Circle MRT Line
Encyclopedia
The Circle Line is Singapore
's fourth Mass Rapid Transit
line, operated by SMRT Corporation
. This underground line is currently 35.7 kilometres (22.2 mi) long with 28 stations (excluding Bukit Brown) and is fully automatically operated
. It takes about a hour to travel from one end to the other and is coloured orange on the rail map.
As the name implies, the line is an orbital
line linking all radial
lines leading to the city, and also covering many parts of the Central Area
. It will also include a branch line beginning at Promenade Station and ending at Marina Bay Station. Transfers to the North South Line
will be provided at Bishan
, Dhoby Ghaut
and Marina Bay
stations, East West Line
at Paya Lebar
and Buona Vista
stations, and North East Line
at Dhoby Ghaut
, Serangoon
and HarbourFront
stations. The future Downtown Line
will interchange with the Circle Line at Bayfront
, Promenade
, Botanic Gardens
and MacPherson
stations.
The Circle Line is the first medium capacity line in Singapore. As a medium capacity line, each Circle Line train has only three cars instead of the six-car configuration as seen on current MRT lines. The rolling stock
consists of forty Alstom
Metropolis C830
trains. When complete, half a million people are expected to use the Circle Line each day. The completed line will reduce travelling time for commuters by allowing them to shorten trips between north to east or north to west and vice versa, bypassing busy interchange
like City Hall
and Raffles Place
.
Currently, the Circle Line is not a full circle yet, as there will be no through service on the section between Harbourfront and Marina Bay or Dhoby Ghaut. Passengers will need to transfer onto the North East Line instead. However, a branch passing through the Marina District has been built, and a "Stage 6" that would complete the circle, has been mooted but is not officially planned.
Like the North East Line
, the Circle Line features the Art in Transit programme. This consists of artwork that is integrated into station designs as well as "Art Seats". Also part of the LTA's Art in Transit programme were open architectural competitions for two Circle Line stations, Stadium
, and Bras Basah
, both of which were awarded to WOHA
Architects.
In the 1990s, the Circle Line was first known as the Marina Line. The Marina Line was initially planned as a 12-station underground line, starting from Chinatown
and Dhoby Ghaut
via the National Stadium
to either Kallang
or Paya Lebar
station. However, the Chinatown leg was later truncated and was reduced to 6 stations up to Stadium
station. On the other hand, a further extension towards Upper Paya Lebar was added. Eventually, the Marina Line ended up as an inner circular line. Stations in Circle Line that were a part of the original Marina Line plans include Dhoby Ghaut
, Bras Basah
, Esplanade
, Promenade
, Nicoll Highway
and Stadium
. Also, the part of the Marina Line from Chinatown Station to Promenade Station is now part of the Downtown Line
.
Originally scheduled to be opened from 2006 and fully opened in 2010, with an estimated cost of S$6.7 billion, the Nicoll Highway collapse
caused the construction of the line to be delayed. As a result, the opening of the Circle Line was delayed to 2009, with full opening by 2011 (excluding the Marina Bay Extension), at an escalated cost of nearly S$10 billion. Due to the re-alignment of the Nicoll Highway Station to a new location, the station is only two-thirds the size of the original plan before the collapse, and located 100 metres (328.1 ft) away from the highway collapse site. The decision was also made to open both Caldecott, and Haw Par Villa stations (previously Thomson and West Coast), initially planned as shell stations, together with the whole line, leaving only Bukit Brown
Station closed.
Stage 3, a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) five-station segment stretching from Bartley to Marymount, was the first section of the line opened, on May 28, 2009. Ridership on this section has been considerably lower than estimated, at 32,000 passengers per day (ppd) instead of the expected 55,000 ppd. Tunneling works for the entire line were completed on August 17, 2009. Stages 1 and 2 started operations on April 17, 2010, and Stages 4 and 5 on October 8, 2011.
announced a year later. On November 28, 2011, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the Marina Bay Extension will open in 14 January 2012.
