Downtown MRT line

Downtown Line
; Downtown Line
	A C951 train at Downtown station
Overview
Native name	Malay: Laluan MRT Pusat Bandar; Chinese: 滨海市区地铁线; Tamil: டவுன்டவுன் எம்ஆர்டி வழி
Status	Operational (Stages 1, 2 & 3); Under construction (Hume, Stage 3 extension) ; Under planning (Stage 2 extension)
Owner	Land Transport Authority
Locale	Singapore
Termini	Sungei Kadut (mid-2030s); Bukit Panjang; Expo; Sungei Bedok (2026);
Stations	34 (Operational); 3 (Under construction); 1 (Under planning)
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
Services	2
Operator(s)	SBS Transit DTL Pte Ltd (ComfortDelGro Corporation)
Depot(s)	Gali Batu; Tai Seng; East Coast (Future)
Rolling stock	Bombardier Movia C951(A)
Daily ridership	251,556 (July 2020)
History
Planned opening	2025; 1 year's time (Hume); 2026; 2 years' time (Stage 3 extension); mid-2030s (Stage 2 extension)
Opened	22 December 2013; 10 years ago (Stage 1); 27 December 2015; 8 years ago (Stage 2); 21 October 2017; 6 years ago (Stage 3)
Technical
Line length	41.9 km (26.0 mi) (Operational); 2.2 km (1.4 mi) (Under construction)
Character	Fully underground
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8+1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	750 V DC third rail
Operating speed	100 km/h (62 mph)
Route map
Route map
	Legend
	future extension
	to Sungei Kadut
	Thomson–East Coast Line
	to Woodlands North
	← to Choa Chu Kang
	to Fajar via Petir/Senja →
	← to Changi Airport
	to Tanah Merah →
	← to Pasir Ris
	to Tuas Link →
	← to Jurong Lake District
	to Aviation Park →
	Circle Line
	to HarbourFront
	← to Bayshore
	to Woodlands North →
	← to Marina South Pier
	to Jurong East →
	North East Line
	to Punggol
	East–West Line
	to Pasir Ris
	East–West Line
	to Tuas Link
	North East Line
	to HarbourFront
	Circle Line
	to Dhoby Ghaut
	Circle Line
	to Marina Bay
	This diagram: view; talk; edit;

The Downtown Line (DTL) is a medium-capacity Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) line in Singapore. It runs from Bukit Panjang station in the north-west of the country towards Expo station in the east via a loop around the city-centre. Coloured blue on the rail map, the line serves 34 stations, all of which are underground.^[2] The DTL is the fifth MRT line on the network to be opened and the third line to be entirely underground. It is the second MRT line to be operated by SBS Transit after the North East Line. It also serves as an alternative to the East–West Line where it runs roughly geographically parallel from Bugis to Expo station.

Quick Facts Overview, Native name ...

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Originally planned as three separate lines, the lines merged into the Downtown Line in 2007 and construction began in three stages. Stage 1, from Bugis to Chinatown station^{[lower-alpha 1]} opened in December 2013, followed by Stage 2 from Bukit Panjang to Rochor station^{[lower-alpha 2]} opening in December 2015. The third and final stage, from Fort Canning to Expo station,^{[lower-alpha 3]} opened in October 2017. At 41.9 kilometres (26.0 mi), the DTL is the longest underground and automated rapid transit line in Singapore as of 2017^[update].^[1] It utilises the Bombardier Movia C951 electric multiple unit (EMU) and runs in a three-car formation.

The line is set to have new stations and extensions in the 2020s and 2030s. An infill station initially constructed as part of Stage 2, Hume, is planned to begin operations in 2025.^[4] Stage 3e, a two-station extension consisting of Xilin and Sungei Bedok, is under construction and is scheduled to begin operations in 2026.^[5] By 2026, it will be about 45 kilometres (28 mi) long with 37 stations, and will serve more than half a million commuters daily.^[6] An extension to connect with the North South Line at Sungei Kadut is also being planned and set to open in the 2030s.^[7]

