No train services between Tanah Merah and Tampines from Dec 7 to 10 as works are carried out: LTA

SINGAPORE: Train services between Tanah Merah and Tampines MRT stations will be suspended from Dec 7 to Dec 10 as works are carried out to facilitate the connection of tracks between the East-West Line (EWL) and the new East Coast Integrated Depot (ECID).
In a press release on Tuesday (Nov 5), the Land Transport Authority (LTA) said that the works are part of preparations for the opening of the ECID in 2026. It added that trains will not be able to operate along the affected segment of the EWL during the period for “safety reasons”.
A shuttle bus service – shuttle 7– will run between Tampines, Simei and Tanah Merah stations at a frequency of three to five minutes while train services are suspended. The fare structure for the shuttle bus service will be the same as the one used for trains.
A total of 55 double-decker shuttle buses will be deployed during the Saturday to Tuesday suspension, with LTA also setting up temporary shelters to facilitate commuters who need to wait for these buses.
The closure of the affected stretch between Tanah Merah and Tampines stations will also have an impact on adjacent sections of the EWL, said LTA.
This includes the stretch between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations, where trains that would typically travel eastwards from Tanah Merah to Pasir Ris before turning around to provide westbound services would no longer be able to do so.
Also affected will be the stretch between Tanah Merah and Changi Airport stations.
To address this, shuttle trains will operate every five minutes between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations, every eight minutes between Tanah Merah and Expo stations, and every 11 minutes between Expo and Changi Airport stations.
On Saturday and Sunday, train services on the EWL will terminate at Tanah Merah station, before turning around.
During the peak hours of Monday and Tuesday, the train services on the EWL will alternate between terminating at Tanah Merah station and terminating at Paya Lebar station before turning around. This is to help alleviate crowds during this period.
LTA also plans to increase the frequency of trains on the Downtown Line (DTL) during the affected period, with four more trips added per hour.
Commuters could see a maximum of 30 minutes of extra travel time and are advised to plan their journeys in advance and refer to LTA’s MyTransport.SG mobile app as well as LTA’s and SMRT’s social media platforms for updates.
Where possible, commuters passing through the affected EWL stations are “strongly encouraged” to consider alternative routes via the DTL and other MRT lines, as this may result in shorter travel times, said LTA.
An estimated 100,000 commuters will be affected per day, on average, said an LTA spokesperson in response to queries from CNA.
LTA added that the disruptions are necessary as the connection of the EWL tracks to the ECID requires a “continuous window” for the removal of about 80m of existing tracks, sleepers and third rail along the existing EWL viaduct.
The third rail supplies power to trains, while sleepers are used to help hold tracks in place.
This will be followed by the installation of new turnout tracks that connect to the reception track leading to the ECID.
The third rail and power cables will then need to be re-installed along the new tracks, before testing of the signalling, power and communications system is conducted.
The closure was scheduled to take place during the school holiday period where there are fewer commuters. By starting the closure on a Saturday, where fewer people are travelling to work, LTA will also be able to complete the bulk of the works over the weekend and on Monday.
“LTA has planned and completed all possible preparatory work beforehand, including the completion of the viaducts and other works to enable the connection of the tracks, in order to keep the overall duration of closure to the minimum necessary to complete the required works safely,” it said.
LTA said that works are “progressing well” for the ECID, which is slated to be the world’s first integrated four-in-one depot. It will house three train depots and one bus depot within a single site.
Structural works are almost complete, with the fitting of rail tracks and installation of electrical and mechanical and system services ongoing.
“When operational, the ECID will strengthen the resilience of our rail network by providing increased capacity for train launches and withdrawals, giving us greater ability to adjust service patterns and cope with disruptions,” said LTA.
It will also provide interim updates as the works progress over the four days.
To compete installation works for the new depot and to prepare for operations, further “train service adjustments” will be needed next year as well as in 2026.
“We seek commuters’ understanding and patience during this train service adjustment period, as we continue to improve the resilience of our rail network and infrastructure,” said LTA.
“We will continue to plan our works carefully to minimise the impact on commuters as far as possible, and will provide timely updates if any such service adjustments are needed.”