Singapore's MRT network: How has it evolved and
what will it LOOK LIKE BY 2023?
Singapore’s MRT network will have eight rail lines when Phase 1 of
the Cross Island Line opens in 2030.
A map of Singapore's MRT network as of Jan 2023, inclusive of the
upcoming stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line, Cross Island Line and
Jurong Region Line that will be constructed in the coming years. (Image:
Land Transport Authority)…see more
19 Jan 2023 06:07AM(Updated: 20 Jan 2023 10:55AM)
Gabrielle Andres
SINGAPORE: From a mere five stations in 1987 to eight lines by 2030,
Singapore’s rail network will eventually make travel times shorter and
more convenient for most people.
Construction of the Cross Island Line began
on Wednesday (Jan 18) and Phase 1, with 12 stations, is
expected to be completed by 2030. There will eventually be at least 30
stations.
Once fully operational, about eight in 10 households are expected to be
within a 10-minute walk of a train station, Transport Minister S Iswaran
said.
CNA looks at how Singapore’s MRT network has evolved through the years.

NORTH-SOUTH LINE - 45 km - 27 stations
The North-South Line (NSL) was Singapore’s first MRT line, opening in
1987 with only five stations connecting Yio Chu Kang to Toa Payoh.
Today, it spans 45km and has 27 stations to serve commuters travelling
between Jurong East to Marina South Pier. It also includes eight
interchanges, allowing travellers to transfer to the East-West Line, the
Circle Line, the Downtown Line, the North East Line and the Bukit
Panjang LRT.
In recent years, additional stations were added: Marina South Pier in
2014 and Canberra – located between the existing Yishun and Sembawang
stations – in 2019.
It may be Singapore’s oldest train line, but it remains an integral part
of the country’s rail system and is currently undergoing upgrading works
to ensure that it keeps up with travel demands.
Since the renewal works started in 2012, three out of the line’s six
core systems have been replaced: The signalling system, sleepers and
third rail. Track circuit replacements are also about 93 per cent
complete.
The bustling Jurong East MRT station was also retrofitted with two new
platforms in 2012, allowing two trains to enter and depart the station
at the same time.
Most of the core system replacements are expected to be completed by
this year, according to Mr Iswaran.

EAST-WEST LINE- 57 km - 35 stations
Originally a part of the NSL, the East-West Line (EWL) is currently
Singapore’s longest at about 57km.
It will take you across the island, spanning 35 stations and nine
interchanges from Tuas West to Changi Airport.
Students may be familiar with Clementi or Dover stations, which serve
nearby polytechnics and universities. The line also serves those working
in the central business district, including Raffles Place, City Hall and
Outram Park.
Did you know that Dover MRT station was the first one to be constructed
while the train line was in operation? It is also the first station to
have two platforms alongside a central rail line.
Like the NSL, the EWL is also undergoing a renewal of its core systems,
which is set to be completed this year.

CROSS ISLAND LINE - underground - 50 Km - 2030 跨岛线
With Phase 1 set to open in 2030, the Cross Island Line (CRL) will be
Singapore’s eighth and longest fully underground train line at more than
50km long.
The line is key to Singapore attaining its target of having nine in 10
peak-period “Walk Cycle Ride” journeys completed in less than 45
minutes, said Mr Iswaran.
Daily ridership for the Cross Island Line is expected to hit 600,000
when it opens for service in 2030, with that number eventually
increasing to more than 1 million. It will take commuters through major
hubs like the Jurong Lake District, Punggol Digital District and the
Changi region, with more than 30 stations planned.
Travelling between train lines? The CRL will have the highest number of
interchange stations in Singapore, with more than half connected to
existing rail stations once operational.
Recreational spaces like Changi Beach Park or Bishan-Ang Mo Kio Park
will also become accessible by public transport, which means family
outings and daily exercise routines will be more convenient.
A map of Singapore's MRT network as of January 2023, including the
upcoming stations on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), Cross Island
Line and Jurong Region Line that will be constructed in the coming
years. Three stations on TEL(*)…see more

JURONG REGION LINE - 24 kn - 24 stations
The Jurong Region Line, expected
to be completed in 2029, will include 24 stations covering
24km.
Originally slated to begin operations in 2026, construction of the JRL
was stalled due to manpower shortages and materials supply disruptions
brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic. It began on Jan 13.
An
artist impression of a Jurong Region Line (JRL) station in Tengah Town.
(Image: LTA)
It will be Singapore’s first fully elevated MRT line, serving five key
locations – Choa Chu Kang, Jurong East, Boon Lay/Jurong West, National
Technological University and the Jurong Industrial Estate.
It will also serve the Tengah area, Jurong Innovation District and
Jurong Lake District once fully developed.
Interchange stations at Jurong East, Choa Chu Kang and Boon Lay will
connect it to existing train lines.
Unlike other train lines in Singapore, it will feature smaller,
customised carriages that will enable the train to “easily navigate and
manoeuvre through tight curves and built-up areas” along its track.
Commuters using wheelchairs or strollers will also benefit from wider
carriage doors and spaces, which will make rides more accessible and
comfortable.

