From Nov. 29 to Dec. 8, no train services between Bedok & Tampines, Tanah Merah & Expo due to new depot works

From Nov. 29 to Dec. 8, East West Line (EWL) train services between Bedok and Tampines and Tanah Merah and Expo will be stopped to facilitate construction works.

These are done in preparation for the opening of the new East Coast Integrated Depot (ECID).

The affected stations are:

• Bedok
• Tanah Merah
• Simei
• Tampines
• Expo

The construction works will also connect a new platform at Tanah Merah station for a future Thomson-East Coast Line extension.

Shuttle bus services will run between the affected stations, and the public is advised to consider alternative MRT routes during the 10-day period.

In a news release on Nov. 22, the Land Transport Authority (LTA) reminded commuters that the affected stations are expected to be crowded and the journey times may take up to an additional 30 minutes.

Shuttle bus services provided

LTA and SMRT shared earlier on Oct. 3 that shuttle bus services will be operated to maintain connectivity.

79 shuttle buses have been catered for this.

For commuters at Tampines, Simei, Tanah Merah and Bedok stations, Shuttle 7 will ply between the stations at a frequency of three to five minutes.

For commuters at Expo, Tanah Merah and Bedok stations, Shuttle 8 will ply between the stations at a frequency of about 10 minutes.

LTA will monitor demand and adjust shuttle bus frequencies accordingly, if needed.

"Commuters may wish to use existing public bus services to connect alternative MRT lines," LTA and SMRT advised.

Fares for the shuttle buses will be the same as normal public services.

"Where possible, commuters passing through the affected EWL stations are strongly encouraged to consider alternative MRT routes, which may offer shorter travel times," LTA and SMRT highlighted.

LTA also told Mothership that more trains will be deployed along the Downtown Line (DTL) during peak hours "to accommodate more commuters during the closure."

Staff will be stationed at affected stations to assist commuters.

Commuters can check LTA's MyTransport.SG app, as well as LTA's and SMRT's social media pages for updates.

Reduced train frequencies

Trains will also run at reduced frequencies between some EWL stations.

Between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations, trains will run at a reduced frequency of five minutes during peak hours.

Between Paya Lebar and Bedok stations, trains will run at eight-minute frequencies during peak hours.

Between Expo and Changi Airport stations, trains will run every five minutes during peak hours.

The reduced frequency is necessary as track works will limit the trains turning around from eastbound to westbound tracks, and vice versa.

"This means that we are only able to operate shuttle trains along sectors between Paya Lebar and Bedok stations, between Tampines and Pasir Ris stations and between Expo and Changi Airport stations," LTA and SMRT elaborated.

Increased complexity of current phase

The upcoming service adjustments will last longer than last year's four-day stoppage because the current phase of construction works are more complex, LTA and SMRT explained.

They will involve connecting new tracks from EWL to the ECID, connecting eastbound and westbound tracks to the EWL, modifying existing tracking connections along the EWL and enabling the operation of a new platform to the existing Tanah Merah station.

These will require an "uninterrupted closure window" for workers to safely conduct construction works.

Changes to Tanah Merah station after Dec. 9

After Dec. 9, the layout of Tanah Merah station will change to accommodate a new train platform for a future Thomson-East Coast Line (TEL) extension.

Commuters travelling in the Pasir Ris direction will have to cross to a new platform.

Platforms will be re-labelled and signages will be put up to guide commuters on the changes.

New four-in-one depot

The new ECID is a four-in-one depot that brings together three train depots and one bus depot within a single site.

The ECID will serve the EWL, TEL, and the Downtown Line and increase capacity for train launches and withdrawals.

It will also provide for greater flexibility to adjust service patterns and faster response to incidents.

The extension of the TEL to Tanah Merah station will also enhance connectivity with current and future airport terminals, the downtown and the upcoming RTS Link to Johor Bahru.

Changi Depot, which currently serves the EWL, will be fully decommissioned after train services are fully transferred.

For this, a final round of train service adjustments will be required in the first half of 2026, according to LTA and SMRT.

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Top image via Street Directory, SMRT