Govt Approves RM60m Pedestrian Bridge Linking Bukit Chagar RTS Station and KTMB Komuter Service

JOHOR BAHRU, Aug 18 — The government has approved a RM60 million project to construct a direct pedestrian bridge connecting the Bukit Chagar Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link Station with the KTMB Komuter service, significantly enhancing public transport integration in Johor Bahru.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke announced today that the additional infrastructure funding was approved by the Ministry of Economy and will be executed by the Ministry of Transport.

The bridge will enable commuters to walk directly between the KTMB Komuter station and the RTS Link station, eliminating the need to detour through the existing pathway at JB Sentral.

“This will make it easier for many passengers. We want to encourage RTS Link users to take public transport to reach Bukit Chagar or to exit from Bukit Chagar,” Loke told reporters following an inspection of the RTS Link project site at Bukit Chagar today.

Loke stated that construction of the connecting bridge is expected to take approximately 12 months, effectively shortening the transfer distance and travel time for cross-border and local commuters alike.

To support seamless passenger dispersal, Loke revealed that the Ministry is finalizing plans for the Stage Bus Service Transformation (SBST) 2.0 initiative, which will introduce at least 200 new buses servicing residential areas across Johor Bahru to connect directly to Bukit Chagar. The operator agreement is currently being finalized ahead of final approval from the Ministry of Finance, with the expanded bus service set to launch in tandem with the opening of the RTS Link.

Once operational, the Bukit Chagar RTS Link Station will serve as a multi-modal transport hub, seamlessly integrating the RTS Link, JB Sentral, local feeder buses, and e-hailing services.

Providing an update on the RTS Link project’s construction timeline, Loke confirmed that physical construction of the main building, the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex, and the RTS Link station itself has been fully completed. The project has now entered its critical testing and commissioning phase, which includes system integration tests, fault-free trials, and comprehensive operational runs.

The Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link is scheduled to commence commercial operations on Jan 1 next year. Once live, the rail system will be capable of carrying up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction between Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru and Woodlands North in Singapore.

–NMT