Malaysia, Singapore unveil first driverless train set for RTS link
The RTS Link will have an overall peak capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour per direction.
30 Jun 2025 03:39pm
Transport Minister Anthony Loke (front, left) and Singapore's acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow (front, two from right) pose for a photo inside the new train carriage during the launching of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link 01 at the Singapore Rail Test Centre today. Also present was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (right). - Photo by Bernama
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. Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Singapore's acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow pose for a photo inside the new train carriage during the launching of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link 01 at the Singapore Rail Test Centre today. Also present was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi. - Photo by Bernama
"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. - BERNAMA
More Like This
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New Straits Times
17 minutes ago
- New Straits Times
Onn Hafiz: RTS Link achieves 50 per cent physical progress
JOHOR BARU: The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link project has achieved 56 per cent physical progress as of June. Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi said it involves track construction, station development as well as system and train testing. "I am confident that all of this is a good start in elevating Johor as a major economic power in the region. "It also reflects the commitment of the state government together with the federal government and Singapore in building modern, efficient and safe infrastructure for the convenience of the people," he said in a Facebook post yesterday. Onn Hafiz said the RTS Link, which connects Bukit Chagar, here to Woodlands North, Singapore in just five minutes, will solve the problem of border congestion as well as strengthen Malaysia-Singapore relations and stimulate the regional economy. He said the project, which is expected to be completed by the end of 2026, was designed with high efficiency and is capable of carrying 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction and a frequency of 3.6 minutes during peak hours, thus being able to accommodate up to 180,000 passengers per day. Onn Hafiz together with Transport Minister Anthony Loke today witnessed the launch of the first RTS Link train in Singapore, which was also attended by Singapore's Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow and Singapore's Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan. – BERNAMA
Barnama
7 hours ago
- Barnama
ASEAN Urged To Infuse Gender Lens In Human Rights Agenda
PETALING JAYA, June 30 -- Chair of AICHR and Malaysiaâs Representative to AICHR, Edmund Bon Tai Soon, speaking to the media after chairing The AICHR Regional Workshop on Gender Lens Perspective on Business and Human Rights in ASEAN at Courtyard Kuala Lumpur South, today. -- fotoBERNAMA (2025) COPYRIGHT RESERVED By Muhammad Fawwaz Thaqif Nor Afandi KUALA LUMPUR, June 30 (Bernama) -- ASEAN must step up its efforts to incorporate gender perspectives into the business and human rights agenda to ensure inclusive regional development. Malaysia's Representative to the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) Edmund Bon Tai Soon said while ASEAN has progressed in promoting gender equality, the women across the region still face structural barriers that prevent their full participation in decision making and economic life. bootstrap slideshow 'Business and human rights are not solely about trade regulations or governance, but it impacts people especially women and girls, and those from vulnerable and marginalised communities whose voices have often been excluded from decision-making. 'These barriers remain deeply entrenched in our societies and too often, business structures and practices appear gender-neutral, but continue to reinforce inequality in effect,' he said in his remarks at the Regional Workshop on Gender Lens Perspective on Business and Human Rights in ASEAN here on Monday. He emphasised that gender discrimination in business settings remains both a cause and a consequence of broader inequality, particularly for women and girls, and should be recognised as a form of violence. 'We see on our TV screens, we see in the media, news about war and genocides, that is actual violence, that is physical violence, that is something that we are against. 'But structural and cultural discrimination is also a form of violence, and I think that is something that we need to localise,' he said. Bon added that ASEAN must ensure its frameworks reflect the lived realities of women and girls in line with international standards such as the United Nations Guiding Principles (UNGPs) on Business and Human Rights.
Sinar Daily
7 hours ago
- Sinar Daily
JS-SEZ, RTS link to boost Johor property market
Johor is also emerging as a key regional hub for data centres, further boosting demand for industrial properties. 30 Jun 2025 08:56pm Transport Minister Anthony Loke (front left) and Singapore's Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow (second from right, front) pose inside the new train carriage during the launch of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link 01 at the Singapore Rail Test Centre today. Also present was Johor Menteri Besar Datuk Onn Hafiz Ghazi (right). - Bernama photo JOHOR BAHRU - Johor's property market is expected to enter a new phase of growth following the signing of the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone (JS-SEZ) agreement and the ongoing development of the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link. Real estate services company Nawawie Tie said in a statement today that residential property demand is expected to grow gradually, particularly in the rental market. The upcoming RTS Link, scheduled for completion by end-2026, is expected to enhance cross border connectivity and further strengthen Johor Bahru's position as a regional office destination. - Bernama photo "Residential property demand in Johor is led by locals, Malaysians working in Singapore, and Singaporeans, with the JS-SEZ poised to attract greater foreign interest "While residential property demand is expected to grow progressively, owner occupiers are likely to remain cautious until there is greater clarity on supporting policies and infrastructure rollouts. "Landed properties continue to be the preferred choice for buyers, representing 65 per cent of total transactions in Johor and the Johor Bahru district accounted for 60 per cent of these transactions," according to the statement. Meanwhile, the industrial property market in the Johor Bahru district is projected to thrive, driven by the expansion of the manufacturing sector and rising foreign direct investment (FDI). Johor is also emerging as a key regional hub for data centres, further boosting demand for industrial properties. In first quarter of this year, a total of 353 housing units were transacted in Johor, with terraced units and semi-detached units being the most prominent. Johor Bahru remains the preferred location for industrial players, accounting for about 57 per cent of the state's transactions in the same year. "Retail activity in Johor especially in Johor Bahru has shown promising growth following the reopening of international borders and the strengthening of the Singapore dollar. "These factors have spurred shopping activity among Singaporean visitors. The limited supply of high-quality malls is expected to support higher occupancy rates in established retail centres. "In Johor, the average occupancy rate was 72.8 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024 compared to 72.9 per cent in the first quarter of 2025. There were no new retail developments in the state during this time. "In the Johor Bahru district, the average occupancy rate was maintained at 72.4 per cent in the first quarter of 2025," said the statement. The statement also said the establishment of the JS-SEZ aims to attracts investments in high-value sectors including financial services, digital economy and healthcare. The upcoming RTS Link, scheduled for completion by end-2026, is expected to enhance cross border connectivity and further strengthen Johor Bahru's position as a regional office destination. "Excluding government-owned office space, the occupancy rate in Johor Bahru district was approximately 57 per cent," said the statement. - BERNAMA More Like This
