History of the Mass Rapid Transit
Encyclopedia
The history
of the Mass Rapid Transit
system of Singapore
commences with its planning in the 1960s, leading to its opening in 1987 with the launch of the 6 km section of the North South Line
from Yio Chu Kang Station
to Toa Payoh Station
. It now has 4 lines in operation with a total combined route length of 138 km and 89 stations. The Light Rail Transit which opened in 1999 acts as a feeder service to the MRT network.
line in the country was initiated in 1967, when a four year State and City Planning study conducted by the Singapore government and the United Nations Development Programme
. 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, was 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.
Between 1972 and 1980, the participants of the study was the late President
Ong Teng Cheong
. He was then a member of the Ministry of National Development
's Planning Department, after returning from overseas studies that same year. He became a fervent supporter and advocate of a rail based system; being an architect
and an urban planner
placed him in good stead. During the study, other countries were visited to study the technology and efforts needed to build the MRT system.
When he became the then-Minister for Communications (now the Ministry of Transport
), he had to convince the cabinet in a debate
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, Mr Ong faced strong opposition from other members of the cabinet, by Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee
, due especially to the heavy investments involved. A team of specialists from Harvard University
, 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 a 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. Mr Ong hence declared in triumph on 28 March 1982, that
given priority as the line passed through the Orchard Road
corridor as well as the Central Area
, both of which faced a high demand for public transport. Also, it was near the more densely populated housing estates such as Toa Payoh
and Ang Mo Kio
. The MRT Corporation, now Land Transport Authority
, 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
.
from Yio Chu Kang
to Toa Payoh
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 Station
, Mr Ong was quoted as saying that
Nine more stations from Novena
to Outram Park
were officially opened 12 December 1987 by then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
. These trains ran as a through service from one end to the other even though Tanjong Pagar
and Outram Park
were on the East West Line
.
On 12 March 1988, with the opening of six more stations from Tiong Bahru
to Clementi
on the East West Line
, City Hall
and Raffles Place
become interchange stations between the two lines. On the same day, the system was officially launched by Mr Lee Kuan Yew
, then Prime Minister of Singapore
.
Less than a year after the completion of the MRT project, the government announced in February 1991 their intentions to extend the system to Woodlands
. 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
, Bukit Batok
, Bukit Gombak
and Choa Chu Kang), forming a continuous line from Jurong East
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 announcement of the Woodlands Extension led to protests especially from opposition members of parliament, in particular from Chiam See Tong
and Low Thia Khiang
, representatives of Potong Pasir
and Hougang
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
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. Woodlands New Town
was only half completed, and Sembawang New Town was still in the planning stage at that time.
More than a decade later, however, when the disputes with Malaysia over the railway land used by KTM escalated, it came to the fore that one of the criteria the Malaysian authorities had listed before they would consider shifting the existing railway station away from Tanjong Pagar
was for the MRT system to be introduced to Woodlands
. On 16 October 2003, in response to a question fielded in parliament, Professor S. Jayakumar, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, mentioned, that the Points of Agreement
concluded between the two sides on 27 November 1990 included a clause stating that KTM will shift the station to a site adjacent or close to the Woodlands MRT Station
within five years from the day the MRT to Woodlands
is opened, something the KTM has not yet done.
Considering that the Points of Agreement was made in the year 1990, and followed quickly by an announcement to build the MRT line a year later in 1991, there is a possibility that the line was given priority over the North East Line
due more to international and local political concerns than economic considerations alone.
opened on 10 January 2001, sporting a "space age
" architecture designed by world renowned architect Sir Norman Foster
. The roof is clad in titanium
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
next door.
, built on the East West Line
between the Clementi
and the Buona Vista
, was opened 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
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
. There were criticisms over the spending of "taxpayers' 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.
relied on taxi
s 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, such as the one from Kuala Lumpur International Airport
, 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 MRT Line
at the Tanah Merah MRT Station
, 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. When the extension to the airport was finally announced, however, the route alignment showed a deviation from previous plans.
The final plan involved building only the first two stations, namely Expo
, an elevated station directly adjacent to the Singapore Expo
, and Changi Airport
, 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.
Changi Airport Station
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.
The North East Line
, the first line operated by SBS Transit
and among the first fully automated heavy rail lines in the world, opened on 20 June 2003. 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. As of May 2005, the line was still running at a deficit, and the line operator, SBS Transit, turns an overall profit because the profits from its public bus service exceed the losses from operation of the North East line. Running from HarbourFront
where Singapore's former World Trade Centre building lies to Punggol 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. The trains on the North East line are driverless and fully automated.
and Joo Koon
commenced passenger service.
has been opened from Bartley
to Marymount
. On 17 April 2010, another 11.1 km of the Circle Line from Bartley
to Dhoby Ghaut
commenced operation. On 8 October 2011, the remaining 16.6 km from Marymount
to HarbourFront
, marking the full completion of the line that took 10 years to complete.
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 amount 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.
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) & the numbers (in ascending order from the centre of the island) indicating which part of that region the station is located at.
The Bukit Panjang LRT opened in 1999 and was given the colors 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 [(service B) via Petir
] while the purple arrows travelled in a clockwise direction [(service A) via Senja
]
Map as a reference, the MRT System Map was revamped.
Colours were used to represent each line rather than each direction of travel, cutting the usage of colours by half and preserving other colours for future lines.
The direction of travel was instead represented by numbers contained within a coloured circle located at the ends of each line, known as the destination number.
Tanah Merah and Promenade stations are not given a number, due to the shuttle service towards Changi Airport.
Like before, each station was assigned a unique alphanumeric symbol. However under this revamped system map, the letter in each symbol denotes the line (rather than the region of Singapore the station was in) and the number increases in ascending order from East to West (East West Line), North to South (North South Line), South West to North East (North East Line), in an anti-clockwise direction (Circle Line) and in a clockwise direction (Downtown Line). Interchange stations will then have at least two codes. For example, City Hall
will have two codes, EW13 for the East West Line section and NS25 for the North South Line section.
From 1994 to 2008, the announcement system was very simple and featured to-the-point announcements. This is an example of a train's announcements between two stations.
(Chime Plays) Doors closing. (Buzzer sounds, doors close, and train departs)
(Chime Plays) Next Stop, Yio Chu Kang.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Yio Chu Kang. (Pause) Yio Chu Kang.
At interchange stations, there would be a suffix "Interchange" after the announcement of the station's name, and information on what trains to change to.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) City Hall Interchange. Passengers going towards Bugis, Pasir Ris, or Changi Airport, please cross the platform and transfer to another train. City Hall Interchange.
At Jurong East station, because the North South Line ended in the middle platform before 27 May 2011, the announcement would announce the destinations a passenger might go to for either side the doors would open on, if on the North South Line:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange. This train terminates at this station. Passengers going towards City Hall, Pasir Ris, or Changi Airport, please cross the platform on the left and transfer to another train. Passengers going towards Chinese Garden, Lakeside, or Boon Lay, please cross the platform on the right and transfer to another train. Thank you for travelling with SMRT. Jurong East Interchange.
In 2002, the two-tone chime on the older trains was changed to the one that was used on the new C751B MRT trains.
In 2003, after the opening of the North East Line, Dhoby Ghaut and Outram Park became interchanges, and the announcement was along the lines of:
(Chime Plays) Next stop, Outram Park Interchange. Passengers going towards Harbourfront or Punggol, please alight at the next stop.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Outram Park Interchange. Passengers going towards Harbourfront or Punggol, please alight and transfer to the North East Line.
In 2007, an additional "Please mind the platform gap" announcement was made after the station's name was announced for the second time, much similar to the announcements made in SBS Transit's North East Line trains do.
The announcements were done by Juanita Melson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50DHvagm8so
(Chime Plays) Doors are closing! (Buzzer sounds, door closes and train departs.)
(Chime Plays) Next Station, Clementi
. (Ordinary stations without irregular interchanging functions only)
(Chime Plays) Next Station, Dhoby Ghaut Interchange
. (Pause) Passengers who are continuing their journey on the Circle Line
or North East Line
, please alight at the next station. (Irregular interchanges only).
