New Circle Line signs to show ‘clockwise’ and ‘anticlockwise’ train directions

SINGAPORE – New wayfinding signs indicating “clockwise” and “anticlockwise” routes were installed at four Circle Line (CCL) stations – Promenade, Esplanade, Buona Vista and Paya Lebar – on May 29. They will be put up progressively at all CCL stations.

These signs are being introduced in preparation for CCL’s transition into a complete loop when three new stations on the line – Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road – open on July 12.

The new stations will close the gap between HarbourFront and Marina Bay stations, and complete the sixth stage of the CCL extension.

As the line would operate as a closed loop, the direction of trains will no longer be primarily identified by their terminating stations. Instead, passengers will need to navigate between clockwise and anticlockwise service routes.

Trains operating the full main circular loop would display signs that include the word “loop” – that is, “clockwise loop” and “anticlockwise loop” – as well as “via (next interchange)” to help passengers identify the train’s direction of travel. For instance, signs for a train travelling from Bayfront to Stadium would read “Anticlockwise loop via Promenade”.

If the word “loop” is not displayed, it means the train will terminate at a specific station rather than travel the full loop. The terminating station will also be indicated on the sign.

Esplanade, Bras Basah and Dhoby Ghaut stations, which are on a separate branch that diverges from the main circular loop at Promenade station, will also not display “loop” in their signs.

Among the updated signs are static signs that display train routes on platforms and inside trains, digital displays signalling the arrival of a train and public address announcements at stations.

Mr Brian Ho, 37, who was seeing the new system for the first time at Promenade station, said the signs were “quite small” and “confusing”.

“They should retain the old design and just add the directions (clockwise or anticlockwise) on the sign,” he suggested.

Another first-time user, Von Garcia, 16, said the signs were unfamiliar, but were easy to understand when passengers read them more closely.

She added that passengers would need time to adjust, saying: “It’s normal for it to get some pushback at the start.”

Since 2024, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) had consulted with more than 50 stakeholders – including station staff, working commuters, students, seniors and people with disabilities – to better understand the challenges passengers faced when travelling on the CCL.

After incorporating their input into potential designs, LTA invited the public to provide feedback on these proposed new wayfinding signs through a survey that was conducted over four days in March 2025. It garnered more than 3,000 responses.

The survey’s results reflected a strong preference for the use of “clockwise loop/anticlockwise loop” to describe the loop services, instead of “inner loop/outer loop”, said LTA. Passengers also preferred consistent wayfinding designs across all touchpoints.

To ensure a smooth transition, LTA staff will be at the four stations from May 29 to 31 to help passengers understand the new signs. Brochures will also be distributed by staff and are available for the public to pick up at the passenger service centre.

Passengers can virtually plan their routes on the CCL with the new wayfinding experience at lta.gov.sg/cclwayfinding and familiarise themselves with the new system. Users can select their start and destination stations and view the signs to follow for the most efficient route.

As the new signs are progressively implemented across all CCL stations, LTA will continue to gather feedback to further improve their clarity as well as the overall travel experience on the line.

The completed CCL line will include 33 stations and span 39km.