Incredible new £2.3bn railway tunnel and bridge will connect 7.8m people in two countries | World | News
Thanks to the new railway connection under construction, people will be able to travel between the two countries in approximately five minutes. The rapid Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link between Singapore and Malaysia will be able to accommodate up to 10,000 passengers per hour and in each direction.
Two stations, one in Woodlands, Singapore, and one in Bukit Chagar, Johor Baru, will serve the new light transport system. It was estimated that the cost of the major project would be £2.3 billion in 2023. The RTS Link will be approximately 4 miles long and will cross the Johor Straits with a 25-metre bridge.
Officials say the joint project between Singapore and Malaysia will help ease traffic congestion, improve connectivity and create shared economic and social benefits.
It is planned to open in December this year and is expected to be used by approximately 40,000 passengers per day from the opening.
It is hoped that the link will offer a faster route to both Johor Bahru, a city at the southern tip of the Malay peninsula, and Singapore.
A total of approximately 7.8 million people are estimated to live in the two cities; 6.1 million in Singapore and 1.7 million in Johor Bahru.
Malaysian and Singaporean customs, immigration and quarantine facilities are being built at both stations as part of the ambitious project.
The immigration process will be completed at the departure station, meaning people will be able to continue their journey without the need for border controls again when they arrive at their destination.
RTS Link will also be integrated with public transport networks at Woodlands North Station in Singapore and Bukit Chagar Station in Johor Bahru.
RTS Link Woodlands North Station is being built at a maximum depth of 28 meters underground.
The Singapore Land Transport Authority said the building will have three floors, two basements and an underground connection to the customs, immigration and quarantine building.
It was also stated that careful planning was carried out to avoid interruption of the sea channels in the Johor Strait during the construction of the bridge.
It is said that the new transportation system will be modern, fast, efficient and organized.
It is expected that there will be a flight every three and a half minutes during peak hours.
The trains will consist of four cars and have a top speed of approximately 50 miles per hour.
The entire route will be above ground in Malaysia, and part of the track will be underground in Singapore.
It was announced that the project was restarted in July 2020 after a break of more than a year.
Malaysia requested that the project be stopped so that an investigation could be carried out.
Johor Bahru has a rich history and culture and is known as an ideal destination for food lovers, offering easy access to Desaru Beach.
Singapore is one of Asia’s most popular cities and is famous for landmarks such as the Gardens by the Bay and Singapore Botanical Gardens.