(Chime Plays) If you see any suspicious-looking person or article, please inform our staff or press the emergency communication button located at the side of the train doors. | 如果您发现有任何行迹可疑的人物或任何遗留在车厢的可疑物品，请通知我们的职员或按车门旁边的紧急联络钮与我们通话。 | Jika anda ternampak seseorang atau benda yang mencurigakan, sila laporkannya kepada kakitangan kami atau tekan butang perhubungan kecemasan yang ada di tepi pintu kereta api. | (The Tamil Version).
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Redhill
. (Pause)Redhill
. (Elevated stations only)
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Tanjong Pagar
. (Pause) Tanjong Pagar. Please mind the platform gap. (Underground stations only)
At interchange stations, however, the 'change to another train' announcement is completely different from the old announcement system.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange
. This train service terminates at this station, Passengers who are continuing their journey towards the city, Pasir Ris
Or Changi Airport
, please crossover to Platform B or C on the left. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Joo Koon
, please crossover to Platform F on the right. (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Woodlands
or Ang Mo Kio
, please proceed to the middle platform.(Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Raffles Place Interchange
. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Orchard, Yishun or Woodlands, please proceed to Platform B. Raffles Place Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Dhoby Ghaut Interchange
. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the Circle Line
or North East Line
, please alight. (Pause) Dhoby Ghaut Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Joo Koon
. This train terminates its service at this station. All passengers please alight. Thank you for travelling with SMRT. (Pause) Joo Koon.
SMRT Lunchtime Xpress
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Aljunied. (Pause) This train service terminates at this station. All passengers please alight. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Pasir Ris or Changi Airport, please board the next train. (Pause) Aljunied. (For EWX)
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Ang Mo Kio. (Pause) This train service terminates at this station. All passengers please alight. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Woodlands or Jurong East Interchange, please board the next train. (Pause) Ang Mo Kio. (for NSX)
(When Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Bugis. This train service terminates at Outram Park Interchange.
Normal Departure
(When Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Admiralty
.
.
North South Line:
(When Approaching platform D, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange
. This train service terminates at this station. Passengers who are heading towards the city, Pasir Ris
Or Changi Airport
, please cross over to Platform C on the left. Passengers who are heading towards Joo Koon
, please cross over to Platform F on the right. (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
<<>> (Changes consecutively)
(When Approaching platform A, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange
. This train service terminates at this station. Passengers who are heading towards the city, Pasir Ris
Or Changi Airport
, please cross over to Platform B. Passengers who are heading towards Joo Koon
, please cross over to Platform F. (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
East West Line:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange. Passengers who are heading towards Woodlands
or Ang Mo Kio
, please cross over to Platforms A or D (for Pasir Ris-bound trains)/ E (for Joo Koon-bound trains). (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
But it's not only Jurong East station that has announcements changed.
Transfer details:
East West Line (Raffles Place (for Pasir Ris-bound trains)/ City Hall (for Joo Koon-bound trains) stations):
North South Line (Marina Bay-bound trains):
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) City Hall Interchange
. Passengers who are heading towards Bugis, Pasir Ris or Changi Airport, please cross over to Platform D on the left. City Hall Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Raffles Place Interchange
. Passengers who are heading towards Tanjong Pagar or Joo Koon, please cross over to Platform C on the right. Raffles Place Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
Tanah Merah station:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Tanah Merah Interchange
. Passengers who are heading towards Expo
or Changi Airport
, please cross over to the middle platform. (Pause) Tanah Merah Interchange.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Tanah Merah Interchange. This train service terminates at this station. Passengers who are heading towards the city or Joo Koon
, please cross over to Platform B on the left. Passengers who are heading towards Pasir Ris
, please cross over to Platform A on the right. (Pause) Tanah Merah Interchange.
<<>> (Changes consecutively)
Announcements:
The current announcements are done by Miss Chan Hui Yuh on 20 March 2008.
NOTE: As terminals for North East Line and Downtown Line are interchanges, the announcement for one-line terminals will not be reflected.
Terminal
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Harbourfront Terminal
. Passengers may alight and change to the Circle Line
. Thank you for travelling with SBS Transit. 港湾终点站
Approching Station
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) HarbourFront Terminal. 港湾终点站 (The Chinese Version) Please mind the gap. 请小心空隙 (The Chinese Version) Berhati-hati di ruang platform. (The Malay Version) and (Tamil Version)
+ Please, do not lean against the doors.
At interchange stations, the information only announces one time only and the approaching station announcement is similar to the one that is above.
Interchange Stations
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Dhoby Ghaut Interchange. Passengers may alight and change to the North South Line and Circle Line. 多美歌
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) Dhoby Ghaut Station. 多美歌 (The Chinese Version) Please mind the gap. 请小心空隙 (The Chinese Version) Berhati-hati di ruang platform. (The Malay Version) and (Tamil Version).
Normal Stations
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Clarke Quay
. 克拉码头
(Chime Plays) Doors are closing! (Buzzer sounds, door closes and train departs station.)
For Terminals
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, Telok Blangah
. This train service terminates at (Pauses) HarbourFront Interchange
.
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, HarbourFront Interchange. This train service terminates at (Pauses) HarbourFront Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the North East Line
, please alight at the next station.
When train services approched terminals, the announcement of the station name will be repeated thrice instead of twice.
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) HarbourFront Interchange. This train service terminates at (Pauses) HarbourFront Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the North East Line, please alight. Thank you for travelling for SMRT. (Pause until train stops) HarbourFront Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
For Interchanges
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, Buona Vista Interchange
. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the East West Line
, please alight at the next station.
(Chime Plays) If you see any suspicious looking person or article, please inform our staff or press the emergency call button located at the side of the train doors. | 如果您发现有任何行迹可疑的人物或任何遗留在车厢的可疑物品，请通知我们的职员或按车门旁边的紧急联络钮与我们通话。 | Jika anda ternampak seseorang atau benda yang mencurigakan, sila laporkannya kepada kakitangan kami atau tekan butang perhubungan kecemasan yang ada di tepi pintu keretapi. | (The Tamil Version).
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) Buona Vista Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the East West Line, please alight. (Pause until train stops) Buona Vista Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
For Normal Departure
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean on the train doors. Next Station, Esplanade. (Previous version)
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, Esplanade. (New version)
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) Esplanade (pause until train stops) Esplanade. Please mind the platform gap.
Sometime around the opening of Circle Line section between Marymount and HarbourFront, the 'do not lean against train doors announcement' was removed, making the announcement alomst similar to those on the North South Line and the East West Line.
0.50 to S$1.10 in S$0.10 increments for all adult tickets, regardless of whether they were single-trip or stored-value tickets. Several discounted fares were available: senior citizens and permanent residents above the age of 60 could travel on a flat fare of S$0.50 during off-peak hours; children below the height of 1.2 metres and full-time students in primary, secondary, pre-university and vocational training (VITB) institutions paid a flat fare of S$0.30 at all times.
Magnetic strip plastic tickets
were used, in various forms. Stored-value tickets were called farecards and came in three types: the blue farecard was issued to adults, the magenta farecard to senior citizens, and the red farecard to children. Single-trip forms of these tickets were retained at the faregates on exiting the paid area of a destination station. Monthly discounted tickets were available in four values: beige, pink, and purple tickets for primary and tertiary students, and full-time national servicemen
came with a value of S$13, S$30 and S$36, respectively; the peach ticket was for secondary, pre-university and VITB students, costing S$17 each. These discounted tickets were valid for a month from the date of purchase, allowed up to four trips a day, and were non-transferable.
The EZ-Link card
is a contactless
smartcard
, initially based on Sony
's FeliCa
smartcard technology. The cards are mainly used for the payment of transportation fares, but may also be used for payment at selected retail outlets. Established in 2002, the technology was promoted as the means for speedier and more convenient transactions and as well as being an efficient method of reducing fare evasion, although there have been some cases of overcharging users. As a benchmark, fares range from S$0.70 to S$3.20 for adults, S$0.70 to S$1.35 for senior citizens, and S$0.40 to S$0.50 for student EZ-Link cards. Patrons using an EZ-Link card receive a discount for their journey, including a discount if they use a connecting bus after their MRT ride.
