With National Day coming up, we are celebrating everything that makes us Singaporean – and honestly, few things are more Singaporean than crossing the Causeway for a weekend getaway in JB. As unveiled in Budget 2026, the upcoming Woodlands Gateway is set to become the North’s newest mixed-use district, bringing together homes, shopping, dining, and seamless connectivity to everyone’s favourite weekend escape.
Whether you are a Northie or simply a frequenter of JB, Woodlands is about to become much more than just a checkpoint town. Here’s everything we know so far.
Woodlands Gateway is an upcoming 35ha mixed-use district by JTC that’s set to become Singapore’s northern gateway to the Johor-Singapore Special Economic Zone. The development is roughly the size of 50 football fields and will feature an integrated transport hub connected to the RTS Link and Woodlands North MRT, complete with commercial, residential, and industrial spaces.
Woodlands Gateway’s 1st phase is set to be completed by 2030. This includes our most anticipated transport hub, the JB-Singapore RTS Link, which will connect our own Woodlands North MRT Station directly to JB’s Bukit Chagar station in just a quick 4km train ride. This is a dream for those sick of the crowds and queues at Woodlands Checkpoint.
The RTS link is set to begin operations in end-2026, with the capacity to ferry up to 10,000 riders per hour at its peak.
Image credit: JTC
Besides making JB trips easier, Woodlands Gateway will also bring more commercial and lifestyle amenities to the North, giving residents and office workers more places to shop, dine, and unwind.
While JTC has yet to share many details about what these amenities will include, it’s safe to expect the usual mix of retail, F&B, and everyday conveniences.
Image credit: JTC
Woodlands Gateway is also envisioned as a one-stop district where people can live, work, and commute, while serving as a business hub linking Singapore and Johor.
Around 104,000sqm of the development will be dedicated to 2 factory blocks alongside specially designed offices for companies with manufacturing operations in Johor to base their regional headquarters in Singapore.
This project is expected to create over 25,000 jobs.
Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: JTC
However, don’t be quick to write Woodlands Gateway off as just another business park.
Wellness and retail will meet at North Coast Vista, a 750m car-lite boulevard that will connect pedestrians to the northern coastline. Families can bond over a jog or ride bicycles along the Vista, and pop into a shop along the way.
Image for illustrative purposes only.
Image credit: JTC
The area’s remaining black-and-white bungalows from the colonial era will also be refurbished into spaces for leisure and recreation, transforming into a mini lifestyle village.
Image credit: JTC
Woodlands Gateway will also introduce 10,000 new homes within walking distance of the heart of the hub, making it easier for residents to live close to where they work.
Image credit: URA
The Woodlands Gateway development will be rolled out in phases over the next decade or so. As mentioned, the 1st phase, including a 6,500sqm bus interchange and some retail spaces and office spaces, is expected to be completed by 2030.
The rest of the master plan will follow in stages, with the 2nd and 3rd phases slated for completion in 2031 and 2034, respectively.
With easier access to JB, improved transport links, and a mix of office, industrial spaces, retail and green areas, Woodlands Gateway is slated to give the North a whole new identity. While we are still a couple of years away from the opening of its 1st phase, we are hopeful that it will shape up to be one of the country’s most iconic places.
More about Singapore’s upcoming developments:
Cover image adapted from: JTC
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