Evolution of the Singapore MRT 1987-2022 (geographic map)

The expansion of the Singapore Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) and the Light Rail Transit (LRT) from 1987 to 2022 is shown in this animation.
#Singapore #MRT #history
Note:
1. Opening and extensions are grouped as one event for each year (i.e. if a line extended from A → B, and B → C on the same year, it will be shown as it extended from A→C)
2. Transfer stations are counted multiple times for each line including cross-platform interchanges (exception of through service of Line 8A to Savyolovskaya)
BGM:
Mid Side by Butterflies
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/ @metroliner

[@morebasheder]

Amazes me to find out Singapore has only had a system for the last 35 years

[@huaiwei]

And that Singapore Changi Airport, such a world-renown airport, only has a rail link of any kind as recently as 2002, after the first airport terminal opened in 1981.

[@harisadu8998]

70 years ago, Singapore was destitute. That's pretty amazing too!

[@nhy123123]

@@harisadu8998 To be fair, it wasn't as destitute as most other countries in the region, it received one of the most investments in infrastructure and systems (albeit for exploitative purposes) from the British, compared to many other colonies. There government loves to peddle the idea that they raised Singapore from "3rd world to 1st world" status but that cannot be any more exaggerating than it already is, beyond the incorrect usage of its political connotation (1st, 2nd, 3rd world are terms used to describe political alignment to capitalism/communism or non-aligned, not economic as it often is abused).

[@coldstring5646]

@@nhy123123 nah I’m not giving the colonisers unnecessary credit. infrastructure as in, a few roads, Victorian buildings that became hotels, and ports we destroyed and moved anyway. There was no public transport to speak of.

[@curzethemall]

​@@coldstring5646you dont speak for us. we singaporean revere the british and wish to colonise asean in their footstep

[@AridChannelOfficialSG]

My city! Nice! In case you want to know what happened to the Downtown Line, the line was supposed to be two lines: The Bukit Timah Line and the Eastern Region Line. The Bukit Timah Line runs parallel to Bukit Timah Road and Upper Bukit Timah Road into the city. The Eastern Region Line was supposed to be a eastern circle line, starting at Tampines and looping at Jalan Besar, near the current loop. There would possibly be an Interchange between these 2 lines, so LTA (Land Transport Authority) cut the Eastern Region Line into north and south and merged the northern part with the Bukit Timah Line, with Rochor planned to be a transfer station for train heading into and out of the loop to Expo or Bukit Panjang. This was scrapped in favour of also having a North-South underground expressway, which also led to Rochor being disconnected. To make up for this, they added another station within walking distance, called Jalan Besar. The southern part was merged with the Thomson Line to create the Thomson-East Coast Line. In fact, the Downtown Line is composed of the Bukit Timah Line (DT1 to DT14) a scrapped portion of the Marina Line (DT14 to DT19) and the northern part of the Eastern Region Line (DT19 to DT37). In fact, the Circle line was supposed to be the Marina Line, and the Chinatown and Bugis prongs were scrapped and then merged with an LRT from Paya Lebar to Buona Vista. The Jurong Region Line was the result of replanning of the Jurong area, the creation of Tengah New Town and revival of the Jurong LRT to serve it.

[@AridChannelOfficialSG]

Additional things: The Circle Line was supposed to open in the city area first. Due to the Nicoll Highway collapse, Marymount to Bartley opened first. The Dhoby Ghaut to Promenade spur was a result of the Marina Line plans from which the Circle Line inherited most of its city alignment from.

[@larkwinth_real]

Very true.

[@srminecraft7581]

Not exactly... From Gardens By The Bay, to Sungei Bedok was supposed to be the Eastern Region Line, whilst from Woodlands North to Gardens by the bay, would be the Thomson Line, maybe urs is slightly mistaken?

