A four-kilometer rapid transit link set to open in December 2026 promises to reshape Woodlands and the broader northern Singapore region, connecting the area to Johor Bahru in just five minutes while sparking both economic opportunities and merchant anxieties.
The twin-track Rapid Transit System Link will span from Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru to Woodlands North station in Singapore, crossing the Strait of Johor on a 25-meter-high elevated viaduct. Construction officially began in January 2021, with the Malaysia section starting in late 2020.
The underground Woodlands North station, reaching 28 meters deep with two basement levels, will seamlessly integrate with the existing Thomson-East Coast Line.
During peak periods, the RTS Link will handle 10,000 commuters per hour in each direction, substantially easing congestion on the Johor-Singapore Causeway and reducing related air pollution. The broader Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone aims to deliver 50 cross-border projects over five years, creating 20,000 skilled jobs through flexible industrial spaces around the station. The Woodlands Checkpoint will undergo phased redevelopment over 10-15 years, expanding to five times its current size. Additional land reclamation near the checkpoint will support the expansion and improve clearance efficiency.
The RTS Link will transport 10,000 commuters hourly each way while catalyzing 50 cross-border projects and 20,000 skilled jobs across the Special Economic Zone.
However, northern Singapore merchants face genuine concerns about business impacts. Retail sales leakage to Johor Bahru is expected to increase from 4% to 5%, representing a 30-40% rise from current baseline levels.
Some businesses have already experienced 30-40% revenue drops compared to pandemic peak levels as border restrictions eased, and the unprecedented convenience of cross-border travel could intensify this trend. The project has its roots in discussions between Singapore PM Lee Kuan Yew and Malaysian PM Mahathir Mohamad in 1990, initially aimed at addressing causeway congestion and boosting tourism in Johor.
The government is addressing these concerns through a task force studying targeted support programs, with recommendations due in the first half of 2026. Merchants have requested infrastructure such as canopies and covered linkways to help spur visitor traffic to their businesses. Meanwhile, urban planning continues forward with 4,000 new flats planned near Admiralty Park and additional homes along the Woodlands waterfront development corridor, totaling tens of thousands of new residences in the northern region.
The RTS Link represents a calculated gamble, balancing enhanced connectivity and economic integration against potential business displacement, ultimately testing whether Woodlands can simultaneously transform and preserve its local commercial ecosystem.
