The history of the
Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) system of
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
commenced with its planning in the 1960s, which finally led to its opening in 1987 with the launch of the 6 km section of the
North South Line from
Yio Chu Kang
Yio Chu Kang is a sub-urban area in the northeast of Singapore, with proximity to the Ang Mo Kio, Lentor, Seletar and Sengkang areas. Deriving its name from the Yio Chu Kang Village, it is still known for lush greenery and low-density housing w ...
to
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh (, ta, தோ பாயோ) is a planning area and matured residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borders Bishan and Serangoon to the north, the Central Water Catc ...
.
At the time, it was the largest infrastructure project undertaken by the country during its early days of independence. The only choices of public transport available in Singapore in the early 60s were buses, taxis and trishaws and the lack of seamless connectivity of the public transport system resulted in long and inconvenient journeys.
As of 2022, it now has six lines in operation with a total combined route length of and
134 operational stations. The
Light Rail Transit (LRT) which first opened in 1999 also acts as a feeder service to the MRT network.
Construction of backbone network
Conceptualisation
The idea of constructing a
rapid transit
Rapid transit or mass rapid transit (MRT), also known as heavy rail or metro, is a type of high-capacity public transport generally found in urban areas. A rapid transit system that primarily or traditionally runs below the surface may be c ...
line in the country was initiated in 1967 when a four-year State and City Planning study was conducted by the Singapore government and the
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP)french: Programme des Nations unies pour le développement, PNUD is a United Nations agency tasked with helping countries eliminate poverty and achieve sustainable economic growth and human dev ...
. It was part of an urban renewal and development project which aimed to formulate a long-term comprehensive concept plan for guiding the country's future physical development. It was concluded that physical land constraints faced by the island nation, were not able to accommodate more roads to meet the rise in transportation demands. It was noted that the city-state needed a rail transit system by 1992.
Bus vs. rail debate
It took 10 years from 1972 to design the MRT system, which continued all the way until the government gave permission to build the MRT.
When then-president
Ong Teng Cheong
Ong Teng Cheong ( zh, c=王鼎昌, p=Wáng Dǐngchāng; 22 January 1936 – 8 February 2002) was a Singaporean politician who served as the fifth president of Singapore between 1993 and 1999. He was also the first elected president in Singapor ...
became the then-Minister for Communications (now the
Ministry of Transport
A ministry of transport or transportation is a ministry responsible for transportation within a country. It usually is administered by the ''minister for transport''. The term is also sometimes applied to the departments or other government age ...
), he had to convince the cabinet in a
debate
Debate is a process that involves formal discourse on a particular topic, often including a moderator and audience. In a debate, arguments are put forward for often opposing viewpoints. Debates have historically occurred in public meetings, a ...
in early 1980, that the
S$5 billion needed for the system would be beneficial for the long-term development of Singapore. He argued that:
Therefore, a provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority was established in July 1980, after the debate. However, Ong faced strong opposition from other members of the cabinet, including Finance Minister
Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee (; 6 October 1918 – 14 May 2010), born Robert Goh Keng Swee, was a Singaporean politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1985. Goh is widely recognised as one of the founding fathers of Singa ...
and
Tony Tan
Tony Tan Keng Yam (; born 7 February 1940) is a Singaporean former politician who served as the seventh president of Singapore between 2011 and 2017. He did not seek for a second term as president in 2017 due to a constitutional amendment. ...
, due especially to the heavy investments involved. A team of specialists from
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...
, recommended that an all-bus system would be sufficient into the 1990s, and would cost 50
% less than a rail-based system.
