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 toChangi 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 toChangi 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[1]
Route diagram Legend ■ Thomson–East Coast Line toWoodlands North  CR1  TE32  Changi Terminal 5 ■ Thomson–East Coast Line toTanah Merah Changi East Depot  CR2  Aviation Park  CR3  Loyang  CR4  Pasir Ris East Sungei Tampines  EW1  ■ East–West Line toTuas Link  CP1   CR5  Pasir Ris Sungei Api Api  CP2  Elias Tampines Expressway  CR6  Tampines North Kallang–P.L. Expressway  CR7  Defu Sungei Serangoon  PE4  ■ Punggol LRT East Loop  CP3  Riviera  PTC  ■ East Loop West Loop  NE17  ■ North East Line toPunggol Coast  CP4  Punggol  NE14  ■ North East Line toHarbourFront  CR8  Hougang  CR9  Serangoon North  CR10  Tavistock Central Expressway  CR11  Ang Mo Kio  NS16  ■ ← toJurong East toMarina South Pier →  CR12  Teck Ghee Kallang River  CR13  Bright Hill  TE7  ■ ← toWoodlands North toBayshore → Pan-Island Expressway  CR14  Turf City  DT6  ■ ← toBukit Panjang toExpo →  CR15  King Albert Park  CR16  Maju Sungei Ulu Pandan  CR17  Clementi  EW23  ■ ← toTuas Link toPasir Ris → Ayer Rajah Expressway  CR18  West Coast Sungei Pandan  CR19  Jurong Lake District future extension toTuas This diagram: view talk edit Show route diagram Interactive Map Show interactive map

TheCross Island Line (CRL) is a high-capacityMass Rapid Transit (MRT) line currently under construction in Singapore. It will run in aneast towest direction across theplanning areas fromChangi toPioneer, passing throughPasir Ris,Hougang,Serangoon,Ang Mo Kio,Bukit Timah,Clementi,Jurong East and theBoon Lay area. FromPasir Ris, the line will also include a branch that extends toPunggol.^[2] The roughly 70-kilometre (43 mi) line will replace theEast–West Line (EWL) as the longest line on the MRT network once it is fully operational, serving approximately 27 stations.^[3] It will utilise theCRRC Qingdao Sifang CR151electric multiple unit (EMU), running in a six-car formation. However, stations on the line will be constructed to accommodate eight-car trains to cater for future demand.

Plans for the line were first announced in 2013. The CRL is envisioned to serve various key hubs including theJurong Lake District and thePunggol Digital District, offering an alternative east–west connection to alleviate passenger load on the EWL. Shortly after the announcement, calls were made by some nature groups to divert the line tunnels away from theCentral Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR). Nevertheless, the Government ultimately decided after years of assessments and deliberation to continue with the original direct route in 2019, citing commuting time and economic factors as well as long-term energy consumption. The alignment and stations for CRL1 were finalised in 2019, followed by the Punggol branch in 2020 and CRL2 in 2022.^[4] The proposed full line is expected to have a daily ridership of over one million in the long term,^[5] and to cost an estimated S$40.7 billion.^[6]

The Cross Island Line was first announced by then Transport MinisterLui Tuck Yew on 17 January 2013. The line was planned to relieve congestion on the existingEast–West Line and slated to begin atChangi on Singapore's eastern coast, passing through the major eastern towns including Pasir Ris, Hougang and Ang Mo Kio. From this point, it would proceed further west toward Bukit Timah, Clementi and West Coast, before terminating in the Jurong Industrial Estate. A branch line was to connect the mainline to Punggol. The line was planned to be 50 km long and open in 2030.^[7][8] Studies on the Cross Island Line began in May 2013.^[9]

Since its announcement, there has been controversy over the alignment of the line's Bukit Timah stretch crossing theCentral Catchment Nature Reserve (CCNR) andMacRitchie Reservoir, which prompted theNature Society Singapore to call for the line's realignment. Environmental groups have urged the Government not to build the MRT line under the CCNR.^[11]

On 19 July 2013, the NSS put forward two proposed alternative alignments:^[12] a northern route that would run close to theThomson–East Coast Line, heading west towardsMandai,Sungei Kadut and Gali Batu before terminating atChoa Chu Kang, and a southern route skirting the reserve along Lornie Road. One engineering professor Lee Der-Horng noted the possible feasibility of constructing the line through the reserve without impacting the environment, though he said the decision "shouldn't be just based on transport".^[13]

A tender to assess the environmental impact of the line was called for on 24 February 2014 to facilitate civil works for the line.^[14] In July 2014 the LTA appointed Environmental Resources Management (S) Pte Ltd (ERM) to conduct the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the section of the line around and through the nature reserve. The EIA was to be conducted in two phases with the first studying the ecosystem and physical conditions along both the straight and skirting alignments as well as assessing how construction and operation of the line would affect the CCNR.^[15] The Phase 1 EIA report was released in February 2016.^[16][17]