Background and inception

At the official opening of the Dover station on 23 October 2001, then-Minister for Communications and Information Technology Yeo Cheow Tong announced three MRT lines, two of which―the Bukit Timah Line and the northern part of the Eastern Region Line―are part of today's DTL. The Bukit Timah Line aimed to alleviate the traffic problems along the Bukit Timah and Dunearn Road corridor, and provide a direct link to the city area for residents in Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Panjang. The proposed Eastern Region Line, slated to be a loop in the eastern regions, aimed to relieve the passenger load on the often-congested East–West Line and benefiting those living in Tampines, Bedok and Marine Parade.^[8]^: 16―17^[9]^[10]

On 14 June 2005, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) announced the Downtown Extension (renamed to "Downtown Line Stage 1"), which would serve the New Downtown at Marina Bay area, where an integrated resort (Marina Bay Sands) and Singapore's second botanical garden (Gardens by the Bay) were to be located. The 3.4-kilometre (2.1 mi) extension, estimated to cost S$1.4 billion, was initially announced to be part of the Circle line.^[11] On 27 April 2007, then Transport Minister Raymond Lim announced that the Downtown Line would be built in three stages stretching 40 kilometres (25 mi) with 33 stations.^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]

Construction and opening

The line was built in 3 stages: Stage 1 of the Downtown line, stretching 4.3-kilometre (2.7 mi), started construction in January 2008 at Chinatown station,^[8]^: 30 where platform provisions were built to facilitate an interchange station during the construction of the North East line. It began service on 22 December 2013,^[19] with its official inauguration made on the day before by Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.^[20]

Stage 2, first conceptualized and announced as the Bukit Timah line on 23 October 2001, is 16.6 kilometres (10.3 mi) long with 12 stations connecting Bukit Panjang and Rochor stations, including four interchange stations. Construction for Stage 2 began on 3 July 2009 with a groundbreaking ceremony at Beauty World station.^[21]^[22] The line inaugurated on 27 December 2015, with free travel for all 18 stations from 27 December 2015 to 1 January 2016.^[23]^[24]^[25]

Stage 3 goes from Chinatown to Expo. The station locations and finalised route were unveiled on 20 August 2010.^[26]^[27] Stage 3 of the Downtown line is 21 kilometres (13 mi) long and serve 16 stations.^[1]^[28] The route opened on 21 October 2017,^[29] with free travel for all DTL stations on the first two days of the line completion.^[30]^[31]

The line, with an estimated cost of S$12 billion, was considered the government's most ambitious rail project. The cost exceeded those of the Circle Line (at $6.7 billion) and the North East Line (at $4.6 billion). Final costs of building the line may reach an estimated about S$20.7 billion, up more than 70% from the initial estimation, due to sharp rises in construction costs and a number of changes in plans.^[32]^[8]^: 19

In October 2014, it was announced that Stage 2's opening would be pushed back to the first quarter of 2016. This was because one of the main contractors for the DTL2, Alpine Bau (which was building King Albert Park, Sixth Avenue and Tan Kah Kee), went bankrupt in mid-2013.^[33] On 28 June 2015, Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew announced that the delay was "completely resolved" by the authorities and Stage 2's opening date was brought forward to 27 December 2015.^[34]^[35] The DTL 3 started operations on 21 October 2017, officially opened by Transport Minister Khaw Boon Wan.^[36]^[37]^[38]

To serve the line, the Gali Batu Depot was opened in December 2015 to stable 42 trains. It is situated at part of the former Kwong Hou Sua Teochew Cemetery off Woodlands Road.^[39] Also in February that year, the Land Transport Authority announced that the capacity of the depot will be expanded to stable 81 trains by 2019.^[40]

Future

On 17 January 2013, plans were announced for a southern extension extending from Expo to connect with the Eastern Region line (ERL); the ERL has since been subsumed into the Thomson-East Coast line. The extension was to provide more travel options and enhance connectivity for the residents along the East Coast.^[41]^[42] The Downtown Line 3 extension (DTL3e) was finalised and announced on 15 August 2014, in conjunction with the announcement of the Thomson–East Coast line.^[43] Two stations, Xilin MRT station and Sungei Bedok MRT station, will be added to the Downtown Line, with Sungei Bedok as an interchange station with the Thomson–East Coast line. It will lengthen the line by 2.2 km (1.4 mi).^[43] Expected to be completed in 2026, Stage 3e will connect the current East–West Line at Expo station and the future TEL at Sungei Bedok station.^[44]

