JB-S’pore RTS Link train spotted on tracks, netizens already worried about immigration queues
A video of a train undergoing testing on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link has excited netizens on both sides of the Causeway, although some are already wondering how long immigration clearance will take.
Facebook page Car Buddie Malaysia shared a 10-second video on Oct 12, credited to Threads user @naufalthedylan_, showing a train cruising along the tracks against a haze-shrouded sky.
“JB people, will you still drive into Singapore once the RTS Link opens?” the post’s caption asks.
The post has since racked up more than 151,000 views, 908 reactions and 33 comments.
Five-minute ride, but how long to clear immigration?
The 4km cross-border link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru to Woodlands North in Singapore, with the journey taking just five minutes.
The service will have a capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, and will initially be targeting 40,000 riders daily when operations begin in February 2027.
It will be operated by RTS Operations, a joint venture between Singapore’s SMRT Corporation and Malaysia’s Prasarana Malaysia.
Like the existing KTM Shuttle Tebrau service — the train shuttle service between Singapore and JB — passengers will clear immigration for both countries at their departure station.
Fares have yet to be announced, although Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke previously indicated that they could range from $5 to $7.
While the train journey itself is expected to take just five minutes, some netizens appeared concerned about the time it would take to clear immigration, with several suggesting the time it might take.
“Five minutes journey; 30 minutes customs and immigration!” one commented.
“5-mins journey, but the clearance will take 1.5 hours,” another predicted.
A third was even more pessimistic: “Queue 4 hours just for a 10-min ride.”
However, Malaysian authorities said in August that their goal was for passengers to complete ticketing, security screening and immigration checks for both countries within 25 minutes.
‘Now I can’t use the Causeway jam as an excuse’
Some netizens were also struck by the poor visibility in the video, which appeared to have been affected by the haze.
“How come I don’t see Singapore?” one asked.
“Ask Prabowo,” replied another user, referring to Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who ordered tougher action on the forest fires causing the haze.
Others found humour in the prospect of a much faster commute between Singapore and Johor Bahru.
“Great, now I can’t even use ‘the Causeway jam’ as an excuse for being late to work anymore!” one netizen joked.
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