The Circle Line is widely expected to have a Stage 6 which completes the circle from HarbourFront to Marina Bay stations. Several options have been mooted for closing the 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) gap, primarily a northern route through the existing Tanjong Pagar Station
or a southern route passing through the Port of Singapore
's Tanjong Pagar dock area, whose lease expires in 2027. The cost of closing the gap has been estimated to be at S$1.5 to 2.0 billion at 2010 prices.
used in the tunnel's construction gave way. This occurred near what was planned to become the Nicoll Highway
Station on the Circle line, not far from the Merdeka Bridge
. The accident left a collapse zone 150 metres (492.1 ft) wide, 100 metres (328.1 ft) long, and 30 metres (98.4 ft) deep. Four workers were killed, with three more injured.
A criminal inquiry found the main contractor Nishimatsu Construction Company and joint venture partner firm Lum Chang Construction Company and their officers, as well as key Land Transport Authority
officers responsible for the collapse. Several other officers and subcontractor
s were reprimanded and issued warnings in connection with the accident.
As a result of this accident, the first phase of the Circle Line, previously scheduled to open in 2008, was completed in 2010 instead. The affected station has been shifted about 100 metres (328.1 ft) away from the accident site and is now located at Republic Avenue.
This accident had also resulted in stricter safety regulations for the construction of all future MRT lines. The shifting of the Nicoll Highway Station also meant it can no longer serve as a terminus for the Bukit Timah Line, partially influencing the creation of the current Downtown Line.
(BCA) issued a stop-work order and revoked the contractor's tunnelling permit after a 7 metres (23 ft) stretch of two lanes sank about 20 centimetres (7.9 in), close to the junction of Telok Blangah Road and Alexandra Road in the evening, resulting in a halting of tunnelling works.
A section of the road above a construction site near Holland Road
caved in on the morning of May 24, 2008, creating a massive hole. The hole, directly in front of two private houses along Cornwall Gardens Road, measured 8 by 7 metres and was 3 metres deep. No one was injured, but the road was temporarily closed to traffic.
along the Circle Line were the caused of the disruption. The disruption started at about 5.30am. Train services were gradually restored from 8am and all services were restored just before 10am. Dakota
and Mountbatten
stations were the last two to resume operations. Investigations were carried out. It was later found that a faulty cable beneath the platform level at Dakota Station caused a power fault on Tuesday morning that affected train services at all 16 stations on the Circle Line. 27,000 passengers were affected by the disruption during the four hours delay, with bus bridging services plying the Circle Line route. The latest disruption occurred on 17 October 2011. At about 8.36am, a train heading from Labrador Park Station
to Pasir Panjang Station
experienced a train fault and had to be taken out of service. Announcements were made in the affected stations, while bus bridging services were provided plying the affected section of the Circle Line. Normal train services resumed at 11.12am.
Circle Line Extension from Promenade to Marina Bay station will commence operation on 14 January 2012
The rolling stock
consists of Alstom Metropolis C830
trains running in three-car formation. They are stabled at Kim Chuan depot
, the world's largest underground depot. 16 additional trainsets will arrive around 2015.
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
's fourth Mass Rapid Transit
Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
The Mass Rapid Transit or MRT is a rapid transit system that forms the backbone of the railway system in Singapore, spanning the entire city-state. The initial section of the MRT, between Yio Chu Kang Station and Toa Payoh Station, opened in 1987 establishing itself as the second-oldest metro...
line, operated by SMRT Corporation
SMRT Corporation
SMRT Corporation is a public transport operator incorporated on March 6, 2000, as a result of an industry overhaul to form multi-modal public-transport operators in Singapore. It is the second-largest public-transport company in Singapore after ComfortDelGro...
. This underground line is currently 35.7 kilometres (22.2 mi) long with 28 stations (excluding Bukit Brown) and is fully automatically operated
Automatic train operation
Automatic train operation ensures partial or complete automatic train piloting and driverless functions.Most systems elect to maintain a driver to mitigate risks associated with failures or emergencies....
. It takes about a hour to travel from one end to the other and is coloured orange on the rail map.
As the name implies, the line is an orbital
Orbit
In physics, an orbit is the gravitationally curved path of an object around a point in space, for example the orbit of a planet around the center of a star system, such as the Solar System...
line linking all radial
Radius
In classical geometry, a radius of a circle or sphere is any line segment from its center to its perimeter. By extension, the radius of a circle or sphere is the length of any such segment, which is half the diameter. If the object does not have an obvious center, the term may refer to its...
lines leading to the city, and also covering many parts of the Central Area
Central Area
In Singapore, the Central Area or Central Business District contains the core financial and commercial districts, including eleven urban planning areas, namely Downtown Core, Marina East, Marina South, Museum, Newton, Orchard, Outram, River Valley, Rochor, Singapore River and Straits View as...
