NDP Has Chartered MRT Trains for P5 Students National Education Show

Specially chartered MRT trains for Primary 5 students attending the National Day Parade (NDP) National Education (NE) Show. (Images: Screengrab from @adiel_rusyaidi/TikTok & Willis Chong)

The National Day Parade (NDP) National Education (NE) Show is back after a two-year hiatus, and accompanying its return are specially chartered MRT trains for Primary 5 (P5) students!

These chartered MRT trains are used to efficiently ferry a large group of students and accompanying teachers to and fro the parade venue.

Chartered MRT Trains for NDP National Education Show

Several local trainspotters understand that the North-South & East-West lines (NSEWL), Circle Line (CCL) and Downtown Line (DTL) were used during the three weeks of NE Shows this year.

There were many wholesome comments and reactions from netizens, as seen in the recent TikTok video, which went viral on the platform.

Here’s what goes into planning and preparing to transport students and teachers and ensure that regular train services are unaffected.

1. Transport requirements for each primary school are worked out

Credits: @adiel_rusyaidi/TikTok

The NDP spectator team will liaise with the Ministry of Education (MOE) on the NE Show dates and transport requirements for each primary school.

Certain primary schools near an MRT station are specially allocated a chartered MRT train to and fro the parade venue.

2. Chartered MRT Trains are then allocated for primary schools

Primary School students waiting for their chartered MRT train at the station platform. (Photo: Willis Chong/SGTrains).

The rail operator slots the specially chartered MRT trains between regular service ones, which will stop at the MRT station near the primary school and the parade venue.

Military personnel from the NDP spectator team will coordinate with the MRT station staff on the timing in the afternoon to accompany students and teachers from their primary school to the MRT station.

They will first be held at a waiting area on the MRT station platform before their allocated chartered MRT train arrives. These chartered MRT trains are denoted on the station platform screens as a ‘do not board’ train for regular commuters.

A chartered MRT train may carry two to three primary schools; thus, each group will have an allocated boarding door to prevent a mix-up.

3. Arrival and departure from the parade venue

Credits: @adiel_rusyaidi/TikTok

Students and teachers will alight from the chartered MRT train when arriving at the MRT station near the parade venue.

They will first be held at the MRT station platform for a headcount before proceeding to the parade venue on foot.

When the NE Show is over in the late evening, the military personnel will accompany students and teachers back to the nearby MRT station.

They will board another chartered MRT train back to their respective MRT stations near their primary schools.

Chartered MRT Trains are not unique to the National Day Parade

Anglo Chinese School (Independent) students on board one of the five chartered MRT trains. (Photo: The Straits Times)

According to an article by The Straits Times in 2014, Anglo-Chinese School (Independent) had chartered five MRT trains to the National Stadium.

The vice-president of corporate information and communications for rail operator SMRT mentioned that they had “worked with schools in the past to charter trains and transport students for large-scale events such as the National Day Parade rehearsals.”

“Chartered trains run between normal train services and strictly within off-peak hours only. SMRT assures passengers that train intervals are maintained at normal service levels at all times,” he added.

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Related Links
North-South Line – SGTrains
East-West Line – SGTrains
Circle Line – SGTrains
Downtown Line – SGTrains
Train Service Status – SGTrains

External Links
“Back then, my primary school didn’t charter a train despite also being near this station 🙃” – @adiel_rusyaidi/TikTok [Accessed 16 Jul 2022]
P5 Students Apparently Had Chartered MRT Trains For NE Show, Wholesome Sight Moves TikTokers – Mustsharenews.com [Accessed 16 Jul 2022]
SMRT C651 [223/224] at Novena (NE Show Shuttle) – willischong Video Productions/YouTube [Accessed 16 Jul 2022]
Rugby: ACS(I) to charter five MRT trains for C Division rugby final at National Stadium – The Straits Times [Accessed 16 Jul 2022]

Images: Screengrab from @adiel_rusyaidi/TikTok, willischong Video Productions/YouTube and The Straits Times.
This article was edited and re-published from an earlier version that first appeared on SGTrains.