Bukit Chagar RTS station

Bukit Chagar RTS station is an elevated terminal station currently being built in Johor Bahru, Johor, Malaysia. The station will be located north of Johor Bahru Sentral and forms the Malaysian terminus of the Johor Bahru–Singapore Rapid Transit System. It is scheduled to open by end 2026. When opened, an estimate of 60,000 additional commuters will be able to cross the Causeway during peak hours.^[2][3]

RTS  Bukit Chagar 武吉查卡 புக்கிட் சகார்
Rapid Transit station
Construction site of the RTS station in March 2024
General information
Location	Bukit Chagar CIQ Complex, Johor Bahru, Johor Malaysia
Coordinates	1.466507°N 103.762283°E / 1.466507; 103.762283
Owned by	MRT Corp
Operated by	RTS Operations Pte Ltd[1]
Platforms	4 (2 side, 1 island)
Tracks	2
Connections	Johor Bahru Sentral
Construction
Structure type	Elevated
Platform levels	1
Parking	Yes
Bicycle facilities	Yes
Accessible	Yes
History
Opening	End 2026
Electrified	Yes
Services
Preceding station RTS Link Following station Terminus Johor Bahru–Singapore Link Woodlands North Terminus

History

The Bukit Chagar station was announced on 15 September 2015 during the Iskandar Malaysia Comprehensive Development Plan Open Day in a public poll. The other three options were Tanjung Puteri, JB Sentral 1 and JB Sentral 2.^[4][5]

The Bukit Chagar RTS terminal station will be developed adjacent to proposed to be built Bukit Chagar Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) complex and will not be sharing with existing facilities at the Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ complex. The terminal station has been proposed to alleviate the immigration checkpoint movement at Sultan Iskandar Building CIQ complex.^[6]

Construction of the Bukit Chagar RTS station started on 22 November 2020 in an online groundbreaking ceremony owing to the current COVID-19 pandemic. In the ceremony, the four-storey station will be co-located within a transit-oriented development with a transport hub and property developments around the station.^[7]

On 19 February 2021, the design of the station was unveiled after a design competition. The station will be co-located within a four-storey Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) facility, with the exterior having an intertwined roof symbolising shared ties between the people of Malaysia and Singapore as well as the long history. In addition, the station will have natural lighting to save energy, as well as self cleaning windows to reduce costs. The design shall be built with light-weight composite materials. It is hoped that immigration clearance is done seamlessly in the same building, with commuters having to go different floors before boarding the train.^[8]

References

1. "Singapore, Malaysia hold ceremony at Causeway to mark resumption of RTS Link project". CNA. 30 July 2020. Archived from the original on 31 July 2020. Retrieved 31 July 2020.
2. "JB-Singapore RTS Link project signing ceremony to be held on Jul 30". Channel NewsAsia. Archived from the original on 21 July 2020. Retrieved 21 July 2020.
3. Ng, Charmaine (16 January 2018). "7 things to know about the upcoming Johor Baru-Singapore Rapid Transit System Link". The Straits Times. Archived from the original on 7 February 2021. Retrieved 2 July 2018.
4. Shah, Mohd Farhaan (15 September 2015). "Bukit Chagar picked as main RTS terminal". The Star Online. Archived from the original on 12 July 2020. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
5. Allen, Chong (21 January 2018). "Why build a new station at Bukit Chagar instead of using existing JB Sentral?". The Malay Mail. Archived from the original on 24 August 2018. Retrieved 24 August 2018.
6. Bak Heng, Sim (20 September 2015). "Bukit Chagar chosen as final transit terminal". The New Straits Times. Archived from the original on 26 August 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2018.
7. Yusof, Amir (22 November 2020). "Malaysia begins construction for Singapore-Johor RTS Link with groundbreaking ceremony at Bukit Chagar station". CNA. Archived from the original on 30 November 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2020.
8. "Malaysia announces winning design for Johor-S'pore RTS Link station in Bukit Chagar". The Straits Times. 19 February 2021. Archived from the original on 20 February 2021. Retrieved 20 February 2021.