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

@@srminecraft7581 thats the Thomson-east coast line not the Downtown line like they mentioned

[@AridChannelOfficialSG]

@@srminecraft7581 the Eastern Region Line was supposed to be the Eastern circle line that its north part was merged into the DTL. Public plans show the ERL southern part as the ERL until they were nerged

[@MaxCheng95]

Singapore has one of the weirdest route planning doctrines of all metros I’ve seen so far, imo. Just look at Downtown Line

[@MetroLiner]

The Downtown line is indeed quite interesting! I wonder what the reason behind the design was. My guess is that there aren't many demands for trips from one end of the line to the other end and most passengers get off in the downtown area. In that case, the loop won't be an issue and it will provide more interchange points for the passengers.

[@jantrnka1462]

It looks like if two lines were merged into one in the last moment.

[@MaxCheng95]

@@julm7744 at least they are trying to make it a circle

[@chenyeanmingtakumi9033]

@@julm7744 it will be an enclosed loop, but not a circle as it has a branch line

[@adiel_rusyaidi]

@@SMBRProductions The original Nicoll Highway MRT Station, before the collapse in 2004, was designed to have 4 platforms. I suspect that the original Downtown Line Stage 2 (Bukit Timah Line) or the Eastern Region Line was supposed to have a consecutive cross-platform interchange with Nicoll Highway and Promenade (similar to City Hall and Raffles Place). If you head to Promenade today, you can clearly see that the station was designed to have 2 more platforms opposite the Circle Line. The metal bars which were meant to hold the train arrival TV screens at those platforms are still there. Whichever line that was supposed to use those platforms couldn't have gone further because it'll clash with Circle Line tracks heading to Dhoby Ghaut. So this means that the mysterious line couldn't have gone to Chinatown directly. That's why the Downtown Line we have today is at Basements 4 and 5 of Promenade. The current DTL section from Promenade to Chinatown was supposed to be the "Downtown Extension" branch of the Circle Line. I once found an official System Map on SMRT's website which indicated this branch to be a part of the Circle Line. Tl;dr I think the Downtown Line's loop we have today was the best solution to salvage whatever future plans that were hampered due to the Nicoll Highway collapse.

[@Sedonapass]

as an engineer in the TEL, im glad ppl are appreciative

[@nhy123123]

Nice, I hope that the opening of the 3rd Phase won't be delayed, then! Waiting with lots of anticipation

[@areebah8297]

the downtown line is actually super helpful because if not for it, I would have to take a bus to and fro school everytime even if there's a jam/I'm in a rush but thanks to it, I only have to take 7 mrt stops to get to school

[@tehsiewdai]

great video! thanks for making a video of my city's rapid transit system!

[@leechan5736]

Just some clarifications for the comments: “The Downtown Line is really stupid/Why is there a loop, it doesn’t make sense?” - The Downtown Line is pretty under utilised, especially the stretch between Bukit Panjang and Botanic Gardens, but it’s very useful for those who have to travel from the west to the east. For example, if you live in Bukit Panjang and want to travel to Tampines. You will have to use the BPLRT, North-South and East-West lines. Now, you will only have to use the Downtown Line. It enhances connectivity basically. - For the loop, imo its pretty weird too. If you want to save some time, alight at Jalan Besar station and walk a few minutes walk to Rochor station, vice versa if you’re going the opposite direction. “Why is the Circle Line, not a circle?” - There will be a launch of phase 6 in 2026, adding 3 stations (Keppel, Prince Edward Road & Cantonment), so we’ll get there! OP didn’t include the future lines/stations so that is why the system right now doesn’t look that compact. The Thomson-East Coast line is not complete and it will end at Changi Airport (CMIIW). The Jurong Region line will provide connectivity in the West (took them long enough, I stay in the West and you have to rely a lot on bus). There’s also the Cross Region line, going from Pasir Ris area to the West.

[@travel4gaming]

The crl going to the west is still under study but i hope it will be feasible

[@zacharytang3840]

oh for goodness sake i lived at Cantonment, wished i had a better mrt station instead of having to walk ~8 minutes to Outram Park, moved out, and they're building one here now. _cries in inconvenience_

[@etbadaboum]

Thanks so much for your videos. I hope you'll get a big following so to cover as many rail networks as possible and every redo the older ones because you get better with every new one!

