Three new MRT stations to link Downtown Line from Bukit Panjang to North-South Line by 2035
The extension will shorten travel times for commuters going to and from the north and north-western parts of Singapore.
An artist's impression of the first planned station of the Downtown Line expansion. (Image: LTA)
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SINGAPORE: Three new stations will open by 2035 to connect the Downtown Line (DTL) from Bukit Panjang MRT station to the North-South Line (NSL).
The first station after Bukit Panjang will be an underground station along Sungei Kadut Avenue, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced on Monday (Jan 6).
The second station will be a new terminal station for the DTL, which will be an underground interchange station.
It is connected to a third station, an aboveground NSL station that will be built between Yew Tee and Kranji stations.
LTA said that the new stations, spanning a route of about 4km, will shorten travel times for those in the north and north-western parts of Singapore.
For example, commuters travelling from Yew Tee Village to Chinatown will have their travel time cut from one hour to 40 minutes.
The extension will also "improve rail network resilience" in the north-western region, by providing commuters with alternative travel and transfer options for their journeys, said LTA.
Residents in the north-western region can currently take the NSL, or the Thomson-East Coast Line from Woodlands, to travel to the downtown area.
Construction works for the extension are expected to start in the fourth quarter of this year.
"We will continue to enhance our public transport network to provide better connectivity to all commuters," said Transport Minister Chee Hong Tat in a Facebook post on Monday.
THE NEW STATIONS
The DTL extension station along Sungei Kadut Avenue will be adjacent to the rail corridor.
There will be a pedestrian link bridge, as well as a vehicular bridge with a covered linkway and cycling path, that will connect the Choa Chu Kang residential estate to the station.
Some paths along the Rail Corridor and the Pang Sua Park Connector will be diverted during the construction of the two bridges but they will remain unobstructed.
The area around the station has also been earmarked for future development under the JTC Corporation.
The other two stations that will form an interchange will be built along Sungei Kadut Central.
The new DTL terminal station will be underground, while the new NSL station will be built aboveground and along the existing NSL tracks.
Located between Yew Tee and Kranji stations, the interchange will be near Sungei Kadut Eco-District and furniture hub Trendspace.
The stations will be named closer to the date of opening.
The environmental study for the DTL extension, which involved the engagement and consultation of nature groups, has been completed. The relevant reports will be published on LTA’s website this month for public feedback.
“An environmental monitoring and management plan will be implemented, with mitigation measures to minimise the environmental impact of the works,” said LTA.
These include creating a wildlife corridor along the rail corridor to allow continued movement of fauna during construction works, as well as regular monitoring of sensitive habitats by ecologists for adaptive management.
When the DTL extension is completed, it will have a total of 39 stations, including the upcoming Hume station that will open in the second quarter of this year, as well as Xilin and Sungei Bedok stations that will open in the second half of 2026.
