North East Line train services to start at 8am on 4 Sundays to integrate new Punggol Coast station

SINGAPORE – Train services for the North East Line (NEL) will start about two hours later, at 8am, on four consecutive Sundays – June 30, July 7, July 14 and July 21 – to allow for testing and commissioning works to integrate

the new Punggol Coast station

into the existing line.

The first train on Sunday from Punggol towards HarbourFront normally leaves at 6.02am, and the first train in the other direction towards Punggol typically departs at 6.10am.

The Punggol Coast station, which is a 1.6km extension from the existing Punggol station, will begin operating by the end of 2024, taking the number of stops on the NEL to 17.

It will connect commuters to the upcoming Punggol Digital District and serve as an extension of the new Singapore Institute of Technology campus, which is set to welcome its first students in September.

In a statement on June 12, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) and SBS Transit (SBST), which operates the NEL, said that other travel options will be available to commuters due to the late opening time.

There will be two shuttle bus services – 21 and 22 – that will operate at intervals of three to eight minutes in both directions, making stops at each NEL station along their respective routes. Fares for the shuttle bus services will follow the same fare structure as that for the MRT, the statement said.

Bus service 21 will cater to those travelling from Punggol to Serangoon stations, and bus service 22 will cater to those travelling from Serangoon to HarbourFront stations.

Commuters can also use existing bus services, such as 43, 82 and 83, to transfer to other MRT lines, such as the Circle Line, to continue their journey, said LTA and SBST.

They advised passengers to plan their trips in advance and check for travel updates before beginning their journeys.

Station staff will be present at the affected stations to provide help, and posters on the shuttle bus services and other travel routes will be posted at the affected stations. The late opening hours will also be broadcast regularly over the public address system at all MRT stations, said LTA and SBST.

“We appreciate commuters’ understanding and patience during this period, as we work towards the opening of the new Punggol Coast station by end-2024 to enhance rail connectivity and provide greater convenience for commuters in the north-east region.”