Malaysia’s Ministry of Transport and the Land Transport Authority of Singapore awarded a Systra-led consortium a contract to provide independent certification for the future Malaysia-Singapore RTS project.

The consortium comprising Systra, Minconsult and Bureau Veritas Singapore was appointed as the independent verification and validation agent for the Johor Bahru – Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) project. The consortium will be responsible for the assessment and verification of the design of testing, technical inspections, and all certification services to ensure that the Johor Bahru – Singapore RTS Link is safe both technically and operationally, and that it meets the performance and reliability targets set by its sponsors.

The audit covers all phases, from design to commissioning, operation and maintenance, and all urban railway systems such as automatic signalling, rolling stock, control centre, and traction energy.

The RTS Link project is a 4 km railway connection with two stations, one in Bukit Chagar to Johor Bahru on the Malaysia side and one in Woodlands North on the Singapore side. The line will cross the Straits of Johor via a 25m-high bridge.

In 2020 and 2021 LTA awarded two civil contracts. The first of civil contract was awarded to Penta-Ocean Construction covering the construction of Woodlands North station, tunnels and the customs, immigration, and quarantine building in Singapore. The second contract covers the construction of the RTS Link viaduct and was awarded to China Communications Construction Company Limited (Singapore Branch).

Malaysia-Singapore RTS will become operational from the end of 2026 linking the city-state of Singapore to the Malaysian peninsula in the form of a cross-border metro-type shuttle. RTS Operations, a joint venture company formed by Malaysia’s Prasarana Malaysia and Singapore’s SMRT Corporation will operate the new connection. 10,000 passengers per hour per direction are expected to use the new connection that will facilitate cross-border travel between the two sides and help relieve traffic congestion along the Causeway. Passengers will benefit from a fully integrated service with local networks at each terminus, as well as seamless connections with existing lines.

In 2020, Singapore and Malaysia held a ceremony to resume the work and the construction for Woodlands North station officially started in January 2021.