. It will also include a branch line beginning at Promenade Station and ending at Marina Bay Station. Transfers to the North South Line
North South MRT Line
The North South Line was the 1st Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 44 km long with 25 stations, and is operated by SMRT Corporation...
will be provided at Bishan
Bishan MRT Station
Bishan MRT Station is a Singapore Mass Rapid Transit interchange station along the North South Line and the Circle Line that serves the Bishan community, especially that of Bishan East. The station is located in Central Singapore, along Bishan Road, close to the town centre of Bishan...
, Dhoby Ghaut
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located at the eastern end of Orchard Road. Originally it was only a station on the North South Line but after the opening of the North East Line on 20 June 2003, it became the interchange station for these two lines...
and Marina Bay
Marina Bay MRT Station
The Marina Bay MRT Station ' is the southern terminal station of the North South Line in Singapore. This station is located on reclaimed land and there are no developments surrounding it, and hence contrary to what the name implies, there exists a slight distance between the station and the actual...
stations, East West Line
East West MRT Line
The East West Line was the 2nd Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 49.2 km long with 35 stations , making it the longest MRT line in Singapore. It takes about 63 minutes to travel from one end to the other...
at Paya Lebar
Paya Lebar MRT Station
Paya Lebar MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit interchange station on the East West Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. It is the first station complex in Singapore that serves both an above ground line and an underground line . The livery of the East West Line and the Circle Line portions...
and Buona Vista
Buona Vista MRT Station
Buona Vista MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit station located in the town of Buona Vista in Singapore, that is part of the East West Line and the Circle Line, and served as an interchange between the two lines. It is the second station complex in Singapore that serves both an above-ground line ...
stations, and North East Line
North East MRT Line
The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end...
at Dhoby Ghaut
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located at the eastern end of Orchard Road. Originally it was only a station on the North South Line but after the opening of the North East Line on 20 June 2003, it became the interchange station for these two lines...
, Serangoon
Serangoon MRT Station
Serangoon MRT Station ' is an underground interchange station on the North East Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. The station is located in the Serangoon Central area, at the intersection of Upper Serangoon Road and Serangoon Central...
and HarbourFront
HarbourFront MRT Station
HarbourFront MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit interchange of the North East Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. It is located in the south of Singapore next to the HarbourFront Centre, previously known as the Singapore World Trade Centre. It serves as a terminal station of the...
stations. The future Downtown Line
Downtown MRT Line
The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other...
will interchange with the Circle Line at Bayfront
Bayfront MRT Station
Bayfront MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Downtown Line Stage 1 in Singapore that is under construction, formerly known as the Downtown Extension. Operated by SBS Transit and SMRT. It will connect the Marina Bay Sands Casino at Marina Bay to the Circle MRT Line and...
, Promenade
Promenade MRT Station
Promenade MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located along Temasek Avenue, near the Millennia Walk shopping mall. It is the fourth station along the counter-clockwise-bound Circle Line track. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1...
, Botanic Gardens
Botanic Gardens MRT Station
Botanic Gardens MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line and also the future Downtown Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation on the Circle Line and by SBS Transit on the Downtown Line...
and MacPherson
MacPherson MRT Station
MacPherson MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line and the future Downtown MRT Line, expected to be opened by 2018, in Singapore. It is located along Paya Lebar Road, near the Geylang Neighbourhood Police Centre. There are 3 exit and entry points to this station...
stations.
The Circle Line is the first medium capacity line in Singapore. As a medium capacity line, each Circle Line train has only three cars instead of the six-car configuration as seen on current MRT lines. The rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
consists of forty Alstom
Alstom
Alstom is a large multinational conglomerate which holds interests in the power generation and transport markets. According to the company website, in the years 2010-2011 Alstom had annual sales of over €20.9 billion, and employed more than 85,000 people in 70 countries. Alstom's headquarters are...
