Overview
- RTS Operations told authorities on Friday that all system tests and trial runs are expected to finish by Dec. 31, 2026 and passenger service is now targeted for February 2027.
- The launch cannot proceed until an independent safety assessor issues certification and both countries review and grant regulatory approval for operations.
- Core infrastructure is largely complete: the 4 km light-rail will link Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar, take about five minutes end to end, and is built for up to 10,000 passengers per hour each direction.
- Both governments have passed laws and arranged co-located customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) at each station and agreed concurrent criminal jurisdiction over trains and the track between Piers 47 and 48.
- The project resumed in 2020 after a 2019 suspension and has since hit engineering milestones such as the first test run in Dec. 2025, the June 2025 train unveiling, and completion of Woodlands North station in Sept. 2026, with analysts forecasting sizable increases in cross-border trips and spending once service begins.