Singapore, Malaysia test RTS Link fire response before 2027 launch
What's next: The cross-border rail line is scheduled to start passenger service in February 2027 after a delay from late 2026.
Singapore and Malaysia carried out a cross-border emergency drill for the Johor Bahru-Singapore RTS Link, testing how both sides would respond to a fire on a stranded train before the line opens in February 2027. The Oct. 27 exercise at the Wadi Hana Depot in Johor Bahru included firefighting, medical triage, casualty evacuation and real-time coordination between operations centers in both countries. Officials said the scenario involved a Johor Bahru-bound train that had crossed into Malaysian territory, with injured passengers moved to Bukit Chagar station for treatment. The RTS Link will connect Woodlands North and Bukit Chagar in a five-minute trip, with trains carrying more than 600 passengers and the system handling up to 10,000 passengers an hour per direction.