Later on, two independent American transport and urban planning specialist teams were then appointed by the government to conduct their own independent reviews as part of the Comprehensive Traffic Study in 1981. This debate was also brought to national television in September 1980, which was rare at that time. The study came to the conclusion that an all-bus system would be inadequate as it would have to compete for road space which would have been increasingly overcrowded by then. The problem would be solved by building a rail system. Ong hence declared in triumph on 28 May 1982, that:
Construction begins
The permission to begin the construction of Singapore's then-largest public works project was given in May 1982. A ground-breaking ceremony commenced the construction on 22 October 1983 at Shan Road. The majority of the work was expected to be completed in 1992. This included 67 km of track to be constructed, with 42 stations, of which 26 would be
elevated
An elevated railway or elevated train (also known as an el train for short) is a rapid transit railway with the Track (rail transport), tracks above street level on a viaduct or other elevated structure (usually constructed from steel, cast i ...
, 1 at grade and 15 underground. The network was constructed in stages, with the
North South Line given priority as the line passed through the
Orchard Road
Orchard Road, often known colloquially as simply Orchard, is a major –long road in the Central Area of Singapore. Known as a famous tourist attraction, it is an upscale shopping area of Singapore, with numerous internationally renowned depa ...
corridor as well as the rest of the
Central Area, the latter of which faced high demand for public transport. Also, it was near the more densely populated housing estates such as
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh (, ta, தோ பாயோ) is a planning area and matured residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borders Bishan and Serangoon to the north, the Central Water Catc ...
and
Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio is a planning area and residential town situated in the North-East of Singapore. Located approximately north of the Downtown Core district, Ang Mo Kio is the 3rd most populated planning area in the North-East Region and ranks 8th ...
. The MRT Corporation, now
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority (LTA) is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Government of Singapore.
History Incorporation of Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority (LTA) was established on 1 September 1995, f ...
, was established on 14 October 1983, taking over the roles and responsibilities of the former provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority. On 6 August 1987, it set up
SMRT Corporation
SMRT Corporation is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. A subsidiary of the Government of Singapore's Temasek Holdings, it was established on 6 August 1987 and listed on the Singapore Exchange ...
.
Construction began in various areas:
*October 1983: Yio Chu Kang – Outram Park (Phase I)
*January 1984: Outram Park – Clementi (Phase IA)
*July 1984: Clementi – Lakeside (Phase II)
*January 1985: Marina Bay – Tanah Merah (Phase II)
*June 1985: Tanah Merah – Pasir Ris, Jurong East – Choa Chu Kang & Yio Chu Kang – Yishun (Phase II)
*January 1988: Lakeside – Boon Lay (Phase II)
Toa Payoh MRT station was the first to do structural works, followed by the tunnels between Outram Park and Tiong Bahru in 1985. The completion of the viaduct for Phase 1 was done on 15 December 1986 at
Commonwealth MRT station
Commonwealth MRT station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on the East West line in Queenstown, Singapore located at Commonwealth Avenue near the junction of Commonwealth Drive. The station serves the residential neighbourho ...
. The first
C151 train was delivered to MRT Corporation on 8 July 1986, by
Yeo Ning Hong
Yeo Ning Hong ( zh, s=杨林丰, p=Yáng Línfēng; born 3 November 1943) is a Singaporean chemist and former politician who served as Minister for Defence between 1991 and 1994, and Minister for Communications between 1984 and 1991. A former ...
at Bishan Depot.
One-third of the MRT was completed on 15 January 1985, and the Minister for Communications and Information Yeo Ning Hong visited Orchard MRT and Dhoby Ghaut MRT station sites. The pouring of concrete was completed by the end of 1985 at Dhoby Ghaut MRT station.
Initial opening
On 7 November 1987, the first 6 kilometres of the
North South Line from
Yio Chu Kang
Yio Chu Kang is a sub-urban area in the northeast of Singapore, with proximity to the Ang Mo Kio, Lentor, Seletar and Sengkang areas. Deriving its name from the Yio Chu Kang Village, it is still known for lush greenery and low-density housing w ...
to
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh (, ta, தோ பாயோ) is a planning area and matured residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borders Bishan and Serangoon to the north, the Central Water Catc ...
went into operation.
