Smooth ride for weekday peak-hour commuters as CCL comes full circle with opening of 3 new stations
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Commuters at Prince Edward Road station at 8.45am on July 13.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Ho Yoon Sim
- The opening of three new Circle Line stations has made commuting faster, more convenient, and less crowded for passengers.
- Students and regular commuters appreciate the new routes and increased train frequency, improving their daily travel experience.
- Cyclists and families benefit from better access and connections, with smoother journeys and less hassle using the new stations.
AI generated
SINGAPORE – It was a smooth morning peak-hour ride for commuters on the fully completed Circle Line (CCL) on July 13, one day after three new stations opened.
The Straits Times spoke to five commuters who gave the new stations the thumbs-up – Prince Edward Road, Cantonment and Keppel – saying their journeys are now faster and more convenient.
One of them, 15-year-old School of the Arts (SOTA) student Charlene Ng, was heading to school from Haw Par Villa station to Dhoby Ghaut station.
In the past, she had to transfer to the North East Line (NEL) at HarbourFront station.
“The NEL gets crowded during the day, so it’s a bit annoying to change stations there because it is a busy link. But for the Circle Line, it’s emptier,” she said.
Although there are more train stops on her CCL route, she said she would likely return home the same way too, because she woud be able to get a seat.
Another student who switched to taking the CCL to school was Yam Jiecheng, 14.
On July 13, the Tanjong Katong Secondary School student missed his usual bus, service 30, which would have taken him directly to school from his home in Telok Blangah. He decided to give the CCL a shot, so he boarded the train at HarbourFront station to go to Dakota station, where he planned to take a bus to school.
Asked if he planned on sticking to the new train-bus route, he said: “The train will likely have a higher frequency compared with bus 30, so I will probably take the MRT after school to get home.”
He added that waiting for a train in the air-conditioned MRT station instead of outdoors at the bus stop was a bonus.
Commuters have given the thumbs-up to the new stations, saying these have made their journey faster and more convenient.
ST PHOTO: SHINTARO TAY
Accounting executive Selina Tan, 53, said she had been waiting for the three new stations to open. For 10 years, her office was at HarbourFront station, but it is now near Labrador Park station.
To get to her office in Labrador Tower on July 13, she got on a Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) train at Marine Parade station near her home, then switched to a CCL train at Marina Bay station for a 20-minute ride to Labrador Park station, which is across the road from her office. The new journey took her 40 minutes.
Before the CCL loop was completed, her commute took 45 minutes because she had to take a TEL train from Marine Parade station to Outram Park station, then switch to the NEL to HarbourFront station, which is two stops from Labrador Park station.
Acting Transport Minister Jeffrey Siow said in a Facebook post on July 12 that the Circle Line is now a full circle for everyone.
“That means more direct journeys, fewer transfers and more travel options across our rail network,” he noted.
Homemaker Ashiqin Kitchin, 37, whose son is nine months old, is delighted with the opening of the new stations.
From her home at the Pinnacle@Duxton, she usually takes the NEL at Outram Park station to get to HarbourFront station, where she does her grocery shopping at FairPrice Xtra in VivoCity mall.
She also likes taking her son to the Singapore Oceanarium at Resorts World Sentosa once a month.
When she travels with a pram, getting on the train at Outram Park station requires a bit of walking and can be a hassle, she said. Now, she just boards the train at Cantonment station, which is an eight-minute walk from her home.
A cycling enthusiast who wanted to be known only as Ching said he was eager to check out Keppel station’s connection to the Rail Corridor. He added that he usually takes a train from Tiong Bahru station to Kallang station with his foldable bicycle, then cycles to his office in LHK Building in Sims Drive. On July 13, he took the train from Labrador Park station and planned to get off at Nicoll Highway station to continue his journey on bike.
He said: “Many of us in the cycling community had been looking forward to the opening of Keppel station. It will be a great starting point on the weekends.
“The Circle Line is also relatively empty, compared with the East-West Line, where it can sometimes be a bit tight when taking a foldable bicycle. We also don’t want to cause too much trouble for other commuters.”
