MRT lines

There are currently 5 operating MRT lines and three operating LRT lines currently, and below here are the list of rail networks that are currently operational:


 * North South Line NSL


 * East West Line EWL
 * North East Line NEL
 * Circle Line CCL
 * Downtown Line DTL
 * Bukit Panjang LRT BP
 * Sengkang LRT STC
 * Punggol LRT PTC

Below here are the lines that are either under planning / to be planned:


 * Thomson Line TSL
 * Eastern Region Line  ERL  (future)


 * Jurong Region Line JRL (future)
 * Cross Island Line CRL (future)

Operators
There are currently two MRT/LRT operators in Singapore.

History
The origins of the Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) are derived from a forecast by city planners in 1967 which stated the need for a rail-based urban transport system by 1992. Following a debate on whether a bus-only system would be more cost-effective, Parliament came to the conclusion that an all-bus system would be inadequate, as it would have to compete for road space in a land-scarce country. The initial S$5 billion construction of the Mass Rapid Transit network was Singapore's largest public works project at the time, starting on 22 October 1983 at Shan Road. The network was built in stages, with the North South Line given priority because it passed through the Central Area that has a high demand for public transport. The Mass Rapid Transit Corporation (MRTC), later renamed as SMRT Corporation — was established on 14 October 1983; it took over the roles and responsibilities of the former provisional Mass Rapid Transit Authority. On 7 November 1987, the first section of the North South Line started operations, consisting of five stations over six kilometres. Fifteen more stations were opened later, and the MRT system was officially launched on 12 March 1988 by Lee Kuan Yew, then Prime Minister of Singapore. Another 21 stations were subsequently added to the system; the opening of Boon Lay on the East West Line on 6 July 1990 marked the completion of the system two years ahead of schedule.

The MRT has subsequently been expanded. This includes a S$1.2 billion expansion of the North South Line into Woodlands, completing a continuous loop on 10 February 1996. The concept of having rail lines that bring people almost directly to their homes led to the introduction of the Light Rail Transit (LRT) lines connecting with the MRT network. On 6 November 1999, the first LRT trains on the Bukit Panjang LRT went into operation. In 2002, the Changi Airport and Expo stations were added to the MRT network. The North East Line (NEL), the first line operated by SBS Transit, opened on 20 June 2003, one of the first fully automated heavy rail lines in the world. On 15 January 2006, after intense lobbying by the public, Buangkok station was opened. The Boon Lay Extension of the East West Line, consisting of Pioneer and Joo Koon stations, began revenue service on 28 February 2009. The Circle Line opened in four stages from 28 May 2009 to 14 January 2012.

Stage 1 of Downtown Line opened on 22 December 2013 with its official opening made on 21 December 2013 by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.

Facilities and services
Except for the partly at-grade   Bishan, the entirety of the MRT is elevated or underground. Most below-ground stations are deep and hardened enough to withstand   conventional aerial bomb attacks  and to serve as   bomb shelters.   Mobile phone service is available in and between all stations on the entire  MRT network.   Underground stations and the trains themselves are air-conditioned, though some above-ground stations have fans.

 Every station is equipped with General Ticketing Machines (GTMs), a Passenger Service Centre, LED and plasma displays that show train service information and announcements. All stations are equipped with restrooms and payphones, although some restrooms are located at street level. Some stations, especially the major ones, have additional amenities and services, such as  retail  shops and kiosks, supermarkets, convenience stores, automatic teller machines, and self-service automated kiosks for a variety of services. Heavy-duty escalators at stations carry passengers up or down at a rate of 0.75 m/s, 50% faster than conventional escalators.

The older stations on the North South  and East West  lines were originally built with no accessibility facilities, such as lifts, ramps, tactile guidance systems (Braille tactiles on the floor surface), wider fare gates, or toilets for passengers with disabilities; authorities in the past actively discouraged use of their system by the disabled.Now, these facilities are being progressively installed as part of a programme to make all stations accessible to the elderly and to those with disabilities. All stations are now barrier-free, although works are still ongoing to provide stations with additional barrier-free facilities. On 7 March 2012, Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew told Parliament that the installation of lifts at pedestrian overhead bridges next to six MRT stations and additional bicycle racks at 20 stations would be completed by end of 2013.



