Malaysia Timelapse Project – RTS Link Station in Johor Bahru
- MK timelapse
- Jun 26
- 5 min read
An Exciting Infrastructure Project with Challenging Climatic Conditions
The RTS Link Project
The RTS Link Project (Rapid Transit System Link) is a major infrastructure initiative designed to connect the cities of Johor Bahru in Malaysia and Woodlands North in Singapore via a modern light rail transit system.
The total line will span approximately 4 kilometers, with about 2.7 kilometers on the Malaysian side and 1.3 kilometers on the Singaporean side.
The goal of the project is to relieve the heavily congested border infrastructure between the two countries. Every day, tens of thousands of people commute between Johor and Singapore - currently mostly by car or bus over the heavily used Causeway bridge. The RTS Link is intended to ease this bottleneck in the long term, offering a comfortable, fast, and environmentally friendly alternative to private vehicle commuting.
Planning and implementation on the Malaysian side is being led by MRT Corp, a government agency, through its subsidiary Malaysia Rapid Transit System (MRTS). The system will eventually be operated by a joint venture between Prasarana Malaysia and SMRT Corporation from Singapore.
The RTS Link is designed to carry up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction. The trains will be automated, run at high frequency, and be seamlessly integrated into the existing public transport networks of both countries.
A key feature of the project is the co-located CIQ facility (Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine): all border clearance procedures will be completed at the departure station, eliminating the need for a second check upon arrival. This will significantly shorten travel time and simplify the cross-border journey.
Construction is progressing steadily on both sides, with operations scheduled to begin by the end of 2026.
The Construction We Are Capturing
Our cameras are currently documenting the construction of Bukit Chagar Station, the Malaysian terminus of the RTS Link on the Johor side. This key transportation hub in the city of Johor Bahru is located in close proximity to the Southern Integrated Gateway and JB Sentral, one of the city's most important railway stations.
Bukit Chagar Station is being designed as a modern transit station with two side platforms and one central platform. The entire RTS Link infrastructure will be integrated within a single structure, including a fully equipped CIQ complex (Customs, Immigration, and Quarantine) that allows all cross-border clearance procedures to be completed before departure.
In addition, the station is part of a broader mobility plan: by the end of 2025, it is expected to be connected to Johor’s planned ART/BRT system (Autonomous Rapid Transit / Bus Rapid Transit). This will make Bukit Chagar the most important multimodal transport hub in the region, with direct connections to both regional and international passenger traffic.
Camera Systems & Coping with Tropical Conditions
For the documentation of the RTS Link project in Johor, we are using two of our MK V50 timelapse systems. These camera units are specially developed by us for long-term deployments and operate around the clock, capturing the construction progress at a one-minute interval.
Both cameras offer an impressive 50-megapixel resolution, allowing even the smallest details on the large construction site to be recorded with razor-sharp clarity. All images are transmitted live via mobile network to our servers in Germany, ensuring real-time access and secure data storage throughout the entire project duration.
A major challenge in the region is the hot and humid tropical climate. To keep our equipment fully operational and prevent condensation on the camera housing’s glass, our camera enclosures are equipped with an integrated membrane dehumidifier.
This specially developed solution reliably protects against condensation inside the housing, ensuring crystal-clear images even under prolonged high humidity conditions. This technology is being used in this project for the second time, following a successful deployment in a similar environment in Hong Kong.
Camera 1 is installed on the rooftop of the SKS Pavilion Residences, a high-rise building approximately 156 meters tall. From this vantage point, it provides a comprehensive overview of the entire construction site, capturing the progress from a northeast-facing perspective. Camera 1 was installed by our team in collaboration with our local partner in November 2024.
Camera 2 is mounted on a nearby building to the southwest of the station and offers a closer view with an unobstructed line of sight to the main station area and the railway tracks. Both cameras have a field of view of approximately 50 degrees.
Systems: 2x MK V50 timelapse systems
Interval: 1 picture per minute
Resolution: 50 megapixels
Field of view: 50°
Special Feature: membrane dehumidifier
Collaboration with Timelapse Productions Malasysia
The installation in Johor Bahru marks the second joint project between MK timelapse and our local partner Time Lapse Productions Malaysia. Based in Subang Jaya, the company is one of the most experienced providers of construction site timelapse documentation in Malaysia.
Time Lapse Productions Malaysia handled all on-site project acquisition, coordination with contractors, as well as organizational and technical processes such as permits, location agreements, and installation. In return, we at MK timelapse provide our proven camera technology and server infrastructure—including remote monitoring and technical support from Germany.
Camera 1 was installed jointly on site in close collaboration. Our managing director, Max, traveled to Malaysia with the camera system to set it up. Camera 2, on the other hand, was completely installed independently by our Malaysian partner and brought online remotely from our office in Germany.
Maintenance on site is fully handled by Time Lapse Productions Malaysia, while we take care of remote maintenance and system monitoring in the background. This division of responsibilities relieves both partners and ensures high reliability and quality—even across large distances.
Another exceptional aspect of this collaboration is that we provide our partner with the entire raw footage but do not perform the editing ourselves. This is unusual, as post-production is typically managed by us. In this case, however, we handle the technical operations while Time Lapse Productions Malaysia produces the final films—a sign of mutual trust and a model that opens new paths for international cooperation.
Project Outlook and Future Developments
Construction of Bukit Chagar Station and the entire RTS Link connection is progressing steadily. Over the coming months, key milestones will be reached, including structural work on the station itself, interior finishing of the CIQ complex, and connection to the rail infrastructure leading toward the marine crossing to Singapore.
Our cameras will continue to document this progress around the clock—seamlessly, regardless of weather conditions, and in the highest resolution. Thanks to a stable technical setup and a well-coordinated collaboration with our local partner, we expect continuous and reliable coverage of all construction phases right up to the planned opening in late 2026.
At the end of the project, the collected footage will be used to produce a comprehensive timelapse film, vividly capturing the entire construction process from beginning to end.
The RTS Link project not only marks a new chapter in Southeast Asia’s transportation infrastructure, but also becomes a visual record of progress—captured through cutting-edge camera technology, international teamwork, and a deep attention to detail.
More about RTS Link: https://www.mymrt.com.my/projects/rts-link/
Our partner in Malasysia: https://timelapse.com.my
More about our technology: https://www.mktimelapse.com/technology
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