The novelty resulted in thousands flocking to the 5 station segment of the line just to experience and try out the system. At the launching of
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh (, ta, தோ பாயோ) is a planning area and matured residential town located in the northern part of the Central Region of Singapore. Toa Payoh planning area borders Bishan and Serangoon to the north, the Central Water Catc ...
, Ong was quoted as saying that
Nine more stations from
Novena
A novena (from Latin: ''novem'', "nine") is an ancient tradition of devotional praying in Christianity, consisting of private or public prayers repeated for nine successive days or weeks. The nine days between the Feast of the Ascension and Pen ...
to
Outram Park
Outram is a planning area located within the Central Area of the Central Region of Singapore. The area is bordered by these planning areas: Singapore River to the north, the Downtown Core to the east and south, and Bukit Merah to the west.
...
were officially opened 12 December 1987 by then
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong (; born 20 May 1941) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1990 and 2004, and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party between 1992 and 2004. He was the Parliament of Singapore, ...
. These trains ran as a through service from one end to the other even though
Tanjong Pagar
Tanjong Pagar ( alternatively spelled ''Tanjung Pagar'') is a historic district located within the Central Business District in Singapore, straddling the Outram Planning Area and the Downtown Core under the Urban Redevelopment Authority's urb ...
and
Outram Park
Outram is a planning area located within the Central Area of the Central Region of Singapore. The area is bordered by these planning areas: Singapore River to the north, the Downtown Core to the east and south, and Bukit Merah to the west.
...
were on the
East West line.
On 12 March 1988, six more stations from
Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru is a housing estate located within the Bukit Merah Planning Area, in the Central Region of Singapore. Tiong Bahru was constructed in the 1920s by the Singapore Improvement Trust, the predecessor to the Housing Development Board and ...
to
Clementi Clementi may refer to:
People
* Aldo Clementi (1925–2011), Italian composer
* Cecil Clementi (1875–1947), British colonial administrator and Governor of Hong Kong
* Cecilia Clementi, Italian-American scientist
* David Clementi (born 1949), Brit ...
on the
East West line were opened; trains now ran directly from Yio Chu Kang through the city to Clementi. On the same day, the system was officially launched by the late Mr
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew (16 September 1923 – 23 March 2015), born Harry Lee Kuan Yew, often referred to by his initials LKY, was a Singaporean lawyer and statesman who served as Prime Minister of Singapore between 1959 and 1990, and Secretary-General o ...
, then
Prime Minister of Singapore
The prime minister of Singapore is the head of government of the Republic of Singapore. The president appoints the prime minister, a Member of Parliament (MP) who in their opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of the majority of ...
.
Nearing completion
The rest of the system opened rapidly in stages. On 6 July 1990, with the last station opened, the entire system was opened by President
Wee Kim Wee
Wee Kim Wee ( zh, s=黄金辉, poj=Ûiⁿ Kim-hui, p=Huáng Jīnhuī, first=s,poj,p; 4 November 1915 – 2 May 2005) was a Singaporean journalist and diplomat who served as the fourth president of Singapore from 1985 until his resignation in ...
.
Subsequent expansions
Woodlands Extension
Less than a year after the completion of the MRT project, the government announced in February 1991, intentions to extend the system to
Woodlands Woodlands may back refer to:
* Woodland, a low-density forest
Geography
Australia
* Woodlands, New South Wales
* Woodlands, Ashgrove, Queensland, a heritage-listed house associated with John Henry Pepper
* Woodlands, Marburg, Queensland, a her ...
in the north of Singapore. Construction commenced in 1993, and the 16 km, 6 station elevated line was opened on 10 February 1996 at a total cost of
S$1.2 billion. With this extension, the
North South Line included the three stations on the former
Choa Chu Kang Branch line (
Jurong East
Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south.
First ...
,
Bukit Batok
Bukit Batok, often abbreviated as Bt Batok, is a planning area and matured residential town located along the eastern boundary of the West Region of Singapore. Bukit Batok statistically ranks in as the 25th largest, the 12th most populous and ...