Depots
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">SMRT Corporation has four train depots:  Bishan Depot<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> is the central maintenance depot with train overhaul facilities, <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:11px;line-height:11px;">  <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">while  Changi Depot<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> and  Ulu Pandan Depot<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> inspect and house trains overnight. <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> The underground  Kim Chuan Depot<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> houses trains for the  Circle Line <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">. <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">  Jurong East<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">,  Tanah Merah<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">,  Ang Mo Kio<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">, and  Paya Lebar<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> ( Circle Line<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">) platforms were built with a third middle track for off-service trains to stop at before they return to their depots, but the first two are now used as terminals for the  North South Line<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> and the  East West Line<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> Changi Airport Branch Line respectively, and the last two as terminals for the North South Line special train and the Circle Line special train respectively. Sengkang Depot<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> houses trains for the  North East Line<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">, the  Sengkang LRT<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> and the  Punggol LRT<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> together with Kim Chuan Depot for the Downtown Line, all operated by SBS Transit. It is the first depot to have structural provision for an industrial development located above the depot, to minimize land take. On 7 March 2012, Minister for Transport Lui Tuck Yew told  Parliament<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> that a new depot for the North South and East West Lines (NSEWL) and  Tuas West Extension<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> would be ready in 2016, and the upgrading of the existing North South Line and East West Line (NSEWL) depots would be started and completed by 2014. <span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;"> In August, 2012, the LTA released tender documents for a new three-level depot at Changi to serve the East West Line, Downtown Line , and Eastern Region Line.

LTMP 2013
Thre additional lines will be added following the LTMP 2013, compared to the addition of the Downtown Line, Eastern Region Line , North South Line extension, East West Line extension, and the Thomson Line for the LTMP 2008. Hence, the targeted up to 360 km, twice the total rail distance as of the current 180 km, the two additional lines for the LTMP 2013 will be North East Line extension, Jurong Region Line and the Cross Island Line.



<p class="MsoNormal">On 7 Oct, Minister for Transport, Mr Lui Tuck Yew, launched the Land Transport Master Plan (LTMP) 2013 at the Singapore International Transport Congress and Exhibition (SITCE) to take Singapore’s land transport forward for the next 10 to 15 years.

<p class="MsoNormal"> <p class="MsoNormal">Today reported that the four key priorities in this new master plan are:

<p class="MsoNormal">The first six stations of the Downtown Line (Bugis, Promenade, Bayfront, Downtown, Telok Ayer and Chinatown) which connect to existing rail lines will open on 22 Dec 2013 and enhance connectivity in the city, to make it more attractive for motorists to switch to public transport.
 * More connections
 * Better service
 * A liveable and inclusive society
 * Reducing reliance on private transport.

<p class="MsoNormal"> <p class="MsoNormal">Over 1,700 feedback contributions from the public were received since mid-2012 as part of the review of the LTMP 2008 which identified commuters’ desire for a more comprehensive public transport network, better quality MRT and bus services as well as comfortable and safer walking and cycling experiences. The Master Plan was drawn with these concerns in mind.

<p class="MsoNormal">The LTMP will be rolled out in stages from 2013 to 2030, starting with the opening of the Downtown Line 1 and Marina Coastal Expressway in 2013 and ending with the Opening of the Cross Island Line, North East Line Extension and the completion of an island wide cycling path network of more than 700 km by 2030.

<span style="font-size:17px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;line-height:19.1875px;">1987 to 1996
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">The MRT was a very recent addition for Singapore and as such, the authorities wanted to keep the MRT map as easy to use for Singaporeans as possible. Hence, each direction of travel was colour-coded in a different colour as though it were a line on its own. In that way, confusion in decision-making when taking a certain line in a certain direction would be reduced for passengers. However, this reduced the amount of colours available for new lines and was not in line with international practice.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Previously, each direction of travel on the MRT was denoted on system maps as a different colour.