The General Ticketing Machines (GTMs) at each station which replaced the older ticketing machines, allow commuters to purchase additional credit to add to their EZ-Link cards or to purchase tickets for single trips. Fares for these single trip tickets are higher than those for EZ-Link cards. In addition, a S$1.00 refundable ticket deposit is charged for each Standard Ticket. This refund can be collected from any General Ticketing Machine so as long as the card is returned to the machine within 30 days of purchase. The card can also be deposited into a charity collection box, with the S$1 deposit going to charity. The rationale behind such a refundable deposit feature was that the smartcard technology contained within each Standard Ticket makes each one costly enough to necessitate the recycling
of Standard Tickets. Since November 2007, external readers were installed on GTMs at stations operated by SMRT Corporation to address problems of card jamming in insert slots. The slots, however, remain in use for the purpose of refunding Standard Ticket deposits.
Concession fares are available for children, students, senior citizens and national servicemen. Students are given free personalised cards, complete with their photos, names and national identification
numbers. Regardless of its type, each card is assigned a unique card ID that can be used to recover the card if lost. Transport operators have organised lotteries that are based on these card IDs. The Singapore Tourist Pass offers unlimited travel for tourists
on Singapore's public transport system. For S$8 a day, tourists can take any number of rides on buses and trains operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and SMRT Trains. The old EZ-Link card can be used up to September 2009 where the old EZ-Link card usage would be discontinued.
On 26 August 2008, Land Transport Authority announced a two month trial of the new generation Contactless ePurse Application (CEPAS) card that was developed in-house. It is intended to standardize the technology of cashless payment
, allowing for use on public transport, Electronic Road Pricing
(ERP), everyday shopping and meals. The card has replaced this generation of EZ-Link cards in 2009 and aims to encourage competition by allowing up to four CEPAS card issuers. Mass replacement of the old Sony FeliCa cards to the new CEPAS cards went on at TransitLink Ticket offices and Singapore Post outlets till 7 October 2009.
History
History is the discovery, collection, organization, and presentation of information about past events. History can also mean the period of time after writing was invented. Scholars who write about history are called historians...
of the 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...
system of Singapore
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...
commences with its planning in the 1960s, leading to its opening in 1987 with the launch of the 6 km section of 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...
from Yio Chu Kang Station
Yio Chu Kang MRT Station
Yio Chu Kang MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South Line in Singapore.The station's architecture design theme is similar to Ang Mo Kio station, with brown granite walls and floors, except for the middle platform in Ang Mo Kio station, which this station does...
to Toa Payoh Station
Toa Payoh MRT Station
Toa Payoh MRT Station is an underground station of the Mass Rapid Transit's North South Line in Singapore. It serves the Toa Payoh area...
. It now has 4 lines in operation with a total combined route length of 138 km and 89 stations. The Light Rail Transit which opened in 1999 acts as a feeder service to the MRT network.
Conceptualisation
The idea of constructing a rapid transitRapid transit
A rapid transit, underground, subway, elevated railway, metro or metropolitan railway system is an electric passenger railway in an urban area with a high capacity and frequency, and grade separation from other traffic. Rapid transit systems are typically located either in underground tunnels or on...
line in the country was initiated in 1967, when a four year State and City Planning study conducted by the Singapore government and the United Nations Development Programme
United Nations Development Programme
The United Nations Development Programme is the United Nations' global development network. It advocates for change and connects countries to knowledge, experience and resources to help people build a better life. UNDP operates in 177 countries, working with nations on their own solutions to...
. 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, was 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 since 1972 to design the MRT system, which continued all the way until the government gave permission to build the MRT.Between 1972 and 1980, the participants of the study was the late President
President of Singapore
The President of the Republic of Singapore is Singapore's head of state. In a Westminster parliamentary system, as which Singapore governs itself, the prime minister is the head of the government while the position of president is largely ceremonial. Before 1993, the President of Singapore was...
Ong Teng Cheong
Ong Teng Cheong
Ong Teng Cheong was the first directly elected President of the Republic of Singapore. He was the nation's fifth President, and served a six-year term from 1 September 1993 to 31 August 1999.-Early life:...
. He was then a member of the Ministry of National Development
Ministry of National Development
The Ministry of National Development exists in several countries:* Ministry of National Development * Ministry of National Development...
's Planning Department, after returning from overseas studies that same year. He became a fervent supporter and advocate of a rail based system; being an architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
and an urban planner
Urban planner
An urban planner or city planner is a professional who works in the field of urban planning/land use planning for the purpose of optimizing the effectiveness of a community's land use and infrastructure. They formulate plans for the development and management of urban and suburban areas, typically...
placed him in good stead. During the study, other countries were visited to study the technology and efforts needed to build the MRT system.
When he became the then-Minister for Communications (now the Ministry of Transport
Ministry of Transport (Singapore)
The Ministry of Transport is a ministry in the Government of Singapore that administers and regulates land, sea and air transportation within the republic’s jurisdiction....
), he had to convince the cabinet in a debate
Debate
Debate or debating is a method of interactive and representational argument. Debate is a broader form of argument than logical argument, which only examines consistency from axiom, and factual argument, which only examines what is or isn't the case or rhetoric which is a technique of persuasion...
in early 1980, that the S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
5 billion needed for the system would be beneficial for the long-term development of Singapore. He argued that
- "this is going to be the most expensive single project to be undertaken in Singapore. The last thing that we want to do is to squander away our hard-earned reserves and leave behind enormous debt for our children and our grandchildren. Now since we are sure that this is not going to be the case, we'll proceed with the MRT, and the MRT will usher in a new phase in Singapore's development and bring about a better life for all of us."
Therefore, a provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority was established in July 1980, after the debate. However, Mr Ong faced strong opposition from other members of the cabinet, by Finance Minister Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee
Goh Keng Swee was the second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore between 1973 and 1984, and a Member of Parliament for the Kreta Ayer constituency for a quarter of a century. Born in Malacca in the Straits Settlements into a Peranakan family, he came to Singapore at the age of two years...
, due especially to the heavy investments involved. A team of specialists from Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, 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 a 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. Mr Ong hence declared in triumph on 28 March 1982, that
- "the Government has now taken a firm decision to build the MRT. The MRT is much more than a transport investment, and must be viewed in its wider economic perspective. The boost it'll provide to long term investors' confidence, the multiplier effect and how MRT will lead to the enhancement of the intrinsic value of Singapore's real estate are spin-offs that cannot be ignored."
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, 1 at grade and 15 underground. The network was constructed in stages, with the North South LineNorth 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...
given priority as the line passed through the Orchard Road
Orchard Road
Orchard Road is a road in Singapore that is the retail and entertainment hub of the city-state. It is regularly frequented by the local population as well as being a major tourist attraction...
corridor as well as 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...
, both of which faced a high demand for public transport. Also, it was near the more densely populated housing estates such as Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh is a district located in the Central Region of Singapore. It commonly refers to the Housing and Development Board housing estate of Toa Payoh New Town, one of the earliest satellite public housing estates in Singapore....
and Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio（宏茂桥） is a heartland new town located in north central Singapore, and is generally within the North-East Region. It contains many of the common features of the island nation's neighbourhoods, e.g. hawker centres, wet markets and HDB housing blocks. Singapore's Prime Minister, Lee Hsien...
. The MRT Corporation, now Land Transport Authority
Land Transport Authority
The Land Transport Authority is a statutory board under the Ministry of Transport of the Singapore Government.-History:...
, 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
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...
.
Initial opening
On 7 November 1987, the first 6 kilometres of the North South LineNorth 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...
from Yio Chu Kang
Yio Chu Kang MRT Station
Yio Chu Kang MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South Line in Singapore.The station's architecture design theme is similar to Ang Mo Kio station, with brown granite walls and floors, except for the middle platform in Ang Mo Kio station, which this station does...
to Toa Payoh
Toa Payoh MRT Station
Toa Payoh MRT Station is an underground station of the Mass Rapid Transit's North South Line in Singapore. It serves the Toa Payoh area...