[@ehmusibotuncleraymondsiol6464]

update: tel3 has opened on 11.13

[@NotRushEYT]

update: tel4 is now opened (23/6/24)

[@tanjunwei5381]

2022 Extends to Gardens by The Bay 2024 Extends to Bayshore 2025 Extends to Sungei Bedok 2026 Loop closes RTS opens 2027 Jurong Region Line opens 2028 Extends to Pandan Reservoir 2029 Extends to Peng Kang Hill & Jurong Hill 2030 Cross Island Line opens Extends to Haw Par Villa 2032 Extends to Punggol 2033 Extends to Gul Circle 2040 Seletar Line opens

[@SMRT-Transit]

Nice work on the Singapore's Mass Rapid Transit.

[@tntmaster1104]

I really love these kind of videos! Keep making more.

[@joshuabulatao6962]

Please do the Philippines next! Thanks! I think it'd be interesting since it used to be composed of different lines on different islands.

[@martinsnajdr4966]

Very wonderful.❤️ 🇨🇿 👋 🇰🇷 and 🇸🇬

[@yusufakburak302]

When will you make a video about the Istanbul Metro system?Your videos are very good, you made every metropolitan metro system, but you forgot Istanbul.

[@GG.823]

The DTL just has a loop But how !?!??!?!??!

[@aptiveviennapro]

Wow! Great graphics and animation over here Metro Liner!

[@SuhaimiAmir]

Great video! Can you do Klang Valley, Malaysia next?

[@talentlesszephyr_yt]

Thanks for giving me the history!

[@talentlesszephyr_yt]

Plus, give me the future expansion

[@tonai]

Hello, I am veery impressed about your work. You made me want to make videos similar to yours (but my own ideas like metro in Kraków which is non-existent) I wanted to ask you how do you make your videos. In which platform, and how do you make animations.

[@WilsonTjinYauw]

This is the video I have been waiting for

[@IrishTransportGuy]

Great video as always! Keep up the good work! 😀🚇

[@lacuatretelevesio.sb.]

Hi, the Video is well made, and this Metro system is one of my favourites. Could you do the Bucharest Metro next time?

[@seyhosaban1221]

do Istanbul megacity please and i love yours videos!

[@lucca_lee]

World most coverage metro system, I mean it covers the whole country !

[@siuchoho9051]

Great video and nicely done! Hope to see a version for Hong Kong Metro lines

[@jaybilasa7075]

Cool Video & Nice editing, could you do Hong Kong MTR next, I’ll be great for people to see the history of the metro system of HK.

[@cmrocarlosmanuelronquilloor]

Excelente ojalá hagas el subte de Buenos Aires por favor

[@travel4gaming]

i like how just 2 years they already made 50km worth of track, and by 2011 made 20km worth of LRT track

[@budgie_assassin]

Can you make expansion of Hong Kong mass transit railway (MTR) next?

[@李銘輝-p4b]

What app was used to make this?

[@leobragaurbe]

YESSS finally!!! Thank you!!

[@matthiaslim9786]

Is no one gonna notice that the branch of the East West line is well uh, the east west line. It was actually the north south line then it later connected with it.

[@simonchin6340]

Thomson east coast line 3 opens at 13 november 2022. 5:37

[@deniskataev3667]

Singapore LRTs: "exist" Glazgow metro: Are you challenging me?

[@Cupcakesandlovly]

The northeast line was think to extend to pualu tekong but they can so they exend to punggol coast

[@kuyaocstriviaeverything9860]

Singapore developments are very exciting to follow. I love watching them. Salute to the leaders of Singapore! 🇸🇬🇵🇭💕💕💕

[@W-Sfire7000]

Ever wondered Sg GDP one of the highest but (Most) still stuck with public transport? Other country homeless unemployed drug addict got one beaten up Buick/Ford/Chev to DRIVE. In that sense, that overseas homelss unemployed driver is moving around in more CLASSY? fashion than average Singaporeans of our 'Rich' Country. Eh I not Economist, but my humble English observation tiok boh? Cya driving in Msia! Tks

[@antonau6829]

You can made a video about Shenzhen metro

[@nikhatparween5536]

Hi #metroliner why u upload videos after 3 weeks it’s really difficult for me to wait since I m addicted to ur videos. Plz upload a video every week plzz.