Metropolis C830
Alstom Metropolis C830
The Alstom Metropolis C830 are the second generation of communication-based train control rolling stock to be used in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit lines...
trains. When complete, half a million people are expected to use the Circle Line each day. The completed line will reduce travelling time for commuters by allowing them to shorten trips between north to east or north to west and vice versa, bypassing busy interchange
Interchange station
An interchange station or a transfer station is a train station for more than one railway route in a public transport system, and allows passengers to change from one route to another. Transfer may occur within the same mode, or between rail modes, or to buses...
like City Hall
City Hall MRT Station
City Hall MRT Station ' is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, that is part of the North South Line and the East West Line in Singapore, and serves as an interchange station between the two lines....
and Raffles Place
Raffles Place MRT Station
Raffles Place MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit interchange station on the North South Line and the East West Line in Singapore. It is directly beneath the centre of the financial district of Raffles Place, located in the Downtown Core area, south of the Singapore River...
.
Currently, the Circle Line is not a full circle yet, as there will be no through service on the section between Harbourfront and Marina Bay or Dhoby Ghaut. Passengers will need to transfer onto the North East Line instead. However, a branch passing through the Marina District has been built, and a "Stage 6" that would complete the circle, has been mooted but is not officially planned.
Like the North East Line
North East MRT Line
The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end...
, the Circle Line features the Art in Transit programme. This consists of artwork that is integrated into station designs as well as "Art Seats". Also part of the LTA's Art in Transit programme were open architectural competitions for two Circle Line stations, Stadium
Stadium MRT Station
Stadium MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line in Singapore...
, and Bras Basah
Bras Basah MRT Station
Bras Basah MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in the Museum Planning Area of Singapore. This station opened on 17 April 2010...
, both of which were awarded to WOHA
WOHA
WOHA is a Singapore based multidisciplinary design and architecture firm, founded by Wong Mun Summ & Richard Hassell in 1994. The firm has been said not to have a fixed language or style, and, instead, to let each project evolve around a set of objectives and strategies that emerge from within the...
Architects.
History
Plans for the Circle Line date back to the 1980s. The then Minister for Communications and Information, Dr Yeo Ning Hong stated that such a system "would be feasible when the population reaches four million".In the 1990s, the Circle Line was first known as the Marina Line. The Marina Line was initially planned as a 12-station underground line, starting from Chinatown
Chinatown MRT Station
Chinatown MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station on the North East Line and upcoming Downtown Line in Singapore. On the North East Line, it lies between the Outram Park and Clarke Quay MRT stations and between Telok Ayer and River Valley on the Downtown Line. It is directly below and serves...
and Dhoby Ghaut
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located at the eastern end of Orchard Road. Originally it was only a station on the North South Line but after the opening of the North East Line on 20 June 2003, it became the interchange station for these two lines...
via the National Stadium
Stadium MRT Station
Stadium MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line in Singapore...
to either Kallang
Kallang MRT Station
Kallang MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West MRT Line in Singapore. It is located just next to the Kallang River, which is famous for its water sports, and serves the urban planning area of Kallang...
or Paya Lebar
Paya Lebar MRT Station
Paya Lebar MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit interchange station on the East West Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. It is the first station complex in Singapore that serves both an above ground line and an underground line . The livery of the East West Line and the Circle Line portions...
station. However, the Chinatown leg was later truncated and was reduced to 6 stations up to Stadium
Stadium MRT Station
Stadium MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line in Singapore...
station. On the other hand, a further extension towards Upper Paya Lebar was added. Eventually, the Marina Line ended up as an inner circular line. Stations in Circle Line that were a part of the original Marina Line plans include Dhoby Ghaut
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station
Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located at the eastern end of Orchard Road. Originally it was only a station on the North South Line but after the opening of the North East Line on 20 June 2003, it became the interchange station for these two lines...
, Bras Basah
Bras Basah MRT Station
Bras Basah MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in the Museum Planning Area of Singapore. This station opened on 17 April 2010...
, Esplanade
Esplanade MRT Station
Esplanade MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line. It is operated by SMRT Corporation and is located next to the War Memorial Park, the Suntec City Mall...
, Promenade
Promenade MRT Station
Promenade MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located along Temasek Avenue, near the Millennia Walk shopping mall. It is the fourth station along the counter-clockwise-bound Circle Line track. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1...
