First train revealed for Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link; operating hours set from 6am to 12am

The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link reached a significant milestone with the unveiling of the line's first train on Monday (Jun 30). Manufactured by China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation (CRRC), each train can accommodate 607 passengers standing and up to 1,000 passengers during peak hours.

The first trains will operate from both ends of the line starting at 6am and concluding at 12am daily. The line is anticipated to handle 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

The 4km trip between Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru will take approximately 5 minutes, with a minimum wait time of 3.6 minutes for a train.

Upon the RTS Link's scheduled commencement in December 2026, there will be a total of eight trains, as announced by the transport ministries of Singapore and Malaysia in a joint press release.

The first train was constructed at CRRC's facility in China, then transported to Jurong Port on Apr 3. It has since been undergoing preparations for offsite system integration testing at the Singapore Rail Test Centre.

During this testing phase, operator RTS Operations will assess the train's integration with other rail systems, particularly the signalling system, platform screen doors, and onboard communications.

Offsite testing is set to commence in July and last around four months before the train is relocated to the RTS Link tracks for onsite testing alongside the other seven trains.

Out of the remaining seven trains, four have been delivered to CRRC's facility in Malaysia's Batu Gajah for assembly, with the same process to be repeated for the final three trains.