On 7 March 2019, Hume station was announced to be opened by 2025 to better serve Hillview residents.^[4]^[45] An additional extension to the Downtown Line to Sungei Kadut station from Bukit Panjang station was announced on 25 May 2019 by the LTA. The extension is set to cut down travel time to the downtown area by up to 30 minutes for those living in the northwestern area of Singapore. The extension is expected to be completed by the mid-2030s. A study will also be conducted to determine the stops to be added between the Sungei Kadut and the existing Bukit Panjang stations.^[7]

Notable incidents

A fire occurred on a maintenance locomotive which was carrying out works at Mattar station on 24 May 2024 at around 1:00 am. This resulted in the section between Fort Canning and Mattar stations to be closed as the locomotive could not be moved until heat from its body dissipated. The fire was put out by SCDF and one staff member was conveyed to the hospital for smoke inhalation. Service at the affected stations resumed at 7:26 am after more than an hour since the start of train service.^[46]

Route

The Downtown line generally goes in an east–west direction from Bukit Panjang in the northwestern side of Singapore, through the downtown area of Singapore, to Tampines and the Singapore Expo in the east. It is 41.9 kilometres (26.0 mi) long and is entirely underground. Before Bukit Panjang station, there exists a brief northwards extension to the line's depot Gali Batu Depot. The line begins at the Bukit Panjang station and then goes in the southeast direction, running parallel to Upper Bukit Timah Road and along the Bukit Timah Canal through Bukit Timah. The line then enters the central area, passing through Little India station before reaching the Central Business District via Bugis station. The Downtown line runs parallel to the Circle line at the Promenade and Bayfront stations. Passing through the Downtown Core, the line interchanges with the North East line at Chinatown station.

After Chinatown station, the line goes in a northeast direction and under the Singapore River. Between the Bencoolen and Jalan Besar stations, the line intersects itself, the first MRT line to do so. After Geylang Bahru station, the line continues in a general eastwards direction, through the industrial areas of Kampong Ubi and Kaki Bukit (briefly paralleling Ubi Avenue 2 and Kaki Bukit Avenue 1), before continuing towards the Tampines Regional Centre and goes southwards, ending at Changi Business Park. The DTL3 extension (DTL3e) from Expo station will extend the line further towards the Thomson–East Coast line at Sungei Bedok station.^[48]

Stations

Station codes for the line are blue, corresponding to the line's colour on the system map. Most stations have island platforms, with the exception of Downtown, Telok Ayer, Chinatown and MacPherson stations having side platforms whilst Stevens and Promenade stations having stacked side platforms.

The initial LED Dynamic Route Map Display (DRMD) system on DTL trains that was in use from 2013 to 2024 (top), and the current LCD DRMD which has since replaced the former (bottom).

More information Date, Project ...

Downtown Line stations timeline
Date	Project	Description
22 December 2013	Stage 1	Bugis – Chinatown
27 December 2015	Stage 2	Bugis – Bukit Panjang
21 October 2017	Stage 3	Chinatown – Expo
2025	Hume Station	Hume station between Hillview and Beauty World
2026	Stage 3 Extension	Expo – Sungei Bedok
By mid-2030s	Stage 2 Extension	Sungei Kadut – Bukit Panjang

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Legend

Elevated	Line terminus	Transfer outside paid area
Ground-level	Wheelchair accessible	Bus interchange
Underground	Civil Defence Shelter	Other transportation modes

List

More information Station code, Station name ...

Station code	Station name	Images	Interchange; Adjacent transportation	Opening	Cost
DT0 NS6 Infill station	Sungei Kadut	Does not appear	North–South Line (mid-2030s)	mid-2030s^[7]	TBA
DT1 – BP6	Bukit Panjang		Bukit Panjang LRT ― Bukit Panjang	27 December 2015; 8 years ago	S$452.4 million^{[lower-alpha 4]}
DT2	Cashew		—		S$431 million^{[lower-alpha 5]}
DT3	Hillview				S$431 million^{[lower-alpha 5]}
DT4 Infill station	Hume			2025; 1 year's time	S$259.538 million^{[lower-alpha 6]}
DT5	Beauty World		Beauty World	27 December 2015; 8 years ago	S$339.88 million^{[lower-alpha 7]}

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