Coronation Square Mall Breaks Ground in Johor Bahru with Direct RTS Link to Singapore

Coronation Square has officially broken ground on its upcoming retail mall and two residential towers, marking a major milestone in the transformation of Johor Bahru’s city centre into a regional lifestyle and business destination.

The groundbreaking ceremony for Phase 2 of the integrated development was attended by Johor Menteri Besar Onn Hafiz Ghazi and Singapore’s Consul-General to Johor Bahru, Ng Kuan Khai.

Strategically located in central Johor Bahru, Coronation Square will feature direct connectivity to the upcoming Johor Bahru Singapore Rapid Transit System, positioning the development as a major gateway between Malaysia and Singapore. The integrated project will include the largest retail mall in Johor Bahru city centre alongside residential, hospitality, medical and commercial components.

Branded with the theme “Coronation Square – Where the World Meets Johor,” the retail mall is envisioned as a premium lifestyle destination that combines international retail brands, dining concepts, wellness offerings and family friendly attractions. The development aims to cater to both local residents and the growing number of cross border visitors travelling between Singapore and Johor Bahru.

Among its key infrastructure highlights are an air-conditioned pedestrian overhead bridge linking Coronation Square directly to the RTS station, another pedestrian connection to the Bangunan Sultan Iskandar customs and immigration complex, integrated access roads and flyovers, as well as extensive parking and park and ride facilities.

The project also sits within the Johor Singapore Special Economic Zone growth corridor, which is expected to drive stronger investment flows, business activity and tourism between the two countries.

According to Patrick Lim, the development is designed as a “city within a city” that combines infrastructure, businesses and community spaces into a single integrated ecosystem that supports jobs, retail activity and everyday living.

In conjunction with the groundbreaking ceremony, Singapore Retailers Association and CapitaLand Investment signed a memorandum of understanding aimed at helping Singapore retailers expand into Johor Bahru. The collaboration will focus on facilitating market entry opportunities, pop up retail concepts and knowledge sharing sessions to provide deeper insights into the Johor consumer market.

CapitaLand Investment has also been appointed retail advisor for Coronation Square Mall, leveraging its experience managing more than 70 malls across Singapore, Malaysia and China. Meanwhile, The Ascott Limited will manage the development’s hotel component under its flagship Ascott brand, marking the brand’s debut in Johor Bahru.

A fireside discussion held during the event brought together business and retail leaders including representatives from Invest Johor, the Singapore Business Federation, the Singapore Retailers Association and Coronade Properties to discuss opportunities emerging from Johor Bahru’s growing consumer landscape and cross border economy.

With major infrastructure upgrades and the upcoming RTS connection expected to reshape travel and business flows between Singapore and Johor Bahru, Coronation Square is positioning itself as one of the city’s key developments in its next phase of regional growth.