Gul Circle MRT station (/ɡʌl,ɡuːl/GULL orGOOL) is an elevatedMass Rapid Transit (MRT) station on theEast–West Line (EWL). Located inTuas, westernSingapore, the station serves the surrounding industries of JTC Space @ Tuas and Mapletree Pioneer Logistic Hub. The station is operated bySMRT Trains.
First announced in 2011 asTuas, it was constructed as part of the Tuas West Extension (TWE). The station began operations on 18 June 2017. At the height of 33 metres (108 ft), the station is the tallest elevated station in Singapore.[2] The station has a stacked island platform arrangement with provisions for an MRT extension to Tuas South, making it the first elevated station in Singapore to have such a configuration.
An extension toTuas fromJoo Koon station was first announced in January 2008 by transport ministerRaymond Lim to improve public transport access to Tuas and the Jurong Industrial Estate.[8][9] The station was eventually announced as Tuas station on 11 January 2011, to be constructed as part of the 7.5-kilometre (4.7 mi) Tuas West Extension (TWE) of theEast–West Line (EWL).[10] The extension consisted of four stations fromTuas Link to this station.[11][12]
Contract 1668 for the design and construction of Tuas Station was awarded to Shanghai Tunnel Engineering Co Ltd in November 2011. The S$190million (US$151.1million) contract included the construction of 3.05 kilometres (1.90 mi) of elevated MRT viaducts.[13] Construction started at the end of 2011, with a scheduled completion date of 2016.[14] The station was renamed to Gul Circle through a public poll on 13 April 2012.[7][15]
Initially expected to open in 2016,[11][16] the TWE completion date was pushed to the second quarter of 2017 to allow more time for the testing of the new signalling system implemented for the extension.[17][18] As announced by theLand Transport Authority (LTA) on 27 April 2017,[5][19][20] the station began operations on 18 June that year.[21][22] Prior to the station's opening, passengers were offered a preview of the station at an open house on 16 June.[23]
Gul Circle station serves the EWL and is between theJoo Koon andTuas Crescent stations. The official station code is EW30.[24] Being part of the EWL, the station is operated bySMRT Trains.[25] The station operates between 5:26am and 12:41am.[26] Train frequencies range from 4 to 5 minutes on peak hours and 8 to 9 minutes on non-peak hours.[27]
The three-storey station has a stacked island platform arrangement, with additional side platforms and track provisions for the Tuas South Extension.[13][28] As the tracks go over theAyer Rajah Expressway and align with a road viaduct before and after the station respectively, the station has a height of 33 metres (108 ft), making Gul Circle the tallest elevated station in Singapore.[2][29] As of March 2019, however, there were no plans for the extension due to the lack of developments in Tuas South at the time.[30][31]
Gul Circle station is located in Tuas along Tuas Road near the junction withGul Circle and Tuas Avenue 3.[1][32] Surrounding landmarks of the station include Tuas Fire Station, JTC Space @ Tuas, Mapletree Pioneer Logistic Hub and Raffles Golf Course.[33] More amenities and retail developments around the station are being planned, with the station planned to be an interchange with theCross Island Line.[34][35]
Media related toGul Circle MRT Station at Wikimedia Commons