THOMSON-EAST COAST LINE - north and east - 43 km - 32
stations
The Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL), which welcomed
passengers to its Stage 3 stations in late 2022, will connect
the eastern and northern parts of Singapore once completed in 2025.
Commuters who used to take about 50 minutes to travel from Woodlands
South to Orchard can now do so in 35 minutes.
Consisting of 32 stations along a 43km track, the TEL is the first to
feature 91 new, fully automated four-car trains, with an additional door
on each car for easier boarding.

Orchard
Boulevard MRT station on the Thomson-East Coast Line in Singapore that
operated on Nov 13, 2022. (Photo: CNA/Hanidah Amin)
Constructing the stations in the TEL marked several firsts, such as the
maiden use of a retractable micro-tunnel boring machine. This was used
to install internally interlocking pipes to connect the underpass across
Orchard Boulevard to the TEL and NSL station platforms.
An ice wall was also used for the first time to stabilise the earth
prior to tunnelling works at Marina Bay station.
Two more stages - Stage 4 and Stage 5 - are slated to open in 2024 and
2025 respectively.
Stage 4 comprises eight stations including Tanjong Katong, Marine Parade
and Siglap, while Stage 5 comprises Bedok South and Sungei Bedok
stations.
Founders’ Memorial, Mount Pleasant and Marina South will open in tandem
with future developments.
Four future stations will also include Singapore’s
first underground bicycle parking facilities for those who cycle between
the stations and their homes.

NORTH-EAST LINE - 16 stations
The 16-station North-East Line (NEL), which connects north-eastern
Singapore to heritage areas and the city fringe, marked several firsts
in Singapore’s rail history.
It was the first to be fully automated and driverless, as well as the
first to feature artworks at its stations, with the launch of the
Art-in-Transit programme that has now expanded to other rail lines.
Several stations along the line – including Chinatown, Sengkang, Dhoby
Ghaut and Outram Park feature artworks.
The
Phoenix's-Eye Domain, an artwork located at Chinatown MRT Station.
(Photo: LTA)
Universal
Language, an artwork located at Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station. (Photo: LTA)
The NEL was also the first to take accessibility into account, featuring
the most number of lifts at its stations at the time and the first to
incorporate art into its stations.
As the line serves growing neighbourhoods, many of its stations were
designed to allow for future expansions to cater to the growing
population.
For example, when Sengkang LRT line first opened in 2003, surrounding
developments were not yet built. With future connections in mind, the
line's stations were built with a simple layout to allow commuters to
navigate their way easily.

CIRCLE LINE
Despite the name, the Circle Line (CCL) is not yet a full circle.
Like the NEL, the 30-station CCL is completely automated and driverless.
It was also Singapore’s first medium-capacity line, linking the existing
NSL, EWL and NEL to the city.
According to the Land Transport Authority, it required “innovations in
design, engineering and construction” to build.
Builders faced challenges such as varying soil conditions, which posed
safety and structural issues at Promenade and Nicoll Highway stations,
and having to tunnel through a maze of existing tunnels and cables.
Bras Basah Station is home to the longest escalator in the MRT system,
stretching 41m from the ticket concourse to the transfer level.
In 2026, the CCL will become a full circle, with the opening of a 4km
extension that includes three stations connecting HarbourFront to Marina
Bay.
Commuters will enjoy a direct route between areas in the west - such as
Pasir Panjang and Kent Ridge - and the Central Business District. Those
living in Paya Lebar and Mountbatten will also get faster access to the
HarbourFront area.

DOWNTOWN LINE
Measuring 42km and covering 36 stations, the Downtown Line (DTL) is
Singapore’s longest underground and driverless MRT line.
It serves residential areas in Bukit Panjang, Bukit Timah, MacPherson
and Bedok Reservoir, which were previously not covered by the MRT
system.

Bencoolen
station is the deepest station in Singapore at 43m below ground. (Photo:
Elizabeth Neo)
Construction on Singapore’s deepest rail line also came with several
firsts.
For instance, builders had to temporarily divert the Singapore river to
safely connect Fort Canning and Chinatown stations. This entailed a
process to reroute the river and pack the section above the planned
tunnel route with soil to safely excavate the tunnels.
Builders also had to balance safety, structural stability and other
issues to dig to a depth of 14 storeys to link Bencoolen and Fort
Canning MRT stations. At 43m below street level, Bencoolen is the
deepest station in Singapore.
Diggers had to use tunnelling machines and explosives to clear the
ground, as they were digging through “soil as soft as toothpaste, mixed
with giant hard rocks”. Added precautions were taken to ensure safety
and ground stability.
Commuters travelling to areas such as Changi Business Park and the Expo
area can look forward to better accessibility in 2024, when an extension
to the DTL will allow them to connect to the TEL.

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