Soil investigation works along the CCNR began in February 2017 and by October, was announced to be nearing completion by the end of the year.^[11] On 20 March 2018, the LTA declared that the findings on the environmental impact of drilling and other initial works would be completed later that year.^[18] The Phase 2 EIA report was released in September 2019.^[19] On 4 December 2019, the Ministry of Transport confirmed that the direct route underneath the CCNR had been chosen, with mitigating factors such as tunnelling deeper than usual under the CCNR as well as no surface works in the area. The construction cost is also expected to be $2 billion lower than the alternative alignments.^[20]

In December 2022, the LTA awarded the contract for the design and construction of bored tunnels between Fairways Drive and Sin Ming Walk to a joint venture between Obayashi Corporation and Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co (Singapore) Pte Ltd for $758 million.^[21][22]

On 25 January 2019, then Transport MinisterKhaw Boon Wan announced the alignment of CRL Phase 1 (CRL1). This segment of the line, spanning 29 kilometres (18 miles), consists of 12 stations fromAviation Park station toBright Hill station. A new 57-hectareChangi East Depot was to be built to serve the line. Construction of CRL1 officially began on 18 January 2023.^[23][24] Originally expected to be completed in 2029,^[25][26][27] the opening date was pushed back a year as a result of restrictions imposed on construction works due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.^[28]

The Punggol Extension was initially conceived as part of the North Shore Line,^[29] which was first announced by National Development Minister Lim Hng Kiang in December 1996.^[30] The LRT line would connect between Pasir Ris and Woodlands^[30] or Sembawang.^[31][32] A station box for the future line was constructed beneath the NEL station.^[33] During a national conference organised by the Feedback Unit in April 2005, the transport ministry confirmed that plans for the MRT line were still under study, in response to suggestions for a line between Pasir Ris and Punggol. Nevertheless, the line would only be built in tandem with development plans along the line.^[34]

On 10 March 2020, the LTA announced details of the 7.3-kilometre (4.5-mile) Punggol extension. The branch will consist of four stations fromPasir Ris station toPunggol station. Similarly to CR1, the opening of CRLe was delayed from its original 2031^[35][36] opening date to 2032.^[28] As of January 2022, there are no plans to extend the Punggol branch to Jalan Kayu.^[37] Member of Parliament Gan Thiam Poh also proposed to extend the CRL Punggol branch toYio Chu Kang station, which will serve those living in Fernvale and Yio Chu Kang, but the suggestion was rejected by transport ministerChee Hong Tat.^[38]

In December 2021, as part of a virtual exhibition by the LTA, a future system map depicted a series of 11 unnamed stations on the western half of the CRL.^[39] The map also showed the western segment interchanging with existing and under-construction stations:King Albert Park,Clementi,Jurong Pier andGul Circle stations. The map, along with the virtual exhibition, has since been offline. The LTA explained that the route was a "conceptual alignment" yet to be finalised, with the interchange stations being tentative.^[40]

On 20 September 2022, then Transport MinisterS. Iswaran confirmed the stations for Phase 2 of the CRL. Expected to open in 2032, the 15-kilometre (9.3 mi) segment spans six stations fromTurf City station toJurong Lake District station.^[41][42] Construction of these stations was expected to start in 2023.^[41] On 7 July 2025, a groundbreaking ceremony was held atClementi station, marking the official beginning of the construction of Phase 2.^[43]

Based on tender documents,The Straits Times projected in February 2022 that civil works for the CRL might be completed by end-2033, with operations beginning in 2034 or later. The CRL is to be completed in three phases.^[44] However, the LTA stated that the exact timeline is unclear and will only be known with the completion of advanced engineering studies.^[45] It is projected that the second and third phases will be about 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) and 13 kilometres (8.1 miles) long respectively.^[46] The Phase 3 segment is predicted to have four stations, with tentative stations CR21 and CR24 on the Phase 3 segment interchanging with the Jurong Region Line and the East–West Line.^[47]

As of July 2025, engineering studies for Phase 3 are still ongoing, and is targeted to be completed by the end of the year.^[43]

In conceptual plans for the redevelopment ofPaya Lebar Air Base, an additional station has been proposed betweenDefu andTampines North stations to serve the new developments.^[48]

The 58 kilometres (36 mi)-long CRL is planned to run in a generally east–west direction, serving 27 stations^[44] and being an alternative route to the existingEast–West Line (EWL) andDowntown Line (DTL).^[7][51] Phase 1 of the line goes west fromChangi, in theeast, toPasir Ris. The line branches off toPunggol Digital District^[35] and goes south-west towardsTampines North, and west toHougang, and further towardsSin Ming viaAng Mo Kio.^[49] Phase 2 of the line connectsBukit Timah toSin Ming, tunneling through theCCNR, before continuing south-west toWest Coast viaClementi, before heading north-west toJurong Lake District.^[50] Phase 3 concludes the line at theJurong Industrial Estate.^[50]

