RM60m Bridge To Link Bukit Chagar RTS With KTMB

Bukit Chagar RTS To Get Direct KTMB Komuter Connection

The government will build a RM60 million pedestrian bridge connecting the Bukit Chagar Rapid Transit System Link Station directly with the KTMB Komuter service in Johor Bahru.

Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook said the project has been approved by the Ministry of Economy and will be implemented by the Ministry of Transport.

The new link is intended to allow KTMB passengers to walk directly to Bukit Chagar RTS Station without having to make the current detour through JB Sentral.

Construction is expected to take around 12 months.

The project forms part of a wider effort to improve last-mile and interchange connectivity around Bukit Chagar ahead of the RTS Link beginning operations on Jan 1, 2027.

The RTS Link will connect Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore and is designed to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Why The RM60 Million Bridge Matters

The bridge is relatively modest in cost compared with the wider RTS Link infrastructure, but its practical importance is significant.

Major rail projects do not function effectively if passengers struggle to transfer between different transport systems.

The direct connection will reduce the walking distance between KTMB Komuter and the RTS station and remove the need for passengers to navigate a longer route through JB Sentral.

For daily commuters, even a relatively small reduction in interchange time can influence whether public transport is convenient enough to use regularly.

This is particularly important at Bukit Chagar because the station is expected to serve large volumes of cross-border passengers.

The easier the transfer between rail systems, the larger the potential catchment area for the RTS.

Bukit Chagar Is Being Built As A Multimodal Hub

The government’s broader plan is to develop Bukit Chagar as a multimodal public transport hub rather than simply an RTS terminus.

The station will connect with JB Sentral, KTMB services, buses, e-hailing and other forms of public transport.

This matters because not every RTS passenger will live within walking distance of Bukit Chagar.

A large proportion will need another mode of transport for the first or final part of their journey.

Successful integration can therefore determine how widely the benefits of the RTS extend across Johor Bahru.

If commuters can move efficiently between residential areas, rail stations and Bukit Chagar, the RTS becomes useful to a much broader population than those living directly around the station.

At Least 200 New Buses Planned

The government is also working on Stage Bus Service Transformation 2.0, which will add at least 200 new buses to serve residential areas around Johor Bahru.

These buses are intended to connect neighbourhoods with Bukit Chagar and other parts of the public transport network.

The operator agreement is being finalised, with the final award subject to Ministry of Finance approval.

The expanded bus service is expected to begin alongside the RTS Link opening.

This is an important part of the transport strategy.

Without reliable feeder buses, many passengers would still need to drive or use e-hailing services to reach Bukit Chagar.

That could increase congestion around the station and limit the overall effectiveness of the new rail connection.

Last-Mile Connectivity Is Critical For RTS Success

The RTS Link has attracted substantial attention because of its cross-border role, but last-mile connectivity within Johor Bahru will determine how convenient it is in daily use.

A resident in Tebrau, Bukit Indah or other parts of Johor Bahru may benefit from the RTS only if the trip to Bukit Chagar is manageable.

The planned bus expansion helps address this issue.

The KTMB bridge provides another layer of connectivity by allowing passengers arriving from rail-served areas to transfer more directly.

Together, these improvements create a more complete transport network.

For the property market, that is more meaningful than the existence of the RTS alone.

Accessibility depends on the full journey rather than the distance from a project to the station on a map.

Physical Construction Of RTS Station Completed

Loke said physical construction of the Bukit Chagar station building and the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine complex has been completed.

The project has now entered the testing and commissioning phase.

This includes system integration testing, followed by fault-free running and trial operations.

These stages are required to confirm that rail, station and operational systems function together correctly before passenger service begins.

The transition into testing is an important milestone because it moves the project away from civil construction and towards operational readiness.

The Jan 1, 2027 opening date remains the key target.

RTS Will Carry Up To 10,000 Passengers Per Hour

The RTS Link is designed to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction between Johor Bahru and Singapore.

That capacity could significantly change cross-border travel patterns.

Today, many commuters rely on private vehicles, buses or existing rail services through the Causeway.

A high-capacity rapid transit link offers a more predictable alternative.

For Johor Bahru, this could increase movement through Bukit Chagar and surrounding city-centre districts.

Retail, food and beverage, services and accommodation may benefit from higher passenger flows.

However, the economic effect will depend on how efficiently passengers are dispersed rather than simply how many arrive at the station.

Property Impact Will Extend Beyond Bukit Chagar

The direct property impact of the RTS is often discussed mainly in terms of projects near Bukit Chagar.

The new bridge and bus programme show why the effect can be broader.

If residents can reach the RTS efficiently by Komuter or feeder bus, developments located further away may still gain practical connectivity.

This does not mean every Johor Bahru property automatically becomes an RTS-linked investment.

Travel time, frequency of feeder services and interchange convenience remain important.

A project five kilometres from Bukit Chagar with a reliable direct bus connection may be more useful to commuters than a closer project requiring several transfers.

Buyers should therefore evaluate real door-to-door travel rather than straight-line distance.

City-Centre Projects Could Benefit From Better Passenger Movement

Projects around Johor Bahru city centre are likely to remain the most immediate beneficiaries because they are closest to Bukit Chagar, JB Sentral and the CIQ complex.

The direct KTMB connection strengthens this central transport cluster.

A more integrated hub can support residential, office, retail and hospitality demand by making central Johor Bahru easier to reach from both Singapore and surrounding Malaysian suburbs.

For residential investors, this could support demand from cross-border workers and professionals.

For hotels and serviced apartments, improved transport may support short stays and business travel.

Retail operators may benefit from higher pedestrian activity.

Still, the scale of these benefits will vary from project to project.

Bus Integration Could Matter More Than Distance To RTS

For many suburban projects, the planned 200-bus expansion may ultimately be more important than the station itself.

Reliable feeder routes can expand the effective RTS catchment substantially.

This could be relevant to established residential areas where residents currently depend heavily on private vehicles.

If buses are frequent, affordable and well coordinated with RTS schedules, commuting behaviour could change.

If services are infrequent or routes are indirect, residents may continue driving.

The quality of SBST 2.0 implementation will therefore be worth watching closely.

The number of buses alone does not determine success.

Route design, service frequency, operating hours and interchange convenience will matter just as much.

What Property Buyers Should Watch

The first milestone is completion of testing and commissioning ahead of the Jan 1, 2027 RTS opening.

The second is the final SBST 2.0 route network.

Buyers considering RTS-linked properties should examine whether planned bus routes actually serve their neighbourhoods.

The third is progress on the RM60 million KTMB bridge and its final connection points.

The fourth is how passenger flows develop after operations begin.

Actual usage data will provide a much stronger basis for assessing property impact than pre-opening projections.

Finally, buyers should monitor future supply around Bukit Chagar and Johor Bahru city centre.

Improved connectivity can support demand, but excessive new residential supply can still limit rental growth.

Conclusion: RTS Connectivity Is Becoming More Complete

The RM60 million bridge linking Bukit Chagar RTS Station directly with KTMB Komuter is an important addition to Johor Bahru’s emerging transport network.

Together with at least 200 new buses under SBST 2.0 and integration with JB Sentral and e-hailing services, it shows that the government is focusing increasingly on how passengers actually reach and leave the RTS.

This matters for the property market because transport value comes from connectivity, not simply proximity.

Bukit Chagar will remain the core interchange, but a stronger feeder network can spread accessibility benefits across a wider part of Johor Bahru.

With physical construction completed and testing now underway, attention is shifting from whether the RTS will be built to how effectively the new system will operate when services begin on Jan 1, 2027.