Budget for future MRT lines may cover longer stations to boost train capacity: Jeffrey Siow

SINGAPORE – In building future MRT lines, the authorities will see if they can budget in advance for longer stations so that they can increase the capacity of trains when needed, said Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow.

Mr Siow said in Parliament on Nov 4 that this means starting with trains with smaller capacity, and extending the capacity of these trains when the need arises.

The trains that will ply the upcoming Jurong Region Line (JRL) – set to open in phases between 2027 and 2029 – are three-car trains that can be

expanded to four cars

to accommodate more commuters if necessary.

The future Cross Island Line (CRL) will be built to

accommodate a future expansion to eight-car trains

, although it will use six-car trains for a start when its first phase opens in 2030.

Mr Siow was responding to a question by Mr Louis Chua (Sengkang GRC), who asked if the frequency of trains plying the North East Line (NEL) or the number of cars per train on that line could be raised.

The NEL operates with six-car trains, similar to those on the North-South and East-West lines. Three-car trains ply the Circle and Downtown lines, and four-car trains run on the Thomson-East Coast Line.

Mr Siow also said he hopes to give an update on the Seletar Line,

which has been under study since 2019

, “across the turn of the year” – probably during the Budget debate in 2026. This debate typically takes place between February and March.

The Seletar Line will run from Woodlands to the future Greater Southern Waterfront, and could serve areas such as Sembawang, Sengkang West and Serangoon North.

From Dec 27, passengers in Singapore’s north-east will

not need to pay for their first rail ride

if they tap in at one of six stations on the congested NEL or the Sengkang-Punggol LRT (SPLRT) system during morning off-peak hours. This is part of the Government’s push to reduce train congestion during the morning rush hour.

This pilot scheme will run for at least a year and will be evaluated before a decision is made on whether to extend it, said Mr Siow.

Answering Ms He Ting Ru (Sengkang GRC), who asked whether increased demand from new housing projects in the area would be considered in deciding on whether to extend the scheme, Mr Siow said transport infrastructure is planned in tandem with housing developments in the longer term.

Noting that MRT lines typically take 15 years to be completed, while housing projects take five, he added that in the short term, the authorities will make continuous adjustments, such as the addition of new buses and the roll-out of the free off-peak travel scheme.

The free rail rides from Dec 27 will apply to passengers who enter the NEL stations of Punggol Coast, Punggol, Sengkang, Buangkok, Hougang or Kovan, or any SPLRT station before 7.30am, or between 9am and 9.45am on weekdays, excluding public holidays.

This is the second time free rail rides are being offered in Singapore to ease congestion.

The first was between 2013 and 2017, when passengers could ride for free if they exited MRT stations in the city area before 7.45am. It led to about 7 per cent of commuters shifting their travel away from the morning peak period.

Mr Siow said on Nov 4 that if the authorities can achieve a similar and sustained result this time round, no additional resources would be needed to support higher commuter traffic before 7.30am. These resources are the addition of trains, improvements to the signalling system, and more city-bound direct bus services.

Ms Elysa Chen (Bishan-Toa Payoh GRC) asked why only the NEL and SPLRT were selected for the scheme.

Mr Siow said the NEL is the “most well-used” part of Singapore’s MRT network, with parts of the line not linked to other rail lines until the CRL is completed.

Passengers along that stretch will hence face quite a significant impact during disruptions, he added.

Mr Siow said the scheme will not only benefit the small proportion of passengers who shift to travelling during off-peak hours, but will also help those who travel during peak hours by reducing crowding on trains and waiting times.

He added that the current passenger load on the NEL is “not anywhere near” the operating performance standards of the trains. The current load of around four people per sq m is lower than the maximum capacity of five people per sq m, he said.

In answer to a question from Ms Poh Li San (Sembawang West) on the cost of the new scheme, he said the Government will fund it entirely, and will cover the revenue loss to the rail system.

Hence, government expenditure will depend on the take-up rate of the scheme, he added.