[@ramaalmarza8666]

Can u pls do Buenos Aires next? :)

[@TheRealTaki-inTokyo]

I don't think the Yellow Line is called Circle Line in your video anymore...

[@uporotaya_4ayka]

Мне интересно, почему решили сделать петлю на синей линии?

[@TransportationONLY]

The loop was made to serve the downtown core area where the demand is very high. The demand to travel from one end of the line to the other end of the blue line isn’t relatively high so the loop isn’t an issue.

[@trollface5084]

Перевод: Петля была сделана чтобы обслуживать центральные районы где очень большой спрос на метро. Спрос в том, что им особо не надо ехать с одного конца линии на другую, так что петля не является проблемой.

[@Hotel2013]

The 1st 5 stations represent the 5 billion people in 1987

[@Hotel2013]

North-South Line= Mrt 7 East-West Line= Mrt 8 North-East Line= Lrt 2 Circle Line= Lrt 1 Downtown Line= Mrt 3 Jurong Region Line= Mrt 4 and Makati Subway Seletar Line= Metro Manila Subway

[@app4893]

Good!

[@cansadoyt]

Wonderful!

[@TuesBlusn_3210]

I will wtch expansion of the Thailand Metro 👀

[@sinmingso3404]

I want to know how do you make these animations

[@KSG10]

😍Great SG🥰👏

[@emanuelelamborghini2429]

What program do you use?

[@MetroLiner]

I am using adobe after effects

[@emanuelelamborghini2429]

@@MetroLiner Thanks

[@cursedredcurry]

2020 Circle line is turned into a circle

[@lennywijaya3965]

And could you add the important incidents in the mrt

[@Hotel2013]

Why didn’t they extend in 2018

[@travel4gaming]

The beggining is not exactly true, the first phase that opened was actually the stations Yio Chu Kang-Toa Payoh on 7th Novemeber, and the rest on 12th December

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

read description

[@user-ko1vi6px9s]

Please Manila next

[@elbandano2721]

sidney is posible? to add oceania and have all the continents

[@theangrytring5783]

good job ~singaporean

[@the_dahlia-constance]

Bangkok please.

[@ThatBuzzyDemigirl2]

Me too

[@zq_156]

I has same excited

[@darrell190967]

I've never understood why there is no Direct service from Changi Airport to City Centre and beyond, and always have to change at Tanah Merah

[@nhy123123]

One of the reasons was because the planning for Changi Airport happened just as the original two lines for the MRT have been finalised. To be fair, they could have made adjustments even by the late 1970s to early 1980s but somehow there was a suspected miscommunication within the transport industry (rumours from the industry only, no official announcement). Nonetheless, this will eventually be fixed with the extension of the TEL into the Airport by the mid 2030s and there would be no need for the Tanah Merah change anymore (a straight line from the airport to Gardens by the Bay and Orchard stations).

[@laujunming4152]

The Changi Airport branch used to have a direct service from the city to the airport, but this was eventually scrapped due to the low demand -Most people were heading to Pasir Ris-. LTA replaced that with the shuttle service we have today

[@KaplaWorld]

Singapore MRT North South Line 1987 East West Line 1987 LRT 1999 North East Line 2003 Circle Line 2009 Downtown Line 2013 Thomson-East Coast Line 2020

[@MariaRip]

Ok

[@KeylimbaGamesShorts]

CG: Changi Airport line😂

[@user-iun7mp7477]

Where did you download the map? Isn't it copyright violation?

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

why would there be copyright violation, its a geographically accurate map and it isnt used in the system itself

[@user-iun7mp7477]

@@poteyatocheapp6978 Hey, tell me so I can understand.

[@tszcheukfung3715]

Waiting for Hong Kong MTR

[@PokemonGoPlayer838]

Please do a Hong Kong video

[@TRDInfo]

That's kinda.... Weird... 🤣

[@matienlaciudad]

Oiga usted, vuelva a Latinoamérica (?)