,
Bukit Gombak
Bukit Gombak is a subzone of Bukit Batok, Singapore. It is a hilly neighbourhood in the west-central area of the Southeast Asian city-state of Singapore. In the Malay language, ''bukit'' means hill and ''gombak'' a bunch or collection of somethi ...
and
Choa Chu Kang
Choa Chu Kang, alternatively spelt as Chua Chu Kang and often abbreviated as CCK, is a planning area and residential town located at the north-westernmost point of the West Region of Singapore. The town shares borders with Sungei Kadut to t ...
), forming a continuous line from
Jurong East
Jurong East is a planning area and residential town situated in the West Region of Singapore. It borders Jurong West and Boon Lay to the west, Clementi to the east, Tengah and Bukit Batok to the north and Selat Jurong to the south.
First ...
to
Marina Bay.
The construction of the extension was not without political fallout. For a long time, the politicians representing residences in the North-East area of the island had been calling for the construction of a planned
North East line
The North East MRT line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, it is the shortest MRT line at . The line runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol station in the no ...
. The announcement of the Woodlands Extension led to protests especially from opposition members of parliament, in particular from
Chiam See Tong
Chiam See Tong (; born 12 March 1935) is a Singaporean retired politician and lawyer who served as the Member of Parliament (MP) for Potong Pasir SMC between 1984 and 2011. He was one of the two opposition MPs in Parliament.
Lawyer by profess ...
and
Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang (; born 5 September 1956) is a Singaporean former politician who served as Secretary-General of the Workers' Party (WP) between 2001 and 2018. He was the Member of Parliament (MP) for Hougang SMC between 1991 and 2011 and Aljuni ...
, representatives of
Potong Pasir
Potong Pasir is a housing estate located between Toa Payoh and Sennett Estate in the Central Region of Singapore. For urban planning purposes, it is classified under the Toa Payoh area.
Politically, Potong Pasir had been the longest-held oppos ...
and
Hougang
Hougang is a planning area and mature residential town located in the North-East Region of Singapore. The town is the most populous in the region, being home to 247,528 residents as of 2018. Hougang planning area is bordered by Sengkang to th ...
constituencies respectively, with both areas potentially benefiting from such a line. The opposition members accused the government of favouring the Woodlands Extension over the
North East line
The North East MRT line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, it is the shortest MRT line at . The line runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol station in the no ...
due to opposition representation in the north-east area, arguing that there were far more residents in the north-east compared to the north, and questioned the rationale of building the Woodlands extension when the north was relatively undeveloped.
Dover station
Dover
Dover () is a town and major ferry port in Kent, South East England. It faces France across the Strait of Dover, the narrowest part of the English Channel at from Cap Gris Nez in France. It lies south-east of Canterbury and east of Maidstone ...
, built on the
East West line between
Clementi Clementi may refer to:
People
* Aldo Clementi (1925–2011), Italian composer
* Cecil Clementi (1875–1947), British colonial administrator and Governor of Hong Kong
* Cecilia Clementi, Italian-American scientist
* David Clementi (born 1949), Brit ...
and
Buona Vista
Buona Vista is a housing estate located in the subzones of one-north and Holland Drive in the residential township of Queenstown in Singapore. The housing estate is served by the Buona Vista MRT station which links it up with the MRT system. ...
, was officially opened on 23 October 2001 by then Minister for Transport, Mr
Yeo Cheow Tong
Yeo Cheow Tong (; born 22 June 1947) is a former Singaporean politician. A member of the governing People's Action Party (PAP), he served in the Cabinet from 1990 to 2006, and was a Member of Parliament (MP) of Hong Kah SMC from 12 December 198 ...
, being open for service on 18 October 2001. The first station to be built over an operating rail line with no disruptions to train services (although trains drove by the site at a reduced speed during the construction phase), it was also the first elevated station with two side platforms on either side of the tracks, as opposed to having an island platform as in all other elevated stations.
