RTS Link Fares and the Monthly Cost of Commuting from JB to Singapore

What the RTS Link will cost per trip

Nobody can quote you a final RTS fare yet. The only figure on record is the February 2026 indication from Malaysia’s transport minister: RM15.50 to RM21.70 per one-way trip, which is about S$4.86 to S$6.80 at the 12 October 2026 rate of S$1 to RM3.19. Most reports round that to S$5 to S$7.

We will update this page on the day the fare is announced, and change the monthly table below to match.

Who sets the fare and when it will be announced

The fare is set by RTS Operations Pte Ltd, the joint venture between Malaysia’s Prasarana and Singapore’s SMRT that will run the line. It proposes a fare, and Malaysia’s land public transport agency (APAD) and Singapore’s LTA have to approve it. Singapore’s Ministry of Transport said in April 2026 that fares would be “determined commercially” by the operator.

The timeline has slipped with the opening. The proposal was due in the third quarter of 2026, and in August Malaysia’s transport minister said fare and payment talks were in their final stages, with the two transport ministers to announce them together. As of 12 October 2026 there is still no announcement, and the line itself is now due to open in February 2027 (see why the RTS was delayed).

Two things are already clear. Neither government plans to subsidise the other country’s commuters, and a monthly or season pass is still only an idea: Malaysia’s minister called it welcome but said it must be commercially sustainable without subsidy.

How you will pay

The payment method has not been announced. Reports in 2026 refer to a “payment mechanism” being agreed, without naming cards, apps or QR codes. Until RTS Operations confirms it, do not count on your EZ-Link card, a SimplyGo bank card or Touch ’n Go working at the gates.

You will still need your passport for every trip, because both countries’ immigration is cleared at the station you leave from. Our RTS Link guide covers how the e-gates work.

Monthly cost for a daily commuter: RTS against the alternatives

At the indicated fares, the RTS costs a daily commuter about S$214 to S$299 a month for the crossing alone, and about S$324 to S$409 once you add the MRT in Singapore. That is more than the Shuttle Tebrau or the buses, and far less than driving with CBD parking.

The table assumes 22 working days a month, one return trip a day, an office near the TEL in the city, and S$1 to RM3.19.

Bus and car journey times swing with the queues at the checkpoints, which is why we do not put a single figure on them. For RTS door-to-door times by destination, see our commute time table.

How we worked out each row

For the RTS, RM15.50 × 44 trips = RM682, which is S$214. RM21.70 × 44 = RM954.80, which is S$299. We assume the same fare in both directions, which has not been confirmed.

For the Singapore MRT, a trip of 30 to 40 km on an adult card costs S$2.50 to S$2.57 since the December 2025 fare change. We use S$2.50 × 44 = S$110. The S$122 adult monthly pass costs more than this for a weekday-only commuter, unless you also ride at weekends.

The Shuttle Tebrau costs RM5 from JB Sentral and S$5 from Woodlands. 22 × RM5 = RM110 (S$34), plus 22 × S$5 = S$110, so about S$144. The shuttle is due to stop about six months after the RTS opens, so this is a short-term option.

The Causeway Link CW2 costs RM4.80 from JB and about S$4.80 from Singapore. 22 × RM4.80 = RM105.60 (S$33), plus 22 × S$4.80 = S$106, so about S$139. Add MRT fares if your office is not near Bugis or Queen Street.

SBS 170X costs S$2.30 from JB Checkpoint to Kranji on a contactless card, or RM2.30 in cash when boarding in Malaysia. 44 × S$2.30 = S$101. Because 170X uses Singapore distance fares, a card transfer to the MRT may cost less than paying both legs in full, so treat this row as a ceiling.

For driving, these are running costs only, for a Singapore-registered car. We leave out the car itself (COE, insurance, road tax, depreciation) and ERP, which depends on your route and time.

Petrol assumes about 60 km a day, 1,320 km a month, at 8 litres per 100 km, so 106 litres. Singapore cars cannot buy RON95 in Malaysia, only RON97, and must leave Singapore with at least three-quarters of a tank. If you buy all your petrol in Singapore instead, at S$3.54 a litre for RON95 before discounts, the petrol line rises to about S$374 and the total to about S$1,030.

If your household car is Malaysian-registered, Singapore’s Vehicle Entry Permit makes daily driving far dearer: S$35 a day now, rising to S$50 a day from 1 January 2027, when the 10 free days and the evening exemption also end. That is about S$1,100 a month in VEP alone.

What this means if you are buying near Bukit Chagar

A commute of S$324 to S$409 a month is the number to put into your budget if you plan to live in JB and work in Singapore. It is still well below the gap between JB and Singapore rents, which we work through in living in JB and working in Singapore.

The fare also shapes demand for rentals near the station. If the final fare lands at the top of the range with no monthly pass, some commuters will keep using buses, and the premium for being a short walk from Bukit Chagar may be smaller than sellers suggest. Check our cost calculator for the buying side.

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