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From kampong (village) to regional centre in 20 years
Kampong days
It was a largely wooded area with many plantations, hence its name "Woodlands".
The wooded coastline was full of "Keranji" trees and the major cash crops in the plantations were gambier, pepper and rubber.
It was dotted with kampongs (villages in Malay), such as Woodlands village, Kampong Madai Kechil and even a village known as "Lau Chu Kang" where all the residents shared the same surname "Lau".
The link to the city by the Singapore-Kranji railway from Tank Road to Woodlands was opened in 1903. Steam ferry was the only transport from Singapore to Johore prior to the completion of the causeway in 1923.
Regional Centre
 Today, Woodlands encompasses an area of almost 1,200 hectares and is served by 3 MRT stations - Marsiling, Woodlands and Admiralty with town centres, schools and shopping malls etc.
It is linked to Johore Bahru (city town of Malaysia just after the causeway) by a 1,056m long causeway, which carries a road, a railway and a water pipeline across the straits of Johore.
All travellers leaving or entering Singapore by train, vehicles or on foot have to pass through Woodlands Checkpoint to clear customs.
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