, Nicoll Highway
Nicoll Highway MRT Station
Nicoll Highway MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It was under construction when the Nicoll Highway collapse occurred on April 20, 2004 causing four deaths and injuring three. The collapse set back the completion of the Circle MRT Line Stage 1...
and Stadium
Stadium MRT Station
Stadium MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line in Singapore...
. Also, the part of the Marina Line from Chinatown Station to Promenade Station is now part of the Downtown Line
Downtown MRT Line
The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other...
.
Originally scheduled to be opened from 2006 and fully opened in 2010, with an estimated cost of S$6.7 billion, the Nicoll Highway collapse
Nicoll Highway collapse
The Nicoll Highway collapse was a construction accident that occurred at approximately 3:30 p.m. Singapore Time on 20 April 2004 in Singapore when a tunnel being constructed for use by MRT trains collapsed. The tunnel was part of the construction of the underground Circle MRT Line, near the Nicoll...
caused the construction of the line to be delayed. As a result, the opening of the Circle Line was delayed to 2009, with full opening by 2011 (excluding the Marina Bay Extension), at an escalated cost of nearly S$10 billion. Due to the re-alignment of the Nicoll Highway Station to a new location, the station is only two-thirds the size of the original plan before the collapse, and located 100 metres (328.1 ft) away from the highway collapse site. The decision was also made to open both Caldecott, and Haw Par Villa stations (previously Thomson and West Coast), initially planned as shell stations, together with the whole line, leaving only Bukit Brown
Bukit Brown MRT Station
Bukit Brown MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore.As the only structure nearby is the Bukit Brown Cemetery, this will be a shell station, which is to be topped off when further development in the area warrants the operation of the station...
Station closed.
Stage 3, a 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) five-station segment stretching from Bartley to Marymount, was the first section of the line opened, on May 28, 2009. Ridership on this section has been considerably lower than estimated, at 32,000 passengers per day (ppd) instead of the expected 55,000 ppd. Tunneling works for the entire line were completed on August 17, 2009. Stages 1 and 2 started operations on April 17, 2010, and Stages 4 and 5 on October 8, 2011.
- 28 May 2009: Stage 3 (Bartley - Marymount) opened
- 17 April 2010: Stage 1 and 2 (Dhoby Ghaut - Bartley) opened
- 8 October 2011: Stage 4 and 5 (Marymount - HarbourFront) opened
Future extensions
On April 27, 2007, the LTA announced a new branch line from Promenade to Bayfront station, with a further extension of the line from Bayfront Station to Marina Bay StationMarina Bay MRT Station
The Marina Bay MRT Station ' is the southern terminal station of the North South Line in Singapore. This station is located on reclaimed land and there are no developments surrounding it, and hence contrary to what the name implies, there exists a slight distance between the station and the actual...
announced a year later. On November 28, 2011, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the Marina Bay Extension will open in 14 January 2012.
The Circle Line is widely expected to have a Stage 6 which completes the circle from HarbourFront to Marina Bay stations. Several options have been mooted for closing the 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) gap, primarily a northern route through the existing Tanjong Pagar Station
Tanjong Pagar MRT Station
Tanjong Pagar MRT Station ' is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West Line in Singapore. The station caters to people, especially businessmen, working in the Shenton Way and Robinson Road area, and residents...
or a southern route passing through the Port of Singapore
Port of Singapore
The Port of Singapore refers to the collective facilities and terminals that conduct maritime trade handling functions in Singapore's harbours and which handle Singapore's shipping...
's Tanjong Pagar dock area, whose lease expires in 2027. The cost of closing the gap has been estimated to be at S$1.5 to 2.0 billion at 2010 prices.
Accidents
Several accidents occurred during the construction of the Circle Line, most notably the Nicoll Highway collapse, which occurred on April 20, 2004.Nicoll Highway collapse
On April 20, 2004, a section of the tunnel being built for the Circle Line collapsed, apparently when a retaining wallRetaining wall
Retaining walls are built in order to hold back earth which would otherwise move downwards. Their purpose is to stabilize slopes and provide useful areas at different elevations, e.g...
used in the tunnel's construction gave way. This occurred near what was planned to become the Nicoll Highway
Nicoll Highway MRT Station
Nicoll Highway MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It was under construction when the Nicoll Highway collapse occurred on April 20, 2004 causing four deaths and injuring three. The collapse set back the completion of the Circle MRT Line Stage 1...