Adjacent to the
Singapore Polytechnic
Singapore Polytechnic (SP) is a post-secondary education institution and statutory board under the purview of the Ministry of Education in Singapore.
Established in 1954, the institution is the first and oldest polytechnic in Singapore and is ...
on one side, and undeveloped land on the other, the building of the station was met with reservations by some members of the public over its low
catchment area
In human geography, a catchment area is the area from which a location, such as a city, service or institution, attracts a population that uses its services and economic opportunities. Catchment areas may be defined based on from where people are ...
. There were criticisms over the spending of "
taxpayers
A tax is a compulsory financial charge or some other type of levy imposed on a taxpayer (an individual or legal entity) by a governmental organization in order to fund government spending and various public expenditures (regional, local, or n ...
' money" chiefly for use only by students of one educational institution. The government proceeded with the construction anyway, citing the catchment area extends to public housing flats on either end of the polytechnic, and that the undeveloped land opposite is slated for extensive development, largely residential in nature. This station has indeed brought much convenience to the students at the polytechnic.
Changi Airport Extension
For a long time following its opening in 1981,
Singapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passen ...
relied on
taxis
A taxis (; ) is the movement of an organism in response to a stimulus such as light or the presence of food. Taxes are innate behavioural responses. A taxis differs from a tropism (turning response, often growth towards or away from a stimulu ...
and buses as the primary means of public transportation to the rest of the country. They served the airport well, but concerns over competition from other regional airports, some of which feature quick rail-based services to their city centres, accelerated the government's plan to build a rail link to the airport.
Provision had long been made for a new line branching off from the existing
East West line at the
Tanah Merah, with some conceptual plans showing a tentative route alignment to the airport along Airport Boulevard, continuing beyond the airport to Changi Point, before turning southwest back toward the city along the east coast of the island. The plans were finally announced by then
Deputy Prime Minister
A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to that of a vice president, ...
Lee Hsien Loong
Lee Hsien Loong (; born 10 February 1952) is a Singaporean politician and former brigadier-general who has been serving as Prime Minister of Singapore and Secretary-General of the People's Action Party since 2004. He has been the Member of Par ...
on 15 November 1996. However, the route alignment showed a deviation from previous plans.
The final plan involved building only the first two stations, namely
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, constructe ...
, an elevated station directly adjacent to the
Singapore Expo
Singapore EXPO is the largest convention and exhibition venue in Singapore with over 100,000 square metres of column-free, indoor space spread over 10 halls. The center was designed by Cox Richardson Rayner, built by PSA International, and funded ...
, and
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passen ...
, an underground station built between Terminal Two and the since constructed Terminal Three. The alignment of the station at the airport was switched perpendicularly to an east–west direction, such that stairs and escalators lead to two of the terminals directly from either end of the station. Construction began in December 1998.
Expo
An expo is a trade exposition. It may also refer to:
Events and venues
* World's fair, a large international public exposition
* Singapore Expo, convention and exposition venue
** Expo Axis, one of the world's largest membrane roofs, constructe ...
opened on 10 January 2001, sporting a "
space age
The Space Age is a period encompassing the activities related to the Space Race, space exploration, space technology, and the cultural developments influenced by these events, beginning with the Sputnik_1#Launch_and_mission, launch of Sputnik 1 ...
" architecture designed by world-renowned architect
Sir Norman Foster
''Sir'' is a formal honorific address in English for men, derived from Sire in the High Middle Ages. Both are derived from the old French "Sieur" (Lord), brought to England by the French-speaking Normans, and which now exist in French only as p ...
. The roof is clad in
titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. Found in nature only as an oxide, it can be reduced to produce a lustrous transition metal with a silver color, low density, and high strength, resistant to corrosion in ...
and its design enabled the platform to be free of any columns, freeing up space in a station which will be used by thousands of visitors to the massive 100,000 square metre
Singapore Expo
Singapore EXPO is the largest convention and exhibition venue in Singapore with over 100,000 square metres of column-free, indoor space spread over 10 halls. The center was designed by Cox Richardson Rayner, built by PSA International, and funded ...
next door.
Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport, commonly known as Changi Airport , is a major civilian international airport that serves Singapore, and is one of the largest transportation hubs in Asia. As one of the world's busiest airports by international passen ...
was opened on 8 February 2002, giving the airport its first rail link after less than 21 years of operations. Initially through services were operated from the airport to Boon Lay at the other end of the East West line, however due to ridership falling below expectations the service was reverted to shuttle mode in 2003.
North East line
The
North East line
The North East MRT line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, it is the shortest MRT line at . The line runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol station in the no ...
, the first line operated by
SBS Transit
SBS Transit Limited (SBST or just SBS) () is a multi-modal public transport operator in Singapore operating bus and rail services. With a majority of its shares owned by Singaporean multinational transport conglomerate ComfortDelGro Corporation ...
and among the first fully automated heavy rail lines in the world, opened on 20 June 2003, except for
Woodleigh and
Buangkok
Buangkok is a neighbourhood located in north eastern Singapore. Whilst its boundaries are vague, the neighbourhood is roughly spread across the Trafalgar and Compassvale subzones of the Hougang and Sengkang Planning Areas respectively, as desig ...
stations. System problems delayed the line six months from the scheduled opening date of December 2002. The construction period of the North East line was fraught with many delays and some budget problems. It marked the pinnacle of a long and chequered history of over two decades since the conception of the line had taken place along with that of the original system which was eventually completed in 1990.
Up to May 2005, the line was running at a deficit. Although line operator, SBS Transit, managed a yearly overall profit as profits from its public bus service exceed the losses from its operation of the North East line. Running from
HarbourFront Harbourfront may refer to:
* Harbourfront (Toronto), a neighbourhood in Toronto
** 509 Harbourfront, Toronto streetcar route
**Harbourfront Centre, cultural organization on the waterfront of Toronto
* HarbourFront (Singapore), waterfront site in Si ...
where Singapore's former World Trade Centre building lies to
Punggol
Punggol, alternatively spelled as Ponggol, is a Planning Areas of Singapore, planning area and New towns of Singapore, new town situated on the Tanjong Punggol peninsula in the North-East Region, Singapore, North-East Region of Singapore. The to ...
to the northeast of the island, this line allowed for previously isolated or distanced areas to be linked up with the rest of Singapore by rail.
Buangkok
Buangkok is a neighbourhood located in north eastern Singapore. Whilst its boundaries are vague, the neighbourhood is roughly spread across the Trafalgar and Compassvale subzones of the Hougang and Sengkang Planning Areas respectively, as desig ...
opened on 15 January 2006 and
Woodleigh opened on 20 June 2011.
Circle line
On 28 May 2009, 5.6 km of the
Circle Line opened from
Bartley
Bartley is a family name and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname
* Barrington Bartley (born 1980), Jamaican-American cricketer
*Charles Bartley (1921–1996), American scientist
* David M. Bartley (born 1935), American pol ...
to
Marymount. On 17 April 2010, another 11.1 km of the Circle Line from
Bartley
Bartley is a family name and a given name. Notable people with the name include:
Surname
* Barrington Bartley (born 1980), Jamaican-American cricketer
*Charles Bartley (1921–1996), American scientist
* David M. Bartley (born 1935), American pol ...
to
Dhoby Ghaut
Dhoby Ghaut () is a place in Singapore that often refers to the Dhoby Ghaut MRT station, a major interchange station on Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit network connecting the North-South Line, North East Line, and the Circle Line. As a place, D ...
commenced operation. On 8 October 2011, the remaining 16.6 km from
Marymount to
HarbourFront Harbourfront may refer to:
* Harbourfront (Toronto), a neighbourhood in Toronto
** 509 Harbourfront, Toronto streetcar route
**Harbourfront Centre, cultural organization on the waterfront of Toronto
* HarbourFront (Singapore), waterfront site in Si ...
commenced operation, marking the full completion of the line which took 10 years to complete, primarily delayed due to the
Nicoll Highway collapse
The Nicoll Highway collapse was a construction accident that occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. Singapore Time (UTC+8:00) on 20 April 2004 in Kallang, Singapore when a tunnel being constructed for use by MRT trains collapsed. The tunnel was par ...
