He said this was because the station will include a customs, immigration and quarantine (CIQ) building, where travellers can clear documentation with one stop.

Singapore on Friday broke ground for the Johor Bahru–Singapore RTS Link at the Woodlands North site.

This came exactly two months after Malaysia had its ground-breaking ceremony at the Bukit Chagar CIQ site on Nov 22 last year.

Ong said the ceremony marked the start of infrastructure works to connect Singapore and Johor Bahru via an LRT, which is closer to a medium-capacity MRT.

“This is a significant bilateral project between Singapore and Malaysia, that will benefit both our peoples, and help ease congestion on the Causeway,” said Ong on his official Facebook page late Friday.

The RTS Link is a 4km rail shuttle service between the Singapore terminus at Woodlands North station and the Malaysian terminus at Bukit Chagar station in Johor Bahru.

It has a large capacity of up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction.

Meanwhile, the republic’s Land Transport Authority said the RTS Link Woodlands North Station will be constructed underground at a maximum depth of 28 metres.

There will be three stories, with two basement levels and an underground linkway to the CIQ building.

It said the facilities will be adjacent to the Thomson-East Coast Line Woodlands North MRT station and seamlessly connected via an underground concourse.

“The tunnels will be connected to the viaduct that crosses the Straits of Johor at a height of 25 metres,” it said.