Station on the Circle line, not far from the Merdeka Bridge
Merdeka Bridge
The Merdeka Bridge is a vehicular and pedestrian bridge located in Kallang in the south-eastern part of Singapore. It spans over the river mouths of the Kallang River and Rochor River, which empty into the Kallang Basin...
. The accident left a collapse zone 150 metres (492.1 ft) wide, 100 metres (328.1 ft) long, and 30 metres (98.4 ft) deep. Four workers were killed, with three more injured.
A criminal inquiry found the main contractor Nishimatsu Construction Company and joint venture partner firm Lum Chang Construction Company and their officers, as well as key Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government.-History:...
officers responsible for the collapse. Several other officers and subcontractor
Subcontractor
A subcontractor is an individual or in many cases a business that signs a contract to perform part or all of the obligations of another's contract....
s were reprimanded and issued warnings in connection with the accident.
As a result of this accident, the first phase of the Circle Line, previously scheduled to open in 2008, was completed in 2010 instead. The affected station has been shifted about 100 metres (328.1 ft) away from the accident site and is now located at Republic Avenue.
This accident had also resulted in stricter safety regulations for the construction of all future MRT lines. The shifting of the Nicoll Highway Station also meant it can no longer serve as a terminus for the Bukit Timah Line, partially influencing the creation of the current Downtown Line.
Other incidents
On August 16, 2007, the Building and Construction AuthorityBuilding and Construction Authority
The Building and Construction Authority , is a statutory board under the Ministry of National Development of the Singapore Government.- Vision :...
(BCA) issued a stop-work order and revoked the contractor's tunnelling permit after a 7 metres (23 ft) stretch of two lanes sank about 20 centimetres (7.9 in), close to the junction of Telok Blangah Road and Alexandra Road in the evening, resulting in a halting of tunnelling works.
A section of the road above a construction site near Holland Road
Holland Road, Singapore
Holland Road is a long road in Singapore, running roughly east-west linking Clementi in the west to the Singapore Botanic Gardens where it joins Napier Road and then Orchard Road....
caved in on the morning of May 24, 2008, creating a massive hole. The hole, directly in front of two private houses along Cornwall Gardens Road, measured 8 by 7 metres and was 3 metres deep. No one was injured, but the road was temporarily closed to traffic.
Disruptions
On 20 September 2011, a power fault disrupted train services on all 16 stations on the Circle Line. The four hours delay left thousand of commuters stranded during rush-hour. It was reported that leaks and a damaged cableCable
A cable is two or more wires running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics cables, otherwise known as wire ropes, are used for lifting, hauling and towing or conveying force through tension. In electrical engineering cables are used to carry...
along the Circle Line were the caused of the disruption. The disruption started at about 5.30am. Train services were gradually restored from 8am and all services were restored just before 10am. Dakota
Dakota MRT Station
Dakota MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station is served by 2 exit and entry points. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line...
and Mountbatten
Mountbatten MRT Station
Mountbatten MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation....
stations were the last two to resume operations. Investigations were carried out. It was later found that a faulty cable beneath the platform level at Dakota Station caused a power fault on Tuesday morning that affected train services at all 16 stations on the Circle Line. 27,000 passengers were affected by the disruption during the four hours delay, with bus bridging services plying the Circle Line route. The latest disruption occurred on 17 October 2011. At about 8.36am, a train heading from Labrador Park Station
Labrador Park MRT Station
Labrador Park MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation....
to Pasir Panjang Station
Pasir Panjang MRT Station
Pasir Panjang MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation....
experienced a train fault and had to be taken out of service. Announcements were made in the affected stations, while bus bridging services were provided plying the affected section of the Circle Line. Normal train services resumed at 11.12am.
