MRT reliability in April hits highest level since Nov 2024; most lines improve except CCL, TEL
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On average, MRT trains clocked 2.22 million train-km between delays lasting more than five minutes between May 2025 and April 2026.
ST PHOTO: LIM YAOHUI
- Singapore's MRT network achieved its highest reliability since November 2024, averaging 2.22 million train-km between delays of over five minutes.
- Most MRT lines improved or held steady in reliability, with the NEL remaining most reliable. The Circle Line dipped slightly.
- MRT punctuality improved, with 99.48% of trips on time; the DTL was most punctual. The LRT network also saw overall reliability improve.
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SINGAPORE – The reliability of the MRT network in April was the highest since November 2024, based on figures released by the Land Transport Authority (LTA) on May 15.
On average, trains clocked 2.22 million train-km between delays lasting more than five minutes between May 2025 and April 2026.
This was the first time the figure had exceeded 2 million train-km since November 2024, LTA said. As at the end of November 2024, it was 2.2 million train-km.
The network remained above Singapore’s rail reliability target – measured by mean kilometres between failure (MKBF) – of 1 million train-km.
MKBF, a widely used engineering measure of rail reliability, reflects how far a train travels before encountering a delay of more than five minutes. LTA’s figures are based on a 12-month moving average.
Reliability either held steady or improved across all lines except the Circle Line (CCL), which recorded a dip in April.
The SBS Transit-operated North East Line (NEL) remained the most reliable MRT line, holding steady at 4.45 million train-km between delays, recording the same figure in March.
SBS Transit’s Downtown Line (DTL) came in second, averaging 4.2 million train-km between delays, doubling from 2.1 million train-km in March.
The SMRT-operated CCL followed, at 2.36 million train-km, a dip from 2.37 million train-km.
The East-West Line (EWL), also operated by SMRT, recorded 2.02 million train-km between delays, improving from 1.45 million train-km.
The least reliable was the SMRT-operated North-South Line (NSL), which recorded 1.42 million train-km, up from 1.24 million in March.
The NSL and EWL are Singapore’s oldest.
The performance of the SMRT-run Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) was excluded from the overall rail reliability results, as MRT lines in their early stages tend to have significantly lower mileage because of relatively low ridership and trains not running at typical frequencies.
The fifth and final stage of the line, comprising Bedok South and Sungei Bedok stations, will open in the second half of 2026. LTA said that after the line is fully open and operations have stabilised, TEL’s performance can then be fairly compared with that of the mature MRT lines.
In April, TEL trains travelled an average of 356,000 train-km between delays, down from 374,000 train-km the month before.
LTA said the TEL’s reliability remains unstable, as it is still being completed and system integration works, regular operations and maintenance are ongoing.
“LTA and the rail operator are closely monitoring the line, and will continue to work together to improve its performance and ensure smooth and reliable journeys for all commuters,” the authority said.
In April, there were no major delays exceeding 30 minutes across the rail network.
On a separate measure, trains across the MRT network were generally more punctual in April.
A total of 99.48 per cent of trips were completed within two minutes of their scheduled time, up from 99.43 per cent in March, LTA said on May 15. The improvement was driven by stronger performances across the network, with only the CCL recording a decline.
Punctuality on the CCL dipped from 99.13 per cent in March to 98.93 per cent in April.
All other lines posted improvements, with punctuality rates exceeding 99 per cent. The DTL recorded the highest punctuality, at 99.98 per cent.
The proportion of train services that operated on schedule held steady across the network at 99.9 per cent. Three of the five MRT lines – the EWL, NEL and DTL – recorded improvements on this measure, while the NSL and CCL saw slight declines.
On the EWL, 99.99 per cent of services ran according to schedule in April. The figure was 99.89 per cent on the NEL and 99.98 per cent on the DTL.
On the NSL, the proportion of services operating on schedule dipped to 99.9 per cent in April, from 99.97 per cent in March. On the CCL, 99.7 per cent of services ran as scheduled in April, slightly down from 99.82 per cent in March.
The TEL, which was excluded from overall network-wide punctuality data, had a punctuality rate of 99.31 per cent, up from 99.22 per cent a month earlier. The proportion of TEL services that operated according to schedule dipped slightly, from 99.98 per cent to 99.96 per cent.
On the LRT network, overall reliability improved in April, with trains averaging 465,000 car-km between delays, up from 374,000 car-km in March.
The SBS Transit-operated Sengkang-Punggol LRT recorded 881,000 car-km between delays, improving from 749,000 car-km.
The Bukit Panjang LRT, which SMRT runs, clocked 239,000 car-km between delays, up from 186,000 car-km in March.
