It feels like every other month, an MRT closure announcement pops up on our feeds and we heave yet another heavy sigh. Earlier this year, we had to grapple with longer travel times on the Circle Line (CCL) due to tunnel strengthening works, and as we speak, the CCL is undergoing another round of train service adjustments ahead of the line’s extension.
Of course, all these planned MRT service disruptions aren’t for nought. More often than not, upgrading and maintenance works are to blame, which means we’ve just got to tahan a little before we can reap the benefits of new and improved stations popping up all over Singapore. To help you see the bigger picture, here’s what the future of our MRT system could look like.
Thankfully, we don’t have to wait too long before we get new additions to our extensive MRT map, as we’ve got a couple of MRT station openings to look forward to in 2026.
Circle Line 6 extension: Keppel, Cantonment, Prince Edward Road
We’re starting off with perhaps the more exciting of the 2 upgrades to our MRT system coming this year – the Circle Line 6 (CCL6) extension. Slated to be completed mid-2026, it consists of 3 stations, namely Keppel, Cantonment, and Prince Edward Road, and will close the loop to finally turn the CCL into a true blue circle.
No longer will commuters from the city have to hop over to the North-East Line via Dhoby Ghaut or Outram Park to get to VivoCity. But, it might be worth your time to alight at these new stations to explore nearby eateries and attractions too.
Some that have been made all the more accessible include affordable, yet yummy hawker eats at Seah Im Food Centre, thought-provoking exhibitions at the Singapore Art Museum, and for the adventurous sort, the scenic Rail Corridor.
Downtown Line 3 extension: Xilin, Sungei Bedok
As for Easties, they can expect to board the trains soon after the Downtown Line 3 (DTL3e) extension works have been finalised in the second half of 2026. Xilin and Sungei Bedok will be the last stations on the line, and will no doubt increase the footfall in areas like Singapore EXPO, Changi Business Park, Changi City Point, and Bedok Food Centre.
What’s more, Sungei Bedok will also be an interchange station, as it’s also sat on the Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL). As such, folks headed to town can swap over to the TEL to reach the city centre in a jiffy after making short stops in the quaint Tanjong Katong and Marine Parade neighbourhoods.
As an added bonus for those staying in the East, the Bedok South MRT station is also opening in the very near future. Part of TEL5, it was meant to be up and running in 2025, but the pandemic threw a wrench in the Land Transport Authority’s (LTA) plans.
It’s finally opening this year, and according to the latest TEL service adjustments announced by the LTA which were meant to facilitate rail expansion works for the line, it’ll most likely be operational sometime in mid-2026.
Having 6 new stations servicing our MRT system is exciting and all, but the LTA isn’t going to stop there. They’ve still got a slew of stations lined up in the coming years to make travelling around sunny Singapore a whole lot seamless. Here are some of them to expect tapping into in the next 10 years or so.
Brickland MRT station is projected to be the next addition to the North-South Line (NSL), and it’ll be located in between Choa Chu Kang and Bukit Gombak. Fun fact: Brickland MRT station has been given a provisional station code NS3A – one of the few planned stations for the future with the “A” suffix attached to its code. As of 2026, no current station shares this detail.
The future site of Brickland MRT station.
Image credit: Wikipedia
As to the station’s name, there are no funny naming conventions here. It’ll be in the vicinity of Brickland Road, whose name is a nod to the numerous brick-making factories found in the region in the 1950s. In today’s day and age, places of interest that will be within walking distance of the upcoming station include Bukit Batok Driving Centre, HomeTeamNS Bukit Batok, and Bukit Gombak Park.
Construction works for Brickland MRT station have been planned to start in the first half of 2026, and the station is expected to open around 2034.
In about a decade, Newton MRT station will be sharing the distinction of being the only 2 stations to run along both the NSL and DTL with Sungei Kadut MRT Station. Unlike Brickland MRT station, the LTA had a bit more foresight here to “reserve” a station code for it, NS6/DE2.
It’s meant to serve the current Sungei Kadut industrial area, as well as Yew Tee Village and the highly-anticipated Sungei Kadut Eco District. According to the LTA, commuters travelling from Yew Tee Village to Chinatown via this new station will shave around 20 minutes of travel time. But before we can enjoy this fast-tracked route, we’ve got some waiting to do as Sungei Kadut MRT station is slated to open by 2035.
With Sungei Kadut MRT station being given the station code NS6/DE2, you must be wondering about the existence of a DE1. Fret not, there won’t be any phantom stations here, as the LTA confirmed that there will in fact be a DE1 station opening in tandem with Sungei Kadut MRT station in 2035.
Image credit: LTA
Although other details are still scarce – heck, we don’t even know its name – what we do know is that it’ll be an underground station located along Sungei Kadut Avenue, near the banks of the Pang Sua canal.
Turns out, the LTA’s pretty forward-thinking; they’ve got fully-built, yet unopened MRT stations poised to take on future crowds in regions of Singapore that have yet to be developed. Currently all 3 of them are located on the TEL, and are set to be in service in the not-too-distant future.