<p style="line-height:19.1875px;font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Each station was also assigned a unique alphanumeric code, with the alphabet indicating which part of the island the station lies at (North, East, West, Central, Marina Bay region or Choa Chu Kang Branch Line) & the numbers (in ascending order from the centre of the island) indicating which part of that region the station is located at.
 * Northbound services were denoted in  Orange  (since been given to the Circle Line )
 * Southbound services in  red
 * Eastbound services in  green
 * Westbound services in  blue  (since been given to the Downtown Line )
 * Northbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in <span style="color:rgb(240,230,140);">khaki
 * Southbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in <span style="color:rgb(165,42,42);">brown

<p style="margin-bottom:0.1em;">
 * Stations from Bugis to Pasir Ris denoted by codes E1 to E12
 * Stations from Tanjong Pagar to Boon Lay denoted by codes W1 to W12
 * City Hall, Raffles Place & Marina Bay denoted as C2, C1 & M1 respectively
 * Stations from Dhoby Ghaut to Yishun denoted by codes N1 to N12
 * Stations from Bukit Batok to Choa Chu Kang denoted by codes B1 to B3

1996 to 30 July 2001
<span style="color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;line-height:19.1875px;">The colour and alphanumeric codes for each direction of travel remained unchanged, except that with the opening of the Woodlands Extension (connecting Yishun station to Choa Chu Kang station), the Jurong East – Choa Chu Kang Branch Line ceased to exist. As such, the formerly Northbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in khaki travelled southbound to Marina Bay & as such were denoted as red while the formerly Southbound Choa Chu Kang Branch Line services in brown originated from Marina Bay, hence having travelled northbound it was denoted as yellow. The alphanumeric codes for these stations were also replaced. Expo station which opened in 2001, was denoted by the code E13 for a short while.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">The Bukit Panjang LRT opened in 1999 and was given the colours purple and orange to represent its direction of travel. Due to the alignment of the route, which was a loop track around Bukit Panjang New Town, the map was different. The stations were given the alphanumeric code A1 to A14, with numbering starting from Choa Chu Kang interchange and going anti-clockwise direction on the loop. The directional arrow on the shared service track (between stations A1 to A6) was split, half purple coloured and half orange coloured. From Bukit Panjang station, the orange arrows travelled in an anti-clockwise direction [(service B) via Petir] while the purple arrows travelled in a clockwise direction [(service A) via Senja]

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">

31 July 2001 to date
<p style="line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Because of an expanding rail network, the MRT System Map could no longer afford to have each direction of travel represented by a different colour. Eventually, the map would run out of colours to use to represent each direction of travel. This was the main reason behind the revamp. Using the acclaimed London Underground Map as a reference, the MRT System Map was revamped, as announced by the then Minister for Transport and Communications, Mr Yeo Cheow Tong.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Colours were used to represent each line rather than each direction of travel, cutting the usage of colours by half and preserving other colours for future lines.


 *  Red  for North South Line
 *  Green  for East West Line
 *  Purple  for North East Line
 *  Orange  for Circle Line  (formerly for North-bound train services on North South Line )
 *  Blue  for the Downtown Line  (formerly for West-bound train services on East West Line )
 *  Grey  for all LRT lines

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">The direction of travel was instead represented by numbers contained within a coloured circle located at the ends of each line, known as the destination number.

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;"> <p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">

<p style="margin-top:0.4em;margin-bottom:0.5em;line-height:19.1875px;color:rgb(0,0,0);font-family:sans-serif;font-size:13px;">Like before, each station was assigned a unique alphanumeric symbol. However under this revamped system map, the letter in each symbol denotes the line (rather than the region of Singapore the station was in) and the number increases in ascending order from East to West (East West Line), North to South (North South Line), South West to North East (North East Line), in an anti-clockwise direction (Circle Line) and in a clockwise direction from the North-west to the South-east (Downtown Line). Interchange stations will then have at least two or three codes. For example:


 * Bugis  EW24 for the East West Line section and  DT14   for the Downtown Line section.
 * Dhoby Ghaut  NS24   for the North South Line section,  NE6   for the North East Line section and  CC1   for the Circle Line section.