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 Station
Toa Payoh MRT Station
Toa Payoh MRT Station is an underground station of the Mass Rapid Transit's North South Line in Singapore. It serves the Toa Payoh area...
, Mr Ong was quoted as saying that
- "this is like a 20-year affair from conception to delivery. Now the baby is born, to say that I am happy and pleased is an understatement."
Nine more stations from Novena
Novena MRT Station
Novena MRT Station is located on the North South Line on the Mass Rapid Transit system. It is an underground station which opened on 12 December 1987....
to Outram Park
Outram Park MRT Station
Outram Park MRT Station ' is an interchange station of the North East Line and the East West Line in Singapore. It is located in the Central Area, Singapore's central business district. Before Tiong Bahru MRT Station was refurbished in 2006, it was the last MRT Station that had Chinese characters...
were officially opened 12 December 1987 by then Deputy Prime Minister Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong
Goh Chok Tong is the Senior Minister of Singapore and the chairman of the central bank of Singapore, the Monetary Authority of Singapore. He also served as the second Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore from 28 November 1990 to 12 August 2004, succeeding Lee Kuan Yew, the former Prime...
. These trains ran as a through service from one end to the other even though Tanjong Pagar
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...
and Outram Park
Outram Park MRT Station
Outram Park MRT Station ' is an interchange station of the North East Line and the East West Line in Singapore. It is located in the Central Area, Singapore's central business district. Before Tiong Bahru MRT Station was refurbished in 2006, it was the last MRT Station that had Chinese characters...
were on the 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...
.
On 12 March 1988, with the opening of six more stations from Tiong Bahru
Tiong Bahru MRT Station
Tiong Bahru MRT Station is located on the East West Line on the Singapore MRT. The station is directly connected to a shopping mall, Tiong Bahru Plaza and the station is at Tiong Bahru Road. As the name suggests, the station is located in the northern part of the Tiong Bahru estate. Before the...
to Clementi
Clementi MRT Station
Clementi MRT Station ' is an above-ground MRT station in the west of Singapore. It is part of the East West Line.One of the older MRT stations in Singapore, Clementi MRT station was opened in 1988. The station is painted light blue, and with recent renovations a lift has been added for the benefit...
on the 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...
, 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...
become interchange stations between the two lines. On the same day, the system was officially launched by Mr Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew
Lee Kuan Yew, GCMG, CH is a Singaporean statesman. He was the first Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore, governing for three decades...
, then Prime Minister of Singapore
Prime Minister of Singapore
The Prime Minister of the Republic of Singapore is the head of the government of the Republic of Singapore. The President of Singapore appoints as Prime Minister a Member of Parliament who, in his opinion, is most likely to command the confidence of a majority of MPs.The office of Prime Minister...
.
Nearing completion
The rest of the system opened rapidly in stages.- 5 November 1988: Three stations on East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
from Jurong EastJurong East MRT StationJurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
to LakesideLakeside MRT StationLakeside MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West Line in Jurong,Singapore.As the Jurong Lake lies next to this station which derived its name from geographical feature, it serves residents living in Hong Kah, Taman Jurong and Boon Lay, as well as people working...
were opened. - 20 December 1988: Two stations on North South LineNorth South MRT LineThe 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...
from KhatibKhatib MRT StationKhatib MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South Line in Singapore. It is the southernmost of 2 stations serving Yishun New Town...
to YishunYishun MRT StationYishun MRT Station is a Mass Rapid Transit station in Singapore, built above ground level. It is the northernmost of 2 stations serving Yishun New Town and is part of the North South Line. This used to be the terminus of the line until the Woodlands extension was completed which connects the...
were opened, completing the Northern section of the line. - 4 November 1989: Marina BayMarina Bay MRT StationThe 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...
, the last station on the North South LineNorth South MRT LineThe 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...
, was opened. Also opened were nine stations on the East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
from BugisBugis MRT StationBugis MRT Station is located on the East West Line of Singapore MRT. It is located next to Bugis Junction, which has a direct link to the mall. It has almost the same design as the neighbouring Lavender MRT Station, save for the different colours of lights used...
to Tanah MerahTanah Merah MRT StationTanah Merah MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station located in the heart of Tanah Merah, Singapore.The station is part of the East West Line and is between Simei and Bedok and is an interchange for trains going to Changi Airport and Expo...
. Hence forth, the system started to run as a two-line system, with the 2-level interchanges coming into full operation at City HallCity Hall MRT StationCity 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 PlaceRaffles Place MRT StationRaffles 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...
. - 16 December 1989: Three stations on East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
from SimeiSimei MRT StationThe Simei MRT Station ', is an above ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West Line in Singapore. On the East West Line, this station is between Tampines and Tanah Merah stations...
to Pasir RisPasir Ris MRT StationPasir Ris MRT Station ' is the terminal and above ground station of the East West MRT Line in Singapore. The station is located at the central part of Pasir Ris New Town.-Platform Screen Doors:...
were opened, completing the Eastern section of the line. - 10 March 1990: Three stations on a Branch LineBranch Line (Singapore MRT)The Branch MRT Line was the third Mass Rapid Transit line in Singapore, initially operating as a branch to the existing East West MRT Line. The line was 6.5 km long with only 4 stations, and was operated by the SMRT Corporation. Traveling from one end of this line to the other end took about ten...
starting from Jurong EastJurong East MRT StationJurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
to Choa Chu Kang were opened. - On 6 July 1990, the last station on the East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
, Boon LayBoon Lay MRT StationBoon Lay MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West Line in Jurong, Singapore.The station currently serves residents living in Boon Lay, Pioneer, Gek Poh, Nanyang and people working in Tuas,Tuas South,Pioneer Sector,Jurong Hill,Jurong Pier,Lok Yang,Benoi and Gul.In...
, was opened, which marked the completion of the system two years ahead of schedule.
North South Line Woodlands Extension
Woodlands, Singapore
Woodlands, or the Woodlands New Town , is a suburban town in northern Singapore, part of the North West Community Development Council district...
. Construction commenced in 1993, and the 16 km, 6 station elevated line was opened on 10 February 1996 at a total cost of S$
Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
1.2 billion. With this extension, 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...
included the three stations on the former Choa Chu Kang Branch Line (Jurong East
Jurong East MRT Station
Jurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
, Bukit Batok
Bukit Batok MRT Station
Bukit Batok MRT South Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South Line in Singapore, and for six years part of the Branch Line until the opening of the Woodlands Extension. The station serves mainly residents of the Bukit Batok neighbourhood...
, Bukit Gombak
Bukit Gombak MRT Station
Bukit Batok North MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South Line in Singapore. The station was opened on 10 March 1990. It was part of the Branch Line before the opening of the Woodlands Extension on 10 February 1996...
and Choa Chu Kang), forming a continuous line from Jurong East
Jurong East MRT Station
Jurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
to 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...
.
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
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 announcement of the Woodlands Extension led to protests especially from opposition members of parliament, in particular from Chiam See Tong
Chiam See Tong
Chiam See Tong is a politician and lawyer from Singapore. He is the country's longest-serving opposition Member of Parliament . Between 1984 and 2011, he represented the constituency of Potong Pasir in Singapore's Parliament....
and Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang
Low Thia Khiang is a politician and businessman from Singapore. He is currently the leader of the opposition Workers' Party, and since 1991 has been a Member of Parliament representing the constituency of Hougang until 2011 where he contested and won in Aljunied GRC. He is in charge of the Bedok...
, representatives of Potong Pasir
Potong Pasir
Potong Pasir is an area located between Toa Payoh and Sennett Estate in the North-East Region of Singapore. For urban planning purposes, it is classified under the Toa Payoh area. Potong Pasir is particularly notable for being the longest-held opposition ward in one-party dominant Singapore...
and Hougang
Hougang
Hougang is an urban planning area and a suburb in the north-eastern area of the city-state of Singapore. Under classification by the Urban Redevelopment Authority, the area is part of the North-East Region, an urban planning division. Hougang borders Sengkang in the north and Serangoon to its...
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
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...
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. Woodlands New Town
Woodlands, Singapore
Woodlands, or the Woodlands New Town , is a suburban town in northern Singapore, part of the North West Community Development Council district...
was only half completed, and Sembawang New Town was still in the planning stage at that time.