Image credit: Dolby Thx via Facebook
Built underneath the Old Police Academy in Mount Pleasant, you’ll find Mount Pleasant MRT station, and unlike the Brickland and Sungei Kadut stations, it’s already constructed. In fact, commuters whose journey passes through the Stevens and Caldecott stations on the TEL can catch a glimpse of it today, as the trains currently skip the station along the way.
Image credit: Wikipedia
Part of the TEL stage 3 group of stations which began welcoming commuters in November 2022, Mount Pleasant MRT station was left unopened as there wasn’t much going on around its vicinity to warrant it being in operation. As such, it will only open once the surrounding HDB estates are built, and those are reported to rise around 2029.
Image credit: Wikipedia
Another unopened station which finds itself in the same plight is Marina South MRT station. Located between the Marina Bay and Gardens by the Bay stations, those who’ve boarded TEL trains in the present day can sneak a peek of it during their commute, with its lights already switched on.
Of course, trespassing into an unopened MRT station is very illegal.
Funnily enough, you can get an even closer look at the station, albeit in a peculiar fashion.
A kid trespassed into the station back in 2024, and decided to whip out his phone and start recording a virtual tour. One can only imagine the fright commuters got when they glimpsed the youngin roaming the unopened station’s grounds as they whizzed past on trains.
For those who’d rather not get involved with the law when visiting Marina South MRT station, you’ve got some waiting to do. It’ll only be open once the nearby developments have wrapped up, such as the One Marina Gardens estate and the URA’s lofty plans for the Greater Eastern Waterfront. Based on this, we estimate Marina South MRT station to open sometime in the 2030s.
Image credit: K2LD Architects
Further down the TEL, Founders’ Memorial MRT station is also slated to come into operation once the upcoming Founders’ Memorial attraction is complete. Like its name suggests, the park will be a tribute to our country’s founding leaders, complete with an exhibition gallery and amphitheatre, and will be located in GBTB’s Bay East Garden.
The Founders’ Memorial MRT station will make getting to this new attraction much easier, and it has been designated the station code TE22A, making it the second station to be given the special suffix. As for when it’s opening, Founders’ Memorial is planned to welcome visitors late-2028, so expect the station to be fully operational around then.
Well, we’ve talked about upcoming MRT station openings, but we’ll do you one better – how about entirely new MRT lines? As of writing, the 2 that have been confirmed to be in the works are the Jurong Region Line (JRL) and the Cross Island Line (CRL), and there’s plenty to be excited about.
Image credit: LTA
We’ll start with the one that’s opening earlier out of the 2, the JRL. It’ll be Singapore’s 7th MRT line, and will be the first one to be fully aboveground. It’s set to open in 3 stages, from as early as 2028 to the mid-2030s, and the line will improve rail connectivity to the Western regions of the island.
According to the LTA, the JRL will put over 60,000 additional households in Jurong within a 10-minute walk from an MRT station; a much-needed perk for those residing in the more ulu parts of the region. Stage 1 of the JRL aims to connect the neighbourhood of Choa Chu Kang to Boon Lay and Tawas in Jurong West.
Image credit: DP Architects
Tengah residents will be jumping for joy at Stage 2, as it’ll provide them with a swifter commute from home to areas like Jurong East and Jurong Town Hall. As for Stage 3, it’ll extend the JRL to encompass locations such as NTU and Jurong Pier further down South, so students won’t be able to moan about long travel times to “Pulau NTU”.
Image adapted from: LTA
Also, the trains that’ll run along the JRL’s rails are also a little different. The line will feature smaller, customised carriages so that trains will have an easier time navigating its tight curves, and will also sport wider doors to accommodate wheelchair users and strollers.
Up next is the Cross Island Line, or CRL, and before you ask, that’s not a typo, the line is abbreviated as such – confusing, I know. It’s set to be the Little Red Dot’s 8th MRT line, and will be the longest, fully underground line in the network, stretching over 50km across the island.
Image credit: LTA
Taking a cue from its predecessor, it will open in 3 stages too, from 2030 to 2032. Staying true to its name, the line aims to make commuting to developments in the Eastern, Western, and North-Eastern corridors much easier. The first phase will link up the Pasir Ris, Hougang, Ang Mo Kio, and Bright Hill precincts.
Meanwhile, the CRL-Punggol extension will result in better connectivity between Pasir Ris and Punggol. Once it’s up and running, folks will be able to travel to and from both heartland neighbourhoods in just 15 minutes. Finally, Phase 2 will sprout 6 new stations near King Albert Park and Clementi MRT stations.
Image credit: Changi Airport Group
In other exciting CRL-related news, there are the plans for Changi Airport’s upcoming Terminal 5 to have its very own MRT station, and it’ll serve as the starting point for the CRL. What’s more, it’ll function as an interchange station for the CRL and TEL. Undoubtedly, this is going to take quite some time, so expect for it to only open in the middle of the 2030s.
Although it might be infuriating to deal with MRT service disruptions, just know that these are necessary and most importantly, temporary, when it comes to improving our rail network. With so many new stations popping up around sunny Singapore in the upcoming years, there probably won’t be a corner of the island that can truly be considered ulu anymore.
For more MRT-related reads:
Cover image adapted from: LTA, Wikipedia, Khoo Yong Hao
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