Stations
| Station Number | Station Name | Interchange |
| CC1 / NS24 / NE6 | Dhoby Ghaut Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station Dhoby Ghaut MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located at the eastern end of Orchard Road. Originally it was only a station on the North South Line but after the opening of the North East Line on 20 June 2003, it became the interchange station for these two lines... |
North South Line North South MRT Line The North South Line was the 1st Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 44 km long with 25 stations, and is operated by SMRT Corporation... , North East Line North East MRT Line The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end... |
| CC2 | Bras Basah Bras Basah MRT Station Bras Basah MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in the Museum Planning Area of Singapore. This station opened on 17 April 2010... |
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| CC3 | Esplanade Esplanade MRT Station Esplanade MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line. It is operated by SMRT Corporation and is located next to the War Memorial Park, the Suntec City Mall... |
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| CC4 / DT15 | Promenade Promenade MRT Station Promenade MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located along Temasek Avenue, near the Millennia Walk shopping mall. It is the fourth station along the counter-clockwise-bound Circle Line track. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1... |
Downtown Line Downtown MRT Line The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other... and Marina Bay Extension |
| CC5 | Nicoll Highway Nicoll Highway MRT Station Nicoll Highway MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It was under construction when the Nicoll Highway collapse occurred on April 20, 2004 causing four deaths and injuring three. The collapse set back the completion of the Circle MRT Line Stage 1... |
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| CC6 | Stadium Stadium MRT Station Stadium MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line in Singapore... |
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| CC7 | Mountbatten Mountbatten MRT Station Mountbatten MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC8 | Dakota Dakota MRT Station Dakota MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station is served by 2 exit and entry points. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1 & 2 of the Circle Line... |
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| CC9 / EW8 | Paya Lebar Paya Lebar MRT Station Paya Lebar MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit interchange station on the East West Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. It is the first station complex in Singapore that serves both an above ground line and an underground line . The livery of the East West Line and the Circle Line portions... |
East West Line East West MRT Line The East West Line was the 2nd Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 49.2 km long with 35 stations , making it the longest MRT line in Singapore. It takes about 63 minutes to travel from one end to the other... |
| CC10 / DT26 | MacPherson MacPherson MRT Station MacPherson MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line and the future Downtown MRT Line, expected to be opened by 2018, in Singapore. It is located along Paya Lebar Road, near the Geylang Neighbourhood Police Centre. There are 3 exit and entry points to this station... |
Downtown Line Downtown MRT Line The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other... |
| CC11 | Tai Seng Tai Seng MRT Station Tai Seng MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore and is located under the junction of Upper Paya Lebar Road and Tai Seng Link and was built under Stage 2 of the Circle Line. The livery of the station concourse is blue and white. There are 2 exit and... |
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| CC12 | Bartley Bartley MRT Station Bartley MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. The station is situated along Bartley Road outside Maris Stella High School. There are 2 exit and entry points for this station which was constructed under Stage 3 of the Circle Line... |
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| CC13 / NE12 | Serangoon Serangoon MRT Station Serangoon MRT Station ' is an underground interchange station on the North East Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. The station is located in the Serangoon Central area, at the intersection of Upper Serangoon Road and Serangoon Central... |
North East Line North East MRT Line The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end... |
| CC14 | Lorong Chuan Lorong Chuan MRT Station Lorong Chuan MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC15 / NS17 | Bishan Bishan MRT Station Bishan MRT Station is a Singapore Mass Rapid Transit interchange station along the North South Line and the Circle Line that serves the Bishan community, especially that of Bishan East. The station is located in Central Singapore, along Bishan Road, close to the town centre of Bishan... |
North South Line North South MRT Line The North South Line was the 1st Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 44 km long with 25 stations, and is operated by SMRT Corporation... |
| CC16 | Marymount Marymount MRT Station Marymount MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. There are 2 exit and entry points to the station, one of which serves Shunfu Estate while the other is located near the western end of Raffles Institution... |
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| CC17 | Caldecott | |
| CC18 | Bukit Brown Bukit Brown MRT Station Bukit Brown MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore.As the only structure nearby is the Bukit Brown Cemetery, this will be a shell station, which is to be topped off when further development in the area warrants the operation of the station... (Unopened) |
