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link was unveiled on Monday, marking a key milestone in the landmark Malaysia-Singapore cross-border rail project.
The train, manufactured by CRRC Zhuzhou Locomotive Co Ltd, was unveiled by Malaysia’s Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Singapore’s acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC).
RTS Operations Pte Ltd (RTSO) chairman Datuk Khairil Anwar Ahmad said Train 01, which arrived in Singapore in April 2025, will undergo Offsite System Integration Testing (OSIT) at the SRTC in preparation for full integration and operation.
The train sets 02 to 05 have been transported to CRRC’s train manufacturing facility in Batu Gajah, Malaysia and are currently undergoing the assembly process, while train sets 06 to 08 will undergo a similar process subsequently.
“Once completed (the assembly process), these train sets will be transferred to the Wadi Hana Depot in Johor Bahru for further testing and final preparations before being commissioned for passenger service,” he said at the launch event here on Monday.
The Transport Ministries of Malaysia and Singapore, in a joint statement, said the OSIT, scheduled for completion in the fourth quarter of this year, will be carried out by RTSO, the joint venture company formed by Prasarana RTS Operations Sdn Bhd and SMRT RTS Pte Ltd to operate the RTS Link service.
During the testing phase, RTSO will carry out checks on the integration between the train and other rail systems, such as the signalling system, platform screen doors, and onboard communications system.
“Carrying out an initial round of offsite testing at SRTC allows RTSO to identify and resolve potential integration issues early, before commencing testing of the trains on the RTS Link tracks,” the statement said.
The RTS Link, targeted to commence passenger service by December 2026, will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands North in Singapore.
At the commencement of service, the RTS Link will be served by a total of eight driverless train sets, each comprising four cars and capable of carrying more than 600 passengers per train.
The RTS Link will have an overall peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.
To facilitate a seamless travel experience, there will be co-located Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facilities at both stations, so that commuters only need to undergo immigration clearance at the point of departure.
According to RTSO, its rail system works are progressing steadily and have reached around 56 per cent completion. – June 30, 2025