SINGAPORE: Two new rail lines serving more than 400,000 households could be operational in the 2040s, pending feasibility studies by the Land Transport Authority (LTA).

The Seletar Line, one of the proposed lines, could serve areas such as Woodlands, Sembawang, Sengkang West, Serangoon North, Whampoa, Kallang and the Greater Southern Waterfront. 

The other, tentatively called the Tengah Line, could supplement the transport network in the west and northwest regions, covering locations such as Tengah, Bukit Batok, Queensway and Bukit Merah. 

The potential new rail lines were announced by Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat in parliament on Wednesday (Mar 5) as part of the Ministry of Transport’s (MOT) spending plans for Budget 2025. 

Based on LTA’s preliminary assessments, these two potential rail lines could meet at the Greater Southern Waterfront, said Mr Chee. 

“Our feasibility studies will therefore look into the possibility of linking the two lines into a single line, for more seamless connectivity and better efficiency for commuters,” he said. 

LTA said in a statement that more details will be provided as studies progress. 

S$1 BILLION TO ENHANCE RAIL RELIABILITY

With Singapore's rail network expanding, Mr Chee acknowledged the growing challenge of maintaining high reliability standards, especially with a mix of ageing and new rail systems. 

To address this, the government is investing up to S$1 billion (US$742 million) over the next five years to strengthen rail reliability, he said.

This will be invested in condition monitoring systems to enable more proactive and targeted maintenance, new technologies that improve the efficiency and effectiveness of rail maintenance, as well as workforce training and upskilling programmes for rail workers.

“Together, these efforts to expand the rail network, enhance the management of rail assets, and upskill our rail workforce, will allow us to continue delivering convenient, reliable and resilient public transport for our commuters,” said LTA. 

UPDATES ON ONGOING RAIL PROJECTS

Mr Chee also provided updates on the West Coast Extension that LTA had been studying, which will link the upcoming Jurong Region Line (JRL) to the Circle Line (CCL). 

The project will be executed in two phases: Phase 1, by the late 2030s, will extend the JRL from Pandan Reservoir station to connect with the Cross Island Line (CRL) at West Coast station. Phase 2, by the early 2040s, will further extend the JRL from West Coast station to Kent Ridge station, connecting it to the CCL.

Once completed, the extension could cut travel times by up to 20 minutes for commuters in the west heading towards the city centre, said Mr Chee. 

“The West Coast Extension will also enhance the overall resilience of our rail network, by providing an alternative via the CRL, and to the city centre via CCL,” he added. 

Additional details, including station locations, will be announced at a later stage. 

New stations or lines will be added every year till the end of this decade, said Mr Chee. 

Hume station on the Downtown Line (DTL) opened last month. 

Phase 2 of the CRL – comprising Turf City, King Albert Park, Maju, Clementi, West Coast and Jurong Lake District stations – will break ground in the first half of this year, said LTA in its statement. 

CCL stage 6, which will close the circle between Marina Bay and Harbourfront stations via three new stations - Keppel, Cantonment and Prince Edward Road - is on track to be completed in the first half of 2026. 

Three new stations as part of the Thomson-East Coast Line stage 5 and the DTL 3 extension - Bedok South, Xilin and Sungei Bedok - are slated to open in the second half of 2026. 

JRL stage 1 is on track to open in 2027, followed by the next two stages in 2028 and 2029. 

From 2030, the CRL will progressively open, connecting the eastern, western, and north-east regions. 

“Rail projects are major investments … They require careful planning, taking into consideration current and future land-use needs, engineering feasibility, and potential environmental impact,” said Mr Chee. 

“It also requires political stability, as well as a strong government which can plan long-term, and have the ability and resources to turn these plans into reality, because the plans will span multiple terms of government.”