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| CC19 / DT9 | Botanic Gardens Botanic Gardens MRT Station Botanic Gardens MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line and also the future Downtown Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation on the Circle Line and by SBS Transit on the Downtown Line... |
Downtown Line Downtown MRT Line The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other... (U/C) |
| CC20 | Farrer Road Farrer Road MRT Station Farrer Road MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC21 | Holland Village Holland Village MRT Station Holland Village MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation... |
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| CC22 / EW21 | Buona Vista Buona Vista MRT Station Buona Vista MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit station located in the town of Buona Vista in Singapore, that is part of the East West Line and the Circle Line, and served as an interchange between the two lines. It is the second station complex in Singapore that serves both an above-ground line ... |
East West Line East West MRT Line The East West Line was the 2nd Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 49.2 km long with 35 stations , making it the longest MRT line in Singapore. It takes about 63 minutes to travel from one end to the other... |
| CC23 | one-north One-north MRT Station one-north MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC24 | Kent Ridge Kent Ridge MRT Station Kent Ridge MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC25 | Haw Par Villa | |
| CC26 | Pasir Panjang Pasir Panjang MRT Station Pasir Panjang MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC27 | Labrador Park Labrador Park MRT Station Labrador Park MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.... |
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| CC28 | Telok Blangah Telok Blangah MRT Station Telok Blangah MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Circle Line in Singapore. It is operated by SMRT Corporation.This station has 1 exit and entry point... |
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| CC29 / NE1 | HarbourFront HarbourFront MRT Station HarbourFront MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit interchange of the North East Line and the Circle Line in Singapore. It is located in the south of Singapore next to the HarbourFront Centre, previously known as the Singapore World Trade Centre. It serves as a terminal station of the... |
North East Line North East MRT Line The North East MRT Line is the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore and the world's second longest fully underground, automated and driverless, rapid transit line after Singapore's Circle MRT Line. The line is 20 km long with 16 stations and operated by SBS Transit. Travelling from one end... |
Circle Line Extension (under construction)
| Station Number | Station Name | Interchange |
| CC4 / DT15 | Promenade Promenade MRT Station Promenade MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, located along Temasek Avenue, near the Millennia Walk shopping mall. It is the fourth station along the counter-clockwise-bound Circle Line track. The station was opened on 17 April 2010 along with the rest of Stage 1... |
Circle Line, Downtown Line Downtown MRT Line The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other... |
| CE1 / DT16 | Bayfront Bayfront MRT Station Bayfront MRT Station is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the Downtown Line Stage 1 in Singapore that is under construction, formerly known as the Downtown Extension. Operated by SBS Transit and SMRT. It will connect the Marina Bay Sands Casino at Marina Bay to the Circle MRT Line and... |
Downtown Line Downtown MRT Line The Downtown Line will be the fifth Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. When completed, the line will be about 42-km long with 34 stations and serve about half a million commuters daily, making it the longest underground and driverless MRT line in Singapore. Travelling from one end to the other... |
| CE2 / NS27 | Marina Bay Marina Bay MRT Station The Marina Bay MRT Station ' is the southern terminal station of the North South Line in Singapore. This station is located on reclaimed land and there are no developments surrounding it, and hence contrary to what the name implies, there exists a slight distance between the station and the actual... |
North South Line North South MRT Line The North South Line was the 1st Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore. The line is currently 44 km long with 25 stations, and is operated by SMRT Corporation... |
Circle Line Extension from Promenade to Marina Bay station will commence operation on 14 January 2012
Rolling stock
Rolling stock
Rolling stock comprises all the vehicles that move on a railway. It usually includes both powered and unpowered vehicles, for example locomotives, railroad cars, coaches and wagons...
consists of Alstom Metropolis C830
Alstom Metropolis C830
The Alstom Metropolis C830 are the second generation of communication-based train control rolling stock to be used in Singapore’s Mass Rapid Transit lines...
trains running in three-car formation. They are stabled at Kim Chuan depot
Kim Chuan Depot
Kim Chuan Depot is a rail depot for the Mass Rapid Transit system in Singapore. The depot cost S$297 million to construct and houses the trains for the Circle and upcoming Downtown MRT lines. The depot is fully underground, reaching a depth of 24 m at some points. It provides stabling of the...
, the world's largest underground depot. 16 additional trainsets will arrive around 2015.
Further information
- Additional train service between HabourFront and Paya Lebar will operate in the morning and evening peak on weekdays, and also the afternoon peak on Saturdays.