. On 14 January 2012, the 2.4 km of the Circle Line extension from
Promenade
An esplanade or promenade is a long, open, level area, usually next to a river or large body of water, where people may walk. The historical definition of ''esplanade'' was a large, open, level area outside fortress or city walls to provide cle ...
to
Marina Bay commenced operation.
Downtown line
The
Downtown Line is the fifth
Mass Rapid Transit line in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
and opened in three stages, on 22 December 2013,
27 December 2015 and 21 October 2017 respectively. When fully completed, the line will be about long with 36 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily,
["12 MRT stations for Bukit Timah by 2015"](_blank)
, Luxuryasiahome, 16 July 2008 making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in
Singapore
Singapore (), officially the Republic of Singapore, is a sovereign island country and city-state in maritime Southeast Asia. It lies about one degree of latitude () north of the equator, off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, borde ...
. Travelling from one end to the other will take about 65 minutes.
On 15 August 2014, the Downtown Line 3 Extension was announced, in conjunction with the announcement of the
Thomson-East Coast MRT Line.
["Thomson-East Coast Line, connecting North and East, ready by 2024"](_blank)
, Saifulbahri Ismail, Channel NewsAsia
CNA (stylised as cna), which is an acronym derived from its previous name, Channel NewsAsia, is a Singaporean multinational news channel owned by the country's national public broadcaster Mediacorp. It broadcasts free-to-air domestically in Sin ...
, 15 August 2014 Two additional stations,
Xilin MRT station
Xilin MRT station is a future underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Downtown line in Tampines planning area, Singapore. Taking its name from Xilin Avenue which passes overhead, Xilin station serves industries around Changi South, as we ...
and
Sungei Bedok MRT station
Sungei Bedok MRT station is a future underground Mass Rapid Transit interchange and terminal station on the Downtown line and Thomson–East Coast line in Bedok planning area, Singapore. The station is being built east of where Upper East Co ...
will be added to the Downtown Line, with Sungei Bedok as an interchange station with the Thomson-East Coast Line. It will add an additional 2.2 km to the line with the extension.
Due in 2025, Stage 3 will join the current
East West and future Thomson-East Coast lines that runs through Marine Parade.
Thomson–East Coast line
On 31 January 2020, Stage 1 of the
Thomson–East Coast Line between
Woodlands North and
Woodlands South stations commenced operations. On 28 August 2021, Stage 2 of the line between
Woodlands South and
Caldecott stations commenced operations. On 13 November 2022, Stage 3 of the line between
Caldecott and
Gardens by the Bay
The Gardens by the Bay is a nature park spanning in the Central Region of Singapore, adjacent to the Marina Reservoir. The park consists of three waterfront gardens: Bay South Garden (in Marina South), Bay East Garden (in Marina East) and Ba ...
commenced operations.
Existing line extensions
On 28 February 2009, the 3.8 kilometre Boon Lay Extension to the East West line comprising 2 stations
Pioneer
Pioneer commonly refers to a settler who migrates to previously uninhabited or sparsely inhabited land.
In the United States pioneer commonly refers to an American pioneer, a person in American history who migrated west to join in settling and dev ...
and
Joo Koon
Joo Koon (裕群) is an industrial estate in Jurong of the West Region, Singapore, West Region of Singapore. East of Joo Koon is Lok Yang and South is Gul, Singapore, Gul. Joo Koon consists mostly of factories.