[@-_-Lucario_Gameplays-_-]

@@matienlaciudad Buenos Aires, Brasilia, Medellín, Guadalajara o Quito

[@fedorchib]

Ah yes, circle line that doesn't form a circle and three small LRTs that services only 1-2 districts each one

[@thanos6635]

Do u actually know the main purpose of LRTs? The point is that the MRT doesnt go pass through those district, thats why LRT is a thing, its small which can fit sround 50-60 passenger & is efficient. Plus the LRT is located right beside MRT so people dont have to travel far to exchange.

[@thanos6635]

And its called Circle line cause it travels in a loop.

[@seananlinjunxi868]

@@julm7744 there is no circle line in the world that is perfect, it only functions as an orbital line that allows commuters to go from east/west to north without wasting time entering the city.

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

The current few LRTs are more of testbeds

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

@InsaneMetro yea

[@larkwinth_real]

Finally

[@keslek2741]

Do İstanbul please

[@astro8275]

pls do lisbon

[@ДэниМиша]

Зделай видео о метро Минска и Питера

[@ariffinroslan9816]

Do Malaysia MRT

[@fuatyldz8140]

Istanbul metro

[@harisadu8998]

Do a video on Hong Kong. Best system in the world. One new line is being completed by July this year.

[@stekra3159]

YaY

[@HEDTransportationChannel7019]

The next time will be a Shenzhen Metro.

[@chou3595]

do shenzhen!

[@unanec]

Honestly in my opinion this is one of the worst metro systems i've seen so far in terms of planning

[@huaiwei]

Why is that?

[@ivychong3233]

@@huaiwei it's because people think the Downtown Loop is weird

[@huaiwei]

​@@ivychong3233I don't see how that loop alone makes it the "worst metro system in terms of planning"? I wonder if people remember that line merely plays a supplementary role with just 3 train cars. Not obvious to foreigners merely seeing this map, but locals should point this out.

[@travel4gaming]

@@huaiwei Its just the track, if you look in services and other lines, its actually good

[@Niggarduan]

Istanbul please

[@bowlampar]

Just take your time, there is no need to rush in MRT expansion, think thoroughly n plan properly before adding new track line inside such a small country. 🥱🥱

[@DarryllV]

for those who are questioning the downtown line, maybe its because they didn't show the individual stations, or you dont live here. When you're a diehard timesaver you would be counting stations (which are surprisingly well spaced, 2-4 minutes each) and when you do, you'll realise how good the downtown line is.. well the east side of it at least. In my experience the downtown line has been one of the biggest QoL improvements for me. It's saved me so much time from not having to take an even longer bus ride to my nearest green line station and then having to travel way too many train and bus stops. I live near the intersecting green and blue line on the upper right but not exactly at the intersection. I only have to take a short bus ride to it which helps mitigates time loss from the suprising amount of traffic esp. in the morning. Then i can take this blue line to the yellow line (macpherson) and from there i can head to several places and its become basically my 'transfer hub' to head to other places like school, arcade or to central (nex, suntec). When it comes to planning routes I want to take for meetups with friends or to head somewhere that isnt the west, many of my plans involve usage of blue line to macpherson and branching out in whatever direction i need to go. It's so crazy convenient that i'm secretly thankful i was born late enough to appreciate this at my age. Though my only complaint is that weird loop at the middle bottom but that can be bypassed with the glorious macpherson station again lol

[@mrfweeis]

Yesss I've changed at MacPherson so many times I know which side of the train to get off of and on a good day, I can get off a yellow line train and get on a blue line train within 30 seconds! So satisfying

[@nhy123123]

I would say that the line is even greater from the west side, as there used to be an unmet demand for people who live in Bukit Panjang and Hillview regions to get down to the city in a prompt manner apart from taking buses down which can potentially get stuck in jams in Bt Timah Road. Additionally, for the many schools in the Bt Timah region (Ngee Ann Poly, NJ, HCI, NYGS, MGS, SUSS and the list goes on), the line is a godsend and has helped to reduce traffic around the area as parents are now more willing to let their kids go to school by transport instead of risking a squeeze in traffic in that area in the morning. Heck, even in the central region of the line, the use is immense. Office workers often employ the line during lunch breaks to travel around the area for food and of course there's the convenience of closer proximity to workplaces compared to in the past where 10+ min walk from Tg Pagar/Raffles Place/City Hall stations might have been required.

