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

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.

- Esther Loi

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.