First of eight JB-S'pore RTS Link trains unveiled; system works 56% done

It is set to undergo tests that ensure it works well with other rail systems

- Kok Yufeng

The first of eight driverless trains that will serve the upcoming Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link was unveiled in Singapore on June 30, and it will be put through its paces at an $800 million testing centre in Tuas from July.

The delivery marks the latest milestone for the highly anticipated cross-border rail link, which observers say will be a significant driver of Singapore-Malaysia connectivity and economic growth when it starts passenger service by the end of 2026.

The unveiling of the new 76.5m-long, four-car train was commemorated at an event at the Singapore Rail Test Centre (SRTC), attended by Singapore's Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow, Malaysian Transport Minister Anthony Loke and Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi.

"The RTS Link is more than a transportation system and it is more than an engineering milestone," said Datuk Khairil Anwar Ahmad, chairman of RTS Operations (RTSO), a joint venture between Singapore transport operator SMRT and Malaysian public transport firm Prasarana that was appointed to run the rail line.

"It is actually a powerful symbol of our partnership that will deepen bilateral relations between both Malaysia and Singapore," he added.

Overall, works to install the RTS Link's systems are now 56 per cent complete, RTSO said on June 30.