Five Minutes to Johor: What Singaporeans Will Buy Across the Border, and What They Will Keep at Home

Singaporeans shopping in Johor is nothing new. Once the rail link cuts the trip to five minutes, "buying across the causeway" moves from a weekend outing to an everyday option. Which purchases cross the border and which stay put will shape what Singaporean stores should carry next year.

What is the RTS Link, and when does it open?

According to the Singapore Ministry of Transport's announcement in June 2025, the RTS Link connects Bukit Chagar in Johor Bahru with Woodlands North in Singapore. The one-way trip takes about five minutes, peak capacity is up to 10,000 passengers per hour in each direction, and passenger service is targeted to begin by December 2026 (subject to official announcements).

Which purchases will move to Johor once the link opens?

A study published in July 2026 by the Singapore Business Federation (SBF), the Restaurant Association of Singapore (RAS) and the Singapore Retailers Association (SRA) finds that about 19.4 million round trips are made each year between Singapore and Johor. After the link opens, that figure is expected to rise by 11.2 million, an increase of 51%. Singaporeans' spending in Johor is projected to rise by about S$1.05 billion a year, led by groceries, followed by health and beauty, dining and beauty products.

These categories share one trait: the same products are available on both sides, and the only difference is price.

Which purchases will stay in Singapore?

The same study estimates that spending by Johor residents in Singapore will rise by about S$756 million a year. After offsetting, the net outflow is about S$290 million, roughly 0.4% of Singapore's total retail and dining sales in 2025. For the market as a whole the effect is limited, but for specific categories the pressure is clear.

Operators agree on one point: price competition alone will not work. Service quality, distinctive experiences and products available only locally are what give Singapore stores their advantage. The share of Johor residents who plan to attend events in Singapore also rose from 24% to 34%.

What does this reveal about how Singaporean consumers choose?

Singaporean shoppers split their purchases into two kinds. Standard goods are judged on price and convenience, and people buy wherever it is cheapest. Products with a point of view are judged on curation and experience, and the other side of the border cannot replace them. Once the link opens, this dividing line will become clearer.

Where does the problem lie for Singapore's curated stores, and where can they start?

The problem lies in replaceable selection. If shelves carry many items that shoppers can also buy across the border, those items will lose customers first. The starting point is an audit: check, item by item, whether each product is available in Johor and what the price gap is, then move the products that are only available here to the most visible positions in the store.

Building a range that the other side of the border cannot replace is the core of the ArsRes Academy Fashion Buying and Merchandising course.