[@forceassaulter8826]

Nobody questioning how useful it is. The only thing sucks with downtown line is the loop

[@poteyatocheapp6978]

@@forceassaulter8826whats wrong with the loop?

[@a7128]

moovit app - love it

[@NANICU]

Ten Mile Junction was the only station in a shopping center and had the ignominy of being the first and only station to close.

[@nhy123123]

To be fair neither was it the, *cough cough* first "station" to close. There's the KTM stations from Malaysia in Singapore.

[@Koh-Wei-Jian]

There are a lot of stations in the shopping center, right?

[@ledgeri]

I like the "make a loop/line, then put the stop where is demand" approach.

[@emptyangel]

*when there is demand. the stations locations are pretty much fixed and determined in advance.

[@ErelH]

This is great! But I really feel like showing the future projects would have made this even better (even just those that are under construction)

[@ivanlimzg]

It's another video

[@YNOTcs]

Pls do Oslo transit expansion would be real cool.

[@DK-ey6hy]

I’ve been to Singapore in 2017, and l will travel twice

[@abrarmuhtasiim6612]

I am pretty sure there some ongoing and planned extensions of the Metro Network you could've shown Great video tho

[@Linuxield]

Yup. There's the remaining bits of Thomson-East Coast, the Cross Island Line, the RTS link and more.

[@gauravsingharora2127]

May i know the name of the background music track you used in this video 🙏

[@MetroLiner]

Mid Side by Butterflies

[@gauravsingharora2127]

@@MetroLiner thank you so much 👍

[@kinggator8231]

@@MetroLiner what's the link to the song? I couldn't find it on KZbin or Spotify.

[@vernmeyerotto255]

I remember being in Singapore when the North/South line first opened. That made the trip from downtown to Ang Mo Kio a whole lot easier!

[@jamieshd2]

Still waiting for the new line of MRT connect red line to purple line at the north east line

[@jonseilim4321]

Other expansion/evolution of Singapore's MRT mapmakers to check out - Bananasolid and Hyarany on KZbin and HNBYY on Bilibili!

[@ThatMevely]

Yes, the downtown line was 2 separate lines when it was planned but was merged to 1 line at the last moment. The two lines used to be called bukit timah line and eastern region line and was suppose to terminate at chinatown. -Mev

[@ThatMevely]

Bukit timah line used to stop at bugis and the rest was marina line by the current circle line but it was scrapped, so now the circle lines terminates and marina bay and will soon form a circle to harbourfront. That means: Old: promenade, landmark, cross street, chinatown New: promenade, bayfront, marina bay It is now taken over by the downtown line stage 1 Stations: bugis, promenade, bayfront, downtown, telok ayer, chinatown -Mev

[@-.gamasday.-366]

Very interesting video, it is impossible to believe that there is a subway throughout the country of Singapore, mmm, I am a subscriber from Peru, can you do Lima metro and its expansion? in order to show their journey and that they know more about my city! I appreciate it MUCH! greetings :DDDDD

[@Hotel2013]

North South Line - Large Intestine Jurong East - Kranji = Ascending Colon Kranji - Sembawang = Transverse Colon Sembawang - Marina South Pier = Descending Colon

[@KeylimbaGamesShorts]

EW28 Bukit Batok becames NS2 EW29 Bukit Gombak becames NS3 EW30 Cho Choa Kang becames NS4

[@demianfleitas6026]

You can do one of the Buenos Aires subway

[@ilove_class805]

Don’t forget Thomson East Coast Lines extension to Gardens By The Bay

[@onefanofwonderland]

RAFFLES PLACE HAS LAU PA SAT

[@blickiiii]

With what program do you do this?

[@krishnanjunior2146]

Kuala Lumpur Malaysia next 🙏🏻