Cross Island MRT Line

Cross Island Line
Construction works at Serangoon North station.
Overview
Native name	Malay: Laluan MRT Rentas Pulau Chinese: 跨岛地铁线 Tamil: குறுக்குத் தீவு ரயில் பாதை
Status	Under construction (Phase 1-2 & Punggol Extension) Under planning (Phase 3 & extension to Changi Terminal 5)
Owner	Land Transport Authority
Locale	Singapore
Termini	Changi Terminal 5 Pasir Ris Jurong Lake District Punggol
Stations	12 (Phase 1) 6 (Phase 2) 1 (Changi Terminal 5 Extension) 3 (Punggol Extension)
Color on map	Lime Green (#97C616)
Service
Type	Rapid transit
System	Mass Rapid Transit (Singapore)
Services	3
Operator(s)	TBA
Depot(s)	Changi East
Rolling stock	CRRC Qingdao Sifang CR151
History
Planned opening	2030 (Phase 1) 2032 (Punggol Extension and Phase 2) mid-2030s (extension to Changi Terminal 5)
Technical
Line length	29 km (18 mi) (Phase 1) 15 km (9.3 mi) (Phase 2) 13 km (8.1 mi) (Phase 3 approximate) 7.3 km (4.5 mi) (Punggol Extension) 5.8 km (3.6 mi) (Changi Terminal 5 extension) 70 km (43 mi) (Total approximate)
Character	Fully underground
Track gauge	1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) standard gauge
Electrification	Overhead line, 1,500 V DC

The Cross Island Line (CRL) is a new Mass Rapid Transit line that is being built in Singapore. It will run across the island from east to west. When finished, it will connect Changi in the east to Pioneer in the west.

The line will pass through many areas, such as Pasir Ris, Hougang, Serangoon, Ang Mo Kio, Bukit Timah, Clementi, Jurong East, and Boon Lay. From Pasir Ris, one branch of the line will go to Punggol.

When the CRL is fully open, it will be about 70 kilometres long. This will make it the longest MRT line in Singapore, longer than the East–West Line. The line is expected to serve about 27 stations.

History

Plans for the Cross Island Line were first announced in 17 January 2013 by then Transport Minister Lui Tuck Yew. The main goal of the line is to reduce crowding on the East–West Line and to give commuters another way to travel across Singapore.

Studies on the Cross Island Line began in May 2013. The CRL will serve important areas such as the Jurong Lake District and the Punggol Digital District. These are key places for jobs, homes, and businesses.

The design and stations for CRL Phase 1 were confirmed in 2019.

The Punggol branch was confirmed in 2020, and CRL Phase 2 was confirmed in 2022. It began construction in 2025 and will be completed by 2032.

In the future, the Cross Island Line is expected to carry more than one million passengers every day.

Rolling stock

The CRL will use electric trains made by CRRC Qingdao Sifang. Each train will have six cars when it starts service. However, the stations are being built to fit eight-car trains in the future. This will help the line handle more passengers as Singapore’s population grows.

Environmental concerns

After the line was announced, some nature groups were worried about the tunnels passing under the Central Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR). They asked the government to change the route to protect nature. The government studied the issue for several years. In 2019, it decided to keep the direct route, saying it would save travel time, reduce energy use, and be better in the long term.

References