It is bounded by Upper Jurong Road ...
commenced passenger service. Construction had begun in December 2004 after the development of Pioneer New Town had been completed. Similarly, construction began for the
Marina South Pier
Marina South Pier is a pier that is located in Marina South, Singapore. It is used as a terminal for tourists and day-trippers who are boarding small boats and ferries heading for the Southern Islands. There are regular ferries from the pier to K ...
in December 2009 and completed in September 2014, it began operations on 23 November 2014.
The 7.5 kilometre Tuas West Extension (TWE) –
Gul Circle
Gul Circle (or Gul) is an area in Jurong Industrial Estate which is the biggest industrial estate in Singapore. Gul is the home to many heavy industries in Singapore. It is bounded by Ayer Rajah Expressway (Jalan Ahmad Ibrahim), Benoi Road, Pion ...
,
Tuas Crescent,
Tuas West Road and
Tuas Link – opened for passenger service on 18 June 2017.
A extension to
Punggol Coast on the
North East line
The North East MRT line (NEL) is a high-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. Operated by SBS Transit, it is the shortest MRT line at . The line runs from HarbourFront station in southern Singapore to Punggol station in the no ...
is expected to commence operations in 2024.
History of the system map
1987 to 1996
The MRT was a very recent addition for Singapore and as such, the authorities wanted to keep the MRT map as easy to use for Singaporeans as possible. Hence, each direction of travel was
colour-coded in a different colour as though it were a line on its own. In that way, confusion in decision-making when taking a certain line in a certain direction would be reduced for passengers. However, this reduced the number of colours available for new lines and was not in line with international practice.
Previously, each direction of travel on the MRT was denoted on system maps as a different colour.
* Northbound services were denoted in
Yellow
* Southbound services in
Red
* Eastbound services in
Green
* Westbound services in
Blue
* Northbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in
Khaki
* Southbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in
Brown
Each station was also assigned a unique alphanumeric code, with the alphabet indicating which part of the island the station lies at (North, East, West, Central, Marina Bay region or Choa Chu Kang Branch Line) and the numbers (in ascending order from the centre of the island) indicating which part of that region the station is located at.
These were superseded in 2001 by two-digit codes as the latter might be exhausted with new MRT and LRT lines added to the network, thus only having 15 letters in total. However, "E", "N" and "W" were still found on viaduct pillars of the MRT and some traffic signals on the Westinghouse FS2000 signalling system (before upgrading to Thales
SelTrac
SelTrac is a digital railway signalling technology used to automatically control the movements of rail vehicles. It was the first fully automatic moving-block signalling system to be commercially implemented.
What is now branded as SelTrac wa ...
CBTC GoA 3 signalling system), but the "A" is still being used for the Changi Airport branch line. The codes for viaduct pillars are:
1996 to 30 July 2001
The colour and alphanumeric codes for each direction of travel remained unchanged, except that with the opening of the Woodlands Extension (connecting Yishun station to Choa Chu Kang station), the Jurong East – Choa Chu Kang Branch Line ceased to exist. As such, the formerly Northbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in khaki travelled southbound to Marina Bay & as such were denoted as red while the formerly Southbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in brown originated from Marina Bay, hence having travelled northbound it was denoted as yellow. The alphanumeric codes for these stations were also replaced. After Sembawang it is N14-N18, N20-N23, with the exception of N13 and N19, reserved for future stations Canberra and Sungei Kadut. The B1-B3 was renumbered to N21-N23.
The Bukit Panjang LRT opened in 1999 and was given the colours purple and orange to represent its direction of travel. Due to the alignment of the route, which was a loop track around Bukit Panjang New Town, the map was different. The stations were given the alphanumeric code A1 to A14, with numbering starting from Choa Chu Kang interchange and going anti-clockwise direction on the loop. The directional arrow on the shared service track (between stations A1 to A6) was split, half purple coloured and half orange coloured. From Bukit Panjang station, the orange arrows travelled in an anti-clockwise direction
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