Tuas Second Link road closure on 23 July 2025 from 5am to 2pm
All three vehicular lanes on Tuas Second Link bound for Johor will be closed for nine hours on 23 July 2025 for a Singapore-Malaysia joint chemical-spill exercise. Expect the ibu (mother) of traffic delays, but get live cross-border updates via the Motorist app.
Fast facts
When? 23 July 2025, Wednesday, 5:00am to 2:00pm (nine hours). Traffic might build up before 5am and linger after 2pm on the day.
Where? All three Singapore→Malaysia (northbound) road lanes on Tuas Second Link (Linkedua).
Why? Full-scale Singapore-Malaysia joint chemical-spill emergency response exercise, simulating a multi‑vehicle collision with chemical trucks.
What? Vehicles heading to Malaysia will be diverted to a temporary lane on the opposite carriageway. Expect heavy congestion and slower traffic on both sides, because the usual three lanes of traffic will be reduced to just one.
How? Use the Johor-Singapore Causeway (Checkpoint) in Woodlands on 23 July instead of Tuas Second Link. If you want/need to use Tuas Second Link that day, travel at least an hour before or after the closure period on 23 July (5am to 2pm).
Why this matters to Singapore motorists
A nine‑hour shutdown on Tuas Second Link towards Malaysia during the morning peak outbound hours could stretch your journey time by an uncomfortable amount, trigger tailbacks on the AYE (Ayer Rajah Expressway), and jam up the nearby industrial traffic in Tuas.
Cross‑border drives to Johor Bahru (JB), Desaru, and further afield are staples for Singaporeans. If you have a mid-week driveaway planned (e.g. for groceries, a Bintan ferry linkup or a social visit), switch to plan B, perhaps by driving up on 24 July Thursday instead.
Use the Motorist SG app to plan your journey, with real-time alerts to save the day.
What exactly Is happening on 23 July 2025?
Singapore’s National Environment Agency (NEA) and Malaysia’s Department of Environment (DOE) are running a bilateral emergency drill under the Malaysia‑Singapore Joint Committee on the Environment (MSJCE) programme.
The scenario is a multi‑vehicle collision involving trucks transporting hazardous chemicals on Tuas Second Link. Responders will test their procedures for detection, containment and decontamination of a chemical spill on the road, and also practise their traffic control and cross‑border coordination.
During the main exercise window on 23 July 2025 (5am to 2pm), all three Malaysia‑bound lanes from Singapore will be closed. Traffic heading into Malaysia will be diverted onto a managed lane on the opposite (Singapore‑bound) carriageway. Expect reduced capacity in both directions while this temporary traffic contraflow is active.
Don’t panic if you see emergency vehicles or hazmat suits at Tuas Second Link on 23 July 2025. It is just a major exercise and not a real chemical spill that turns travellers into horror movie characters.
Timeline: How your cross-border drive could play out on 23 July 2025
| Before 4:00am | Pre‑staging of exercise assets, including the initial deployment of traffic cones. | Minor slowdowns, but traffic is still flowing normally. Night haulers, take note. |
| ~4:00am to 5:00am | Progressive lane preparation and phased closure of the three lanes. | Traffic-merge friction increases and queues start forming. |
| 5:00am | Full closure of SG→MY road lanes. Opening of contraflow lane. | Major bottleneck, with a spike in outbound traffic delay. |
| 5:00am to 10:00am | Main drill action with emergency simulation. | Long delays with active traffic management. Consider turning back if feasible, or detouring to Woodlands Causeway if possible. |
| 10:00am to 1:00pm | Continuing operations, including recovery attempts. | Intermittent traffic movement while temporary lane is in use. |
| 1:00pm to 2:00pm | Exercise wind‑down and progressive reopening of the three closed lanes. | Traffic backlog will take time to clear. |
| After 2:00pm | All three Malaysia-bound lanes are reopened gradually and safely. | Residual traffic congestion is possible till late afternoon. Monitor live cross-border traffic on the Motorist app before departing for Tuas Second Link. |
Should you avoid Tuas Second Link on 23 July 2025?
Yes, if you can. Use the Johor-Singapore Causeway (Checkpoint) in Woodlands or travel on another day if your road trip is flexible enough.
What if you cannot avoid using Tuas Second Link on 23 July 2025?
If your cross-border schedule/appointments/bookings for 23 July 2025 have you locked in, consider these options:
Depart well before 4:00am or long after 3:00pm on that day.
Use the live traffic video feeds and crowd‑sourced wait times in the Motorist SG app.
Pre‑trip checklist for travellers on 23 July 2025
1. Route planning with the Motorist SG app
☑ Compare the real-time traffic-camera views in Tuas and Woodlands.
☑ Check contraflow advisories and lane status.
☑ Enable push alerts for traffic incidents en route.
2. Documents & compliance
☑ Passport/s - valid for at least another 6 months.
☑ VEP / Touch ’n Go / RFID / Autopass - ready.
☑ Fuel level at least half tank (it might drop below that halfway mark if your vehicle idles for too long in traffic jams before reaching the Singapore border control).
☑ Motor insurance and road tax - current.
3. Vehicle readiness
☑ Tyres & spare tyre - all inflated to the recommended pressure.
☑ Coolant and engine oil - checked (in case of excessive heat load due to stop-start traffic while crossing into Johor).
☑ Mobile chargers and power bank.
☑ Dashcam storage - as incident evidence if you suffer a fender bender in tight, re-routed traffic..
4. Comfort pack
☑ Water, snacks and tissues in case of multi-hour traffic delays.
☑ In-car entertainment, especially for kids on board.
☑ Motion sickness medication in case of nauseau induced by frequent stop-and-go vehicle movements.
Online tools to help you stay ahead of the jam (or away from it) on 23 July 2025
| Live checkpoint congestion | Motorist SG app | See crowd‑sourced information in real time, such as wait times, worsening traffic queues, and the congestion situation in Tuas and Woodlands |
| Official updates from relevant government authorities via social channels | From Singapore's NEA and ICA, Malaysia's DOE | Monitor the exercise stages and the closing/opening of affected road lanes |
| Navigation reroutes | Google Maps, Waze, Motorist app's Co-Driver function | Dynamic ETAs and automatic rerouting via the applicable exits at Woodlands or Tuas |
| Refuelling & EV charging in JB | Motorist SG app's petrol-kiosk & EV-station finder | Avoid low fuel while stuck in cross-border traffic, and top up with cheaper fuel before returning to Singapore |
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