More than a decade later, however, when the disputes with Malaysia over the railway land used by KTM escalated, it came to the fore that one of the criteria the Malaysian authorities had listed before they would consider shifting the existing railway station away from Tanjong Pagar
Tanjong Pagar
Tanjong 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 urban planning zones....
was for the MRT system to be introduced to Woodlands
Woodlands, Singapore
Woodlands, or the Woodlands New Town , is a suburban town in northern Singapore, part of the North West Community Development Council district...
. On 16 October 2003, in response to a question fielded in parliament, Professor S. Jayakumar, then Minister for Foreign Affairs, mentioned, that the Points of Agreement
Malaysia-Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990
Malaysia–Singapore Points of Agreement of 1990 is an agreement between the Southeast Asian countries of Malaysia and Singapore over the issue of the future of railway land owned by the Malaysian government through Malayan Railways in Singapore...
concluded between the two sides on 27 November 1990 included a clause stating that KTM will shift the station to a site adjacent or close to the Woodlands MRT Station
Woodlands MRT Station
Woodlands MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit train station on the North South Line in Singapore. It is integrated together with the Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange located beneath the station and also Causeway Point Shopping Centre, which serves as a major shopping centre for...
within five years from the day the MRT to Woodlands
Woodlands, Singapore
Woodlands, or the Woodlands New Town , is a suburban town in northern Singapore, part of the North West Community Development Council district...
is opened, something the KTM has not yet done.
Considering that the Points of Agreement was made in the year 1990, and followed quickly by an announcement to build the MRT line a year later in 1991, there is a possibility that the line was given priority over 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...
due more to international and local political concerns than economic considerations alone.
Expo Station
The Expo StationExpo MRT Station
The Expo MRT Station ' was opened on 10 January 2001, and is part of the Singapore MRT Changi Airport Extension to the existing East West Line. It sports a space age architecture designed by world renowned architect Sir Norman Foster...
opened on 10 January 2001, sporting a "space age
Space Age
The Space Age is a time period encompassing the activities related to the Space Race, space exploration, space technology, and the cultural developments influenced by these events. The Space Age is generally considered to have begun with Sputnik...
" architecture designed by world renowned architect Sir Norman Foster
Norman Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank
Norman Robert Foster, Baron Foster of Thames Bank, OM is a British architect whose company maintains an international design practice, Foster + Partners....
. The roof is clad in titanium
Titanium
Titanium is a chemical element with the symbol Ti and atomic number 22. It has a low density and is a strong, lustrous, corrosion-resistant transition metal with a silver color....
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
The 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...
next door.
Dover Station
The Dover StationDover MRT Station
The Dover MRT Station ' is a Mass Rapid Transit station located in Dover in Singapore that is part of the East West Line. The station is located between the Clementi MRT Station and the Buona Vista MRT Station, and was opened on October 18, 2001 with test runs from October 13, 2001 to October 17,...
, built on the 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...
between the Clementi
Clementi MRT Station
Clementi MRT Station ' is an above-ground MRT station in the west of Singapore. It is part of the East West Line.One of the older MRT stations in Singapore, Clementi MRT station was opened in 1988. The station is painted light blue, and with recent renovations a lift has been added for the benefit...
and the 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 ...
, was opened 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
Singapore Polytechnic , the first polytechnic established in Singapore, was founded in 1954. The former campus was originally located at Prince Edward Road...
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
Catchment area (human geography)
In human geography, a catchment area is the area and population from which a city or individual service attracts visitors or customers. For example, a school catchment area is the geographic area from which students are eligible to attend a local school...
. There were criticisms over the spending of "taxpayers' 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 Station
For a long time following its opening in 1981, Singapore Changi AirportSingapore Changi Airport
Singapore Changi Airport , Changi International Airport, or simply Changi Airport, is the main airport in Singapore. A major aviation hub in Southeast Asia, it is about north-east from the commercial centre in Changi, on a site....
relied on taxi
Taxicab
A taxicab, also taxi or cab, is a type of vehicle for hire with a driver, used by a single passenger or small group of passengers, often for a non-shared ride. A taxicab conveys passengers between locations of their choice...
s 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, such as the one from Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport
Kuala Lumpur International Airport , or KLIA serves the capital city of Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur, and is one of Southeast Asia's largest airports. It is also Malaysia's main international airport. It is situated in the Sepang district, in the south of the state of Selangor, about from Kuala Lumpur...
, 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 MRT 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 the Tanah Merah MRT Station
Tanah Merah MRT Station
Tanah Merah MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station located in the heart of Tanah Merah, Singapore.The station is part of the East West Line and is between Simei and Bedok and is an interchange for trains going to Changi Airport and Expo...
, 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. When the extension to the airport was finally announced, however, the route alignment showed a deviation from previous plans.
The final plan involved building only the first two stations, namely Expo
Expo MRT Station
The Expo MRT Station ' was opened on 10 January 2001, and is part of the Singapore MRT Changi Airport Extension to the existing East West Line. It sports a space age architecture designed by world renowned architect Sir Norman Foster...
, an elevated station directly adjacent to the Singapore Expo
Singapore Expo
The 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...
, and Changi Airport
Changi Airport MRT Station
Changi Airport MRT Station was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. This is one of the four MRT stations that have fare gates on the same level as the...
, 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.
Changi Airport Station
Changi Airport MRT Station
Changi Airport MRT Station was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. This is one of the four MRT stations that have fare gates on the same level as the...
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
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 first line operated by SBS Transit
SBS Transit
SBS Transit Limited is a public transport operator in Singapore. Its major competitor in Singapore's duopoly transport system is SMRT Corporation, which also operates bus, rail, taxi and other transport services....
and among the first fully automated heavy rail lines in the world, opened on 20 June 2003. 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. As of May 2005, the line was still running at a deficit, and the line operator, SBS Transit, turns an overall profit because the profits from its public bus service exceed the losses from operation of the North East line. Running from 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...
where Singapore's former World Trade Centre building lies to Punggol 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. The trains on the North East line are driverless and fully automated.
East West Line Boon Lay Extension
On 28 February 2009, the 3.8 kilometre Boon Lay Extension to the East West Line comprising 2 stations PioneerPioneer MRT Station
Pioneer MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong.Located at Jurong West Street 63, between Jurong West Street 61 and Pioneer Road North, it serves residents living in Nanyang and Pioneer...
and Joo Koon
Joo Koon MRT Station
Joo Koon MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong and also the western terminus for the line....
commenced passenger service.
Circle Line
On 28 May 2009, the 5.6 km of the Circle MRT LineCircle MRT Line
The Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
has been opened from 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...
to 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...
. On 17 April 2010, another 11.1 km of the Circle Line from 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...
to 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...
commenced operation. On 8 October 2011, the remaining 16.6 km from 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...
to 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...
, marking the full completion of the line that took 10 years to complete.
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 codedColor code
A color code is a system for displaying information by using different colors. Color codes are often difficult for color blind and blind people to interpret....
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 amount 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) & the numbers (in ascending order from the centre of the island) indicating which part of that region the station is located at.
- Stations from Bugis to Pasir Ris denoted by codes E1 to E12
- Stations from Tanjong Pagar to Boon Lay denoted by codes W1 to W12
- City Hall Station, Raffles Place Station & Marina Bay Station denoted as C2, C1 & S1 respectively
- Stations from Dhoby Ghaut to Yishun denoted by codes N1 to N12
- Stations from Bukit Batok to Choa Chu Kang denoted by codes B1 to B3
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 orange 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. Expo station which opened in 2001, was denoted by the code E13 for a short while.The Bukit Panjang LRT opened in 1999 and was given the colors 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 [(service B) via Petir
Petir LRT Station
Petir LRT Station is an LRT station on the Bukit Panjang LRT Line in Singapore. It was opened in November 1999. It is operated by SMRT.-Etymology:This station is located along Petir Road. Petir means lightning in Malay.-Train service:...
] while the purple arrows travelled in a clockwise direction [(service A) via Senja
Senja LRT Station
Senja LRT Station is an LRT station on the Bukit Panjang LRT Line in Singapore. It was opened in November 1999. It is operated by SMRT....
