# The Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High-Speed Rail: What Happened and Where the Revived Project Stands

> The bilateral KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail was signed in 2016, terminated at the end of 2020 with Malaysia paying compensation, and is now being revived as a private-sector-led project working toward a Request for Proposal.

- Category: transport
- Language: en
- Status: published
- Updated: 2026-08-08
- Canonical: https://negaraku.md/en/transport/kl-singapore-high-speed-rail

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A bullet train that could whisk you from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore in about 90 minutes has been signed, suspended, terminated, mourned, and resurrected — all without a single track being laid. Here is where the on-again, off-again project actually stands.

## What was originally agreed?

Malaysia and Singapore signed a binding bilateral agreement for the High-Speed Rail (HSR) in December 2016. The plan was a roughly 350 km line running from Bandar Malaysia in Kuala Lumpur to Jurong East in Singapore, cutting a four-hour road trip to about 90 minutes, with seven stations in Malaysia plus the terminus at Jurong East in Singapore (eight along the full corridor).

Then it stalled. Malaysia sought changes, the deadline to agree on them passed, and the two governments could not reconcile their positions.

## When and how did it fall apart?

The bilateral agreement was terminated on 31 December 2020. Because Malaysia had triggered the termination, it owed Singapore compensation under the agreement.

On 29 March 2021, the two governments jointly announced the settlement: Malaysia paid Singapore **SGD102,815,576** (about **RM320,270,519**) to reimburse Singapore for costs incurred developing the project. The joint statement described this as a "full and final settlement" of the termination.

## How is it being revived?

Malaysia decided to try again — but on very different terms. In July 2023, MyHSR Corporation launched a Request for Information (RFI), inviting local and international firms to propose how they would design, build, finance and operate the line as a private-sector undertaking rather than a government-funded megaproject.

The RFI drew **seven concept proposals**. From these, three consortia were widely reported to be shortlisted:

| Consortium | Lead |
| --- | --- |
| MRCB-IJM-BRail-KTMB (Malaysian Resources Corp, IJM Construction, Berjaya Rail, KTMB) | MRCB |
| YTL Construction-SIPP Rail | YTL Construction |
| Chinese state group | China Railway Construction |

## Where does it stand now?

The evaluation of the RFI proposals was taken to the Malaysian Cabinet in early 2025. The government has since said it is finalising the "key parameters" of the project before moving to the next stage — the Request for Proposal (RFP).

Crucially, the Transport Ministry has been clear that the revived HSR is to proceed **only through private-sector-led investment, without direct government funding**. As of 2025 no RFP had been issued, no financing model finalised, and no construction timeline announced.

## Is this the same as the RTS Link?

No — and this is the most common mix-up. The Johor Bahru-Singapore Rapid Transit System (RTS) Link is a short cross-border shuttle between JB and Woodlands, on track to open in 2026. The HSR is a separate, far larger high-speed line between Kuala Lumpur and Singapore that is still years from a construction decision.

## What's next

Watch for the government to publish the finalised project parameters and formally issue the RFP — that will be the first concrete signal that the revived HSR is moving from concept to procurement. Until an RFP is awarded and a financing model is locked in, the line remains a proposal rather than a project. For the near-term Malaysia-Singapore rail link that is actually being built, follow the RTS Link instead.

## Sources

- Joint Statement on the Settlement of Compensation for the Kuala Lumpur - Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) Project — https://www.mot.gov.sg/news-resources/newsroom/joint-statement-on-the-settlement-of-compensation-between-the-government-of-the-republic-of-singapore-and-the-government-of-malaysia-for-the-kuala-lumpur-singapore-high-speed-rail-hsr-project/ (Ministry of Transport, Singapore)
- MyHSR Corp seeks concept proposals to revive KL-Singapore HSR — https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/674383 (The Edge Malaysia)
- Three consortia believed to be on shortlist for KL-Singapore HSR project — https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/704934 (The Edge Malaysia)
- Government finalising key parameters for HSR project — https://www.thestar.com.my/news/nation/2025/02/18/government-finalising-key-parameters-for-hsr-project (The Star)
- Malaysia yet to decide on development model for KL-Singapore High-Speed Rail — https://theedgemalaysia.com/node/773159 (The Edge Malaysia)
- New proposals for Kuala Lumpur-Singapore High Speed Rail requested from local, international firms — https://paultan.org/2023/07/12/new-proposals-for-kuala-lumpur-singapore-high-speed-rail-requested-from-local-international-firms/ (paultan.org)

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