At least half of the CRL stations are to interchange with existing lines, providing alternative routes for commuters.^[3] The LTA is also studying a possible extension toChangi Airport Terminal 5.^[52] In July 2025,Changi Terminal 5 station was announced as an interchange station with the Thomson–East Coast Line.^[53]

The possibility of implementing an express service for the CRL was also studied.^[54] However, then Transport Minister Khaw announced in 2018 that express services were considered not feasible, citing the higher cost needed to build extra tracks and additional signalling systems that can affect non-express commuters and existing lines.^[55]

Names stated are working names, except for the existing interchange stations.^[25]

Legend

Elevated	Lineterminus	Transfer outsidepaid area
Ground-level	Wheelchair accessible	Bus interchange
Underground	Civil DefenceShelter	Other transportation modes

List

Station code	Station name	Image	Interchange; Adjacent transportation	Opening	Cost
Changi Terminal 5 Extension (under planning, to be ready by mid-2030s)
CR1  TE32	Changi Terminal 5	Does not appear	Thomson–East Coast Line  Changi Airport Terminal 5	mid-2030s; 10 years' time	TBA
Phase 1 (under construction, to be ready by 2030)
CR2	Aviation Park		Changi Ferry Terminal	2030; 5 years' time	S$320 million[56][57]
					S$356 million[58][a]
CR3	Loyang		—
					S$748 million[59][60]
CR4	Pasir Ris East				S$363 million[61]
CR5   CP1  EW1	Pasir Ris		Cross Island Line (Punggol Extension)  (2032)  East–West Line  ― Pasir Ris		S$980 million[62]
CR6	Tampines North		Tampines North		S$397 million[63]
					S$446 million[56][64][b]
CR7	Defu		—
					S$467 million[65]
CR8  NE14	Hougang		North East Line  ― Hougang Central		S$604 million[66]
CR9	Serangoon North		—		S$454 million[67][68]
CR10	Tavistock				S$407 million[67][68]
CR11  NS16	Ang Mo Kio	Does not appear	North–South Line  ― Ang Mo Kio		S$644 million[69]
CR12	Teck Ghee		—		S$615.9 million[70]
CR13  TE7	Bright Hill	Does not appear	Thomson–East Coast Line		S$526 million[71]
					S$758 million[72][c]
Phase 2 (under construction, to be ready by 2032)
CR14	Turf City		—	2032; 7 years' time	S$530 million[73]
CR15  DT6	King Albert Park	Does not appear	Downtown Line		S$447 million[74]
CR16	Maju	Does not appear	—		S$480 million[75]
					S$199 million[76][d]
CR17  EW23	Clementi	Does not appear	East–West Line  ― Clementi		S$514 million[74]
CR18  JE	West Coast	Does not appear	Jurong Region Line (East)  (late 2030s)		S$510 million[77]
					S$242 million[78][e]
CR19	Jurong Lake District		—		S$590 million[79]
Phase 3 (under planning)[80]
CR20	TBA	Does not appear	—	TBA	TBA
CR21  JS12	Jurong Pier	Does not appear	Jurong Region Line
CR22	TBA	Does not appear	—
CR23	TBA	Does not appear
CR24  EW30	Gul Circle	Does not appear	East–West Line
Punggol Extension (under construction, to be ready by 2032)[81]
CP1   CR5  EW1	Pasir Ris	Does not appear	Cross Island Line   East–West Line  ― Pasir Ris	2032; 7 years' time	S$980 million[62]
CP2	Elias		—		$562 million[82]
CP3 – PE4	Riviera	Does not appear	Punggol LRT (East Loop)		S$1.1 billion[83]
CP4  NE17  PTC	Punggol		North East Line   Punggol LRT  ― Punggol		S$496 million[72]

The Cross Island Line will be equipped withSiemens TrainguardCommunications-based train control (CBTC)moving block signalling system withAutomatic train control (ATC) underAutomatic train operation (ATO) GoA 4 (UTO).^[87]

Services on the CRL are to be provided by an initial order of six-carelectric multiple units (EMU) designed and manufactured byCRRC Qingdao Sifang inQingdao, China, known as theCRRC Qingdao Sifang CR151. These trains will draw power from anoverhead conductor rail similar to theNorth East Line and will be equipped withcondition monitoring systems to enable rapid detection of potential faults.^[88] In addition, each carriage will feature five doors per side, similar to theT251 trains on the Thomson–East Coast Line, and will include widergangway connections between carriages to facilitate smoother passenger movement both within the train and during boarding and alighting. Platforms on the CRL will be constructed to accommodate eight-car trains, which are expected to be fully utilised in the early years of operation as commuter demand increases.^[89]

The LTA announced that it had awarded the S$589 million contract for the supply of trains for the line on 14 June 2023. Initially comprising a 44-train order, it includes an option for 11 more trains and for maintenance support of the train fleet. The trains are to be delivered progressively from 2027 onwards.^[90] A CRL Train Mixed Reality Mock-up was displayed at LTA's Hampshire office as a public engagement exercise.^[91][92][93]

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