]
31 July 2001 to date
Because of an expanding rail network, the MRT System Map could no longer afford to have each direction of travel represented by a different colour. Eventually, the map would run out of colours to use to represent each direction of travel. This was the main reason behind the revamp. Using the acclaimed London UndergroundLondon Underground
The London Underground is a rapid transit system serving a large part of Greater London and some parts of Buckinghamshire, Hertfordshire and Essex in England...
Map as a reference, the MRT System Map was revamped.
Colours were used to represent each line rather than each direction of travel, cutting the usage of colours by half and preserving other colours for future lines.
- Red for North South LineNorth South MRT LineThe 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...
- Green for East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
- Purple for North East LineNorth East MRT LineThe 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...
- Orange for Circle LineCircle MRT LineThe Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
- Blue for the future Downtown LineDowntown MRT LineThe 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...
- Grey for all LRT lines
The direction of travel was instead represented by numbers contained within a coloured circle located at the ends of each line, known as the destination number.
- The number 1 contained within a green circle represent East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
services travelling towards Pasir Ris Station. - 2 on green for East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
services towards Joo Koon - 3 on green for East West LineEast West MRT LineThe 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...
shuttle services towards Changi Airport - 4 on red for North South LineNorth South MRT LineThe 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...
services towards Jurong East - 5 on red for North South LineNorth South MRT LineThe 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...
services towards Marina Bay - 6 on purple for North East LineNorth East MRT LineThe 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...
services towards HarbourFront - 7 on purple for North East LineNorth East MRT LineThe 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...
services towards Punggol - 8 on orange for Circle LineCircle MRT LineThe Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
alternate services towards Dhoby Ghaut - 9 on orange for Circle LineCircle MRT LineThe Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
services towards HarbourFront - 10 on orange for Circle LineCircle MRT LineThe Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
alternate services towards Marina Bay - 11 on blue for Downtown LineDowntown MRT LineThe 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...
services towards Bugis/Bukit Panjang - 12 on blue for Downtown LineDowntown MRT LineThe 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...
services towards Chinatown/Expo
Tanah Merah and Promenade stations are not given a number, due to the shuttle service towards Changi Airport.
Like before, each station was assigned a unique alphanumeric symbol. However under this revamped system map, the letter in each symbol denotes the line (rather than the region of Singapore the station was in) and the number increases in ascending order from East to West (East West Line), North to South (North South Line), South West to North East (North East Line), in an anti-clockwise direction (Circle Line) and in a clockwise direction (Downtown Line). Interchange stations will then have at least two codes. For example, 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....
will have two codes, EW13 for the East West Line section and NS25 for the North South Line section.
History of station and train announcements
The on-board announcement system in every single SMRT train was introduced in 1994. Over time, however, sections of announcements were modified, and finally, the entire announcement system was changed in January 2008. The new announcement system features a new voice, and a new chime before each announcement.1987 to 2008
From 1987 to 1994, there were no on-board announcements, except for Jurong East Interchange announcements. Drivers had to make announcements themselves, especially when approaching stations. However, the buzzer played before train doors close was already in existence around that time.From 1994 to 2008, the announcement system was very simple and featured to-the-point announcements. This is an example of a train's announcements between two stations.
(Chime Plays) Doors closing. (Buzzer sounds, doors close, and train departs)
(Chime Plays) Next Stop, Yio Chu Kang.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Yio Chu Kang. (Pause) Yio Chu Kang.
At interchange stations, there would be a suffix "Interchange" after the announcement of the station's name, and information on what trains to change to.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) City Hall Interchange. Passengers going towards Bugis, Pasir Ris, or Changi Airport, please cross the platform and transfer to another train. City Hall Interchange.
At Jurong East station, because the North South Line ended in the middle platform before 27 May 2011, the announcement would announce the destinations a passenger might go to for either side the doors would open on, if on the North South Line:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange. This train terminates at this station. Passengers going towards City Hall, Pasir Ris, or Changi Airport, please cross the platform on the left and transfer to another train. Passengers going towards Chinese Garden, Lakeside, or Boon Lay, please cross the platform on the right and transfer to another train. Thank you for travelling with SMRT. Jurong East Interchange.
In 2002, the two-tone chime on the older trains was changed to the one that was used on the new C751B MRT trains.
In 2003, after the opening of the North East Line, Dhoby Ghaut and Outram Park became interchanges, and the announcement was along the lines of:
(Chime Plays) Next stop, Outram Park Interchange. Passengers going towards Harbourfront or Punggol, please alight at the next stop.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Outram Park Interchange. Passengers going towards Harbourfront or Punggol, please alight and transfer to the North East Line.
In 2007, an additional "Please mind the platform gap" announcement was made after the station's name was announced for the second time, much similar to the announcements made in SBS Transit's North East Line trains do.
The announcements were done by Juanita Melson. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=50DHvagm8so
March 2008 to May 2011
In March 2008, the announcement system was revamped, and the voice making the announcement was also changed. The ding-dong two-tone chime was also changed to a deeper, longer, lower-pitched two-tone chime. The announcements were all changed, but somewhat followed the old system very closely.(Chime Plays) Doors are closing! (Buzzer sounds, door closes and train departs.)
(Chime Plays) Next Station, Clementi
Clementi MRT Station
Clementi MRT Station ' is an above-ground MRT station in the west of Singapore. It is part of the East West Line.One of the older MRT stations in Singapore, Clementi MRT station was opened in 1988. The station is painted light blue, and with recent renovations a lift has been added for the benefit...
. (Ordinary stations without irregular interchanging functions only)
(Chime Plays) Next Station, Dhoby Ghaut Interchange
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...
. (Pause) Passengers who are continuing their journey on the Circle Line
Circle MRT Line
The Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
or 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...
, please alight at the next station. (Irregular interchanges only).
(Chime Plays) If you see any suspicious-looking person or article, please inform our staff or press the emergency communication button located at the side of the train doors. | 如果您发现有任何行迹可疑的人物或任何遗留在车厢的可疑物品，请通知我们的职员或按车门旁边的紧急联络钮与我们通话。 | Jika anda ternampak seseorang atau benda yang mencurigakan, sila laporkannya kepada kakitangan kami atau tekan butang perhubungan kecemasan yang ada di tepi pintu kereta api. | (The Tamil Version).
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Redhill
Redhill MRT Station
Redhill MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West MRT Line in Singapore. This is the last above-ground station until Kallang MRT Station: east of the station toward Tiong Bahru, the tracks lose elevation until they level out when sufficiently underground...
. (Pause)Redhill
Redhill MRT Station
Redhill MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the East West MRT Line in Singapore. This is the last above-ground station until Kallang MRT Station: east of the station toward Tiong Bahru, the tracks lose elevation until they level out when sufficiently underground...
. (Elevated stations only)
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Tanjong Pagar
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...
. (Pause) Tanjong Pagar. Please mind the platform gap. (Underground stations only)
At interchange stations, however, the 'change to another train' announcement is completely different from the old announcement system.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange
Jurong East MRT Station
Jurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
. This train service terminates at this station, Passengers who are continuing their journey towards the city, Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris MRT Station
Pasir Ris MRT Station ' is the terminal and above ground station of the East West MRT Line in Singapore. The station is located at the central part of Pasir Ris New Town.-Platform Screen Doors:...
Or Changi Airport
Changi Airport MRT Station
Changi Airport MRT Station was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. This is one of the four MRT stations that have fare gates on the same level as the...
, please crossover to Platform B or C on the left. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Joo Koon
Joo Koon MRT Station
Joo Koon MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong and also the western terminus for the line....
, please crossover to Platform F on the right. (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Woodlands
Woodlands MRT Station
Woodlands MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit train station on the North South Line in Singapore. It is integrated together with the Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange located beneath the station and also Causeway Point Shopping Centre, which serves as a major shopping centre for...
or Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio MRT Station
The Ang Mo Kio MRT Station ' is located on the North South Line in Singapore, and is adjacent to Ang Mo Kio Town Centre at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and 8.-Train service:-Other Train Services:...
