SINGAPORE: As construction on the Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link progresses, work to connect it to the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) will begin in 2025.

This will be done at the existing Woodlands North station on the TEL, at basement 1, connecting the RTS Link to Singapore's MRT network. 

More than four-fifths of the overall civil infrastructure works in Singapore have been completed, authorities said in an update on Friday (Nov 29).

The marine and land viaducts are almost completed.

"The remaining works include architectural works, roadworks, installation of electrical and maintenance systems, and other key systems such as immigration gates," Singapore's Land Transport Authority (LTA), Malaysia's Mass Rapid Transit Corporation and RTS Operations (RTSO) said in a joint media release.

RTSO - which will run the RTS Link service - is a joint venture company formed between transport operators Prasarana Malaysia and Singapore's SMRT Corporation. 

The 4km JB-Singapore RTS Link is expected to begin service by the end of 2026. It aims to ease traffic congestion on the Causeway – one of the world's busiest border crossings – by ferrying up to 10,000 passengers an hour each way on a journey that takes about five minutes.

Infrastructure companies appointed by the Malaysian and Singapore governments are responsible for designing, building and maintaining the RTS Link civil infrastructure.

Singapore will be ready to progressively grant RTSO access to the civil infrastructures within the country from the end of the year.