, please proceed to the middle platform.(Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Raffles Place Interchange
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...
. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Orchard, Yishun or Woodlands, please proceed to Platform B. Raffles Place Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Dhoby Ghaut Interchange
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...
. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the Circle Line
Circle MRT Line
The Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
or 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...
, please alight. (Pause) Dhoby Ghaut Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Joo Koon
Joo Koon MRT Station
Joo Koon MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong and also the western terminus for the line....
. This train terminates its service at this station. All passengers please alight. Thank you for travelling with SMRT. (Pause) Joo Koon.
SMRT Lunchtime Xpress
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Aljunied. (Pause) This train service terminates at this station. All passengers please alight. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Pasir Ris or Changi Airport, please board the next train. (Pause) Aljunied. (For EWX)
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Ang Mo Kio. (Pause) This train service terminates at this station. All passengers please alight. Passengers who are continuing their journey towards Woodlands or Jurong East Interchange, please board the next train. (Pause) Ang Mo Kio. (for NSX)
(When Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Bugis. This train service terminates at Outram Park Interchange.
Normal Departure
(When Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Admiralty
Admiralty MRT Station
Admiralty MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North South MRT Line in Singapore, located in Admiralty, Woodlands. The station is highly utilised, as there are no bus services for residents to travel to the city...
.
May 2011 to date
The announcement system revamped again in 27 May 2011, this time in the announcement for transfers (hilighted in italics, had changed in a slower and simplified version, mostly after the new platform at Jurong East StationJurong East MRT Station
Jurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
.
North South Line:
(When Approaching platform D, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange
Jurong East MRT Station
Jurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
. This train service terminates at this station. Passengers who are heading towards the city, Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris MRT Station
Pasir Ris MRT Station ' is the terminal and above ground station of the East West MRT Line in Singapore. The station is located at the central part of Pasir Ris New Town.-Platform Screen Doors:...
Or Changi Airport
Changi Airport MRT Station
Changi Airport MRT Station was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. This is one of the four MRT stations that have fare gates on the same level as the...
, please cross over to Platform C on the left. Passengers who are heading towards Joo Koon
Joo Koon MRT Station
Joo Koon MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong and also the western terminus for the line....
, please cross over to Platform F on the right. (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
- STARIS:
<<
(When Approaching platform A, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange
Jurong East MRT Station
Jurong East MRT Station is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station 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....
. This train service terminates at this station. Passengers who are heading towards the city, Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris MRT Station
Pasir Ris MRT Station ' is the terminal and above ground station of the East West MRT Line in Singapore. The station is located at the central part of Pasir Ris New Town.-Platform Screen Doors:...
Or Changi Airport
Changi Airport MRT Station
Changi Airport MRT Station was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. This is one of the four MRT stations that have fare gates on the same level as the...
, please cross over to Platform B. Passengers who are heading towards Joo Koon
Joo Koon MRT Station
Joo Koon MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong and also the western terminus for the line....
, please cross over to Platform F. (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
East West Line:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Jurong East Interchange. Passengers who are heading towards Woodlands
Woodlands MRT Station
Woodlands MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit train station on the North South Line in Singapore. It is integrated together with the Woodlands Regional Bus Interchange located beneath the station and also Causeway Point Shopping Centre, which serves as a major shopping centre for...
or Ang Mo Kio
Ang Mo Kio MRT Station
The Ang Mo Kio MRT Station ' is located on the North South Line in Singapore, and is adjacent to Ang Mo Kio Town Centre at the junction of Ang Mo Kio Avenue 3 and 8.-Train service:-Other Train Services:...
, please cross over to Platforms A or D (for Pasir Ris-bound trains)/ E (for Joo Koon-bound trains). (Pause) Jurong East Interchange.
But it's not only Jurong East station that has announcements changed.
Transfer details:
East West Line (Raffles Place (for Pasir Ris-bound trains)/ City Hall (for Joo Koon-bound trains) stations):
- (When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Raffles Place InterchangeRaffles Place MRT StationRaffles 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...
. Passengers who are heading towards Orchard, Yishun or Woodlands, please cross over to Platform B (for Pasir Ris-bound trains)/ A (for Joo Koon-bound trains) on the right. Raffles Place Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
North South Line (Marina Bay-bound trains):
- City Hall station
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) City Hall Interchange
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....
. Passengers who are heading towards Bugis, Pasir Ris or Changi Airport, please cross over to Platform D on the left. City Hall Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
- Raffles Place station
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Raffles Place Interchange
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...
. Passengers who are heading towards Tanjong Pagar or Joo Koon, please cross over to Platform C on the right. Raffles Place Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
Tanah Merah station:
- East West Line:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Tanah Merah Interchange
Tanah Merah MRT Station
Tanah Merah MRT Station ' is an above-ground Mass Rapid Transit station located in the heart of Tanah Merah, Singapore.The station is part of the East West Line and is between Simei and Bedok and is an interchange for trains going to Changi Airport and Expo...
. Passengers who are heading towards Expo
Expo MRT Station
The Expo MRT Station ' was opened on 10 January 2001, and is part of the Singapore MRT Changi Airport Extension to the existing East West Line. It sports a space age architecture designed by world renowned architect Sir Norman Foster...
or Changi Airport
Changi Airport MRT Station
Changi Airport MRT Station was opened on 8 February 2002 as one of the terminal Mass Rapid Transit stations for the East West Line, and located in between Singapore Changi Airport's Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. This is one of the four MRT stations that have fare gates on the same level as the...
, please cross over to the middle platform. (Pause) Tanah Merah Interchange.
- Changi Airport Extension Line:
(When Approaching Station, Chime Plays) Tanah Merah Interchange. This train service terminates at this station. Passengers who are heading towards the city or Joo Koon
Joo Koon MRT Station
Joo Koon MRT Station ' is an elevated Mass Rapid Transit station along the East West Line in Jurong and also the western terminus for the line....
, please cross over to Platform B on the left. Passengers who are heading towards Pasir Ris
Pasir Ris MRT Station
Pasir Ris MRT Station ' is the terminal and above ground station of the East West MRT Line in Singapore. The station is located at the central part of Pasir Ris New Town.-Platform Screen Doors:...
, please cross over to Platform A on the right. (Pause) Tanah Merah Interchange.
- STARIS:
<<
Announcements:
- No eating or drinking is allowed in stations or on trains. No eating or drinking is allowed in stations or on trains.
- This train will be crossing over to another track. For your safety, please hold on to your grabpoles or handgrips.
The current announcements are done by Miss Chan Hui Yuh on 20 March 2008.
20 June 2003 to date (for North East Line and Downtown Line only)
Doors closing. (Buzzer sounds, door closes and train departs)NOTE: As terminals for North East Line and Downtown Line are interchanges, the announcement for one-line terminals will not be reflected.
Terminal
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Harbourfront Terminal
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...
. Passengers may alight and change to the Circle Line
Circle MRT Line
The Circle Line is Singapore's fourth Mass Rapid Transit line, operated by SMRT Corporation. This underground line is currently long with 28 stations and is fully automatically operated...
. Thank you for travelling with SBS Transit. 港湾终点站
Approching Station
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) HarbourFront Terminal. 港湾终点站 (The Chinese Version) Please mind the gap. 请小心空隙 (The Chinese Version) Berhati-hati di ruang platform. (The Malay Version) and (Tamil Version)
+ Please, do not lean against the doors.
At interchange stations, the information only announces one time only and the approaching station announcement is similar to the one that is above.
Interchange Stations
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Dhoby Ghaut Interchange. Passengers may alight and change to the North South Line and Circle Line. 多美歌
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) Dhoby Ghaut Station. 多美歌 (The Chinese Version) Please mind the gap. 请小心空隙 (The Chinese Version) Berhati-hati di ruang platform. (The Malay Version) and (Tamil Version).
Normal Stations
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Next Station, Clarke Quay
Clarke Quay MRT Station
Clarke Quay MRT Station ' is an underground Mass Rapid Transit station on the North East Line in Singapore. It is located next to Swissôtel Merchant Court at the junction of Eu Tong Sen Street, New Bridge Road and Merchant Road...
. 克拉码头
28 May 2009 to date (Circle Line Only)
After the opening of Circle Line, Miss Chan made the similar announcements on the irregular interchanges as the previous version:(Chime Plays) Doors are closing! (Buzzer sounds, door closes and train departs station.)
For Terminals
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, 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...
. This train service terminates at (Pauses) HarbourFront Interchange
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...
.
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, HarbourFront Interchange. This train service terminates at (Pauses) HarbourFront Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey on 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...
, please alight at the next station.
When train services approched terminals, the announcement of the station name will be repeated thrice instead of twice.
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) HarbourFront Interchange. This train service terminates at (Pauses) HarbourFront Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the North East Line, please alight. Thank you for travelling for SMRT. (Pause until train stops) HarbourFront Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
For Interchanges
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, Buona Vista Interchange
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 ...
. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the 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...
, please alight at the next station.
(Chime Plays) If you see any suspicious looking person or article, please inform our staff or press the emergency call button located at the side of the train doors. | 如果您发现有任何行迹可疑的人物或任何遗留在车厢的可疑物品，请通知我们的职员或按车门旁边的紧急联络钮与我们通话。 | Jika anda ternampak seseorang atau benda yang mencurigakan, sila laporkannya kepada kakitangan kami atau tekan butang perhubungan kecemasan yang ada di tepi pintu keretapi. | (The Tamil Version).
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) Buona Vista Interchange. Passengers who are continuing their journey on the East West Line, please alight. (Pause until train stops) Buona Vista Interchange. Please mind the platform gap.
For Normal Departure
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean on the train doors. Next Station, Esplanade. (Previous version)
(After Departing Station, Chime Plays) Please do not lean against the train doors. Next Station, Esplanade. (New version)
(When Approached Station, Chime Plays) Esplanade (pause until train stops) Esplanade. Please mind the platform gap.
Sometime around the opening of Circle Line section between Marymount and HarbourFront, the 'do not lean against train doors announcement' was removed, making the announcement alomst similar to those on the North South Line and the East West Line.
1987 to 2002
When the MRT opened in 1987, fares ranged from S$Singapore dollar
The Singapore dollar or Dollar is the official currency of Singapore. It is normally abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or alternatively S$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
0.50 to S$1.10 in S$0.10 increments for all adult tickets, regardless of whether they were single-trip or stored-value tickets. Several discounted fares were available: senior citizens and permanent residents above the age of 60 could travel on a flat fare of S$0.50 during off-peak hours; children below the height of 1.2 metres and full-time students in primary, secondary, pre-university and vocational training (VITB) institutions paid a flat fare of S$0.30 at all times.
Magnetic strip plastic tickets
Magnetic stripe card
A magnetic stripe card is a type of card capable of storing data by modifying the magnetism of tiny iron-based magnetic particles on a band of magnetic material on the card...
were used, in various forms. Stored-value tickets were called farecards and came in three types: the blue farecard was issued to adults, the magenta farecard to senior citizens, and the red farecard to children. Single-trip forms of these tickets were retained at the faregates on exiting the paid area of a destination station. Monthly discounted tickets were available in four values: beige, pink, and purple tickets for primary and tertiary students, and full-time national servicemen
National Service in Singapore
Conscription in Singapore, called National Service , requires all male Singaporean citizens and second-generation permanent residents who have reached the age of 18 to enrol in the military...
came with a value of S$13, S$30 and S$36, respectively; the peach ticket was for secondary, pre-university and VITB students, costing S$17 each. These discounted tickets were valid for a month from the date of purchase, allowed up to four trips a day, and were non-transferable.
2002 to 2009
- Main articles: EZ-LinkEZ-LinkThe EZ-Link card is a contactless smart card based on the Sony FeliCa smartcard technology and used for the payment of public transportation fares in Singapore, with limited use in the small payments retail sector...
EZ-Link
The EZ-Link card is a contactless smart card based on the Sony FeliCa smartcard technology and used for the payment of public transportation fares in Singapore, with limited use in the small payments retail sector...
is a contactless
Contactless
Contactless may refer to:* Contactless smart card* Proximity card, a contactless integrated circuit device used for security access or payment systems* Contactless payment, systems which use RFID for making secure payments...
smartcard
Smart card
A smart card, chip card, or integrated circuit card , is any pocket-sized card with embedded integrated circuits. A smart card or microprocessor cards contain volatile memory and microprocessor components. The card is made of plastic, generally polyvinyl chloride, but sometimes acrylonitrile...
, initially based on Sony
Sony
, commonly referred to as Sony, is a Japanese multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Minato, Tokyo, Japan and the world's fifth largest media conglomerate measured by revenues....
's FeliCa
FeliCa
FeliCa is a contactless RFID smart card system from Sony in Japan, primarily used in electronic money cards. The name stands for Felicity Card...
smartcard technology. The cards are mainly used for the payment of transportation fares, but may also be used for payment at selected retail outlets. Established in 2002, the technology was promoted as the means for speedier and more convenient transactions and as well as being an efficient method of reducing fare evasion, although there have been some cases of overcharging users. As a benchmark, fares range from S$0.70 to S$3.20 for adults, S$0.70 to S$1.35 for senior citizens, and S$0.40 to S$0.50 for student EZ-Link cards. Patrons using an EZ-Link card receive a discount for their journey, including a discount if they use a connecting bus after their MRT ride.
The General Ticketing Machines (GTMs) at each station which replaced the older ticketing machines, allow commuters to purchase additional credit to add to their EZ-Link cards or to purchase tickets for single trips. Fares for these single trip tickets are higher than those for EZ-Link cards. In addition, a S$1.00 refundable ticket deposit is charged for each Standard Ticket. This refund can be collected from any General Ticketing Machine so as long as the card is returned to the machine within 30 days of purchase. The card can also be deposited into a charity collection box, with the S$1 deposit going to charity. The rationale behind such a refundable deposit feature was that the smartcard technology contained within each Standard Ticket makes each one costly enough to necessitate the recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
of Standard Tickets. Since November 2007, external readers were installed on GTMs at stations operated by SMRT Corporation to address problems of card jamming in insert slots. The slots, however, remain in use for the purpose of refunding Standard Ticket deposits.
Concession fares are available for children, students, senior citizens and national servicemen. Students are given free personalised cards, complete with their photos, names and national identification
National Registration Identity Card
The National Registration Identity Card is the identity document in use in Singapore...
numbers. Regardless of its type, each card is assigned a unique card ID that can be used to recover the card if lost. Transport operators have organised lotteries that are based on these card IDs. The Singapore Tourist Pass offers unlimited travel for tourists
Tourism in Singapore
Tourism in Singapore is a major industry and contributor to the Singaporean economy, attracting 11,638,663 tourists in 2010, over twice Singapore's total population. Its cultural attraction can be attributed to its cultural diversity that reflects its colonial history and Chinese, Malay, Indian and...
on Singapore's public transport system. For S$8 a day, tourists can take any number of rides on buses and trains operated by SBS Transit, SMRT Buses and SMRT Trains. The old EZ-Link card can be used up to September 2009 where the old EZ-Link card usage would be discontinued.
2009 to date
- Main articles: CEPASCEPASCEPAS, or Contactless e-Purse Application, is a Singaporean specification for an electronic money smart card. CEPAS has been deployed islandwide, replacing the previous original EZ-Link card effective 1 October 2009.- Function :...
Electronic money
Electronic money is money or scrip that is only exchanged electronically. Typically, this involves the use of computer networks, the internet and digital stored value systems...
, allowing for use on public transport, Electronic Road Pricing
Electronic Road Pricing
The Electronic Road Pricing scheme is an electronic toll collection scheme adopted in Singapore to manage traffic by road pricing, and as a usage-based taxation mechanism to complement the purchase-based Certificate of Entitlement system...
(ERP), everyday shopping and meals. The card has replaced this generation of EZ-Link cards in 2009 and aims to encourage competition by allowing up to four CEPAS card issuers. Mass replacement of the old Sony FeliCa cards to the new CEPAS cards went on at TransitLink Ticket offices and Singapore Post outlets till 7 October 2009.